We all find ourselves worrying at work. Often times this worrying can bog us down, to a point where we may not be effective at our jobs. We worry about what might happen if we make a certain decision, or we worry about what our co-workers are thinking, or what our boss thinks about our job performance. Sometimes these may be legitimate concerns but often times we find ourselves worrying about many factors that are not in our control.
In most work situations or team situations, it is a more effective solution to focus on what we are able to control, instead of spending worried energy on what we can’t control. With our athletes, we tend to teach them about what they can’t control first and then focus on what we as a group can control. If you think about it, work factors we typically have little control over:
Some of the above are things you can influence, but usually these are factors that you have little control over. I once heard a prominent soccer coach speak about controlling the controllable and he used his ear as a teaching point and it always stuck with me. Hopefully the “EAR” analogy will stick with you as well.
What can you control? EAR
When you are facing difficult challenges at work, as we all do, try to remind yourself that your effort, attitude and how you respond will greatly impact the outcome. Ask yourself, what outcome do I want?
~Sean Hogan has coached hockey at the international and collegiate levels for over ten years. He has spoken at numerous events about culture building, goal setting and healthy lifestyles. He holds a Master’s of Science Degree in Recreation and Sports Science with an emphasis on Coaching Education from OHIO University.