The world is ugly when you’re filled with discontentment.
Discontentment with the past drags you into helplessness. But dissatisfaction with the present is opportunity to change the future.
Wallowing in displeasure defeats leaders.
The wrong kind of discontentment:
Forget about “can’t do” and “don’t have.”
Forget about changing people. Expect people to change themselves. Trying to change people makes you a manipulator.
- Give feedback.
- Explain expectations.
- Offer support.
- Practice mutual accountability.
The right kind of discontentment:
#1. Radical acceptance:
Accept the world as it is. Resistance is futile.
Anger at injustice becomes an excuse to act unjustly.
#2. Reject passivity:
Acceptance isn’t passivity.
#3. Clear focus:
Focus on things you have power over. What’s within your control? If you want to end the day exhausted, try to corral the wind.
#4. Graceful confrontation.
Confront recurring offenses. Don’t tolerate negative patterns. Everyone screws up. Patterns are the problem.
#5. Criticize less.
#6. Explore perspectives.
Perhaps discontent comes from a cloudy perspective. You don’t see the whole picture.
#7. Focus on response.
Think less about what others should do and more about things you should do. What are you going to do about that?
Bonus: Enjoy the view even if the window is dirty.
What distinctions do you see between healthy and unhealthy discontentment?
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This post was previously published on LEADERSHIPFREAK.BLOG and is republished with Creative Commons license.
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