You Must Be a “Wanna Be”
By
Steven Sessions
Once upon a time…
No.
Imagine then, an extremely good looking obese property manager who, responding to some slight but persistent physical discomfort and the urging of an importunate wife, pays a visit to an Endocrinologist – a Doctor.
After suffering from the painful and humiliating ordeal of having blood drawn, and sitting on the edge of the papered and quite cold table-bed, is relieved to hear that the “ persistent physical discomfort ” is of no major concern and is therefore nothing to become alarmed about. Since this property manager has always considered himself a fairly healthy specimen…even though shaped like a cantaloupe; he gracefully descended from the table-bed, expressed thanks to the Doc and as he was just about out the door, heard the Doc say those dreaded words: “ Hold on Bid Fella …please sit back down”.
The Doc…after reviewing the blood work…looked up and asked the following question that will forever be forged in my mind:
“ You must be a wanna be ”?
Excuse me. “ I must wanna be….what ?”
“ You must wanna be a DIABETIC?”
And…to make matters worse…” You are ALSO an Alcoholic !
I quickly pointed out to him that I am NOT an Alcoholic…and quoted Shakespeare to make my point: “That men should put an enemy in their mouths to steal away their brains? That we should, with joy, pleasance, revel and applause, transform ourselves into beasts” (Othello, 2.3.290, 1604.)
With this profound new insight, the Doc… while looking at my double chin and protruding pouch clarified his last assessment with: “ You are a FOOD Alcoholic…same thing!
Oh!
Well…I said, maybe I should get a second opinion?
The Doc said,” Do what you want…it is your life!”
“It is a real shame to spend it as a Diabetic Food Alcoholic !!!
If all business improvement is like curing a fat obese property manager and a food alcoholic recover, what then, actually gets people and organizations to change?
A major crisis!
When the first heart attack arrives, or when revenue drops off suddenly, it is absolutely amazing how quickly businesses can act to deal with known inefficiencies and bad habits they should and could have tackled - head on years ago.
I have noticed that I am constantly choosing between what I want and what I should do. I do not want to exercise regularly, but know that I should. The base of this conflict is the difference between “ want ” and “ should ”. Psychologists had studied these discrepancies. “Everybody behaves like two people, one who wants a lean body and the other who wants dessert…the wayward one needing only to get occasional control to spoil the other's best laid plans” (Schelling.)
Personally and professionally, we already know what we should do: lose weight and exercise more, much more! In business: build client relationships, be team players, provide Wow! Customer service!
We know what to do, we know why we should do it and know how to do it.
The real question we should seriously ask ourselves: “Why don't we do it??
Now there is an interesting question!
The primary reason I do not work at areas I know I need to improve is that the rewards and pleasures are in the future; the disruption, discomfort and discipline needed to get there are immediate.
To reach our goals, we must first change our lifestyles, our eating habits, NOW!!! You don't cure half the problems of alcoholism by cutting out half the drinks. There is no pretending to be on the program. You are either seriously on the program, really living what you have chosen, or you are absolutely wasting your time.
I have come to the realization: The real battle is not external but internal. The real battle is effectively managing the conflict between the want self and the should self. My should self insists on compete abstinence while my want self demands a cookie. I am managing one day at a time. Each day, my want and should self make a deal to give up “drinking aka cookies” for one day. Such a deal sounds reasonable to my want self who can believe that it can eat a cookie at any other time in life except for today. And tomorrow, my should self will once again make the same deal with my want self, and once again I will abstain for that day.
To conclude: having just returned from my follow-up visit to my dear, dear friend and Endocrinologist – my favorite Doc. After reviewing my latest blood work and looking at my new stealth body…stood up, shook my hand and said: “I didn't think you had the self-discipline to change. You are very fortunate my friend…but remember, “ THIS IS NO PARDON. IT IS BUT A STAY OF EXECUTION!
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