Stop trying so hard…
By: Amy Ewart
To get what we want - we’ve been taught to work hard and keep on trying - that persistence is required. But at what point do we stop trying so hard?
When it just flows…
Many of us are looking…looking for affiliations, looking for help, looking for collaborative opportunities, we are trying hard to make advancement and a connection but sometimes nothing clicks.
Or perhaps we have been ‘burnt in a business relationship’ and say
“I will never work with a friend again in business", or "I’ll never work
with family.” But if you are looking for an opportunity to collaborate,
stop trying so hard, stop making rules and look for flow.
One
year ago, I was working for a Finance and Legal Company. The Executive
Assistant to the President was just hired and we occasionally had to
collaborate on projects. Over the next few months, we would exchange
e-mails, little jokes, frustrations, then phone calls, daily messages,
house visits, and before you know it, we both had left the company,
re-vamped our own businesses, became the best of friends in work and
life and are collaborating on more projects than we can handle. We
talk anywhere from 4-5 times a day, we share our morning coffee’s on
the phone or net and if it has been a particularly rough week (we both
have two boys each under age 6) we share a virtual cocktail in the
evening.
The point is however, that we realized early on each
person’s strengths and openly commended each other for a job we
admired. Lori was brilliant in designing, programming and technical
projects. I was talented in artistic writing, business strategies and
formatting. I would do my part on a project and send it to her to
finish up. As a team, we were handing back outstanding pieces. Our
clients loved the final product and we loved working together.
Sometimes
we look for that perfect partner - that perfect relationship - and it
just doesn’t flow. Stop looking for collaborative opportunities, and
just allow yourself to open to new friendships, new alliances, or old
partners…as long as it is easy. The key is that work shouldn’t be
difficult – partnerships shouldn’t be difficult. If they are, they are
not working.
When Lori and I talk about why we are so successful as a team, we
say that it is because it is effortless. We both give in equal
amounts, we both understand the demands of life and have flexibility,
we tell each other how much we liked something we did, and we call each
other on our ’stuff’ if we are not being honest. Bottom line, we never
would have suspected such a harmonious relationship would have existed
a year ago, yet now we feel like we can take on the world!
Wait — be open — listen — and let it flow, you will find your partner when you stop trying so hard!
Last 5 posts by Amy Ewart
- It's not just about Outsourcing...it's about a Lifestyle! - May 30th, 2007
- Roll with it!! - November 24th, 2006
- In Just 5 minutes... - October 29th, 2006
- Solo-E's - Entrepreneur of the Year Award - Nominate Now! - August 23rd, 2006
- Good Morning - Good Night! - July 10th, 2006
