I was listening to a speaker some time ago talking about a trying time in his life.

If you can relate to bills piling up, collection calls, struggling to make things happen and only disappointment was occurring.

He went on to relate an incident where the sheriff came to the door with papers to collect a debt. With no money the sheriff went away empty handed.

The speaker went on to describe his feeling of dread and failure over the incident, and then something occurred to him that changed his view, his thinking and his future!

That something put him in a different frame of mind and provided a different view of his situation. I wonder if this might not work for you....

You see he had always looked at his situation as solely his problem. It was being driven by how he thought others would perceive and think of him. This created a very negative picture of himself and always seemed out of his control!

So what did he do that changed his view?

He continued his talk saying; "I began to realize that the sheriff had the problem! He had the job of trying to collect something that did not exist! Namely my money!"

With this different view the speaker indicated his view and perception of his situation changed dramatically! He then indicates his realization that the real problem was who was being allowed to control and direct him.

It was not him!

His core issue was not a lack of funds or bill collectors; it was what he was allowing these issues to do with his thinking. They were causing the worry, the stress and the negativity while he allowed it!

Yes he was concerned about his reputation, his credit and how business partners would view his situation, yet he realized that they were not going to change it for him. He had to find a way to change his thinking, his perception and attitude.

By viewing the situations differently, (i.e. It's the sheriffs problem not his) he found his mind free to problem solve and focus on the real issues he could control to change his situation.

He then explained that with this new view and attitude his focus changed, it seemed a great weight was lifted. Because of this he created a new strategy and within six months was out of debt and into a six figure income!

I am sure many of you will question if not fully disagree with the idea "It's the sheriffs problem." I reacted as well. But the point here is this.....

When we are under pressure, stress and worry our mind and creativity are shut off. We can expend a great deal of energy yet get nowhere.

The point is we need a strategy that helps us see the situation differently so our mind and creativity can work!

Albert Einstein would regularly take a very different if not completely off track approach to a problem. With this new and very different view there often came a new revelation and new solution! I wonder if that had anything to do with his well known place in history.

In his book "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living" Dale Carnegie gave many principles on how to deal with worry and stress. All of them caused you to view the situation differently.

So you have issues at work, at home and in your personal life. You find your stress level way up, your energy down and the attitude in the toilet.

Stop and do this: (on paper would be recommended)
Determine exactly what it is you are worried about?
What is the outcome you are concerned about?
Is this caused by you or by what other sources want or expect?
What is in your control? Not in your control?
How can you "reframe" the situation to create a different view?
With this new view create a new strategy and get to work!

I have used this approach many times over the years and it works!

More than once a business venture or personally the cash flow was getting bloody! As long as I focused on the cash flow issue there were only more problems. Once I changed my view, solutions were found and the crisis was over very quickly! I also found myself sleeping again!

In my coaching work it is amazing how often clients "problems" were really their concern over how others were going to view or think of them! Once we sorted this out and looked at the situation through new eyes, solutions became very obvious!

If it works for others, why not you??

Find out more about Outcome Based Thinking, Creative Thinking and Problem Solving by visiting www.BusArcOnLine.com.

Till next week, Be an optimist, they live longer!
Harlan Goerger
National Director of Training

© Harlan Goerger 7/07