Whether in our personal lives or work lives, I think it's fairly safe to say that at one point we have all felt "boxed in." It's that awful feeling of entrapment with no way out.
The latter phrase is key, because you have the power to realize that there are almost always alternatives to explore. Visualize yourself, standing in a box-like room - closed in completely by walls. Now, start to envision the doors that enable you to get out - they may not be so obvious at first, but the longer you think about them - the more viable they become.
The door of creative options. Often we get so stuck in the rut 'n' routine, that we forget there is a myriad of creative options that we haven't explored. Maybe you've look at a problem one way, but it's much more productive, and solution-inducing, to look at it from another perspective. Maybe you've always done something one way - but doing it another way will be much more enabling.
The door of ability. We sometimes become our own prisoners with these words, "Well, I could never do that." "That's just not something I'm comfortable with." Essentially, you are entrapping yourself: instead of believing in your abilities, you are giving power to what you believe are your inabilities. To be able to go through the door of ability, you challenge those notions - and by challenging them, you start to see the solutions.
The door of willingness. Again, we become our own prisoners with a laundry list of things that we won't do. "I am not going to go the extra mile to make peace with that person - screw 'em." "If they think I'm going to take on that project - they'd better think again." "I'm very comfortable with what I'm doing and I don't see any reason to do anything different." You may as well lock the door and throw away the key. The people who are the most successful are not the ones who are the most rigid; the most successful are the ones that are the most willing.
The door of relationships. It's almost a certainty that if you're feeling boxed in - you also feel isolated. Reach out. Peers and team members are there to help you. Friends are there for the purpose of discussing options. Relationships are one of the strongest ways to move forward.
The door with the time-lock code. There may be a door available to you - it just may not be available right now. I'm a huge believer in timing and in that belief structure is the very real idea that not everything is ideally timed to our own personal agenda. Sometimes you need to wait, but in the virtue of patience is the real idea of hope; start to strategize your way out.
Sometimes in the darkest hours, when we need to see the most pathways to success. . .we often see none. Continuously think of doorways you can step through that will enable you to successfully lead.
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Brent Frerichs is the author of "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" available for e-readers, IPads, tablets and PCs on Amazon Kindle.
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