Sorry for being such a PAIN…

The curse of knowledge bit me again yesterday.  And, one of my clients hit me with some truth in anger. Actually, we had another good practice with a team that is learning how to be a bit less “obedient to authority.”  Yesterday, I practiced with another team that is learning about the universal human language, PAIN.

They began to learn about the most common form of chronic pain in America and learned the acute pain of planking it out.  They learned by experiencing the latter to better appreciate the former.  For those of you that are still with me, the most prevailing form of chronic pain in our country is lower back pain.  It just is.  The recipe to remove this pain from your system is to develop the habit of embracing more consistent, acute pain.  Plank away the pain, so to speak.  Over time and through this acute pain, you will build your strong CORE and slowly the chronic lower back distress will move to it’s proper place, your ab’s.

Here’s what I’ve come to learn over the near decade of doing this work.

Few, in any system, actually want to get better badly enough to bring acute pain to their problem and by their own doing.  Most would rather just deal with steady doses of chronic pain and hope it goes away.  And, when their back or some other part of their system gives out, they’ll just deal with the acute pain with the pill, blame something or someone beside themselves, and further limit their activity to avoid the probability of pains return.  This fact is one of the most painful discoveries from this work we call BTL.  It just is.  Facing this fact, as a leader, will be acutely painful.  Sorry for being such a pain…

Remember this fact, my friend.  Few, in any system, actually want to get better.  Few.

Every leader, regardless the system they lead, must embrace this fact and lead, anyway.  This is a painful reality that doesn’t get better by simply going to another system.  This is a painful reality.  Sorry for being such a pain…

Leaders, focus on the few.  Challenge them.  Allow them to challenge Y-O-U.  Remember, challenge is the most basic ingredient in anything or anyone that is growing.  Growing will be a PAIN. Choose this pain.  Choose this pain now.

Pain is inevitable.  Misery is a choice.

Actually, acute pain is inevitable.  Chronic pain is your choice.  Misery is simply an outcome caused by a lifetime of choice.

You and I choose.

Are you choosing enough acute pain or simply settling for whatever chronic pain has come your way?

Are Y-O-U choosing to do whatever the boss wants done and allowing your “justice thread” to be pulled and played by another?

Are Y-O-U building your strong CORE, your sCORE?

Are Y-O-U trying to win everyone to your way or simply focused on the few that want to build it even better?

Tell me more, my friend.

Tell me more.

And, sorry for being such a PAIN…