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It just didn't matter

Written by: Ian Keightley

Article Overview: In negative times, not all you hear need matter but if you aren't careful you can let it matter when it needn't.

It just didn't matter

©Copyright 2009 Ian Keightley. All rights reserved. Feel free to forward and distribute but copyright is retained.
Hi and welcome to my Weekly Insight
Despite what you read and see, hear and share, it need not make a difference.
Just two weeks ago I had an really interesting visit and it has taken me a couple of weeks to reflect on the lesson.
Mary was typical of many you hear from in this market. "If only the media would stop telling us it was all bad. If only my colleagues stopped whinging and did some work, if only the boss cared more, if only the buyers would decide and the sellers would get their prices right."
Mary's reaction was quite strong, almost strident and her focus on these issues was time and energy sapping. I had a question for Mary;
"What of those things can you influence or control?"
It took a little while to hear,
"Maybe only what my buyers and sellers do?"
"And what about your reactions and actions?" I asked.
"Actually," answered Mary, "That's all I can really manage."
Mary sat for a while contemplating her answer and came up with,
"I guess none of those things should be stopping me do what I know I need to do!"
Mary had been reacting to things she couldn't control. Mary had been reacting in what she called, "A useless way," to things outside her capacity to influence. Mary then decided to control those things she could influence.
Mary could control so much of how she was. It took a moment for her to realise that those things outside of her control, were stopping her from managing what she could control. After being initially angry at her "stupidity and waste of time and energy," Mary realised none of it really mattered if she just did what she needed to do. The rest was impossible to manage so why bother. It just didn't matter.
Quote for the Week
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."
Oliver Wendell Holmes
Have an awesome week and make the most of what's inside you and mange your reactions to the things you can't control. List and sell well.

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Article Tags: boss, buyers and sellers, colleagues, insight, none of those things, oliver wendell holmes, realised, stupidity, tiny matters, waste of time



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