Ouch!!  When we hear “blind spot,” we immediately imagine some personal deficit, irritable habit, lack of emotional intelligence that others see in us and to which we are blind.  As each of us always has “room to grow,” you may indeed have one or more blind spots of a negative nature. That’s a conversation for another day!

What we want to talk about today, is a different kind of blind spot that is even more valuable for you to uncover. It is the blind spot of a natural gift that you have not yet fully developed.

One of the ironies of life is that the things that come the most naturally to you are the qualities and skills that you may value the least.  If something comes easily for us, we may think that it must not be really valuable to others.  If something is difficult for us to master or do consistently, then it must be worthwhile to pursue and therefore, valuable to others and to the world.

Good news! – such thinking may create your blind spot.  We are always searching for our strengths and the most valuable contribution that we can make.  We strive, study, practice, focus, drive ourselves – mainly to do those things that do not come so naturally.  What about those things that you can do “with your eyes closed,” “like breathing,” and that energize you as you are doing them?  Those are your strengths – and often your blind spots.

SO –  fear not your Blind Spot. Ask for feedback from your friends, family and colleagues. Ask what is it that you do better than anyone else they know….and listen.   Open your eyes and ears.  Then, seek to do more of those things where you excel –  where you feel like you are just being and realize that amazing things are coming from inside you. Look for opportunities to be in those zones and make the difference…naturally!

Kathleen & Bailey

NBC News reports: “[Research shows] that only about 8 percent of people actually achieve their New Year’s goals,” said Dr. John Agwunobi chief health and nutrition officer for Herbalife. “After the holiday tradition of over-indulgence, we set out to rid our cabinets of junk food, hit the gym and start fresh, [but] some people tackle the problem too aggressively, with overly restrictive diets, or exercise regimes that they can’t commit to, and soon give up their efforts.”

Seeing this report provides me with the opportunity to share one an impactful discovery from a small book with a huge message, published in 2016 by Michael Allen, 5% MORE: Making small changes to achieve extraordinary results  This self-help book applies to nearly every situation you can name and provides a simple approach to achieve success.

Here’s what  Michael recommends:Rather than trying yet again for an aggressive New Year’s Resolution, try a different approach for 2017.  Look at something that you wish to change or improve. Rather than tackling it in a big way, tackle it in a small way.  That’s right, think of the smallest step that you can make in that direction.  Set a goal of moving the needle by 5%.

Here’s an  example. If you want to personally greet each of the 20 people in your department each morning – to convey that you see and appreciate them as individual members of your team, start with a 5% commitment and greet just one person each day.  Do that for a week. Then, increase your commitment by another 5%. That would mean that you would greet two of your staff each morning. On the third week, increase another 5% and greet three of your staff each morning. By the end of the first day of the third week, you will have greeted each staff member one time.  And by continuing to increase your commitment by only 5% each week, within a few months, you will have created a habit for yourself that you automatically greet each of the 20 members of your staff with grace and style. You will have expanded your capacity and habit of greeting your staff in a manner that feels normal and right, not something that you have to drive yourself to accomplish. You will have achieved an extraordinary result that will have untold impact on your relationships with your team and the accomplishments of your department!

What dramatic change would you like to see for yourself in in 2024?  What would a 5% goal look like for you? Can you see yourself beginning small and building a habit slowly and surely?  Give it a try and let me know how it goes.