Here’s something funny I’ve learned as a result of this work we call BTL. The stronger you become the more you’re going to notice weakness around you. The higher your calling the stronger your resistance.
Addicts attract addicts. When an addict attempts to break their addictive behavior, they suddenly notice all the weak folks around them. Prior to this moment they were simply buddies. Separation comes unnaturally. The further away the addict moves, the more intensely they feel the resistance. We tend to think it will get easier as we go and get derailed, oftentimes, as a result.
High performers attract high performers. The problem occurs in the transition. High performers, you see, are built. They aren’t born into this rare air that they now occupy. They, just like you, had to make the long, arduous, climb to the top. Along the way, many of their friends couldn’t keep pace or chose to take it easy. For an excruciating period of time, this left would be high performers in a precarious position. Alone. Leaving behind the mediocre middle is lonely. All transitions, it turns out, are. Resistance raises its ugly head. The gang appears to be having more fun than ever just a few hundred feet back and everything inside of us aches for their company. An “aha” moment is in the making.
Addicts, if they are to successfully break with their behavior, will have to transition from their drug community to their new sober community. In the transition they will be alone. This is when many go back.
High performers have to travel through the same kinda transition. Many would be top performers in their field, go back simply because they miss being with their buds. I tell all my clients to expect this kinda transitional pain. I want to prepare them before they find themselves in between communities, so to speak. Resistance is real. Try to better yourself and those around you and it will raise it’s ugly head.
Embrace the struggle, my friend. Embrace the struggle. New friends are just up ahead. Keep climbing. Keep going. Once you transition through the messy middle, you can always go back down and pull up a few of your friends. A few, remember, is all you need.
Today, in practice 48, a few friends embraced the struggle together. Loneliness took a hit as a few folks were simply offered a hand. Together, we helped a few understand their transition. Together we improved. Together. It was good to be together. Transitions are tough, my friend. Transitions are tough and offering a hand may be all your new friend needs to beat back resistance. Good work team of eight. Good work…
BUILT TO LEAD 