When You Have Nothing
In general I do not write on topics of personal issues as they relate to business, but sometimes you need to address an issue that is moving up the charts. The issue is that of…nothing.
Today more than ever people are experiencing nothing. Nothing is happening. Your business is suffering, or you are trying to start a business and you are seeing nothing. Nothing can be worsened when the people who have had confidence in you, and have provided you with previous support give you…nothing.
It’s a terrible place to be because when you have nothing, well, you have nothing. There is nowhere to go, no prospects, no ideas, no creativity, no passion…just nothing. It can become more frustrating if you see people around you with less talent and ability have something. It can throw you into a state of depression and a feeling of helplessness. When you go there the truth is you have…nothing.
I speak from experience on this one. I know what it is like to have nothing. I know those behaviors, thoughts, and feelings. I know what it is like when life and people seem to turn on you and give you nothing. I know what it is like when you have tried for years only to fail in your own eyes and the eyes of others. I know when you are out of answers and out of support from family and friends.
Learned Helplessness
Most people are unaware of a phenomenon called “learned helplessness”. It was studied by psychologists during World War II. It is a state that occurs when someone continues to make efforts to make something positive happen and it is met with consistent failure or punishment. In other words, the person learns that nothing is all there is. I know that there are people out there who want to make you believe that behavior follows thoughts and feelings. The research on “learned helplessness” is the complete antithesis to this adage. It demonstrates that if your behavior changes then your thoughts and feelings change with it. No thought process in the world can change the behavior. Therefore it only says the behavior must change first to reverse the process. This means that if you have moved into this state there is some unlearning to do.
From Nothing into Something
Getting from nothing to something is difficult. Yes for some people they can read all the positive motivational books in the world and maybe get something, but for most people it is a short lived and they get back to nothing. Other people will surround themselves with people that have positive things to say, this is all well and good, and again can be a temporary fix, but when it all comes out in the end you still have nothing.
When you are stuck in nothing then you need to do something that you enjoy and do well. It doesn’t have to be business related, and it probably shouldn’t, it needs to be that thing that can give you a sense of accomplishment, value, and satisfaction. We all have some skill, talent, or ability that we do well. We have that thing that when done and others see it, they say something positive. Get out there and do that. Do it often. I know you don’t feel like it. I understand that you cannot see the benefit for you or you business.
Understand one principle: Start with doing a successful behavior first.
When our behavior is accompanied with positive results it changes our attitude. The positive successful behavior changes our outlook into a positive state of mind. The positive state of mind opens us up to new ideas and possibilities.
You have some unlearning and relearning to do. It’s time you do that something that you haven’t done because you have lived so long in the land of nothing, and nothing is happening. Because after all something is better than nothing.
Ciao for now,
Jay
