R.E.L.A.X….. Aaron Rodgers made this statement several years ago as the famed Green Bay Packers got off to a rough start in their season. The fans, the local media were all over him, everyone doubting. Sure enough, as if out of a Disney movie, Rodgers goes on to lead them into the playoffs. RELAX…ha, that’s easier said than done, so how about adding- “Stop, Drop and Roll”.
There is certainly no shortage of NOISE today: a 24 hour news cycle, social media, expanded media, a dysfunctional political system, the list goes on. My hope is to give you an easy way to keep your sanity and stay focused on your goals and dreams. Whether it be fretting over the ongoing political environment, an ‘impending’ market correction, or the latest gripe on social media, Relax – take a deep breath and Stop, Drop and Roll –
Early in my corporate life, I was taught the Bucket Philosophy:
- Bucket 1 are issues/actions you can control
- Bucket 2 are issues/actions you can influence
- Bucket 3 are issues/actions you can neither influence nor control
This was a common language often used by leaders to remind me to stay focused on the activities and actions I could control(and frankly what mattered), and disregard the NOISE. Noise was doubters, noise was haters, noise was all of the ‘stuff’ going on around me that could distract me from the activities I needed to stay focused on to be successful. Noise wasn’t always an external factor. Noise is likely different for all of us, distracting none the less.
So the next time you find yourself falling prey to the noise, RELAX – Stop, Drop and Roll – Ask yourself these simple questions:
- Can I control this situation/item?
- Does this ‘really’ matter or am I just annoyed?
- Can I change it? If so, how?
- What can/should I focus on instead?
25 years of active observation tells me the people who stay focused on Bucket 1 items and have the ability to put Bucket 2 and 3 in their place are the happiest! It’s hard to be happy with yourself or anyone else around you if you give all the control away 😊
So the next time you find yourself getting heated up over …. <<insert NOISE here>> RELAX, take a deep breath and Stop, Drop and Roll. RELAX….