Every Minute Spent Complaining Is A Minute Lost Solving!
by Jonathan Fields | 06/16/08
Last week, fabulous-person, entrepreneurship coach and career-blogger, Pam Slim wrote a post railing against the wave of people complaining about the economy.
Which got me thinking…
What if you actually bottled up all the time spent:
- Complaining about what’s not right, who’s out to get you and how times are a-changin’
- Thinking about complaining about what’s not right, who’s out to get you and how times are a-changin’,
- Involuntarily ruminating about thinking about complaining about what’s not right, who’s out to get you and how times are a-changin’, and
- Dreaming about ruminating about thinking about complaining about what’s not right, who’s out to get you and how times are a-changin’…
And, instead, devoted every minute of time (trust me, it’ll add up to days) spent wallowing in your own self-pity to solving the biggest, baddest, most painful problem your customer, boss or partner has? Or, finding a new set of customers, a new boss or partner who are in a boatload of pain that you can remove?
Do ya think you might just end up solving your own problem along the way…regardless of what’s not right, who’s out to get you and how times are a-changin’?
Go ahead, I dare you…
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June 16th, 2008 | 1:15 am
Thanks for posting the article, was certainly a great read!
June 16th, 2008 | 1:39 am
[...] Go to the author’s original blog: Every Minute Spent Complaining Is A Minute Lost Solving! [...]
June 16th, 2008 | 4:04 am
Complaining is a way of facing what’s not good in our lives. That’s not a way to waste energy, it’s a way to create energy. Just like a good cry is.
The Dutch are very good at complaining, and sure it’s not nice to hear - but we rank amongst the happiest people in the world
June 16th, 2008 | 8:21 am
I agree…my method of managing complaints and nay sayers is this “If you have a problem, take it to the person who can do something about it…don’t just stand around endlessly kvetching.”
Btw, I am Dutch and I had no idea we were the best complainers…
June 16th, 2008 | 8:39 am
When people share a complaint with me over and over, I stop them and ask, “Are you part of the problem, or the solution?” Then we brainstorm ways they can be part of the solution instead.
June 16th, 2008 | 9:14 am
depends. if you’re processing with the right people, you can gain amazing insights. sometimes what sounds like complaining, and feels like ruminating is part of transition. it’s like that screaming in your body mind in a yoga pose or transition from one pose to another. things are coming up. but we don’t have to identify with them. nor ignore them.
although…. i have to agree that some people seem to voice the same issues over and over and over again, and that does no one any good.
June 16th, 2008 | 9:17 am
oh. and one other thought. i’d rather see us all channel that energy into solving more universal problems like hunger, water, shelter, peace - and of course prosperity. And through that let the dominoe effect trickle down.
June 16th, 2008 | 10:52 am
Sometimes complaining is OK, if it helps create awareness of a problem. But it shouldn’t stop there; the immediate next step should always be “What can I do to change this.”
Thanks for the thought-provoking post.
June 16th, 2008 | 10:56 am
I think there is a definite difference is between a bit of a moan with friends after a hard day and becoming someone who just whines and takes no responsibility for their life. There comes a point where you have to either take action and shut up, or accept it and shut up.
June 16th, 2008 | 12:20 pm
@ everyone - funny thing is, I don’t discount the value of a good rant here and there. It can be damn cathartic…here and there!
My question is, really, how much MORE joy, happiness, accomplishment, success, friendship, insert-the-blank-benefit, could you discover if you consistently reallocated that very same time and energy (or at least a big chunk of it) toward solving, rather than playing victim to the world or complaining?
June 16th, 2008 | 12:42 pm
Thanks so much for the link love Jonathan!
And here is a thought for the great comments:
-I totally agree that having someone to complain with is essential to mental health. It is part of going through a rough time with honesty and grace.
-If, however, you realize that you are in a situation in life where *systemically* things are not good, aka a sector of the economy that is crumbling, an unhealthy relationship, etc., unless you look at the situation differently and change it, you will continually be complaining. That is the gripe I have with everyone who gets up every day, reads the paper and watches the news and says “The economy sucks, how scary! There is no way out!” This just breeds more fear and paralysis. Instead, you can say “The economy sucks! Gas prices are high! Now what can I do about it today?”
-And Riva, I totally agree about focusing our energy on “bigger” issues. I do find that if you apply the thinking to your small corner of the world, it makes tackling world issues easier. Free your mind — start a ripple!
June 16th, 2008 | 1:20 pm
@ Pamela - Hey, it’s always my pleasure to bring great content to my community! Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts.
June 16th, 2008 | 5:24 pm
Jonathan,
Thanks for opening a great discussion and for introducing us to Pamela.
I agree with you that a good rant can be healthy as is facing the problems in your life head-on, but chronic moaning and groaning is downright unproductive.
Once again your post sent me to read another new blog (Pamela’s post), leave a comment there and dash over to my blog to write a related post.
It’s great being part of keeping the conversation going.
June 16th, 2008 | 5:47 pm
[...] I learned about Pamela’s blog from Jonathan Field’s post, Every Minute Spent Complaining is a Minute Lost Solving [...]
June 16th, 2008 | 7:12 pm
My rule at work or with other people is: If you have a complaint or problem, don’t air it until you have a solution. It doesn’t have to be a good solution, but you should at least think about how to fix the issue a little before brining it up with someone else.
June 16th, 2008 | 10:44 pm
Complaining to me is another form of ambivalence, a sense of powerlessness, and a radical denial that something is wrong, because it is too confusing to face. We complain to distance ourselves from the emotional core of the issues so that “nothing” would require us to take action.
For sure this in turn will drive one toward the idea that whatever you do won’t matter, it wont make a difference. We actually want to be affective therefore we complain because it gives us the sensation of action, without forward momentum.
So does it accomplish anything? In a word, yes. It provides a false sense of engagement. In another word, no. It offers no solution or contribution to the issue at hand.
So why do we all do this very thing? I think it comes back to the idea of Hope. When we are hopeless we are profoundly addicted to the doubt and contempt that we feel toward ourselves, others, and the problems we face.
We become addicted to the banal talk in order to kill the desire for change… because we must remove the smallest measure of hope so that we don’t have to go through the PAIN of change.
If i tie up all my energy in complaining then I feel like I am doing something without having to experience the PAIN of possible failure were I to engage in a solution.
Goes back to an earlier discussion about why the keys to the castle are not enough.
If I hope, then I am one step closer to the Faith that would require action. Being accountable to ones self, and others, is a lot for some to bare.
Sleep tight-
s
June 17th, 2008 | 8:09 am
Interesting that complaining seems to be on a lot of peoples minds recently. I posted last week on the subject. http://travelswithcorky.com/blog/wordpress/?p=169
June 17th, 2008 | 8:46 am
This is a great challenge to all of us. And it is a challenge because it is easy to not work at being part of the solution (and instead be part of the problem). Thanks for posting this, it’s really what I needed to hear.
June 17th, 2008 | 9:21 am
I don’t complain, because it does not get anything done. The economy is bad, but what can I gain by being mad about it? Just push through and I try to succeed despite any adverse challenges you face.
June 18th, 2008 | 7:55 am
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June 18th, 2008 | 10:43 am
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