I’ll Get You my Pretties!

They are out there to get you!  Looking to derail your goals, your hopes and ambitions.  Like some gremlin hiding in the corner, they seem to work tirelessly at their task.  We have all come across people in our lives that say you cannot do something – whether it was a teacher, a friend or a family member.  And sometimes, it is ourselves that work to talk us out of doing something.  We get into our own heads, and we also let others get into our heads, like the wicked witch yelling, “I’ll get you my pretties!”

In the song “Good Old Days,” Macklemore sings (as an example of getting into one’s own head),

“Wish I made it to homecoming

Got up the courage to ask her

Wish I would've gotten out of my shell”

Our own voice in our head, at times seems to be constantly riffing about something or other.  We have the ability to talk ourselves out of most things.  Or, we sit there and analyze all potential aspects, begin to procrastinate, then get nothing accomplished (this happens sometimes when I am writing).  We experience “paralysis through analysis.”  It takes practice to step back from ourselves and clear our minds so that we can focus on what we need to.  When I was in network marketing, the way to pique people’s interest was through a phone call.  There were many times that instead of taking direct action, I sat there in front of the phone, hand on the receiver, and had a massive dialog going on in my head, then made no calls.  I was my own worst enemy!

Then we let other people get into our heads.  There can be an emotional component in this case, depending on who is chirping in our ears (or other communication method).  I know someone who seems to have lost their way, became bitter and began to weave a world of half-truths, fabrications and causes to point their finger at others instead of taking the time to evaluate what hand they played to have the situation unfold and the position they put themselves in.  When this person sends out an attack, it has the potential to get in my head, the emotions kick in and I want to respond in like kind.  Once I take a deep breath, or Debbie reminds me, I take that proverbial step back, realize the source and then move on.  My daughter Gab pointed out to me that during the daily morning news broadcast on Z100, they advise to take a deep breath every hour in order to regroup yourself.

When under an attack, it is all too easy to drop our guard and drop down to their level and do something that might be out of character.  This can undermine our integrity and cause us to lose focus.  This is why Darren Hardy, Jim Rohn, and the many other mentors, talk about removing the negative people and things from our lives.  It is hard enough to maintain focus and remember to stay on track without unnecessary distractions.

While the story of the “Wizard of Oz” has led to various analysis regarding the main characters, the basic story is simple.  Dorothy is removed from her home and all she wants to do is get back home.  She starts off knowing her WHY (to go home).  After talking (and listening), she learns the path, or the HOW, that she has to take (“Follow the Yellow Brick Road”) and the tasks needed, the WHAT.  The Wicked Witch is a constant negative distraction, but in the end, Dorothy remains true to herself, over comes / removes the negative factors, and achieves her goal.  A great example to follow.  Who or what are the wicked witches in your life?