Our big, old Lab Lucky loved to chase rabbits. This dog chasing rabbits was not as pretty a picture as you might think. Lucky had heart disease, a severely enlarged heart (in more ways than one) which was not working well enough to pump waste fluids from his body. The vet, in telling us about the situation, said Lucky probably should rest as much as possible. We decided not to share that news with Lucky and let him do what comes naturally. He wanted to chase rabbits. We knew that he may die doing just that, but meanwhile he would enjoy his life. His body may place limitations on him in the future, but in the present his dog brain was not telling him he "can't."
Animals, being a lower form of being than humans (in most cases), know precisely what they can and can't do--"I can lick myself all over, but I can't drive a car in heavy traffic."
"Can't" is a contraction for can not, which literally means impossible. We all have many reasons we can't. Some of our "can'ts" are actualities-- mental or physical impossibilities like that licking all over thing. Others have no basis in reality. Have you ever heard anyone say "Oh! I can't drive in heavy traffic." Chances are they can, the truth is they choose not to.
The Luckys of this world can be a reminder to us to separate the real impossibilities from the limitations we place on ourselves just to keep comfortable and safe. Remember there is no complete comfort or safety, but there is a lot of fun, excitement and thrills to be missed when we mistakenly substitute "I can't" for "I don't choose to."
I have noticed over the years that, beside can't, there are other words thankfully missing from our horses', dogs' and cats' vocabulary. Power depleting words and phrases like; "Never," "It's not fair," "Have to," "That's just me," "I've always been that way," I can't help it," and "That's just my nature."
We humans are the only ones of God's creatures who not only know their limitations but will also limit themselves without any logical reason to do so.
While Lucky has since chased his last rabbit over the Rainbow Bridge we know one thing, we can forget him we just don't choose to.
Lesson: "I can't" is a contraction in life as well as in language.
The all-leather, NFL-regulation football, inscribed -- 1963 Chicago Bears
Monday, February 21, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
BURNT BY THE MIDNIGHT OIL
Does it seem like the light at the end of the tunnel is painted on?
Long hours at work were never a problem for the majority of workers I've known. They were willing to give of their "free" time to help the organization through some tough periods. That was then, this is now.
The 10 to 12 hour days will not last. But rather than going back to eight hours (the light at the end of the tunnel), the time is more likely to go to 14. Why?
In a survey quoted in USA TODAY, people were asked why they are working more hours today than they worked five years ago. The answers: 38 percent said it was "expected of them," 37 percent said they "enjoyed it" (God bless them), and 25 percent said there's "more work to do." I may be naive, but shouldn't "more work to do" account for 100%? If there's not more work to do, what do they expect you to do and what is it you enjoy doing?
I'm willing to go out on a limb here and say that the majority of people who consistently work long hours are doing so because they are afraid. Workers are afraid of the negative consequence leaving work and getting home at a decent hour will have on their performance appraisal, and ultimately their security. Organizations, relying on this twisted thought process, with an eye on the bottom line, would be foolish not to continue to push for 14 hours of work for eight hours of pay.
If you identify with anything you just read, commit to take control of your existence now before burnout rots the very foundation of your personal life and robs your organization of its most creative, dedicated, loyal and bottom-line-enhancing resource -- [fill in your name].
Lesson: Work when there is work to be done. Play when there is play to be done.
Long hours at work were never a problem for the majority of workers I've known. They were willing to give of their "free" time to help the organization through some tough periods. That was then, this is now.
The 10 to 12 hour days will not last. But rather than going back to eight hours (the light at the end of the tunnel), the time is more likely to go to 14. Why?
In a survey quoted in USA TODAY, people were asked why they are working more hours today than they worked five years ago. The answers: 38 percent said it was "expected of them," 37 percent said they "enjoyed it" (God bless them), and 25 percent said there's "more work to do." I may be naive, but shouldn't "more work to do" account for 100%? If there's not more work to do, what do they expect you to do and what is it you enjoy doing?
I'm willing to go out on a limb here and say that the majority of people who consistently work long hours are doing so because they are afraid. Workers are afraid of the negative consequence leaving work and getting home at a decent hour will have on their performance appraisal, and ultimately their security. Organizations, relying on this twisted thought process, with an eye on the bottom line, would be foolish not to continue to push for 14 hours of work for eight hours of pay.
If you identify with anything you just read, commit to take control of your existence now before burnout rots the very foundation of your personal life and robs your organization of its most creative, dedicated, loyal and bottom-line-enhancing resource -- [fill in your name].
Lesson: Work when there is work to be done. Play when there is play to be done.
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