Expecting Something New

Back in the day, my previous place of work was involved in a significant amount of Total Quality training, updating the company culture to flowchart processes and procedures, examine root causes, and do it right the first time.  One of the phrases frequently bantered about included:

"If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten."

It's a phrase I've thought about on occasion but at this time in my life it really hits home.  If I don't like the actions that are occurring around me, the one constant in my life appears to be.....me.  So what behavior am I accepting?  Am I repeating?  And what am I always doing that is getting me what I've always gotten?

The key point is one must change the way one behaves in order to obtain a different outcome.  Case in point, which hit home this year:  If you overeat and sit on the couch, you gain weight.  If you eat sensibly, you maintain.  If you do something different - eat less and exercise more - you lose weight.

In the same vein, taking on every task at work outside of my own duties makes me feel overwhelmed and resentful.  So why continue to take on more than my duties?  What if I stopped doing everyone's job and performed solely my own, forcing others to become responsible for their own positions?  This is different than my normal routine and would force others to become accountable rather than allowing me to pick up the pieces, cleaning up or preventing workplace messes.  Makes sense, doesn't it? 

Unfortunately, this is easier said than done.  Today I'm making a commitment to change the way I do things at work and home so I will receive something different, rather than what I've always gotten.  This will allow greater peace for me along with greater accountability for others.  And I'm excited to see what new outcomes will come my way by changing the one person for whom I possess total control....me!