Kayak Attack
Kayak Attack: Handling Seemingly Harmless Barriers
by Jeanine Izzo
Before we finalized the transaction, I said “Are you sure you want it?” When he said yes neither of us realized what a nuisance it would be. After all, we were talking about a recreational object…a kayak. Recently, we were learning how to sail in the beautiful Grenadine Islands. Raising, adjusting and lowering the sails, anchoring, docking, man overboard drills, etc. This required moving around the deck of the boat quickly with agility and safety. Although, the kayak wasn’t enough to ruin our time, without it we would have been freer to move around.
We started out with it tied to the left (port) side, which at least preserved a clear path to the front (bow) along the right (starboard) side. Then, upon a quick and necessary maneuver, one of the lines got caught up on the kayak and we (he) had to go and untangle it during (relatively) rough seas.
Once we anchored at the end of the day, the instigator was strapped across the width of the boat which hindered movement along both sides. It was secure there…until it wasn’t and we nearly had a kayak overboard. Okay…you get the picture. Since we were there for a week, we dealt with it and did what we could to minimize the impact.
These nuisances happen in our life. Maybe they don’t seem obvious enough to warrant our attention, however alleviating these unassuming barriers might just be the trick to gaining more freedom and success.
Thoughts are one of the most damaging barriers. In part because they are intangible. This combined with our ability to push them away (only for them to return time and time again) may prevent you from going after a new role (i.e. “I won’t get it anyway”), proposing solutions, or taking helpful action.
Behavior quirks can be charming and they can also get in the way of success. Have you ever known someone with gobs of ideas that talked over everyone else? What might happen if they listened more? Perhaps they would be able to refine their ideas to provide more value.
People, sometimes the most unsuspecting people, can create blocks for our growth. Chumming around with an unrelentless complainer or the silent bystander who doesn’t take ownership of providing solutions can rub off on us.
As demonstrated by the kayak example, objects can be barriers. Maybe it’s an office door or clutter on a chair that doesn’t make others feel welcome. Maybe, it’s a mobile device that isn’t being put down to allow for other important tasks (or enjoyment).
Of course, these are just a few examples of seemingly harmless barriers that can get in the way. They may not be as obvious as a kayak attack, yet imagine the disproportionately positive outcomes that could be gained by alleviating their current impact.
Forward Moving Tips:
- Start looking for small elements that may be getting in your way.
- What would the benefit be of eliminating/reducing its presence?
- Determine how you can eliminate or reduce it with minimal time/effort.
- Take action and evaluate the results.
It’s common to think of big effort as creating big rewards. The lack of time and know how tend to keep us pushing those ideals off into the future. For this reason, tackling small steps and barriers can actually get you further…faster.
For assistance with taking down your barriers…Contact Viage Partners today.
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