Are you entitled to your opinion?

That might sound like a strange question.

Isn’t everyone entitled to her/his opinion?

The full quote by Harlan Ellison says:

“You are not entitled to your opinion. You are entitled to your informed opinion. No one is entitled to be ignorant.”

We can all choose to be ignorant of course, but as Thomas Jefferson said, ignorance comes with a price:

“If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, [...] it expects what never was and never will be.”

 

We can’t stay ignorant and free.

On the other hand, in a world with an endless supply of information we can’t stay up to date about “everything” and feel free either. 

 
I have clients who get stressed out by trying to be informed and up to date about news, sports, the latest discoveries in their field and much more.

That is not freedom.

That is unnecessary stress.

Choose carefully what to be knowledgeable about and ignore the rest.

Then you can be free from both stress and ignorance and soar into the sky.

Free as a bird.

Lazy, or looking for meaning?

“Meaninglessness is the biggest drain on resilience and recovery. If you feel what you are doing is pointless, you will become disillusioned.”

Dr Merete Wedell-Wedellsborg, Business Psychologist and Executive Advisor

 

Photo by Tatiana from Pexels

Do you blame yourself for being lazy or wasting time?

Meaninglessness might be the real root cause. 

If you find what you do meaningless, the remedy is not to just “shape up”.

The next time you feel unproductive or lazy, ask yourself if the task you are working on is meaningful to you.

If it isn't, stop calling yourself lazy or a procrastinator. 

Instead, get creative. 

Find the meaning in the task, or find a way to get it done without letting it drain your energy.

Your best is all there is

“When people reproached me not to have succeeded in changing his mind on climate change, I tell them I did my best.”

French President Emmanuel Macron about his discussions with President Donald Trump.  

The only thing we can ever do is our best. 

When our best isn’t good enough, there is no reason to feel bad. 

You did the best you could and that’s all anyone can ever ask of you.

Including yourself.

Also remember that we learn as long as we live.

Your best a year ago is different from your best now.

Don’t reproach yourself (or others!) about past performances.

Most likely you did the best with what you knew then, and now that you know better you will do better.

As a line manager, I coached my employees following these 3 guidelines:
·       Always do your best·       Continuously improve·       Take care of yourself and your team

Once you do this, you have done everything a company or a person (including yourself!) can ever ask from you.

Your best is all there is.

Let it be enough.