Ross and I were discussing the subject heading for this weekly thought.
Should it be “I’m perplexed, I’m confused, I’m puzzled”?
When we looked up the Macquarie Dictionary, the old fashioned book format, the words seemed to be interchangeable.
So here’s why I’m perplexed.
I recently created some facebook ads and offered a Complimentary Private Career Planning Consultation to seconds-in-command or aspiring seconds-in-command to help them understand where they are in their journey and where they want to go. In other words, for the “Go To People” in your organisation.
A number of people completed the facebook form which asked for first name, email, phone number and country/region. The country/region was so I could ensure I got the timezone right when I reached out to book their consultation.
The details entered were legitimate. I spoke to one lady who was driving at the time and whom asked me to send her an SMS message to work out some times.
I honoured her request. No response.
Similar results happened with the other leads.
Why would you go to the trouble of entering your contact details to “ghost” the person who is offering to help when they contact you?
I don’t get this. I really don’t.
Some people may be sceptical (cynical, disbelieving, doubtful) and that’s okay. Don’t fill in the form.
But to go to the trouble of filling in the form and then not follow through for the consultation, that perplexes me.
Human behaviour and human psychology absolutely fascinate me.
My challenge now is to coach myself and not allow myself to start making up stories as to why people do that and then make it about myself and how I’m not good enough etc. or worse, reinforce old limiting beliefs that are not true.
As an example, I can tell myself, they are busy. They’ll come back when they’re ready or they’ve decided they don’t want to be a second-in-command now. Filling in the form was actually helpful for them because it made them stop and think and ask themselves if that’s what they truly want.
My point is, we tell ourselves stories to make sense of what happens. Rather than slip into our old habits of making up negative stories, we can choose the stories we tell ourselves, so choose useful stories. Choose empowering stories.
P.S. Invite your friends to get the Weekly Thought delivered directly to their inbox. Go to https://shirleydalton.com/Weekly-Thoughts.
