It's Not That Bad Yet?
Posted by Pat Swan,
ITS NOT THAT BAD YET?
Can you think of a word or phrase that irritates you? Possibly
when your teenager rolls his or her eyes and says,
Whateevverr. For me it is this phrase. ITS NOT THAT BAD
YET. Have you ever thought like this or do you know anyone who
does?
I will give you an example. A person might say, I am really
worried about my 14 year old. He comes home intoxicated two or
three times a week and I am sure he smokes pot. I ask if they
have him in counseling. They say, Oh no, its not that bad
YET. Or someone says, My marriage is going to pot. We fight
all the time and I dont know what to do. I ask, Have you
thought of marriage counseling? Oh no, its not THAT bad yet.
This phrase keeps people stuck in miserable jobs, unfulfilling
lives and eroding relationships. It is the reason people become
more stressed, more depressed, more sick. It is the reason we
have a 50 percent divorce rate. It tricks us into thinking we do
not have to DO anything YET. We continue to tolerate the
intolerable, and to wait for a miracle. What exactly do we mean
when we say this?
ITS not that bad yet.
What exactly is not that bad? Your life? Your life isnt that
bad yet? That sure sounds like a life to jump out of bed full of
energy for every day. Your marriage isnt that bad yet? Is that
the kind of marriage you went looking for? Is that the kind you
want to keep? Or is it the fighting, the drinking or the stress
on the job not that bad yet?
Its not THAT BAD yet.
How bad is THAT BAD? How will you know when it is THAT BAD? If
you wait, will it be too late to do anything about it? Imagine
how you would feel if you went to the doctor with migraine
headaches. He calls you back in a couple days and tells you they
found something on the x-rays. They dont know what it is, but
dont worry, its not THAT BAD yet.
Or consider this. You see a few bugs around the house. You call
in the Orkin man. He looks around and then tells you that he
found evidence of termites. They have quite an appetite, those
little critters. Munch, munch, munch. Call him next year. Its
not THAT BAD yet.
Its not that bad YET.
Does this mean you completely expect that it will get that bad
some day, but its not that bad yet? Or could it mean that you
believe that it will miraculously improve without your doing
anything, and it never will get that bad? Most of the people I
talk to mean this. Its not that bad YET and Im too darn busy
to worry about it right now, so dont bug me with it until it is
that bad. When it gets that bad Ill worry about what to do
about it. When will that be? When you get served divorce papers,
when you develop an ulcer, or become clinically depressed?
What is the answer?
What can we do about this kind of thinking? How can you feel
motivated to make changes? How can you help others get motivated
to do something before its too late? Ask this compelling
question. IS IT AS GOOD AS IT GETS YET?
Is your life as good as it gets yet?
Do you have a jump out of bed full of energy with a smile on
your face kind of life? Why not? You deserve it. What are you
waiting for? Or do you have a STAY IN BED with a smile on your
face kind of relationship? Why not? What are you waiting for?
Dont wait.
What are you waiting for? Are you waiting until you have more
money, have more time, the kids grow up, or you retire? Why kill
time? You have only one life to live. You can have a great life
right now.
You dont wait until the termites eat away the foundation of
your house. Why wait till your partner serves divorce papers?
You dont wait until the tumor is inoperable. Why wait until
your life or your job gets so bad you become depressed or sick?
Dont wait until its too late and you have nothing left but
regret.
How do you start?
Decide what you want that you dont have. Decide what you have
that you dont want. Write them down. Develop multiple action
plans to get what you want or to solve the problem. Decide what
plan works best for you. Write it down. Begin to follow the
plan, step by step. Is your life as good as it gets yet? Why
not. What are you waiting for?
What if you get stuck?
If you know that you want more, and you have a plan, but you get
stuck, what can you do? Hire a coach. Is your life as good as it
gets yet? Are you on the way? If not, why not? You can do it.
What are you waiting for?
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