Stop Complaining and Do Something About It!

“Complaints are like infections. If neglected, they can harm you.”   -Greg Williams, The Master Negotiator & Body Language Expert (Click to Tweet)

Two friends were talking. One said to the other, “I don’t get enough sleep – I’m gaining weight – I sit at the computer too much. And, I don’t exercise like I use to. I wonder if that’s why I’m putting on weight? I know all of that is bad for my health. But I must continue creating content. And, I must respond to the hundreds of people that reach out to me through email and social media every day. My life is spinning out of control and I don’t know what to do to balance it!”

Finally, the other friend said, “stop! I’m your friend – I care about you. Listen to yourself – you have the answer to everything you’ve complained about. If your complaints meant that much to you, you’d do something about them. You’d take action to address and correct them.”

Have you caught yourself complaining about what appeared to be a dilemma – something that caused you angst – something that you didn’t do anything to correct? If so, what you proclaimed to be so perplexing was not as challenging as reported. Because, like the one friend said to the other, if it created the degree of torment you stated, you’d do something to address it.

Here’s the point. There are times when you complain to solicit empathy from those you complain to. Recognize when you’re doing that. Because you’re not ready to take action – you just want to shout aloud about what you’re experiencing. You may be seeking feedback to comfort your mind, not feedback that’ll move you to action. Contrast that to when you become tired of complaining about something. That’s when you’ll take action. To note the difference in your mindset, note the differences in your actions.

Action Item:

If you’re seriously fed-up with your circumstances, if you’re tired of what’s stopping you from greater improvement, you’ll stop complaining and take action to alleviate its cause. Start to note the times when your complaints increase or decrease. Begin to observe the emotional upheaval you experience when thinking about a complaint that causes you anxiety. Pay attention to the degree of change that occurs in you – note when you think you might take action to address your concerns. That process will help you measure your mental perspective about your perceived challenges. It should also be the distant call that moves you closer to taking action sooner than later. That will be a time when your self-actualization and happiness embrace … and everything will be right with the world.

What does this have to do with negotiations?

Most likely, you’ve complained about not negotiating efficiently. When it occurred, did you anguish about it? There are two possible reasons why you might not have negotiated better. Either you didn’t plan properly or, you didn’t create a better strategy in your planning process. How many times has that happened throughout your life? A better question might be, now that you’ve heightened your awareness, what are you going to do about it going forward?

If you’ve complained about the negotiation outcomes you’ve had in the past – if you thought you could have negotiated better. Do something about it – stop complaining! You don’t have to learn more negotiation and reading body language strategies from me. But, to assuage your own emotional state of mind, seek insights from someone that can teach you how to become a better negotiator. Take action – that’ll allay your complaints.

Remember, you’re always negotiating!

Listen to Greg’s podcast at https://anchor.fm/themasternegotiator

After reading this article, what are you thinking? I’d really like to know. Reach me at Greg@TheMasterNegotiator.com 

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