“People are always blaming circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want and if they can’t find them, make them.”  –  George Bernard Shaw

Ever met one of those people who blame all of their misfortunes on others?  Who are quick to point a finger toward their workload demands?  Or difficult customers?  Or a challenging economy?  Or perhaps a management team whose decisions have challenging consequences?  Maybe it’s fact that these individuals don’t have the tools they need to succeed.  “It’s not my fault,” they often say or “What do you expect since I don’t have what I need to be successful?”

To be fair, it’s easy to fall in to this trap.  In today’s world – and certainly in the business environment – we are often asked to do the impossible if not the improbable.  Whether it’s bigger workloads or increased production quotas, additional management responsibilities or a budget that feels unrealistic, or even the customer that demands you deliver more for less, there are plenty of reasons to contribute challenge to current circumstances.  I have been guilty of throwing my arms up a time or two myself. Continue reading →