I’ll be honest. I’m not the world’s biggest fan of over-the-top parties. And at the same time, I recognize the value in celebrating achievement.
And something else I’ve come to realize is that celebration doesn’t have to look a certain way. Celebration can take on many different forms. And none of them are good or bad, right or wrong…they’re just different.
In the Roadmap2Destiny program, Dance is where we celebrate the achievement. And that’s important because your internal elephant will work against you without this reward.
“My internal elephant?”
Yes, your internal elephant. That massive force within you that can conquer any obstacle it encounters. That thing inside you with unparalleled power and grit.
We each have three elements of power inside us. One is our intellect, our brains, our conscious thoughts. It’s where a lot of people spend most of their time…in their head. And it’s where a lot of other strategy and management programs focus. But the intellect is not the true powerhouse of momentum and ingenuity in humanity.
Another is our connection to everything around us. To God, the universe, “The Force,” or the Schwartz…whatever phrasing works for you. Ever had a flash of inspiration that you had no idea where it came from? Well, this is where it came from. It’s that connection through which inspiration flows. It is the source of all creativity and ingenuity.
And then there’s our internal elephant. Our subconscious, our heart, our seemingly unexplainable desires and motivations, our will power that will conquer any mountain…or sit down rather than climb. This is the true powerhouse of humanity in terms of sheer will power and the ability to literally transform dreams into reality. It’s like a giant, massive elephant…and it’s propelling you in whatever direction you’re going.
Elephants are curious things. Their massive force can be controlled by the tiniest of things, and that includes our brains. It only takes a small tug or prod from the driver to significantly alter the trajectory of an elephant. And inside each of us, our intellect is the driver. Whatever we choose to focus on consciously makes its way into the subconscious, and that massive powerhouse just takes over from there.
Until it gets pissed.
Ever seen a pissed, stampeding elephant? Not a great experience for anyone in its path.
Do you realize that not rewarding yourself, not celebrating achievement, not owning your accomplishments is the equivalent of pissing off your internal elephant? Some people call this “self-sabotage.” To me, that term is too esoteric. “Pissed-off, stampeding elephant” is a better visual for me of what’s going on inside when I choose to disregard the elephant’s achievement…my own achievement…my team’s achievement.
But the Harvard, MBA and PMI approaches to strategic planning and project management totally disregard the elephant. In fact, they setup a situation that guarantees the elephant gets pissed. No wonder only 2.5% of companies successfully complete all their projects.
Pissed-off elephants ensure project failure. And the typical approach to strategy and projects guarantees pissed-off elephants.
On the other hand, the Roadmap2Destiny approach to strategy and projects recognizes the value of a happy elephant. A rewarded, happy, healthy subconscious elephant expedites the next journey. Because there’s always more. Strategic planning and project management aren’t a “one-and-done” kind of thing. There’s always another cycle. There’s always another project.
Are you ready to dance with the elephants on your next project?
