Course 3: PL 102 - The Problem is the Path (Discussion 1)
Please note: In order to successfully complete Course 3, you must respond to this post. Your comment/response should answer the questions/shows that you completed the given activity (if any). Read the post carefully and follow the instructions given. Save your responses to a document that you can later refer to. You will need to copy/paste your response in the course evaluation form at the end of each course to show that you have done the work and to refresh your memory.
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Hello LDP Team!
I am enjoying this program and I hope that you all are finding it helpful and meaningful! I'm excited about this next course. The problem is the path is the core insight that helps us evolve as individuals and as a community here on 7 Cups.
Here is an overview of this course:
Course Description: It is natural for us to want to avoid problems. Problems can cause worry, anxiety, and frustration. These are feelings that we often want to avoid. Problems, however, are the key to growth. When we face our problems directly we get smarter and grow stronger. A saying that captures this is: Progress = Pain + Reflection. This course helps you learn the value of problems by highlighting the difference between problems you might be concerned about and problems you can directly solve. Next, it walks you through the ancient practice of steering into problems directly in order to unlock their value and gifts. Finally, it helps you identify and measure progress so you can make continued gains in your personal and professional life.
1. Watch the following video and identify 3 things in your circle of concern, 3 things in your circle of influence, and 1 thing you can do to remind yourself to focus on your circle of influence.
2. Next, watch the following video and highlight what stands out to you about this executive? What did they do that would be considered proactive as opposed to reactive?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uj8dmSgQa1c
Bonus: Check out chapter 8 of the book 7 Cups for the Searching Soul (more in the next discussion) for a deeper dive into learning more about accepting what we cannot control.
After fulfilling the requirements of this post, please check out the next post here! You must take part in the brainstorming/activities given in all of these posts to successfully complete the program.
(edited by @SoulfullyAButterfly on 29/1/2021 to update (1) to replace it with a working YouTube link)
This post is brought to you by the Leadership Development Program Team, find out more information about the program here.
@GlenM
1. Identify 3 things in your circle of concern, 3 things in your circle of influence, and 1 thing you can do to remind yourself to focus on your circle of influence. �
In my circle of concern- the decision made by the University Vice-Chancellor regarding my scholarship application, the coming year, the cloudy weather.
In my circle of influence- my personal statement and SOP, exercising to feel better, being productive
I could plan each day to make sure I work on the things that are in my circle of influence.
2. Next, watch the following video and highlight what stands out to you about this executive? What did they do that would be considered proactive as opposed to reactive?
He was able to empathise and understand the president's weaknesses and thus, take steps to compliment them with his strengths.
Thank you! �
@Grace8402
Intrigued by your "personal statement and SOP"! Can you share some more about that if it's ok to ask?
@peacefulWarrior10
Yes, sure. I was applying for a scholarship at the time of that reply. I was supposed to submit 2 personal statements. Those were the items on my circle of influence since I could only work on them and affect the outcome and worrying about the outcome would do no good. (Sorry for the late reply, I was on a long break) 💕
@GlenM
1. Watch the following video and identify 3 things in your circle of concern, 3 things in your circle of influence, and 1 thing you can do to remind yourself to focus on your circle of influence.
3 things in concern circle:
My mental health
Finances
My future
3 things in influence circle
Talk to my therapist when I can
Make a budget and stick to it
Do what I can to make sure I graduate
1 thing I can do to focus on my influence:
Be proud of what Ive accomplished and what I plan on accomplishing moving forward.
2. Next, watch the following video and highlight what stands out to you about this executive? What did they do that would be considered proactive as opposed to reactive?
This executive stands out in so many ways. Not once did he talk bad about the president to his peers as they were doing. Instead, he let them vent and came up with ways to make the environment better for everyone, including the president. He empathized with him, and got things done before the president had to ask. He was a true leader. He was hard-working and focused on his circle of influence and expanded it. He focused on what could control.
@shiningDay80
Your circle of concern is very similar to mine. I love your plan to focus on your accomplishments!
Circle of concern
Mental Health Awareness
Financial Stability
Being a good dog mom
Circle of Influence
Being open about my own mental health to advocate/raise awareness
Working 2 jobs to make sure my bills are paid
Spending time with my dog, making sure she has food and toys
One thing I can do to remind myself to focus on my circle of influence is to ask myself the question: What do I have control over? It doesnt do much good to focus on things outside of my control.
Highlight what stands out to you about this executive? What did they do that would be considered proactive as opposed to reactive?
The executive focused on the things that he could do to compliment the presidents strengths AND compensate for the presidents weaknesses so that his success was not dependent on the circumstances around him, but rather how he responded to those circumstances. One thing he did that would be considered proactive is that he tried to predict the presidents needs rather than waited for the president to let him know what his needs were, he was prepared. He also responded with empathy rather than harshness and criticism.
@GlenM
Once again, thank you for this amazing post! Here are my responses:
1. Watch the following video and identify 3 things in your circle of concern, 3 things in your circle of influence, and 1 thing you can do to remind yourself to focus on your circle of influence.
Circle of concern: how other people think of me, education/academics, social life (or more of lack of ahaha)
Circle of influence: how hard I work (the amount of time I commit) - trying my very best, be able to reach out to other people and socialize more, just being me/become less insecure
Remind myself: I am trying to try my best and just being me should be enough, to not expand my circle of concern and to think more about my circle of influence instead.
2. Next, watch the following video and highlight what stands out to you about this executive? What did they do that would be considered proactive as opposed to reactive?
One of the main things that this execute did very well was that he actively looked at his circle of concern and was very proactive about it, meaning he realized the situation before it happened. Because he was proactive, he could be overall more positive, relaxed, and prepared as well :)
My circle of concern is my health and my family's health, finances, the effects of COVID
My circle of influence includes: keeping myself and other safe, doing my best, helping others navigate through this time
One thing I can do to bring attention to my circle of influence is to focus on what I can do, instead of thinking about what others will or can do.
The executive focused on how he can support the president, and worked with the presidents strengths and weaknesses.
One thing he did to show that he was proactive was that he was prepared for many situations, and he was able to predict what the president wanted to get done.
1) 3 things in my circle of concern are my health, my family, and my job here.
2) I can only control my health and my job here. I work hard on each one to try to take steps towards making each the best they can be. I can also take self care.
3) He was proactive in his communication and problem solving. He focused on his circle of influence.
@GlenM
1. Iidentify 3 things in your circle of concern, 3 things in your circle of influence, and 1 thing you can do to remind yourself to focus on your circle of influence.
- 3 things in my Circle of concern : Career, Beauty Standards and Human Rights
- 3 things in my Circle of influence : It's okay to be a late bloomer in my career I can learn new skills and take the time to discover myself professionally, learn to love myself as I am because I am my own standard of beauty 
, keep educating myself
2. Highlight what stands out to you about this executive? What did they do that would be considered proactive as opposed to reactive?
He did not criticize the boss's methods. He analyzed his management style, his weaknesses. He took the time to think about how to strengthen his mangement style and reduce his weaknesses.
@GlenM
Questions/Activities
Identify 3 things in your circle of concern.
My aunt (her cancer), my family & girlfriend, and work.
Identify 3 things in your circle of influence.
My response to stressfull situations.
My willingness to challenge myself with physical activity and mindfulness practice.
The way I react when things start going south or opposed to my ideals.
Identify one thing you can do to remind yourself to focus on your circle of influence.
Breathe, and think that some things I can control, while others I just can't, and that's perfectly okay, that's just "life doing life things".
Highlight what stands out to you about this executive.
The executive in question was proactive and took the iniative, he anticipated, he empathized, focusing on his own circle of influence. He was a true leader, very focused on the things he could actually control, impact and have a say on.
What did they do that would be considered proactive as opposed to reactive?
He read the situation, he was not blinded by the president's weakenesss. Instead of criticizing them he would compensate for them. Overall his approach was incredibly proactive and not reactive at all, since the later would produce no good effects whatsoever on the president's dictatorial leadership style.
1. Watch the following video and identify 3 things in your circle of concern, 3 things in your circle of influence, and 1 thing you can do to remind yourself to focus on your circle of influence.
Concern - finance, health, environment.
Influence - try to limit how much I spend, get regular checks (and reach out when I don't feel okay), recycling a lot more and trying to encourage others to do the same.
2. Next, watch the following video and highlight what stands out to you about this executive? What did they do that would be considered proactive as opposed to reactive?
By focusing on his circle of influence, he was able to do what he needed to do for himself and his team. He demonstrated immense leadership skills through this.
@RebekahRebel, didn't see that last question until filling out the course 3 report!
Quite simply, I don't control it. We simply cannot control things that are out of our reach; we can only ever build our way around it and do our little bit each day to try and help the issue.
@GlenM
Identify 3 things in your circle of concern, 3 things in your circle of influence, and 1 thing you can do to remind yourself to focus on your circle of influence.
3 things of concern- Health, Social Media, World Peace
3 things of influence - Fitness, Phone, Inner Peace
It's true. The more we focus on circle on influence, it grows and makes circle of concern look smaller. That is a good enough reminder for me to focus on my fitness, my phone habits and my inner peace.
2. Next, watch the following video and highlight what stands out to you about this executive? What did they do that would be considered proactive as opposed to reactive?
The executive was inspiring. That's a great example of working on your circle of influence.
He read the situation and found the room for improvement in the organization and how he can contribute in that room.