By Randy Ross

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Lesson #4 – The Secret Of Operating On A Continuum

"A great attitude does much more than turn on the lights in our worlds; it seems to magically connect us to all sorts of serendipitous opportunities that were somehow absent before we changed."

                                                                               Earl Nightingale

con·tin·u·um (As described  by Webster)
A coherent whole characterized as a collection, sequence, or progression of values or elements varying by minute degrees <"good" and "bad"...stand at opposite ends of a continuum instead of describing the two halves of a line>

 In any given situation there are a wide variety of responses available to us. Being creatures of habit our responses generally fall into a narrow window. If, for example  I introduce you to someone new, you probably almost always react the same.

A terrific example of the power of the continuum is the classic movie Groundhog Day with Bill Murray. In this movie Murray becomes stuck in the same day over and over again. Each morning he wakes up at 6 AM and it is still Groundhog Day. The only difference is that he retains the knowledge he has learned from the previous day. He then has the ability to test out different responses (strategies) to the situations that are repeating themselves. Quickly he discovers that some responses are much more effective than others.

 To build a continuum for any situation, first pick the two extremes. Draw a line and put one extreme at either end.  For the scenario of being introduced to a new person just discussed, the left hand point would be to totally ignore the person or perhaps start screaming and yelling at him/her. On the right end of the line will be a situation where you will be jumping up and down with ecstatic joy. In between these two points are a plethora of options.

An interesting thing happens when you write down the two extremes. It is then easy to begin filling in the other options. If you have just been in an argument with a spouse then the two extremes will be to get divorced on the left end or reconcile, kiss and makeup on the right end. Most of us pick something in the middle like not speaking for three days. But, there are other options. J

The challenge is to choose a response that will improve the situation. Anyone can meet a negative situation with anger or even just being non-responsive. It takes courage to meet the negative situation with positive energy. This is a key element of success. Practice it daily and the rewards will often be immediate. Positive energy can defuse the situation or reframe it. To reframe means to look at a situation in a different perspective. In other words, it means to put a new “frame” around it.

Imagine that your plane arrives late and you miss your connection.  This is certainly a frustrating situation. However to compensate you the airline then moves you to first class on the next flight. Sitting in first class you meet the CEO of a growing company that is interested in your resume. Was the missed connection really a terrible thing?

There is another valuable lesson to be learned from Groundhog Day.  Knowledge is power. The more we know about our colleagues and our competitors, the easier it becomes to find common ground for collaboration.  Ask questions, ask lots of questions and then listen to the responses. Then, repeat back what you hear. In meetings I take meticulous notes.  Even with this effort when I summarize back the notes to the speakers, I often find that I did not correctly capture the essences of the conversation. This does not mean that you have to agree with the speaker’s opinion; it simply means that you have to understand the opinion without prejudice.

I would like to challenge you this week to choose different reactions along the continuum. Of course, I would like you to be moving in the direction of more positive responses than you are currently using.

So, what is the secret of the continuum? For every situation there is a response that will have the maximum positive outcome. Keep experimenting and find the perfect combination of energy and positive thinking.  The trick is to find the “winning” response. A current negative situation does not necessarily mean that outcome will not be in your favor. Look at all possibilities of reframing the situation.

          Lesson One |  Lesson Two    |  Lesson Three | Lesson Four   | Lesson Five

          Lesson Six  |  Lesson Seven | Lesson Eight   |  Lesson Nine  | Lesson Ten

1)      Choose one or more of the following examples and draw out a continuum. Turn a piece of paper sideways and draw a long line across the entire page. Mark ten spots on the line and fill in possible reactions to the situation.

                  a)      You receive a nasty email carbon copied to fifteen colleagues.   

                         What are all of the possible responses?

b)      You sit down next to someone on the plane or bus that you don’t know.

c)      Some falsely accuses you?

d)      You arrive late to a meeting. Someone begins to berate you.

e)      Your child beaming with pride hands you a drawing when you are extremely busy

f)        You check your bank account and realize that it is once again overdrawn.

      2)      Words are a powerful influencer in all situations. Choose five words from

            the list below and write out practice statements utilizing them. Take  

            these statements and incorporate them into your interactions this week.

·        Breakthrough

·        Dazzling

·        Brilliant

·        Exceptional

·        Exciting

·        Terrific

·        Electrifying

·        Unique

·        Creative

·        Visionary

·        Energetic

       3)   Imagine standing in a dark tunnel. At first it is impossible to see until  

            your eyes adjust. As time passes, you will be able to see even a faint

            glow of light at the far end of the tunnel. Move towards that light step by

            step until it engulfs you and the darkness is left behind.

      4)   Recommended Viewing: Groundhog Day. A very entertaining film with lot

            of metaphors for success.

          Lesson One |  Lesson Two    |  Lesson Three | Lesson Four   | Lesson Five

          Lesson Six  |  Lesson Seven | Lesson Eight   |  Lesson Nine  | Lesson Ten

       Note: Educators and Webmasters, you are welcome to use and 

      modify this lesson material without charge as long as credit is given 

      to the author (Randy Ross) and the website name

      (unstoppablesuccess.com). Send questions and comments to  

      randyross@unstoppablesuccess.com

Copyright 2006 Randy Ross  http://www.unstoppablesuccess.com

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