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. 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.
My circle of concern: 1) Finances 2) Getting into a better school 3)Health
My circle of influence: 1) Start budgeting and spending less on useless stuff using the want and need technique 2) I can start studying routinely to get better grades 3) I can start slowly on building healthy habits
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 very proactive he focused on his circle of influence as opposed to others around him who were reactive and focused on their circle of concern. He used his strengths to complement the strengths of the president and grew his circle of influence and everyone trusted him 
Every winner was once a loser who got up and gave it one more shot
@mamtasha22 Yes. Maintain focus on the things that matter for a positive and successful future.
Identify 3 things in your circle of concern.
3 things in my circle of concern are:
- Well-being of my family, relatives, friends, and myself
- My future (ex. studies, job and career, etc.)
- Surrounding environment (ex. global warming, safety of the neighborhood I live in, etc.)
Identify 3 things in your circle of influence.
3 thing in my circle of influence:
- My own well-being
- Focus and work hard on my studies
- Take precaution to limit risk when going out to do activities in the neighborhood
Identify one thing you can do to remind yourself to focus on your circle of influence.
Creating and sticking to a study schedule is one thing I can remind myself to focus on from my circle of influence.
Highlight what stands out to you about this executive.
This executive’s proactiveness in the situation stood out to me as not many would react in such a manner nowadays.
What did they do that would be considered proactive as opposed to reactive?
He focused on what he could control, rather than what he couldn’t. He read the situation with empathy and decided to help compensate for the weaknesses in the situation instead of to complain like everyone else. He observed what the company needed and aligned his strength to that. Little by little, his circle of influence grew to the point where no one in the organization made any significant moves without his approval, including the president himself. The president didn’t feel threatened, because the executive’s strength complimented his strength and compensated for his weaknesses.
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.
My circle of concern: The past, my friends & family, the troubling things happening around the world
My circle of influence: Self-care/love, spending quality time with friends & family, looking after nature and the environment around me
Something I can do to remind myself: Focus on what I can control. Some things I cannot control and that is okay.
2. 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 what they could control, the things in their circle of influence rather than the circle of concern. They did not complain, but instead looked at what they could do to make the situation better. They listened and empathised, they understood. They used their own strengths to ‘bounce’ off of the president's strengths, strengthening their team. The president did not feel threatened as the executive did it in a way where it was complementary to each other.
@IcedEthan Great answer as always Ethan !
>Career specifically the work culture
>Future health
>Relationships
3 things in your circle of influence
>Working hard
>Adapting to situations
>Making best out of every situation
and 1 thing you can do to remind yourself to focus on your circle of influence.
>Just focus on the inner circle and the rest would take care of itself.
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 perfectly focused on the circle of influence and maintained a positive attitude throughout.
He just focused on things he could control and shaped his staff to do the same. He analysed and anticipated the leader needs and change in accordance to that to accommodate them.
Health
Career
Relationships
3 things in your circle of influence
Focus on positives
Grow and learn in the areas by taking advantage of training and learning opportunities
Do my best and roll with it, letting go of relationships that are no longer good for me and focusing on building up the healthy ones.
1 thing you can do to remind yourself to focus on your circle of influence.
Making an actual reminder on my phone appointments because my memory is that bad sometimes and this is just that important! :)
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 didn't participate in bad-mouthing or gossiping, instead, he focused his time and energy on reading the situation.
Instead of criticizing any weaknesses that he observed, he would instead compensate for them.
He worked with the president's strength and passions.
@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.
- In my circle of concern I have to be able to be happy, find someone to share my life with, and that my loved ones don't ever pass away + other causes of anxiety.
- In my circle of influence I have the fact that I need to do self-care in order to achieve the things that I want. I also have the fact that it is okay to be by myself and I also have a lot of time to figure that out. Last but not least is that I cannot be in control of everything that happens in life.
- Something I can do in order to remind myself of my circle of influence is thinking realistically and taking a deep breath when things make me too anxious or overwhelmed.
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 very focused on his circle of influence and read through the situation and he compensated them and empathized. He took away all the value of weakness, his circle expanded and his strength seen as a success.
- 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.
My circle of influence: discipline, patience, communication skills
To remind me to focus on my circle of influence I need to learn to take a pause and reflect upon my actions whenever required.
- 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 didn’t indulge in complaining. Instead, he anticipated the president’s needs and focused on finding a solution to the situation. He worked on his strengths and compensate for his weaknesses.
Health, finance, and family.
My 3 things for the circle of influence:
Health, education, and relationships.
One thing to remind me to focus on the circle of influence:
Slowing down, or slowing my mind down, giving myself permission to stop, and seeing all of my blessings around me. Giving gratatude.
Watch the following video and highlight what stands out to you about this executive? What did he do that would be considered proactive as opposed to reactive?
I like how he says "think harder."? To me, it means digging deeper internally and you will find your answer. In doing so when we find the answers we empower ourselves for change to happen (circle of influence) gets bigger.
I think it's humanly so easy to be caught up in society's norms, this has been moulded into us from parents, teachers, peers, co-workers, society and media.
Knowing change happens within us by digging deeper to find the answers is very empowering. Crazy I think we all know this but so hard to do
All it takes to start making the change in our workplace or home is one person (ourselves)
All it takes to make ourselves stronger is to keep digging deeper within.
We can all be leaders, influencing others by being proactive, instead of following the norm with being reactive.
As flowers grow from seed, nurtured and tended to with care to blossom; so can we and our lives. Self-care comes in again.
Check out chapter 8 of the book 7 Cups?
I don't have the book, but it sounds amazing.
Health, Family, and Finance.
My 3 things circle of influence:
Health, Education, and Relationships
One thing to remind me to focus on the circle of influence:
Slowing down, or slowing my mind down, and giving myself permission to stop and seeing all of my blessings around me. Giving of gratitude.
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?
I like how he says think harder - to me, it means digging deeper internally and you will find your answer. In doing so when we find our answers we empower ourselves for change to happen. (Circle of influence gets bigger)
I think it's humanly so easy to be caught up in the reactive; it has been moulded into us from parents, teachers, peers, co-workers, society and media.
Knowing change happens within us by digging deeper to find the answer means:
All it takes to start making the change in the workplace or home is one person (ourselves)
All it takes to make ourselves stronger is to keep digging deeper within.
We can all be leaders, influencing others by being proactive instead of following the norm with reactive.
As flowers grow from seed, nurtured and tended to with care to blossom; so can we and our lives. Self-Care comes again.
Check out chapter 8 of the book 7 Cups for the Searching soul
I don't have it.
@GlenM
1.
3 things in circle of concern: Finances, living up to other people’s expectations, living a fulfilling life
3 things in circle of influence: Things you say, Things I do, My behavior
1 thing to remind to focus on in circle of influence: Only I can control what comes out of my mouth. No one else has the power to force my vocal cords to talk. Only my brain can be the one who tells me to talk.
2.
This executive was always thinking about future situations/problems. He always did that extra step and slowly it brought the team and president back together. Neither the president nor team felt threatened or like they weren’t heard. By bringing the team together it allows a business to grow.