Penny Casselman [00:00:00]:
Just like your morning routine sets you up for success, handling problems proactively fuels your momentum. And director, I know that's what you want in your life. You want to have momentum towards success. Welcome to the Pivot with Passion podcast. Hi. I'm Penny Casselman. I believe everyone is deserving of a phenomenal life. Regardless of where you came from, life is what you make of it.
Penny Casselman [00:00:35]:
And when you learn to pivot with passion, your world explodes with opportunities. Go grab your favorite beverage, and let's shake things up as we explore how to pivot with passion. Hello, director. Welcome to another week of your life. How are you doing thus far? We are halfway through the week when this episode officially drops, and I'm curious. Have you run into problems that you weren't expecting? Anticipated them? That's what I wanna dive into today. You see, problems in our life are inevitable, period. It would be lovely to think it's all unicorn and rainbows.
Penny Casselman [00:01:29]:
However, we all know that is not true. But here's the nuance. How we approach our problem determines whether those problems become roadblocks that we cannot move past or just a bump in the road. We can stop being caught off guard by what comes at us on any given day, in any given week, and instead develop a mindset where we can anticipate and learn to manage the challenges, get this, before they even occur. So why does this matter? Right? I'm gonna take a wild guess that most mornings, as you start your day, you kick into a standard routine, you start going through the motions, that's usually, for the most part, pretty set. Right? It isn't until you start getting into later in the day where things can completely go off the rails because something goes wrong. Right? You have a tech issue with your phone or maybe your computer or maybe your garage door opener isn't working or you hit traffic. Your whole day, if you choose to let it, can get derailed.
Penny Casselman [00:02:55]:
But what happens instead if we start to anticipate those hiccups and proactively set ourselves up to handle them with the best mindset and the best strategies to keep us moving forward? Because I hate spiraling out of control, and I have my hand raised on this one, that on more than a thousand occasions throughout my life, where I have let an incident spiral out of control and have me feeling completely stuck, completely deflated, completely out of control, where if I had just taken a pause and used some of these three suggestions I'm going to get to in the episode, maybe I could have redirected my focus and still had a pretty darn good day. I mentioned routines and habits a moment ago, and maybe this metaphor will kind of help solidify some of the things I wanna talk about. I think about my routine every morning, and that is I have a cup of coffee and I have a piece of toast. Those things are little slivers of expected joy that I start every morning with. So imagine having a strategy like that that you can help get over unexpected situations. What would it be like to have a habit or go to strategy for handling things that are unexpected just like you handle your breakfast order? What I'll share later is meant to be predictable, easy, and effective. So I want us to stop assuming that the day will always go perfectly. Okay.
Penny Casselman [00:04:56]:
Who really expects the day to always go perfectly? However, when you do experience a hiccup, if you get upset about it, it's kind of a default that you were expecting your day to go perfectly. Noodle on that one for a minute. But I don't want that to throw us off. Right? I want to start looking at my to do list and identifying possible areas where I might encounter friction and find those points throughout my day so that I can stay ahead of them. So hang on, and I'll catch you on the other side of this. It's time for a clarity cocktail. Today's clarity cocktail quote comes from Alfred a Montepert, and it goes like this. Expect problems and eat them for breakfast.
Penny Casselman [00:05:58]:
Yeah. I envision myself when I hear that quote, holding this big bowl of, quote, cereal that is a metaphor for my problems and just making them all go away. Right? This fun little quote, expect problems and eat them for breakfast, illustrates and supports the idea that problems don't have to take over your day. Right? I can be handed a big bowl of problems and just eat it down. And side note, if you didn't know, I believe that breakfast cereal is appropriate for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I digress. But this quote also helps me remember that problems are a part of life. Right? Every day, even if you don't eat breakfast, there is something that kicks off your day.
Penny Casselman [00:06:52]:
Maybe you have a diet coke, maybe you drink a big thing of tea or water or something that signals to you and your body that the day is moving forward. Let me share this clarity cocktail with you again. Expect problems and eat them for breakfast. Thank you so much, Alfred a Montepert. Such a fun little quote to help put things in perspective and know that we are in control about what we choose to consume and either let them fuel us or let them drain us. And now back to the episode. Cheers. Circling back to this idea that we can prepare for problems, sometimes unexpected problems with a mindset strategy and habit.
Penny Casselman [00:07:48]:
If we acknowledge problems will come up, but make the choice to not allow them to consume us, boom, we are in control. And who doesn't like control? If you like to drive a car, you are in control for that entire duration. Doesn't mean other people around you aren't gonna do crazy stuff. And if you don't like to drive, I'm sure there is another example in your life where you enjoy being in control of the situation you're in. Let me jump now into three ways to develop your problem ready mindset. Because, again, problems are coming your way. Let's employ a mindset that helps us make them a speed bump and not an obstacle. The first one is called the pre check method, and this is pausing to scan your day If you are in the corporate world, maybe you have a big meeting.
Penny Casselman [00:08:54]:
Make sure the tech works. It could also mean if you are driving somewhere and time is of the essence. Maybe do a quick scan of the traffic on a map. In essence, this pre check method forces you to think about possible obstacles that you might encounter. The second way to develop a problem ready mindset is using the just in case strategy. And this is where you have quick solutions on hand for common disruptions. So for instance, on routes that you routinely take, whether you take the bus or you drive a car, routes that you take to the grocery, to work, to the gym. If traffic is bad, what's your backup route? What's your backup plan? Like, know this in advance because it will happen.
Penny Casselman [00:09:52]:
At some point, the routine that you have is going to encounter a problem. So where else in your life do you have very habitual patterns? And how can you have a just in case strategy for them so that when, not if, a problem occurs, you can navigate it without spiraling? And the third problem ready mindset is the bounce back rule. This is golden. This suggests that you set a rule that no single problem gets more than five minutes of your frustration before you shift back into action. It's okay to feel the spiral in that moment, but past five minutes, that becomes counterproductive. If you look at your watch and you have been frustrated, stuck, spiraling for more than five minutes, step up and step away. Don't give that problem any more than five minutes of your immediate time. In fact, take five minutes away from the situation so that you can come back with a break and maybe a reframe of the situation so that you can begin to take action and solve whatever the problem is that has unexpectedly forced its way into your day.
Penny Casselman [00:11:34]:
Here's a quick recap of the three problem ready mindsets we just covered. First, the pre check method. Look what you have on your calendar for today. Where could you anticipate issues or problems arising, and what could you do in advance to help ensure if a problem arises, you can quickly move on? The second strategy is the just in case strategy, and these are quick solutions for routines and habits that you already have in place. For instance, you get stuck in a traffic jam. Your credit card chip won't read. Right? What are the just in case strategies that you could have in your back pocket so you're never thrown off? And the third is the bounce back rule, and that simply means five minutes is all you will allow yourself to spiral when a problem arises. And if it consumes more than five minutes, you, director, are in control to pause and step away for a reset so that you can come back and tackle the problem.
Penny Casselman [00:12:52]:
When we are able to proactively expect or plan for issues, that becomes our fuel for resilience, not a cement obstacle. Just like your morning routine sets you up for success, handling problems proactively fuels your momentum. And director, I know that's what you want in your life. You want to have momentum towards success. So remember this, every big bold vision that you hold starts with belief, grows with action, and thrives on the vision that you hold. So grab your red marker, circle this moment today, and declare it yours. Your phenomenal life is waiting for you, and I'll be here cheering you on until next week. Friend, thanks for listening to this episode of Pivot with Passion.
Penny Casselman [00:14:00]:
If you've been feeling stuck, exhausted, or frustrated, this is your permission slip to go grab a red marker and claim the life you desire and deserve. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend, and then hop over to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts. Because my goal is to put a red marker in everyone's hand, and I need your help to spread the word and make that happen. Until the next episode, go grab a red marker, get excited for your future, and make your first move to pivot with passion.
