In my "other" business, and in my travels around the U.S. and
Europe, I see a lot of offices. A lot of cubicles and workstations.
Even a few lockers and help desks.
There seems to be a universal need for human beings to do two
things with their work space. First, they personalize it. They put
up photographs of friends and relatives as well as hand-drawn art
from children.
Second, people tend
to adorn their offices with quotes and commentaries on life. Some
are large, stylish quotations in wooden frames behind glass. Others
are posters, post cards, and even comic strips.
I treat these
groups separately because I believe they represent two sides of our
personalities. Pictures, mementos, and drawings represent our very
personal side. We want to remember the spouse, the wedding, the
get-together, etc.
The other stuff --
the commentaries and quotes and cartoons -- that represents more of
our expressions about the world.
This is where you
need to put some attention.
First, your
commentaries on the world reflect your statement about how things
are. Second, they reflect your goals and desires. So, your area
represents both your reflections on how things are and reflections
on how they can be.
Stop and look
around. What does your workspace say about you? Is it a
Wall of Inspiration or a
Wall of Desperation?
If a visitor came
to call (let's say, your mother, your boss, a customer, or a
prospective employee), what would the visitor see? Not the
cleanliness. Not the organization. What would your visitor see as a
reflection of who you are and who you want to be?
Which of the
following phrases describe your work area?
 |
Cheerful |
|
Content |
|
Excited |
|
Grateful |
|
Happy |
|
Inspirational |
|
Joyous |
|
Peaceful |
|
Positive |
|
Relaxed |
|
Up-lifting |
|
|
Angry |
|
Bitter |
|
Confused |
|
Depressed |
|
Exasperated |
|
Frustrated |
|
Miserable |
|
Negative |
|
Overwhelmed |
|
Sad |
|
Sarcastic |
|
Have a co-worker give you an honest assessment,
then answer these two questions:
Question 1: Is that the image you want to project
to others?
Question 2: Is that a collection of messages that
will improve your attitude and level of success?
|
"Nothing can stop the man with the right
mental attitude from achieving his goal;
Nothing on earth can help the man with
the wrong mental attitude."
--
W.W. Ziege
|
I was on a coaching
call the other day and someone mentioned the book Think and Grow
Rich by Napoleon Hill. This is one of the most-cited books in
the world of self-improvement.
Now
ask yourself: What kind of "thinking" do you suppose Napoleon Hill
had in mind? Whining and complaining? Blaming and self-pity?
No. Of course not.
The thinking you
need to be successful (whether it's getting rich or some other goal)
is positive thinking. You need to fill your space and your
life with inspiration.
You need to build
that wall of inspiration. Post your favorite quotations. If you
don't any to post, I've got a few candidates at
www.relaxfocussucceed.com/Pith.htm. If you want a five-pack of
4"x6" post cards with some of my favorite quotes, send me your
mailing at
karlp@relaxfocussucceed.com. Free.
The point is very
simple. When you look up from your work, do you see a sarcastic
reminder of how horrible things are, or do you see something that
makes you smile and encourages you to keep moving in the right
direction?
Fill your space
with positive messages. Post your goals for the year and this month.
Put up joyful reminders of the fun things you do, and the things you
want to do. Don't wait for someone else to "motivate" you: motivate
yourself.
Fill your
environment with positive, productive messages and your environment
will reward you with a more positive, productive life.
Start today.
