Lean Quote: You Don’t Control What Happens, You Control How You Respond

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.

"You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you."   — Brian Tracy

As we have learned these last many months we are often not in control of the issues we face at work or home. For most of us, the pandemic has upended our entire lives: Important projects have halted, we've lost jobs, canceled momentous trips, gone weeks (and counting) without hugging our family and friends. Nothing seems "normal."

There are so many things out of our control right now. Our home work environment, home schooling of our kids, the health of our loved ones, the global spread of COVID-19, and the impending global recession/depression that is sure to follow. Perhaps the most frustrating part? We have no idea how much longer this quarantine will last. We can’t help but ask, will it ever end?

While we may not wish to acknowledge it, uncertainty is a natural and unavoidable part of life. Very little about our lives is constant or totally certain, and while we have control over many things, we can’t control everything that happens to us. As the coronavirus outbreak has shown, life can change very quickly and very unpredictably.

In determining how we face our challenges it is our attitude that is the key. You are not responsible for everything that happens to you, but you are responsible for how you react to what does happen to you. You have a choice as to what your attitude will be.

Use these four steps to have a super attitude:

Focus On The Future

Focus On The Solution

Look For The Good

Look For The Valuable Lesson

So much of our anxiety comes from losing control, so you have to take control when you can. Having the right attitude can make the difference. A positive attitude can motivate other people to change their negative thinking. Everything is possible with right attitude behind you to push you forward. And since you do have a choice, most of the time you'll be better off if you choose to react in a positive and don’t sweat the stuff you can’t control.