"I dislike being here, and it's even worse that I may have to leave." Or, "I loathe working here, and it's even worse that they may let me go." Surprisingly, many people have similar thoughts about life, their jobs, marriages, and everything else.
One of my clients is a highly accomplished CEO with over 30 years of industry experience. By working closely with her, we have determined that she's in the winter phase of a project, in this case, her field of activity. I will briefly discuss the different seasons of a project:
The Spring of a Project: A time of new beginnings, filled with enthusiasm and excitement. A phase characterized by boundless energy and limitless possibilities. I often refer to this period as “The Enchanted Forest”.
The Summer of a Project: A period of growth and success, with everything running smoothly. Maturity and confidence have set in, and progress continues to be made.
The Autumn of a Project: A time of stagnancy, where growth has ceased, and maturity remains. The decline may not be immediately apparent, but by November, it may start to wane.
The Winter of a Project: A time to draw on the resources, relationships, and experience accumulated over the course of the project. The final push is made, driven by a strong internal resolve, even if the outcome is uncertain. The project may die internally, but the efforts continue in support of it.
My client expressed a desire to leave her current field and pursue a new one. She mentioned feeling burnt out, and lacking joy and satisfaction in her work despite the financial comfort. She feels physically and mentally drained and finds it difficult to summon the energy to continue. She has reached her limit and believes it's time for a change and has started building a new career path. She is in the process of reinventing herself.
One day, her company underwent significant changes, causing her fear of losing her job due to restructuring despite her good performance. It was just her worry, as there was no actual threat. If the job has become challenging and you've been wanting to change it for a while, what's the harm in it disappearing?
That’s the contradiction. That's the conflicting situation in the philosophy. It's like saying, "I dislike being here, and it's even worse that I may have to leave." Or, "I loathe working here, and it's even worse that they may let me go." Surprisingly, many people have similar thoughts about life, their jobs, marriages, and everything else.
The human brain, being a remarkable biological computer, reacts to what we feed it. It boosts our energy when we feed him with positive information but struggles with self-contradictory data. The brain and body cells resist contradiction and drain our energy, as the brain's logic seeks harmony and coherence.
I've seen a bumper sticker that says, "Life is a bitch and then you die." I use this as a tool, so I shared the phrase with her, and she told me she has a coffee cup with that quote on her desk. I asked if she drinks from that "philosophy" every day? You may want to reconsider that.
The slogan “Life Is a bitch and then you die” epitomizes a victim's worldview. This phrase reveals why a victim mentality results in exhaustion and poor outcomes, as victims are caught in their own defeated outlook.
She hurled her coffee mug. :)
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