Ask not 'how can I?', ask 'why don't I?'!

While working in for the government I wanted a promotion to the executive level. I would sit at work looking at people working at that level thinking, I can do that work and I bet that I could do it better than they could. I was frustrated but at the same time I was not applying for any positions.  Every time I thought about it I would buy myself off with; 'I'm not ready yet, they probably know something that I don't, the other people applying a probably better than me, or my managers would give me opportunities if they thought I could do the job.

Asking myself how can I get a promotion left me with a thousand reason why I was not ready or able to get the promotion and a limited set of opportunities for me to take. So I continued to produce high quality work and excel at my job but a promotion was nowhere in sight. My experience of work was limited, dissatisfying and frustrating.

Now, this is quite normal as our education system, recruitment systems and accomplishment are wrapped up in knowing more, having more experience or being a better person. We are tested and evaluated on these things and so we think that to achieve the next level in performance it is knowledge, experience or just being more or better at something that is required and so we seek out more knowledge, experience, etc...

Let's throw that out for the moment and let's look from another point of view wh ere you don't need more of anything. Let's look from the point of view that you already have everything you need to do the job. Then let's ask the question 'if that is the case, why don't I?'

I asked myself that question and I realised that I didn't because I thought I might fail, I doubted I could perform at that level and had many other opinions about myself and others. I also noticed that I held these opinions as truths but had never actually stopped to test them. I quickly realised that all of them were thoughts and opinions in my head, no one had ever said them to me, and many could be falsified.

See the question 'why don't I do this?' asked from the point of view that I have everything I need , brings forth the opinions and truths that we hold to the foreground so that they can be tested. Any of these opinions and truths can be helpful but most often get in the way of what we want to accomplish.  The only benefit we get out of believing them is that we get to be right and that is the booby prize.

Now, I knew that jobs maybe opening in the next few months, and finding no real reason to not go for the job, I decided to get ahead meet with the people responsible for that area and shared with them my interest in promotion and working in that area. By the time the recruitment started, those responsible for recruitment where contacting me to ensure I apply. The interview was a breeze as I already had personal relationships with two of the three people on the interview panel.

I got the promotion, but the real kicker was when I negotiated my salary. I was initially thinking starting at entry level as I had little experience at that level, and then I remembered 'why don't I?' and instead applied to enter at the second top pay grade knowing the worst that they could do is refuse the request. So I ended up getting paid at the second top level on starting and never looked back.

So ask yourself the question 'why don't I?' and see for yourself. You will find the obvious reasons like, 'I don't have enough time', or 'I don't have the resources'. Let them go, believing them limits your thinking. You may also find less obvious truths like 'I don't have the right team' or 'my manager is not supportive'. Let that go, it will stop you having the conversations you want to have. And you may find even more abstract truths such as 'I am not the right person', 'people don't listen to me', or 'the culture in the organisation isn't right'. Let them go! Let them go! The just get in your way.

All of these opinions and truths are the barriers to effective performance and breakthrough results. The more we believe these to be true, the less becomes possible in life. And importantly the less you can accomplish.

So next time you not sure how to get the result you want, follow these four steps:

1. Create in your mind that you already have everything you need to accomplish any outcome
2. Ask yourself 'if that is the case, why don't I do 'x'
3. Let go of all the opinions/truths that arise until you see how you could accomplish 'x'
4. Create a plan of actions to produce 'x'

I use this question everyday whenever I confront a situation where I think something can't be accomplished and it yields dividends every time no matter how small or big the issue is.

My thanks to Landmark Worldwide, whose training made this way of thinking possible for me.