Many people in the rural areas of Michigan have heard the loud chatter of the Kildeer birds that nest in the fields and sometimes in someone’s yard. They can be a precocious bird, but you have to admire their bravery when they feel their nest is being threatened. As you walk up on them, they all of a sudden have a broken wing and start to flop around like they can hardly walk. One or both wings drag on the ground, and they call out loudly as if injured and suffering. Being the Good Samaritan that you are, your intention is to rescue this poor bird. But just as you close in to pick it up, it walks away from you. Of course, you keep following the bird. When you are far enough away from their nest, the bird flies away, with one last “kil-dee” as a final laugh.
You can learn something from this bird. Just as you were drawn away from the nest, you have to draw your own enemies away from the nest. This analogy is not literal. The enemies you have are negativity and inaction. By taking action, like the bird did, you can “lure” them away from where you live – in your mind. If you continue to cling to negative thoughts, you will have negative results in your life. Changing your thought process from negative to positive will give you positive results.
Whether it is in your work life or your personal life, you have look at everything you do as a new opportunity to learn and grow. You should look forward to even the smallest task as a way to show your dedication to improving your life. Each task done well leads you to other tasks that you can enjoy even more. By taking these small steps, thinking positively becomes a habit and continues to bring you positive results. You will find that you enjoy your work more, and you enjoy your time away from your work just as much.
You will notice that you have made changes in your life that were so gradual that you were hardly aware of them. But like that Kildeer that you tried to rescue, you have effectively lured the enemy away from the nest. Now all of sudden, your wings are working and you can take flight.
This post is brought to you by the good folks at Dale Carnegie Training of Michigan, providers of professional development and management development courses and information in Michigan. We would love to connect with you on Facebook and Twitter @MarkWillDCT.
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