Feb 07 2011

Pink Floyd wrote a song by the name, but as the second line says “after all we’re only ordinary men”. Yet the world is full of Us & Them – everybody is always worried about the other guy, about how they are getting it wrong, getting a better deal or otherwise not the same as us in some way. Either better off or a terrible person/group.

Why is there so much infighting in the world? I listen to politics and hear it every day. I see it at work with the guys in my department talking about another, or from one shift to another or from one level to another. Why is it we are so focused on everyone else and not with ourselves? Why do so many people spend so much time in their circle of concern and not in their circle of influence (Covey)? Maybe they haven’t read Covey, or maybe it is just easier to worry about others than it is to worry about ourselves. if we wlook at ourselves we may not like what we see.

By focusing on others it reduces the time we have to look at ourselves. I have never been a Michael Jackson fan, but his Man in the Mirror song has some powerful lyrics – “if you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make that change”. What a simple line and yet so poignant. I am tired of everybody worrying about everybody else. Just stay in your circle of influence, not only will you be happier, you will eventually grow that circle and gain more influence, then you can do something about those things that frustrate you and the other injustices of the world, at least injustice as you see it…