Comments on: Hitting the Wall to overcome fear, failure, and fatigue http://www.danmulhern.com/wordpress/2007/11/hitting-the-wall-to-overcome-fear-failure-and-fatigue/ A weekly stimulant for those who lead Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:45:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.5 by: chiz http://www.danmulhern.com/wordpress/2007/11/hitting-the-wall-to-overcome-fear-failure-and-fatigue/#comment-31717 Thu, 13 Mar 2008 14:38:00 +0000 http://www.danmulhern.com/wordpress/2007/11/hitting-the-wall-to-overcome-fear-failure-and-fatigue/#comment-31717 Good post. You make some great points that most people do not fully understand. "Jack inspired me to try the wall at my ripening age. If you haven’t ever done one, it’s worth a try. It offers such a chance to just face how easy it is to quit – for fear of falling, fear of climbing, or fear of not being able to ring the bell at the top. Where’s your wall today? What voice will call to you, “Come on down, you’re tired. Do it tomorrow.” What well meaning person – in your office or in your own head – will invite you to take a shortcut that will paper over a problem that you know you need to fix. This is the season to bear down and really make great things happen, to start to finish the year strong, to find another gear, a deeper level of concentration and determination." I like how you explained that. Very helpful. Thanks. Good post. You make some great points that most people do not fully understand.

“Jack inspired me to try the wall at my ripening age. If you haven’t ever done one, it’s worth a try. It offers such a chance to just face how easy it is to quit – for fear of falling, fear of climbing, or fear of not being able to ring the bell at the top. Where’s your wall today? What voice will call to you, “Come on down, you’re tired. Do it tomorrow.” What well meaning person – in your office or in your own head – will invite you to take a shortcut that will paper over a problem that you know you need to fix. This is the season to bear down and really make great things happen, to start to finish the year strong, to find another gear, a deeper level of concentration and determination.”

I like how you explained that. Very helpful. Thanks.

]]> by: lc http://www.danmulhern.com/wordpress/2007/11/hitting-the-wall-to-overcome-fear-failure-and-fatigue/#comment-19525 Thu, 15 Nov 2007 22:04:58 +0000 http://www.danmulhern.com/wordpress/2007/11/hitting-the-wall-to-overcome-fear-failure-and-fatigue/#comment-19525 There's a fine line between 'determination' and knowing when it's time for a break, a rest ... or to clear the mind - think about something else, relax, or take a walk so one can come back to a 'challenge' rested and/or with a fresh perspective. Maybe even try a new approach to the problem. Sometimes 'determination' may keep one repeatedly trying the same method and it just isn't going to work. How does one know when determination is required and when is a break needed? Sometimes it just feels right; other times I just don't know. when one just doesn't know, maybe it's best to 'push on' a bit more, There’s a fine line between ‘determination’ and knowing when it’s time for a break, a rest … or to clear the mind - think about something else, relax, or take a walk so one can come back to a ‘challenge’ rested and/or with a fresh perspective. Maybe even try a new approach to the problem.

Sometimes ‘determination’ may keep one repeatedly trying the same method and it just isn’t going to work.

How does one know when determination is required and when is a break needed? Sometimes it just feels right; other times I just don’t know. when one just doesn’t know, maybe it’s best to ‘push on’ a bit more,

]]> by: djb http://www.danmulhern.com/wordpress/2007/11/hitting-the-wall-to-overcome-fear-failure-and-fatigue/#comment-19490 Thu, 15 Nov 2007 13:27:01 +0000 http://www.danmulhern.com/wordpress/2007/11/hitting-the-wall-to-overcome-fear-failure-and-fatigue/#comment-19490 At what point does the blessing of "determination to get the job done" become a curse of "stubborn independence and a refusal to quit"? The example provided of climbing the wall works well to show the "blessing" side of this, because your son ultimately succeeded in his accomplishment. Ignoring your and your wife's advice turned out o.k. for this task, but would it always? Aren't there times in life when we need to either relax our standards to accomplish *some* good (politics especially), or accept help and advice from others to accomplish the goals we've originally established? Looking back after the accomplishment was attained or not to figure out the difference between determination and stubbornness often seems too late. How do good leaders know in the middle of the process when they're determined and when they're just stubborn? At what point does the blessing of “determination to get the job done” become a curse of “stubborn independence and a refusal to quit”?

The example provided of climbing the wall works well to show the “blessing” side of this, because your son ultimately succeeded in his accomplishment. Ignoring your and your wife’s advice turned out o.k. for this task, but would it always? Aren’t there times in life when we need to either relax our standards to accomplish *some* good (politics especially), or accept help and advice from others to accomplish the goals we’ve originally established?

Looking back after the accomplishment was attained or not to figure out the difference between determination and stubbornness often seems too late. How do good leaders know in the middle of the process when they’re determined and when they’re just stubborn?

]]> by: Lori McElrath-Eslick http://www.danmulhern.com/wordpress/2007/11/hitting-the-wall-to-overcome-fear-failure-and-fatigue/#comment-19484 Thu, 15 Nov 2007 11:47:09 +0000 http://www.danmulhern.com/wordpress/2007/11/hitting-the-wall-to-overcome-fear-failure-and-fatigue/#comment-19484 You are doing an incredible job as a parent. Encourage, encourage, and hold back and let them be. My eight year old struggles with reading, yet does have courage and motivation to help others (one of his gifts). So it is a real time in his life where we(my husband and I) are planting seeds of front and center encouragement. Yet, you remind me...when he sees that he can do it...is the real 'teachable moment'. You are doing an incredible job as a parent. Encourage, encourage, and hold back and let them be. My eight year old struggles with reading, yet does have courage and motivation to help others (one of his gifts). So it is a real time in his life where we(my husband and I) are planting seeds of front and center encouragement. Yet, you remind me…when he sees that he can do it…is the real ‘teachable moment’.

]]> by: Gilda http://www.danmulhern.com/wordpress/2007/11/hitting-the-wall-to-overcome-fear-failure-and-fatigue/#comment-19450 Thu, 15 Nov 2007 03:20:16 +0000 http://www.danmulhern.com/wordpress/2007/11/hitting-the-wall-to-overcome-fear-failure-and-fatigue/#comment-19450 You're obviously doing a great job of raising a child who has the determination to challenge himself and to literally and figuratively stretch to accomplish goals. Thanks for sharing this inspiring story. You’re obviously doing a great job of raising a child who has the determination to challenge himself and to literally and figuratively stretch to accomplish goals. Thanks for sharing this inspiring story.

]]> by: Donna K. http://www.danmulhern.com/wordpress/2007/11/hitting-the-wall-to-overcome-fear-failure-and-fatigue/#comment-19431 Wed, 14 Nov 2007 23:02:41 +0000 http://www.danmulhern.com/wordpress/2007/11/hitting-the-wall-to-overcome-fear-failure-and-fatigue/#comment-19431 Thanks again for another good RFL article that offers something to ponder as I make decisions about the benefits of our current community service program for kids. Your comments made me smile and brought back memeories of the stories I heard about "the High" calc class. I confess - I'm not sure if I am up for the wall at my ripening age! Thanks again for another good RFL article that offers something to ponder as I make decisions about the benefits of our current community service program for kids. Your comments made me smile and brought back memeories of the stories I heard about “the High” calc class. I confess - I’m not sure if I am up for the wall at my ripening age!

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