Last week I shared the story of a fly that was trapped on the wrong side of a window. It battled the glass to achieve its freedom, unable to see the glass for what it was… a clear obstruction.
The fly was determined to get to its destination on the other side of the window. The goal was right in front of it, so it kept attempting to go through the closed window. The fly’s problem-solving skills saw the window as the only way to achieve the goal of escape. It didn’t matter how much he tried, more of the same was not working. If it had only flown away from the window, it would have seen an open door to freedom just 10 feet away.
Sometimes, we do the same, don’t we? Of course, we’re going to choose what we think is the best way to do something. When it works, we continue. But sometimes, even when it doesn’t work, we continue the same behavior anyway. There might be a better way, but we’re too busy, or strapped in other ways, to explore better options. So, like the fly, we keep flying into the closed window. If we make the time to step back and assess a situation from another angle, asking those involved if they think there might be a better way, we open the door to potentially different, creative and even innovative perspectives. Repeated failure could turn into a glowing success.
Is your inner voice nudging you about something? Is it quietly asking a question or raising a flag? Pay attention to it. By stepping back, you might find a solution, maybe even one you didn’t know you were seeking.
