Life is one big negotiation. Negotiation interactions are about getting something.  It may be permission.  It may be a raise. It may be a purchase. It may be ... anything.

During that interaction for permission, there are two sides to the negotiation.

The "Asker"

First is the person asking.  They have a requests, demand or need that they are looking to have fulfilled.  It's what they want.  Behind each of those requests, there is a reason for it.

The "Giver"

The second party to this conversation is the person being asked for fulfillment of that item.  They have the ability to say yes or no to the person asking.  That doesn't mean that they always have the final or ultimate arbiter of the decision, but they have a significant amount of influence and/or authority over it.  For them, there is a reason behind their ultimate decision.  That reason why they will grant, or refuse such a request. It's a simple rule: They have to be better off after they give you what you are requesting...than before. If they have no benefit, there is no motivation for them to say yes.

It's Not About You

When  you are asking for something in the negotiation, the discussion shouldn't be about you.  It's about the "giver".  If it's their permission that will get you what you want, you have to provide them with an "after" status that is better...

Did you see it?  It just happened.

The Shift.

The shift goes by many different names.  The one that I like is inflection point.  Others call it a trend.  Or the disruption. And others.

Regardless, they all signal the same thing.  A shift.

In some cases it might be small.  In other cases large.  It may be invisible or it may be obvious.  It may impact just you, or just others, or everyone.  

This current shift has massively impacted everyone, as well as our entire planet.

Wuhan Coronavirus (AKA COVID 19)

The shift due to the Wuhan Coronavirus (AKA COVID 19) has caused a massive shift to nearly everything on the face of the earth.  I don't believe that is an understatement.

Think of all of the changes that we have seen.  A lot of them will become permanent new ways that we do things.  Others will partially revert back to the old habit.  Others will go back to the way things were. But a large part of our world has shifted, permanently. 

So what are some of these shifts that we have seen?

• People will be more aware of touching and personal hygiene. 
• Wearing masks in public will become more commonplace.
• Large groups will make more people nervous.
• More people will continue to have groceries delivered to their houses
• Telecommuting and video conferencing will be widely accepted.
• ...

What Are The Right Answers?

Right now, especially in the middle of this COVID19 Pandemic, we are looking for answers. Answers to questions that we have.  Answers to questions that other people have put forth....

• When will this COVID pandemic be over?
• How many people will die from COVID?
• Are there enough ventilators?
• What did some dope reporter say about this crisis?

Answers To Pressing Questions

These all seem like great questions.  They are things that are immediate and seemingly important questions. And the answers that you get can tell you a bit about some small factoids about COVID.  Factoids that only provide a bit of information that you have no control over.  Even if you learn or know the answers to these questions, it's likely you have no ability to impact the answers.  It's simple curiosity that you are satisfying. 

Did YOU Ask The Right Questions For YOU?

You only have so much energy.  You only have so much time.  So use it wisely.  What is better use of that time and energy...to ask questions that you have no control over?  Or questions like these...

• How can I use this time at home effectively to better myself?
• How can I change my life now, to provide for a better one once COVID is passed?
• What can I do for myself and my family to protect us from COVID?
• What are the best ways for me to use this...

What Direction Are You Running?

Where are you going?

Are you going forward? Or are you going backward?

What Direction Are You Looking?

Are you looking at what you need to do next? Or are you reviewing what you just did?

Are you examining the horizon for opportunities? Or are you congratulating what you just did?

Are you looking for pitfalls in front of you? Or are you looking back at the ones you hit or maybe missed?

Are you looking at where you are going? Or where you have been?

What Are You Looking At?

When you drive a car, you look where you are going.

When you walk down the street, you look where you are going.

When you ride a bicycle, you look where you are going.

Why?  Because you want to see your destination and you don't want to lose your way or run into something and have an accident.

Leaders Look Forward

So if you are working on a project, running a business, fostering a relationship or anything else, why are you yourself looking back at what you did in the past? That's done. That's in the past.  The future is ahead of you.

Concentrate on what is in FRONT of you and how you can optimize the future.

Don't look back at what has already happened, which you can't change. Looking back will take your attention off of what is in front of you...and perhaps cause a future catastrophic accident.

Which way do you find yourself looking?  Forward?  Or...

What's in your past?

What are you looking at in your rearview mirror?

Is it opportunities that have past you?

Is it accomplishments that you are happy with?

Is it regret over decisions that you made before?

Is it watching the competition coming up from behind you?

Is it revisiting memories that you have from the past?

Looking Back

What is it that you are looking at in the rearview mirror?

Are you spending more time looking in the rearview mirror than looking forward?

Looking Forward

Maybe it's time to look forward and see where you are going.

Perhaps it's time to pay more attention to where you are going and less on where you have been. 

It might just save you from a catastrophic collision.

What's in your past that is keeping you from focusing on your future?

Life is like climbing a skyscraper.

We are constantly trying to go up ... Up  ... UP

All of the time.  Looking to achieve what is next.

But just like trying to get to that next floor, we can't do it in one step.  It's simply impossible.

Yes, we can use a ladder.  We can climb the stairs. We can even use a rope to climb up.

But in all cases...we are going to the next floor step by step.  A little bit at a time.

Take Small Steps

But these small steps, these small increments allow us to climb to a higher level. To a level that is impossible to gain access to in a single step, but is not just doable, but actually is easy when taken in small steps.

Big goals are like tall floors.  They are impossible to reach in a single step.  The higher the goal, the higher the floor.  But NO floor can't be reached if you use the stairs or a ladder.   

What are the steps or ladder rungs that you will construct to allow you to reach your goal or objective?  How must you divide up the journey into small steps that you can maneuver?

Take the time to take it one step at a time.

It's better to take the stairs and get to the next floor than to keep jumping hoping that you will jump high enough one day.