Today I’m reminded of how painful growth is. When children grow really fast their body sends pain signals through their nervous system to tell them to “take it easy.” Most children do not interpret these signals when they are first sent. They’re too busy playing to notice. Often it’s a mother who asks enough questions and then discovers that they need to slow down. You gotta LOVE good Moms!!
At BTL we get a front row seat to individuals, teams, and leaders going through a similar “growth spurt.” Here’s what we’ve noticed. Do NOT miss this. This is HUGE. Here it is.
Growth is painful on us as individuals, teams, and leaders. Growth is always a PAIN and then a gain.
The PAIN and gain are in order. Most normal individuals, teams, and leaders want the pain to stop before the gain occurs. Hang in there. PAIN, remember, is inevitable. Misery, however, is a choice. Sit in there and take it. It won’t last that long. The pain lasts in a direct correlation to how long it’s been avoided. Choose to go through the pain of building your CORE and getting on your Builder’s Journey. Choose to HEAR the truth from those around you…your TRUTH TELLERS. Make it safe. Do NOT “shoot the messenger,” “tune them out,” or intimidate them with your even louder voice. Instead, “turn them up.” This is what weird builders do.
The result is real PAIN. This PAIN is the only way toward heart felt gain.
Every BTL client engages us because they want to get better. We try to warn them of how painful growth will be. They have poor hearing. All they hear is what their friends are telling them about the BTL process and the gains they and their teams are making. The gains will come.
The truth is that the gains will come once the individuals, teams, and leaders discover something worth dying for. The gains will come when you sell out to getting better. The gains will come when you STOP trying to make the gains occur outside your control. The gains will come when you embrace the PAIN. This is simply the way it is.
Are you willing to ride into your pain?
Are you habitually slowing down to speed up?
Do you have the patience to live unproductively with your team in work and life?
When was the last time you told your teams in work and life how much you love them?
How do you best show them this LOVE?
When was the last time you asked your team to really “hit you” with the truth?
When was the last time you asked your team how you’re doing controlling the one emotion we most struggle with…ANGER?
How much time do you habituate looking in the mirror to take responsibility vs. looking out the window to find someone to blame?
Are you willing to wake up your best truth teller?
Are you still too afraid of what they might tell you? Of what you might have to address? Of what you might have to deeply change in your well rutted habits?
Why?
Why?
Why?
BUILT TO LEAD 