Yesterday, in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, I spoke to a colleague who was at the airport in Texas trying to get to the east coast. And of course because of the weather their flight got delayed. Essentially, they were in a holding pattern. They are unable to modify the current events, and therefore forced to wait. While people around them were frantic for one reason or another, my colleague sat peacefully… as she shared this with me, what quickly entered into my heart was that “delay is not denial.”
After all, she was coming back to her home in Philadelphia…perhaps a little later than she had expected but she was okay with that….I believe that we should focus on what we can control, not what we can’t. As we were talking she mentioned a very upset gentleman who was yelling at the gate attendants. Sometimes, for reasons we cannot comprehend, we get delayed. Instead of embracing the delay because it is working in our favor, we become belligerent and produce a negative emotion that attracts more of the same in life and business. That, Incredible One, is what they call a holding pattern.
What I’ve realized in working with a few of my business coaching clients and traveling for speaking engagements recently is that many people have somehow gotten their Incredible Factor stuck in a holding pattern. Bottom line, they are stuck. They’ve been doing what they’ve been doing and settling for the results they’ve been receiving. They’ve not gotten clear on their value or their ideal client and as a result they are stuck, fearful, unsure, confused…holding for a change to come but completely unaware of how to usher in that change.
The universe cannot restore your Incredible Factor and turn your passion into a profit until you get clear by releasing yourself from fear, guilt, confusion, inauthentic activity and lack of integrity. It’s true; when the hold happens, it escalates quickly because of our own self-imposed limits. I often recommend taking time to Inspect the Incredible in order to determine why the limit is there and how you can get it to lift. Here are some questions you can ask yourself:
- Why is this bothering me so much?
- What am I missing by not being able to move right now?
- What would be different if this limit were not here?
- What will this limit cost me?
- What do I want instead?
What are you holding on to that is preventing you from getting what you want? Is it control because you fear that a cleaning lady can’t clean your toilets as well as you? If you want to play big, learn how to pay someone else $5 to $100 so that you can do what must be done to Unleash Your Incredible Factor. I believe that we should focus our attention on PPA’s – Profit Producing Activity and the last time I checked having to sort the mail, clean the toilet, even organize your desk wasn’t paying big.
When your Incredible Factor is in a holding pattern, it cannot produce the reward for those whom you serve. Take a delay that is not self-imposed as a blessing, sit peacefully and clarify your purpose and intent of what to do when the delay is over. And more importantly REST. Most of you work too much anyway, so a few minutes with no plans might actually lead to a mindset shift that can make the time you are working more productive…how would more productivity enhance your Incredible Factor?
If the delay is self-imposed, seek help immediately. Find out what is causing the holding pattern. Regardless of its intent, a coach will be able to refocus your energy to lift the delay and get you back on your way to fulfilling your purpose and serving others with your gift. Remember, you cannot see the picture when you are the frame. Let someone help you who can get you back into action more quickly that you could on your own.
How have holding patterns affected your life and business this year? Share your comments below. I’d love to communicate with you to help you to get moving again.
©2012 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved. Darnyelle A. Jervey, MBA, The Incredible Factor Speaker, Business Coach and Marketing Mentor, is the founder of Incredible One Enterprises.com, Incredible Factor University® the Leverage Your Incredible Factor System® a proven step-by-step program for more clients, more income and more leverage in your business. For more information and a FREE audio CD “7 Critical Mistakes Entrepreneurs Must Avoid When Unleashing Your Incredible Factor So You Attract More Clients, Make More Money and Gain More Leverage” just fill out the form below.
