Don't Just Do Something; Sit There

One of my mentors shared this with me recently. At first, it scrambled my brain a little as I've been indoctrinated my whole life with the expression, "Don't just sit there, do something." And I've obediently complied. I'm very good at doing stuff, taking actions, being busy and productive.?

But sometimes, all that "doing" and being busy doesn't get me anywhere. It doesn’t always get me the results I want. So, when my mentor shared this, it made me contemplate its meaning a bit deeper, and I found its brilliance.?

I invest heavily in my personal growth. It's the most important thing I can do for myself and others. When I'm at my best, growing and learning, that shows up all around me. The reverse is equally true.?

A business coach used to say, "A company can only grow to the degree its leader does." I know that any issue, obstacle, or roadblock our business faces is a reflection of me. It can be challenging to take on this viewpoint, but it's super effective and impactful, which is ultimately what matters to me.?

So, back to the original theme of, "Don't just do something; sit there."?

One of the things I've adopted over the past few years is that I have all the answers. I don't mean that in a cocky, "know it all" way.?

The answers are within me.?

If I'm willing to listen.

Often, I am not and usually will seek guidance, outside opinions, experience shares, and knowledge from books, the internet, and now, of course, AI. But all that gives me is more knowledge. And hey, that's helpful. But think about it. There isn't any question that any of us have about anything that we can't find the solution to in a matter of a couple of minutes. Yet, it mostly makes no difference. I'll use an easy example. Most people want to lose weight. We all know how to lose weight, yet most people still want to lose weight. The knowledge makes no difference.?

When I tap into my own power, voice, source, or whatever you want to call it, I can get to the root of any issue, and the answer is always there. Now, that doesn't mean I always listen to the answer. Sometimes, what my inner guidance says isn't easy. It's uncomfortable. It's super scary at times. So, while I know what my inner voice wants, I don't listen and choose comfort,? popular opinion, or outside counsel.

The other day, I got an email from someone asking for something that I didn't like. I immediately wanted to send an email sharing exactly what I thought about their "request." But that "don't just do something, sit there" rang in my ears. So I did just that. I sat there. I got honest about what I didn't like about this email request, and it didn't take long for me to realize it was my own shit. My own defensiveness. So I sat some more, and it became super clear to me what I wanted to respond with, which felt more natural and authentic for me. And I sent that email, and it was received perfectly. The result was effective and impactful.

This is an easy example. Sometimes it takes more work. Sometimes, the "don't just do something, sit there" phase takes longer. Days, weeks, dare I say years. Why? Because there's a lot of resistance that I've built up that I'm unwilling to be honest about, much less let go of.?

And so I keep on "doing," taking actions that keep the challenge in place. Sometimes in new and different forms, but ultimately, the same challenge. But at some point. I'm ready to let go. When I am, stuff moves. Results happen. Notable things I could never predict. The unknown.

In this era where more information is available than ever, for me the real secret is to stop looking for it "out there" and find it "in here." Or, as my wise mentor says, "Don't just do something; sit there."?