Four Steps to a Systems Perspective at Work and at Home
Today's guest post is from Sam Carpenter of Work the System. Sam's new book looks to be a great read and TDS will be reviewing it in the coming months.
Too many of us finger-point and complain about what is not to our liking. It’s too bad we do that because it’s not just a waste of time, it’s a diversion from what needs to happen if we are to reach our goals. Personal excuses, generalizations about the dire state of the world, and under-the-radar or overt attempts to change the people around us are ineffectual to the point of paralysis. These preoccupations are distractions from the personal moves we could make on-the-ground that would actually produce what we really want in our lives: freedom, wealth, and control of our destinies. And pursuing personal peace, prosperity, and control are noble goals because the sure way to realize them is to create something of value.
The key word here is “control.” It’s what we need.
What about the generally accepted notion that someone who seeks firm control is an unpleasant personality - someone who needs to loosen up? With some rare exceptions, I contend that this ubiquitous assumption is wrong. Despite the almost visceral societal belief to the contrary, there is a direct connect between happiness and the amount of control we attain. But, let’s be clear: Happiness is not found in the control we have over others; it’s found in the control we have over the moment-to-moment trajectory of our own lives, and more exactly — here we get to the root of things — the control of the personal systems that are ours to adjust and maintain.
The solution to getting what we want is not about fixing the world condition or ingesting the perfect drug. And it’s not about acquiring more things, being famous, or finding a new spouse. The solution is rooted in adopting a different perspective — a different way of seeing, thinking, and processing the life we already have. So here’s a simple, attainable, step-by-step way for you to “get what you want.”
Face the world cold-turkey and courageously question the sacred status quo as it relates to your own self. Sort out what’s going on within your individual areas of direct influence, and then work on those things. Don’t spend time and energy on the processes you can’t affect.
Change your perspective of the world’s mechanics. Society insists that we live in a “holistic” world where we are channeled to be keenly aware that everything we do affects everything else. We are paralyzed into a state of inaction by what we see as a hopeless jumble of sights, sounds, and events around us. Resist the holistic, blanket solutions to everyday challenges and problems in your life: psychotropic drugs, the lure of a new car, house, job, or life partner. It’s OK to separate things; to improve them one at a time.
Understand that 99.9 percent of everything around you operates just fine. Consider your body, for instance, and the myriad of chemical, electrical and mechanical components that operate flawlessly. It’s a numbers game, and the things of the world that are not performing well are a very small percentage of the entirety. Making things better for yourself is not going to require as much work as you think.
Separate your job, health, and relationships into linear sub-systems that are simple and understandable. Then, fully understanding what you’re seeing in front of you, fix these sub-systems one-by-one, making each as efficient as possible. When your task is complete, when you have fixed all your sub-systems with this non-holistic approach, you will see that you have constructed terrifically efficient holistic primary systems: your job, body, relationships. Your life.
When your life changes as a result of this new perspective and methodology, it will be enormously satisfying. The improvements will have come about because of what you did. You will have taken control of your own life.
-Sam Carpenter
Sam Carpenter, author and speaker, is president and CEO of Centratel (www.centratel.com), one of the nation’s handful of elite telephone answering services. Visit www.workthesystem.com to purchase your copy of Work the System. A free download of “Six Steps to Working Less and Making More” is also available on the site.
Interview with author Sam Carpenter
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