Having A Bad Day?

We all have them. Those bad days when we want to throw in the towel, give up, or wish we could blink our eyes and be somewhere else. However, no matter how much we try to ignore or deny reality, we also know that our work in this world must still get done. Think about it. How much of your work gets done on days when you don’t feel good or wish you could be somewhere else? Probably more than you’d like. Down deep, all of us know that, ultimately, we alone determine the course of our lives and the results we achieve.

Whenever you’re having a bad day, feeling stuck Below the Line^®, remember this: You can never get unstuck until you first acknowledge that you’re functioning Below the Line and paying a high price for it. Such acknowledgment gives you the perspective you need to get Above the Line^®—but, on some days, it can be a very hard reality to face. Here’s our list of ten telltale signs that you are stuck Below the Line, use them on bad days when you need some additional help facing yourself and difficult circumstances:

• You feel held captive by your circumstances.

• You don’t listen when others tell you, directly or indirectly, that they think you could do more to achieve better results.

• Your discussions of problems focus more on what you cannot do, than on what you can do.

• You have difficulty confronting the toughest issues you face.

• You feel you are being treated unfairly and you don’t think you can do anything about it.

• You repeatedly find yourself in a defensive posture, giving excuses.

• You spend a lot of time talking about things you cannot change (e.g., your boss, the economy, government regulations).

• You avoid the people, meetings, and situations that require you to report on your responsibilities.

• You frequently waste time and energy “boss or colleague bashing.”

• You find yourself saying: “It’s not my job,” “There’s nothing I can do about it,” “Someone ought to tell him,” “All we can do is wait and see,” “I’m confused, just tell me what you   want me to do,” or “If it were me, I’d do it differently.”

If you detect any of these telltale signs in yourself, your team, or your organization, act immediately to help yourself or someone else acknowledge those excuses for what they are: impediments to accountability and results. Once this acknowledgment occurs, you and others can begin moving Above the Line, even on bad days. To learn more about Below the Line and Above the Line behavior, go to www.partnersinleadership.com.