🐯 Celebrate Another New Year - Like a Tiger!

 I’d like to wish everyone who is preparing to celebrate the Lunar New Year a lucky 2022.

In this year of the Tiger, the third Chinese zodiac, we follow the legend of the Tiger. According to Chinese legend, Tiger was sure that no one would be able to challenge his speed and vitality for the celestial race that would determine the order of the Zodiacs.

When Tiger climbed out of the river at the end of the race, it thought it had first place all wrapped up. To its surprise, Rat was first because of its cleverness and Ox placed second because of its diligence. Tiger came in third. Poor Tiger.

Those born in the years of the Tiger are known to be full of energy and vitality. They are self confident, ambitious, daring and courageous. They have a sense of commitment and justice that makes them exceptional partners and team members.

Can you identify with maybe one or more than one of these traits? Perhaps you were born in a year of the Tiger? While many of these qualities are certainly admirable, at times you can imagine that a Tiger might need a back-up, a wingman, perhaps an ‘I got your back’ support.

As we move into 2022, consider all the things we have on our plate - our ‘must do’s’, our non-negotiables, our ‘wouldn’t it be great ifs’ and our big plans for the upcoming year. Do you have to do them all yourself? Who says? Because we were taught to figure it out, be independent, resourceful and entrepreneurial? Pffft.

I’ve got news my friends: you don’t win an award for being busy and feeling burnt out.

No one steps up with a trophy because you are juggling a thousand things. You make bank when you are productive. An imperfect action in the right direction? That’s still progress!

Like Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy talk about in their new book ‘Who Not How’: The Formula - Achieve Bigger Goals Through Accelerating Teamwork, we need to embrace a mindset that encourages us to think ‘Who can do this for me?’ rather than ‘How am I going to do this?’. This technique promotes collaboration and delegation so that you can free yourself up to use your unique genius to achieve your big goals.

The premise is this - can you find someone (the ‘Who’) that is even better at that task on your list than you? This person has better skills, connections and a commitment to getting your tasks done faster and more efficiently than you. I bet this is simpler than you realize. Rather than trying to figure it out on your own (the ‘How’) it truly pays dividends for your mental wellbeing and your productivity to make this shift - so you can keep doing the things you love to do.

Remember the saying that goes something like this: ‘Good, fast and cheap - pick two because you can’t have all three.’? It’s better to get something done and out in the world than have it sit on a shelf. Work not done is expensive. Ideas taking up precious real estate in your brain are expensive. Better to fail fast and fail forward and take imperfect action on your way to producing something really great! Creating a team of ‘Whos’ is a great step forward. Use your network and start asking for help - today.

If you write a quick list of your top of mind roadblocks (those things that wake you up at 3 am - or is this just me?) can you think of one or two people who might either be able to complete those tasks for you or are able to find someone who can? Yep. Thought you might.

Think of it this way: If you move these tasks from the simmering back burner and apply some heat with encouragement in the right strategic direction - you’ll be amazed at how fast your to-do list gets done! Maybe you haven’t actually been procrastinating - maybe you simply are not the right person for the job. (See how I just let you off the hook there? You’re welcome!)

So, to wrap this all the way back around, think like the Tiger. Be courageous. Don’t worry about the Rat or the Ox. Just swim! Do your best to bring your ideas forward but get your task to a ‘Who’ as soon as you get stuck. Focus on the items on your list that haven’t budged for a while. Forget about the ‘How’. Make that a gift to someone who is better able to do this for you. According to Chinese legend:

Tigers are courageous and active people who love a good challenge and adventure in life.

Be a Tiger in your own way. You don’t have to go it alone. Find your Rat and your Ox. Make them team members. And may 2022 be your most productive year yet!

Go get ‘em Tiger!