Get the Knot Out of Your Business
The pain was excruciating!
And then suddenly it was gone; felt better than it had in years, maybe ever! This was my Dad reflecting on his physical therapy appointment. But in my work over the last 10 years with leaders and businesses, it’s the same process we all go through if (and I do mean if) we want breakthrough results. We have to get the knot out.
My Dad has had some trouble with his leg for a while now. He has seen countless doctors, therapists and alternative medical practitioners. Some have been moderately helpful, but he was still left with pain.
Isn’t that all of us?
The situation is different, but ultimately the approach may be nearly identical. In fact, sometimes it may be virtually the same approach simply repackaged in our minds, or sold to us in such a way that it appears unique. Just think about the multitude of fad diets…We experience discomfort about something like losing weight, getting more fit, not making enough money personally or as a business, working with particular people we just don’t get along with, etc. – maybe we take a few initial steps to solve it – but usually we’re still left with pain as we sink back to the status quo.
It gets worse. After initially seeking all this treatment, my Dad began to try to ignore the pain as best he could. He learned to live with it and maybe even started to create reasons why he had it (you know, age, genetics, body type – they must be the reason!) Again, it’s the same for most of us dealing with discomfort. We ignore and rationalize why we have it. “Oh, I’m not making enough money because I have to prove myself first.” “Oh yeah, I don’t get along with that person on my team, but they’re really good at their job so I shouldn’t rock the boat.”
You see the problem here, right? You’re explaining away why you have the problem instead of doing something about it! Why? Because, in seeing this play out hundreds of times over the years, it’s easier. Ok, now to the solution!
A new physical therapist entered the scene recently that my Dad, initially somewhat begrudgingly, started to work with. I mean, what’s the point if you’ve tried “everything” and you’re resigned to the pain, right? Well, first she tried getting more relaxation and comfort in his leg with massage techniques, the massage gun, different exercises… they’d all been tried before and naturally they weren’t working now – the knot persisted. Then she went for it. All in. Fully committed and pushing his limits in a way that has never been done before. She applied massive, unrelenting pressure. I won’t get into the explicatives that were coming out of my Dad’s mouth – it will suffice to say the pain worsened. A lot. And then – the knot let go. …He felt better than he had felt in years.
That’s how these things work – physically, mentally and emotionally – it’s all the same from my research. We have to go into the discomfort, feel the pain, maybe to a point where it may even seem unbearable, before suddenly it gives way to a breakthrough. We have to go all-in to the point of actively surrendering. Into the discomfort of our finances, relationships or anything else to be able to transform them on the other side.
Maybe you’ve heard, I wrote a book on this topic. Hunting Discomfort, how to create breakthrough results in your life and business no matter what. If you haven’t pre-ordered yet you can do so here.
But after reading this blog you get the point – it’s only through discomfort that we can achieve the results we want. It takes going into the things that we might see as most painful to have access to transforming them. Don’t fall into the trap of explaining away your situation. If it’s not exactly (and I mean exactly) what you want – go for it and get the knot out.
