I’m not sure how often this happens to you but this happens to me a heck of a lot. Every time there is something new, I find myself (mentally) going through this conversation..
For eg: At a call..
Someone else: Rohan, I think this new thing is a good idea. Why don’t you take it over..
What follows is a mental battle..
—
Oh, but I’m going to be on vacation in 4 days..
When will I have the time?
Will I be able to check my mail even..
Hmmm.. tough..
Let me not commit..
I CAN’T DO IT!!
..
But wait..
What if you can..
Why bring it up unnecessarily…
Hmm..
Let’s try it and go with the flow..
(Reluctantly..)
—
Me: ‘Yes.. Sure. Happy to help!’
More often than not, ‘I can’t do it’ is only a state of mind. Of course I can! Once I choose to do it, I will find a way nearly always.. but the problem is getting over the initial resistance and inertia.. Even if, for example, my concerns are valid for the above example and I am going to be out of station, that’s only a 2 week temporary thing. I can take the system till then and leave it a little better than I found it, can’t I?
What I’ve also realized is the validity of the quote –
‘If you want something done, give it to a busy person’
—
Need to catch myself and get a more positive stimulus in due time. After all, what else can proactivity and initiative be about?
A Learning a Day 