Sometimes, the task or dream that we take up may seem like “Mission Impossible”. What are some of the ways we can navigate and clear this seemingly impossible task or dream?
Here’s an extremely entertaining video that I simply have to share:
The first impression I had was, “How on earth did you manage to get a squirrel to do that?!” And I found the answer in the description of the video:
This takes place in England – the owners of the yard added each piece of the Rube Goldberg contraption slowly so that when the squirrel learned one section and got the nuts, they then added the next section. Finally it ended with what you see on the clip! It took over 2 weeks to get to this point.
This reminded me of a few interesting lessons about completing your mission impossible:
1) Take things one step at a time
I remember this Q&A that I heard a long time back
Q: How do you eat an elephant?
A: One spoon at a time.
No matter how large the task, we can always break it down to its smaller components, and just focus on completing the smaller components and that will eventually lead us to the end-point. The owners of the yard didn’t expect the squirrel to be able to complete the full course immediately. They added each section one at a time, and only after the squirrel had learnt one section did they add another. If we focus on each small step, we will find that we will have completed the course.
2) Give it time
So many people expect to achieve their task immediately, and we have become a very impatient generation where we expect things fast! Technology has really increased the pace of life and expectations, but sometimes we really need to give things some time. If you planted a seed and tried to make it grow tall faster by pulling on the seeding, you would most probably kill it instead! The owners didn’t expect the squirrel to clear the entire obstacle course in a day, they added it slowly, and it took a full 2 weeks before they could get to that point (And I suspect they would probably continue adding to the course!)
3) Stick with it! – Power of Persistence
I came across a quote recently that says:
“Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent.”
— Marilyn vos Savant, American columnist
I think the squirrel would have failed many times before it cleared each stage, but it never gave up and each stage became easier and easier to complete. We need to be persistent and willing to stick with it to completion. What would give us the energy and motivation? Remind ourselves of the “WHY” of what we are doing. And if we don’t have a very good “WHY”, then perhaps it’s no surprise that we don’t have the motivation or persistence to see things through in spite of the challenges. Do you have a very good “WHY” for doing what you are doing? If not, perhaps it is time to think things through.
4) Leverage on your Strengths
As we tackle each stage of the course one at a time, and we give ourselves time to learn and complete it, the best and fastest way is to complete the stages is to leverage on our strengths.
Different Stages Require Different Skills and Strengths
So many people keep doing the same thing or using the same strengths because it has gotten them so far. But as the title of a book by Dr. Marshall Goldsmith aptly says “What got you here, won’t get you there”. Climbing a vertical pole, is vastly different from having to make a great leap or navigating a thin rope.
As one way yields success for us, we assume it will always yield success in every situation. Learn to access each stage, and identify what strengths to use in the situation. It would be useful to pull out your StrengthsFinder Report and examine what are the (internal) resources you have that could help you with you current stage.
5) Get a Mentor or Coach
If you haven’t already, identify someone who is able to mentor or coach you. You can look to someone you respect in your life, like a parent, a supervisor, a leader at church, etc, to help give you some guidance.
A coach would also be able to help you navigate your “Mission Impossible” Course by giving you insights, helping you understand and leverage on your strengths, and keeping you accountable to taking action towards your goals. If you are unsure about what coaching can do for you, do read up about the benefits of coaching here or Schedule a free 30min Introductory coaching session.
Get more information about StrengthsFinder by visiting http://gallupstrengthscenter.com
