Rediscover Your Mission With the Focus of a Child

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March 30, 2013

Have you ever spent time with a one year old child?  Think about a time you have and imagine you’ve just brought that child a new toy.  Imagine that toy is some type of plastic block that has  another item contained inside that you can see.  The block has a button on one side, a dial on another, and various rough sides.  Now, give the toy to the baby.  What happens?

The baby will grasp the block and put it in his mouth.  He needs to find out what it tastes like and how the textures feel on his tongue.  Next, he shakes the block, turns it, and drops it.  He’ll press the button and be surprised it makes a noise.  He’ll press it again, a little less surprised, but still in disbelief that it makes a noise.  Next, he may turn the dial.  He likes the clicking noise it makes and knowing that the dial can move.  He will shake the block and watch how the object inside moves around and listen to the noise that makes.  He will do all these things with great wonder at how it all works, AND he will be completely focused on the block.

Sometimes we need to step back and look at aspects of our lives like that.

  • Maybe you’re in a situation at home with a spouse or significant other and you just aren’t connecting anymore.  Maybe you fight or even worse, ignore each other.
  • Maybe you are the person who has a child, young or adult, who is craving your attention and focus.  They tell you in the obvious ways that my six year olds do.  “Mom, come play with me.  Look what I can do.  Mom.  Mom.  MOM!”  Or in less obvious ways as teenagers and adult children may withdraw and you won’t even know what is going on in their lives anymore.
  • Maybe you’re that person at work who has just tuned out.  You’ve mentally shut down and are just not giving it your all anymore because you don’t like a boss or a colleague.  Maybe you don’t know why you’re still with the organization but you feel stuck in this economy to make a change.
  • Maybe you’ve been cruel to someone and you feel bad inside about it.  Maybe you don’t want to face having to make it “right” with that person.

Here’s what I KNOW- we all go through these feelings. At home and at work.  Sometimes we are in situations that are tricky to get out of, but they may not be as tricky to change if we take a step back and look at them like that child that is exploring a new toy.  Life isn’t perfect.  And, if you look around, you’ll see that we’re all flawed.  The good news is that we each have control to change OUR reaction, OUR behavior, OUR attitude.  Pride may have gotten in your way in the past, but not today!

No one has the mission to be unhappy.  Now, go pick up that block….

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About Trish

A former HR executive and HCM product leader with over 20 years of experience.

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