Resolve Archives - Scott's Thinking

Stick With It

Posted on January 3, 2021

Failure occurs when you stop trying. As long as you press forward, you have not failed, you are on the path to success. Stick with it!

Apart from ageing, change can be difficult, uncomfortable and time consuming. However, if you truly want to achieve anything, you need to set the course and stay the course. You will need perseverance and determination. Mental fortitude will be helpful, as will resolve.

If you can push through the challenges and see past the setbacks, you increase your probability of succeeding. It can get frustrating, embarrassing and even overwhelming at times. But these moments pass. Push through to the better times.

Accept you are not perfect and that setbacks occur. Realise some things won’t be easy for you, though other things will be. Enjoy the progress while you are making it. Double down on your resolve to succeed when the future looks bleak and uncertain.

Allow yourself to be uncomfortable in some situations. It’s natural. Accept that it might take longer, or stretch you further, both mentally and physically.

You will savour your progress, success or victory more if you have to endure challenges, uncertainty and hardship. It becomes less about the outcome and more about your ability to have weathered the storms.

Despite the gathering clouds and the anguish, stick with it.

Gratitude Observe Progress

When Is A Problem Solved?

Posted on July 7, 2020

There are often different solutions to problems. And some problems have had tremendous progress. But when is a problem solved?

If I have a cut on my arm, I usually consider the initial problem solved once it stops bleeding. Usually I consider the whole problem resolved when any scab is gone and the area looks similar to how it was. If there is a little mark or scar that reminds me of the problem, that is fine. It’s not ideal but it is fine.

Some problems are more difficult to conclude that they are resolved. For example, there has been a very recent case of bubonic plague in Asia. It was once a highly feared and deadly disease. Now it can be controlled more easily. Is it a crisis? Is it a problem? At what point would you have unanimous opinion that it is no longer a problem?

We can look at homelessness, illiteracy and poverty in a similar way. Is there a measure whereby you would have unanimous agreement that these challenges were no longer a problem?

People build organisations and associations to tackle a problem. Usually this is a good way to deal with an issue. Unions would be a good example. Union membership is well down from 60 years ago though. Is there a point in the future that they will no longer be useful? Perhaps sufficient legislation will be in place or the culture will be sufficiently different to make unions irrelevant.

If that were to become the case, what would happen to the dwindling union organisations? When would they say that their job was done and it was time to close up shop?

When solving a problem, remember to be clear about the metric that determines that the job is done.

Action Reframe your thoughts

Whatever It Takes

Posted on April 19, 2020

When was the last time you had your back to the wall? Did you come out fighting? Would you do whatever it takes? I think we are seeing more of this way of thinking every day during our lockdown.

Front line and essential workers are doing it. Manufacturers are too, by switching to make essential items. Massive shifts are happening everywhere for individuals at home and at work.

Two great and inspiring rallying cries are, ‘Whatever it takes’ and ‘Bring it on’. Keep these phrases in your mind as you decide you need to overcome the difficult situations ahead of you. Scrunching up your face and clenching a fist in a bit of a rebel yell pose helps when you utter these phrases.

Like many sports, our U13s rugby season, where I am one of the coaches, was cut short. However, the London Scottish club suggested we host our End of Season Awards online. So we did that today.

Everyone had a bit of a, ‘whatever it takes’ few days as final arrangements were organised, links were checked and sent out, operational discussions had, awards shortlists were developed, discussed and decided and then call structure and full content were created.

Use these phrases in the days, weeks and months, or even years, ahead. It is always good to have some raw power words at your disposal.

We were certainly in ‘whatever it takes mode’ as we raced against the clock ensuring all the final pieces of the puzzle came together, including getting the players on the call. It turned out really well from my perspective, and from the feedback of others. Which is great for all the boys. We wanted them to have a good end of season, or the best we could, given the circumstances.