It’s the best insurance policy money can’t buy

Recently I found an interesting paper from a management journal about workplace interruptions.

The title felt like it was written especially for me. Check this out.

I’d be overwhelmed, but it’s just one more thing to do.

Isn’t that great? You have to appreciate just how clever that is. Academic researchers are so dang dry and quirky. But their point is well taken.

It’s like, well, if everything is just one more thing to do, then you’ve already acknowledged you’re part of an inevitable stream. So why not start now?

If it’s all pointless bullshit anyway, then you may as well break the cycle of inaction. Your burden won’t disappear by waiting.

Sure, it would be nice if you did nothing and things just went away on their own. But that only works with bad haircuts and parking tickets.

Edison famously said that genius is one percent inspiration and ninety nine percent perspiration. I think his mantra also works if you replace the word perspiration with perception.

Because when it comes to things you have to do, it’s mostly mindset. One reason the story I tell myself is, this is one more step toward progress, is because it makes it easier to find intrinsic rewards. I’m less likely to view things as hollow obligations. Whereas if I look at my desk as being cluttered with a bunch of just one more things, I might hurl myself out of the window.

See the difference?

One more thing means weight; one more step means progress.

One more thing says fixed, one more step says forward.

One more thing indicates avoidance; one more step indicates motivation.

One more thing equals short term obligation; one more step equals long term purpose.

Most people don’t consider that distinction, but when you flesh it out side by side, it’s a no brainer.

Let me share a story about progress that exemplifies this distinction.

Koppelman, an award winning screenwriter and director, faced consistent resistance from movie studios regarding the tone of the characters in his film project. He could not get the movie green lit.

So to keep himself motivated, he had custom tennis shoes made with the title of his movie project written on them a hundred times. He wore those shoes every day as a reminder to take one step toward getting the movie financed, no matter how small the progress seemed.

The shoes symbolized his commitment to consistent action despite the obstacles.

That’s one more step thinking. Koppelman wasn’t overwhelmed by the daunting task of getting a movie made. The work was hard and long, but nothing was just one more thing to do. Which is why that movie was finally made and received positive reviews.

Ebert himself even said it was one of the lead actor’s finest performances.

See what happens with a growth mindset?

It’s the best insurance policy money can’t buy.

If you can’t change the task, change how you perceive it.