We sometimes ask ourselves “why are there so many problems?!” in our daily work efforts. Perhaps the better question to ask ourselves is “how do I navigate the challenges in front of me to produce the best outcome for all parties involved and manage everyone’s expectations, including my own?”.
Our stress levels can often be lowered if we work towards the mindset of remembering that many of us wouldn’t be here if everything was perfect and there weren’t any problems to solve. Simply put, “It’s Supposed To Be Screwed Up” – and it’s our job to wade through those challenges to achieve the best results.
At Ward, one of the mantras that we embrace is this mindset that “It’s Supposed To Be Screwed Up” and it is displayed on our walls as a daily reminder. Once this mindset is realized, accepted, and welcomed, you cannot be rattled, disappointed, or thrown off your game. You will be wired to handle situations in a calm and consistent fashion with a solid solution provider mindset. It is crucial to get your expectation level in line with reality so that you can remain in a positive and much needed solution oriented mindset. Too many times, we can create expectation levels that are too high and it leaves people in a state of constant disappointment. There will always be challenges ahead and one of the ways to help manage our mental state is to always remind ourselves that if we remember to pause and communicate realistic and achievable expectations with ourselves and all other parties, we will probably not only put out better work, but also maintain our composure at a higher level. And that will ultimately lead to a more calm and consistent way of being, lowering our stress levels and making work easier and more enjoyable.
As our good friend, author, and speaker, Mike Reddington always says “Life is a series of problems; you can choose to focus on the problem or on the solution.” Work towards aligning expectations and embrace the messes and you may find that it will allow you to focus on the solution, not the problem.
