Commit to the 212* Metaphor

Did you know that at 211 degrees water is hot? Increase the hot water by one more degree to 212 degrees and the water becomes boiling.  Once the water is boiling, steam is the result.  A train is powered by STEAM.

Think about that, one extra degree of temperature is the difference between something that is hot and something that can generate enough force to power a train.

This 212* metaphor is one that I use with my counselling and coaching clients. It is also a metaphor that I use for myself as an entrepreneur in private practice. Increase your daily effort in motivation by just a small amount and you will experience substantial results.

Too often when people want to change for the better they set out to achieve huge results.  They want change and they want it fast. Unrealistic expectations lead to failure and failure leads to negative thoughts such as “why do I even bother”.

However, if we shift towards positive change just a little bit each day then over a realistic amount of time positive changes in career and life will flourish.

Once you are mindful of your time and how it is spent then you can assess and decide how and where you would like to make your small change for the better of you.  By making a small change on a daily basis, the overall impact in the course of a month or two will be astounding for you, your work and the people you engage with.

Here’s the math:

  • Commit to one live networking event every two weeks which would mean roughly 24 events per year.  Imagine the number of new contacts that you could connect with face-to-face.
  • Look for one new Linked In connection per day. That is 365 new contacts per year.  Could this help your business profile?
  • Walk one extra block per day – adding close to 2000 steps per week to your fitness routine.
  • Turn off your cell phonefor ½ hour a day and you will gain 182.5 hours per year.
  • Go to sleep 20 minutes earlier and gain 10 hours more sleep per month.

The late Randy Pausch, inspirational author and professor said  “ We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand”.

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