Overcoming Obstacles!

On-The-Job Straining

Ever get that “burned out” feeling? You’re operating at maximum capacity and doing a darn good job of it, but the inspiration and the motivation start to wane. Don’t feel badly about it – after all, you can only really hit a slump when you’ve been experiencing a streak of success!

So what can be done when you hit a bump in the road? Dr. Robert H. Schuller once observed that “…when you can’t solve the problem, manage it.” Maybe you can’t control whatever outside forces are weighing down on your ability to move forward. You can, however, take a break and take a step back to look at things you actually can control.
If you’re banging your head against a wall, please stop and walk away! If success lies beyond that wall, you’ll have a much better chance of getting there by going around your obstacles and not through them. Walls are not doorways–you need to refresh your perspective and find passage back to your previously winning ways.

Perhaps you’ve just gotten so good at what you do that you’ve forgotten “the basics” of your activities. It’s as if you’re operating on auto-pilot, and there are a thousand little details that you don’t even think about anymore as you carry on your routine. Take some time to re-train yourself. Start by pretending it’s your first day on the job and everything is new.

New employees who have to learn the ropes often bring a fresh perspective that exposes ways to do things more efficiently. Look through your “apprentice” eyes for new ways of working, and it’s a good bet that your performance will improve, and you’ll find yourself operating with renewed enthusiasm. (Now, give yourself a bonus!)