half-life
/ˈhaf ˌlīf/
noun
the time taken for the radioactivity of a specified isotope to fall to half its original value.
As defined by Oxford Dictionary.
What on earth am I talking about half-life here for? The half-life issues applies to us in the context of when our level of energy spikes up about something, anything.
So, for example, you have a bad conference call or meeting at work, and you walk out feeling infuriated, blood boiling, “why does this keep happening, why do I keep putting up with it, I can’t stand this anymore, I’m gonna do something about it right now, I can’t let this happen again!” You back to your desk, find emails you need to immediately respond to, phone rings, calls answered, a few things resolved for the afternoon, you go home, have a nice dinner, calm completely down, and poof, the half-life of your “I’m gonna do something about it right now” and “I can’t let this happen again” has passed and you’re back to your leveled self. And the following week, guess what, IT HAPPENS AGAIN!
Very familiar story, right? If you haven’t gone through some version of it, you definitely know someone who has, because they come back to you with the same story over and over again.
Sooooo, now what?
Acting quickly before the half-life hits is the answer. Also known as keeping the knowing-doing gap narrow. What’s the knowing-doing gap? It’s exactly what it sounds like. It’s the gap between knowing that you need to do something and actually doing it. Imagine it as you’re standing on one side of a creek and you need to jump to the other side, the gap being the place of fear, but the trick is, the longer you hesitate to make the jump, the wider the gap gets (perception-wise) and therefore the harder the jump will be. And the other side of that creek is where all the answers and new options and possibilities are.
A few things that will actually help:
Notice your patterns and when you tend to reach those “I have to make a change!” moments
Prepare yourself, talk to someone, research what it is you need to do (so that you’re armed to make the right decision, no regrets!)
Have an accountability buddy or a coach around to gently help you make a decision fast when it’s time to make the decision.
Frequently imagine how finally making that decision will feel and what it will give you.
Remind yourself of the last time you did this and that it really wasn’t as bad as you imagined it to be.
Get excited about the other side, the next level, the newer/stronger version of you that’s waiting there.
The cost of letting that half-life pass is too high. Don’t let it get you!
Who has a good story to share?