Read This If You Think Corona Virus Will Impact Your Work
So, I'm going to share something you already know but might not always apply.
There are things that are in your control and things that aren't.
Getting really clear on what's what can help you focus your energy on the things that will improve your position.
This might be in your daily life, it might be at work, or it might be in something specific that's going on right now.
The context doesn't matter in this case.
Specifically, let's talk about the Corona Virus.
Yep. Went there.
Things you can't control about it:
- What the CDC says/does.
- What President Trump says/does.
- What the WHO says/does.
- What other people do/don't do.
Things you can control about it:
- Wash your damn hands.
- Assess how it will likely impact your career/job.
- Adjust what you're doing to accommodate this reality.
2 Minute Action:
What's the number 1 thing you're stressed about, right now?
It might not be the Corona Virus, but we can take this important lesson away from this insane situation we're in.
What can you not control about the situation?
What can you control about it?
What steps will you take to adjust to reality?
The 3 Steps To Get Past Ruminating
Today, I was overcome with anger.I was faced with an outcome I had no control over.I couldn't control it. I couldn't change it. I couldn't delete it.
I actually stopped being productive almost my entire evening. It totally shut me down.
The hard part isn't preventing these things or figuring out how to control them in the moment. There are many things that are impossible to prevent or control.
The hard part is accepting them and moving on quickly.
The good news is that you get another shot at life every day.The sun continues to rise and provide a brand new start.It's up to you to accelerate your acceptance and adjust to reality.If you can't do it by yourself, enlist support.
There is no return-on-investment for ruminating.
There are 3 main steps to moving from uncontrollable problem to controllable solution:
- Awareness.
- Acceptance.
- Action.
You have the power to get yourself back in the saddle.
2 Minute Action
Give yourself the pep talk.Have you ever done this before?Pull yourself aside.Go for a walk, step into the restroom, or sit in your car for a second.Give yourself 2 minutes to accept what's going on around you as reality and give yourself permission to get back on the horse.
This Prestigious Award That No One Knows About
Have you ever heard of the Gold Award?
The Gold Award is the highest achievement within the Girl Scouts of the USA, and it’s only earned by Senior and Ambassador Girl Scouts.
Only 5.4% of eligible Girl Scouts successfully earn the Gold Award.
It’s not easy.
But who knows that?
If you had a “Jesse” with a “Gold Award” on their resume and then you also had another “Jesse” but they had “Eagle Scout” on their resume . . . who would you hire if you had to choose?It’s simple.
This problem is two-fold.
Its . . .1) a branding/marketing problem and2) a straight up sexism problem.
There are things you can control right now and there are things you can’t.
The marketing part of the problem is solvable relatively quickly.The other one will take multiple generations to eradicate.
2 Minute Action
Here’s a framework I learned from a mentor last year and I use it all the time:CAPACorrective Action (what will I do right now to make this better?)Preventative Acrion (how will I stop this from happening again?)For the Girl Scouts it’s straightforward.Take 2 minutes to look at a problem with CAPA today.It should NOT take more than 2 minutes to run through this exercise.If it takes more than 2 minutes you may need a consultant or expert.