Sometimes, we are our own worst enemies. Our fear of facing fear often prevents us from moving forward. I am delighted to welcome guest blogger Dave Mischler, President of Sun Advisory, LLC and President / Facilitator of Inner Circle Chicago to talk about hugging your monster.
DM: Monsters take many forms. Some of them come from far away worlds. Others rise from the depths of the sea or the vastness of the forests. Still others are of our own mind’s creation. It is this last group that should concern us most. Nothing is more formidable than the monster we invent ourselves because such a creature knows our weaknesses and can prey on our frailties. I spoke with a wise business owner who once said, “Sometimes you just have to hug the monster.” What he was talking about were the less-than-positive, sometimes harmful behaviors that virtually every owner has. As a business owner, your monster is that thing about your business that you have been avoiding, or the manner in your approach that is holding you back from achieving your full potential. It is your blind spot. These behaviors usually arise from years of habit. We have grown comfortable in their presence and convince ourselves that they embody our own best interests. This fact makes them hard to slay but slay them we must if we are to realize our goals.
How do you overcome such a fiend? As in so many fairy tales, nothing is more effective in defeating evil than the light of day. Bringing a monster out into the open for close scrutiny takes away its power. Your blind spot can be exposed through the experience, authority and credibility that outsiders bring – their objectivity. No one looks at your business like you do. When others are given the chance to delve deeply into your processes and your habits, your decisions and your indecisions, your successes and your failures, and when they have a chance to understand what you were trying to achieve but observe what you actually did, your monster will be exposed. And, if you are open-minded enough to listen, the brute’s days will be numbered.
The most successful business owners surround themselves with a group of advisors who will tell them the things they need to hear, not just the things they want to hear. This requires a special perspective from these advisors – one born from genuine support and with no specific vested interest other than your success. By exposing your monster to such a group, and by opening yourself up to the reality that it needs to be defeated, you will see a rise in your own business success and satisfaction.
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CR: Once again, you can see the Spinach In Your Teeth philosophy embraced (pun intended) here. Get advice you need to hear (not just what you want to hear). Thanks again to Dave for his insights.
