Get Out of the Rearview Mirror!
08/26/04
Charles Swindoll, from his book, Laugh Again, shares a lesson every change agent should appreciate: "Some of the unhappiest people I've ever known are living their lives looking over their shoulder. What a waste! Nothing back there can be changed. What's in the past? Only two things: great attainments and accomplishments that could either make us proud by reliving them or indifferent by resting on them…or failures and defeats that cannot help but arouse feelings of guilt or shame. … By recalling those inglorious, ineffective events of yesterday, our energy is sapped for facing the demands of today."
I have frequently used the analogy in my programs that life is very much like driving. On the freeway of life, there is no reverse, you can't stop the car and you have to fix all flat tires while moving. In short, you can't do anything about where you have been or what you have done in the past. The action is out the front window. That is why your rearview mirror is smaller than your front window. In fact, if you spend too much time in your rearview mirror, you may very well hit a tree out the front window. Can you imagine driving a vehicle with a gigantic rearview mirror and a little slit six inches long to see where you are going. That would be a tough drive. Everyone else in the car would be saying, "Look where we have been! You missed another great opportunity!"
I value the past when the lessons learned help provide guidance for the future, but so many journeys in today's changing world have no maps and no paved road. It is back country and you don't really know what is over the hill. On such a wild ride, focus on future choices is even more important. Where are you and your team stuck in the rearview mirror? What past failures, outdated processes and lost opportunities drag down your morale and keep you from inventing a profitable and purposeful future? Get out of the past; get into the future!
A PAULSON QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"On the freeway of life, there is no reverse, you can't stop the car and you have to fix all flat tires while moving. The action is out the front window." --Terry Paulson, Ph.D.
MONDAY'S MIRTHFUL MOMENT
This week's mirth comes from Carol T. in Dr. Ann Weeks' WEEKS OF FUN # 419! Enjoy these actual in-flight "safety lectures" and announcements from flight attendants:
On a Continental Flight with a very "senior" flight attendant crew, the pilot said, "Ladies and gentlemen, we've reached cruising altitude and will be turning down the cabin lights. This is for your comfort and to enhance the appearance of your flight attendants."
"Your seat cushions can be used for flotation; and, in the event of an emergency water landing, please paddle to shore and take them with our compliments."
"As you exit the plane, make sure to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses."
Part of a flight attendant's arrival announcement: "We'd like to thank you folks for flying with us today. And, the next time you get the insane urge to go blasting through the skies in a pressurized metal tube, we hope you'll think of US Airways."
When you keep your eyes open for mirth, you just may find it! Hope this kicks off your morning and helps get your mood adjusted for the week. Now, get busy MAKING CHANGE WORK and have some fun along the way!...