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- Course 3: PL 102 - The Problem is the Path (Discussion 1)
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.
@milkoreos
Glad that you are aware of the positives aspect of your life, good luck with your desired systems
@GlenM
Circle of concern: My future, studies and whether or not people like me
Circle of influence: Enjoy the present with my loved ones and not think about the future, work hard on my studies and just be comfortable with myself.
- They were being proactive by being a little bit more optimistic about life, enjoying every moment, focusing on things that are in their hands and/or under your influence.
@Hope2103 , staying in present and enjoying it instead of worrying about future is important, I am glad you're focusing on that. Goodluck!❤
▪︎ 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: Education, Health, Peaceful life.
Circle of influence: Avoiding overworking to prevent burnout, taking proper steps to improve my health (physically as well as mentally), prioritizing things to fulfill my academic goals.
Remind Myself: I am allowed to seek support from appropriate channels whenever I need. Asking for help is never a sign of weakness and it's the bravest thing I can do for myself.
▪ 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?
~ What stood out to me about the executive was his proactiveness and that he chose to focus on his circle of influence. Instead of complaining he made efforts to ensure collective growth and work, made sure everyone in the team felt heard and understood.
▪︎ 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.
~ I have read the book a few times and it is amazing, and provides great and useful insights.
@unique73
I liked your reminder. Definitely asking for help is never a weakness it's a quality of anyone who's on their way towards greatness.
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: financial limitations, restricting environment, and the negative influence of certain people
Circle of influence: career-related skills I can build upon, patience and understanding in spoken communication, and widening my knowledge
Something I can do to remind myself to focus on my circle of influence is to break those down into systems and put them up on my to-do list.
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?
People tend to be quick to criticize others. Instead of doing that, the executive tried to understand the manager. This stood out to me.
In his approach of being proactive, he patiently observed and took every initiative he could to influence the situation positively. He understood the concerns of the other members and the manager and found the space to accommodate them.
@sereneButton43
Very true... Like they say " Patience is a virtue" 😊
@GlenM
Answer 1
my studies, my health , my enomic situation
Circle of influence: focus on my studies, i should take time for me and my mental health, i have to be more productive.
I can with all this preocupatios only i have to be more organizated
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 video showed some important keys, knowing how to deal with situations is admirable, we just have to be patient and work hard
@GlenM
Thanks team for this amazing and innovative discussion. It can really be helpful to everyone in a way or the other to deal with the problems in their life.
Below are my responses:-
Response:1
3 things in my circle of concern:-
* My Health
* My Relationship
* My Finances
3 things in my circle of influence:-
* My Academics
* My Hobbies
* My Family
The one thing that helps me focus on my circle of influence is my self-motivation and my dad.
Response:2
What stands out to me about this executive in the video is that he focused on his circle of influence and made thigs favorable and easier for him and the whole team. His response on the situation would be considered proactive as he actively made himself participate in the situation rather than just showing his concerns.
@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.
Circle of concern: What other people think of me, Past mistakes, Negative impacts from environmental hazards.
Circle of influence: My dreams, My decisions, My happiness.
1 thing you can do to remind yourself to focus on your circle of influence: "I can't control what other people think or say about me, but I can control what I think and do to achieve my dreams and goals."
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?
What stands out to me about this executive is that he was patient. He listened to what the president was saying and also what his teammates thought. He analyzed the facts and gave time to think things through and understand the reason behind the presidents and his team mates actions. Which allowed him to come up with creative solutions to not only impress the president but also to become a leader, a listening ear for his teammates and to win people's hearts.
In retrospect, these qualities of the executive gave him the chance to see things differently than most of the people do. It also allowed him to be a more important figure in the organization. I've recently read some articles that gave away the message that if you love yourself, care about you and do things to improve yourself and achieve your dreams you will start attracting people who respect your worth. You will not have to go finding people to respect you.
I think focusing on the inner circle in a way represents the same.
I also found a nice video while I was going through the videos shared in the post and thought it would be a great addition to this topic. So I’m sharing it here for anyone who wishes to learn more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFc08j9eorQ&t=2s
This is the link [Sorry the previous one in the post didn't come as a clickable link :) ]
@GlenM
influence, and 1 thing you can do to remind yourself to focus on your circle of influence.
Circle of Concern- Financial Independence, Physical and Mental Health, Climate Change.
Circle of Influence- Career performance, Practising Yoga/exercises on a regular basis, My personal boundaries and relationships with people around me.
To remind myself- I believe in systems>goals. So basically, I think of actions that might lead to my desired systems (circle of influence) and work on them sincerely. (Atleast I try :p )
Highlight what stands out to you about this executive?
He focused on the solution instead of the problem itself.
What did they do that would be considered proactive as opposed to reactive?
The executive was proactive as he anticipated the needs and concern of the president. Also, at the time of presenting information to the president, he provided his analysis
@Prachi9876
that's certainly doable to focus on the desirable systems.
@courageousheart96
I agree ... focus on the desirable systems
@Prachi9876
Very important to focus on your circle of influence
@Prachi9876
I agree that focus on your circle of influence
@Prachi9876
circle of concern
Financial Independence, Physical and Mental Health, Climate Change.
@Prachi9876
Circle of Influence- Career performance, Practising Yoga/exercises on a regular basis, My personal boundaries and relationships with people around me.
@Prachi9876
To remind myself- I believe in systems goals. So basically, I think of actions that might lead to my desired systems (circle of influence) and work on them sincerely.
@Prachi9876
The executive was proactive as he anticipated the needs and concern of the president. Also, at the time of presenting information to the president, he provided his analysis
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.
The three things in my circle of concern include my family’s well being, government decisions, and the behavior of others. The three things in my circle of influence include my physical and mental health, how I persevere through challenges, and my attitude towards others. To remind myself to focus on my circle of influence, I can tell myself that by focusing my energy on what I can control, I can effectively make changes in my life for the better, both in my personal productivity and in my relationships with others.
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 extremely proactive as he expanded his circle of influence. He worked hard to conform to the circumstances for the betterment of himself and his co-workers. He did not react to the situation, but read between the lines, and deeply reflected and empathized with the manager’s emotions and with the situation as a whole. In the end, the co-workers and his manager alike appreciated his perseverance, which created a deeper level of trust and cooperation within the workplace.
@Nerdtastic01
Its great that you focus on both mental and physical wellbeing and health, it creates a balance
@courageousheart96
Right.. mental and physical wellbeing creates a balance
@Nerdtastic01
The executive was extremely proactive as he expanded his circle of influence. He worked hard to conform to the circumstances for the betterment of himself and his co-workers.
@GlenM
Hello everyone 👋
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. https://youtu.be/tD0aFZkFrFA
Three things in my circle of concern: The well-being of my partner, my family and myself, my pets and education/finance.
Three things in my circle of influence: Checking up on family, partner and pets, focusing on my goals, and self-care plan.
One thing I can do to remind myself to focus on my circle of influence: Positive affirmations, and staying motivated. "Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared."
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
The executive focused on his inner circle of influence, he was proactive and tolerant instead of becoming reactive to the situation. He was empathetic and compassionate to the needs and validated the president's strengths.
He took the initiative to anticipate the needs and concerns of the president. His proactive nature and mindset helped him to approach the president with his own analysis and recommendation. He had a "can-do" and focused not only on the problem but also on the behaviour and solution.
@courageousheart96
How sweet of you to care about them. I think check-ins will really help ease your mind and keep informed about any issues. Great focus!
@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.
Circle of concern: Constantly overthinking if someone is offended with me; overthinking about feeling of being ignored; tired of family drama.
Circle of influence: working hard for exams, working on being healthy and happy, trying to control overthinking.
I will remind myself not to overthink about those things which are not in my control so as to focus on 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?
The executive in the video focused on his circle of influence rather than just reacting to the circle of concern. To be proactive, he compensated for the weaknesses and increased his circle of influence by choosing to respond to circumstances rather than reacting to them and doing nothing.
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:
The health and wellbeing of my family
How the pandemic will affect the big exams I have this year
What will happen next year when I finish school (my future)
Circle of influence:
Checking in with my family and how they are
Keeping up with my studies and preparing for exams
Making plans for the things I want to do next and how I can get there
How to remind myself to focus on my circle of influence: Take a step back when I feel situations are getting out of control and think about what I can do to make it more manageable.
what stands out to you about this executive? They took initiative to improve things and increase their circle of influence to improve things instead of waiting for others to sort things out or their boss to ask them to do things.
What did they do that would be considered proactive as opposed to reactive? He anticipated the boss’s needs and worked to empathise with him and analyse the situation to see what he could do that would improve the team and help them all to reach their goals more easily.
@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 my circle of concern:
The economy
The news
Coronavirus
3 things in my circle of influence:
What I buy
My behaviour
My attitude
1 thing I can do to remind myself to focus on my circle of influence:
Put all my energy towards things I can change (being proactive) rather than reacting to things I cannot change (being reactive)
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?
What stands out to me: Everyone operates in two circles: our circle of concern and our circle of influence.
What they did that would be considered proactive rather than reactive: the man in the video read the situation, and instead of criticising them he would compensate for them, read with empathy the president’s underlying concern, etc.
@GlenM
1. The three things in my circle of concern includes my families physical and mental health, college work, showing kindness at all times.
One thing I can do to remind myself is remind myself that I need to focus on my energy and not waste it where things cannot be controlled.
2.The executive mainly focused on his ineer circle and was proactive at all times, he was also very empathetic and compassionate. He also chose to respond to circumstances instead of reacting to them.
Circle of influence:
-attitude
-practicing yoga/meditation
-keeping boundaries
To be proactive, he compensated for the weaknesses and increased his circle of influence by choosing to respond to circumstances rather than reacting to them and doing absolutely nothing.
@Moonlemon48
Hi there Lemon. These are great things you can do to limit any extra stress you have in your life during this time. I hope all works out well for you!
@GlenM
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.
Three things in my circle of concern:
Mine and my family's health, my academic career, my relationships.
Three things in my circle of influence:
Taking care of my health and looking after my family as well, trying my best in the field I chose, putting in efforts in relationships and letting them go when I need to.
1 thing I can do to remind myself: Taking a break and thinking hard about why am I doing what I am doing.
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?
Highlight: The focus was on solving the problems rather than on the problems themselves.
The executive was proactive rather than being reactive towards the situation. He was compassionate and understanding about the scenario and took his time to read between the lines and get to know the situation more. Reflection, empathy, validation was what he used rather than jumping to conclusions.
@Textingpals
Yes, keeping the why in mind! It will really help you stick to what you do. Also, I wish you all the best with your and your family's health. Stay safe!
@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.
Circle of concern: My future, My availability in the next few months, The amount of work I have to do at the moment
Circle of influence: Studying for my exam, Scheduling my month, Eating well
Reminder: I love collecting quotes and reading them to myself when I’m in a pickle. I think it would remind me greatly to focus on my circle of influence if I put a colourful sticky note on my desk with a short quote about it.
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 synergised well. He combined the strengths of the team to help compensate for any weaknesses that existed to create a complementary team.
@GlenM
Identify 3 things in your circle of concern.
Toxic arguments between my parents, possible ADHD of my youngest brother that drives me close to the point of insanity sometimes, the disobedience of my 14-year-old brother and his addiction to video games.
Identify 3 things in your circle of influence
Take enough self-care breaks, learn to forgive and not blame my brother as much for things he can't control, be patient with my brother
Identify one thing you can do to remind yourself to focus on your circle of influence.
I can practise self-affirmations and grounding techniques to remind myself of what is important in my life.
Highlight what stands out to you about this executive.
The executive focused on his circle of influence instead of confronting the president directly. He improved himself and directed his attention to changing the things he can control. He's patient, empathetic, collaborative, and resourceful, and it's his tendency to keep himself grounded to the present that became a key factor in his success.
What did they do that would be considered proactive as opposed to reactive?
They did their research, focused on what the president wants and needs, as well as anticipated the president's moves. Instead of standing up and protesting, they chose a diplomatic approach to unite his co workers, refrain from gossiping, propose analyzed strategies, and gradually earned the respect of everyone in the company.