Do You Want Something Different?

Do You Want Something Different?

By 

Eric Twiggs

“We can let circumstances rule us or we can take charge and rule our lives from within.” Earl Nightingale

The story is told of a single father with two young sons.  He was laid off from his job and struggling to make ends meet.  After several months of unemployment, he became desperate and robbed the local convenience store. 

 The father was arrested and sentenced to a twenty year prison term.  The two boys were separated from each other and placed in the foster care system. 

Fifteen years later, a news anchor got wind of the story and decided to check in to see how the boys were doing.  The oldest son had become a successful entrepreneur and community activist.  The younger had become a drug addict who was always in trouble with the law. 

The reporter met with the boys separately and asked them both the same question: "Why do believe you turned out the way you did?"

 They both had the same reply: "What else would you expect with a father like that?" They experienced the same crisis, but had a different outlook.

This story made me think about some of the people I work with.  How can two shop owners who experience the same crisis, have a different outlook? 

The reason the boys in the story, and the shop owners had a different outlook is because one responded to his experience while the other reacted.  A response is a positive, rational reply to an event, while a reaction is based on a negative emotion.

Fear and anger are at the root of most reactions.   Below are some common scenarios that illustrate the difference between a reaction and a response.   I have named the two owners Jim and Jack for the sake of the illustration.  The real names have been changed to protect the guilty!

Bad Google Review:  Jim responds by thanking the customer for their feedback, apologizing, and contacting them with a resolution.  Jack reacts by yelling at the computer screen and referring to the customer as a "bottom feeder."   

Low "Back To School" Car Count:  Jim responds to low car count from the previous back to school period by writing up a marketing plan and using the marketing calendar.  Jack reacts by blaming the economy in his area. 

Customer Objects To The Price:  Jim responds by reminding the customer of the value they are getting from their investment.  Jack reacts by reducing the price and complaining about the matrix not working for their area. 

   

In each scenario, Jim and Jack had a different outlook to the same event.

Do you respond or react when facing a crisis?   It's important to answer this question because your outlook will determine your outcome. 

If you want something different, stop reacting and start responding.