Breaking the logjam

A lot of people find they can't start to address a problem because there are too many things binding them into the current situation. A lot of coaching looks at whether these binds are real or imaginary; another view I rather like Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey's analysis ('The real reason people won't change' HBR Nov 2001) which gives emphasis to the idea of competing commitments. Perhaps the two are connected.

Well, oddly, I've just found this happening right here at home. Our kitchen lights were faulty and were flipping the electrics for the whole house. We've been getting by with a table lamp and the light in the cooker hood. For a long time I haven't wanted to do anything about it because I know the whole system is pretty old and I just couldn't imagine where it would end. There's lots of other stuff that needs doing in the house that has ended up in the same box. I don't like having this box filling up with renovation projects, but up until now, I guess I've liked the prospect of the cost and disruption even less.

Well several weeks after the electrician started, the kitchen has just been replastered. What a difference (I mean to the kitchen.) And suddenly I'm looking at it thinking - 'right, is it the kids rooms next or the landing'. Motivation totally turned around (despite the cost and disruption being worse even than I feared). And I haven't been 'thinking' about change, more seeing it happen.

If you want to change, but you don't know where to start, sometimes it pays to just start somewhere.