leadership dot #2131: reprieve

There was one beautiful day last week where we were able to enjoy spring, and then – boom -- winter returned. I think that warm weather flirting with us, even just for a brief moment, has made it harder to accept the subsequent drop in temperatures and resurfacing of snow.

There are many scenarios like this where a reprieve sounds like a good idea, but in the end, makes it worse when the new condition is only temporary. While we have no control over Mother Nature, I believe that it is harder to revert back to the original state after experiencing a better one. Examples include: having the puppy sleep in bed with you forever after an alleged one-night free pass from going in the crate; straying from your diet after having “just one” sweet that you have banished; or being even more upset about the required detour after a week of a re-opened path when work temporarily shifted. It would have been easier to have the puppy sleep in the crate, stay away from all sweets, or put up with the detour on an on-going basis.

If you have an unpleasant task or situation, don’t try to make it better for a bit. If you can’t sustain the change, you’re better off staying the course until the end. The discomfort quickly becomes the norm and there is no need to go through the initial pain more than once.