Tap into Your Superpowers
Written by Diamond Sponsor Joe Serio of the 360 Dispatcher
I don’t know about you, but I’ve fantasized about having superpowers, the kind I saw on TV and read in comic books: flying, lifting impossible weights, coming to the aid of someone in trouble.
It took me a very long time to realize that I already had access to superpowers.
And so do you.
These superpowers are different than the ones I dreamt about, but the results are the same: I can fly, I can lift impossible weights, and I can help someone in trouble.
And you can, too.
But in order to do those things, you have to fight the biggest enemies out there: constant scrolling, unaddressed interruptions, annoying coworkers, and the voices inside your heads.
It’s easy, convenient, and sometimes fun to blame those around you for the dissatisfaction you may feel in the comm center and at home. “Them over there, they’re the ones to blame for my low productivity, high stress, and general misery!” But…
It’s not true.
You and only you are 100% responsible for your life.
The place you find yourself today—job, relationships, attitudes, income, living situation—is all attributable to one thing: the choices you’ve made along the way and continue to make today.
The good news is that there are three superpowers you can activate to get more of what you want and greatly reduce the power of the enemy over you.
Superpower #1: Clarity
It is absolutely essential to get clear about what it is you want to accomplish. This is not an easy task. The process of getting clear will trigger all kinds of thoughts about unworthiness, inability, lack of resources, and other lies. You will convince yourself you can’t, but you must.
Anyone who has been to my trainings knows that I often pose four cornerstone questions for getting clear:
Who am I?
This question helps you clarify your beliefs, values, priorities, what you tolerate and don’t tolerate, and so on. What are the greatest needs you have? What is it you have inside you that needs to be expressed?
What do I want?
Specifically and clearly decide and define in detail the thing you’re going after. What does “done” look like? How will you know you’ve reached your goal? Losing weight? How many pounds? Increasing your income? By how much?
How am I going to get it?
Create a detailed roadmap to get the thing you want. What steps will move you toward the finish line? What deadlines do you need to meet? How will you handle missing a deadline? What resources, assistance, or funding do you need?
How am I lying to myself?
Be honest when you stray from the path. Identify those moments and create techniques for getting back on track.
Superpower #2: Focus
The second superpower—Focus—means that you’ve created the conditions in which you can give all of your attention to a specific task.
Keep in mind that there are a lot of tasks that don’t require 100% focus. But the ones that are most important, the ones that will give you the biggest or most meaningful payoff, are the ones you must give uninterrupted attention to as much as possible.
Ways to increase focus include turning off your phone and other distracting technology, closing your door if you have an office, telling colleagues, spouse, or kids that there’s a period of time they’re not allowed to interrupt you, having a dedicated space in your working/living area for the task you’re trying to complete.
Superpower #3: Consistency
The third superpower is Consistency.
Once you have the destination in place and the tools for focusing developed, now pursue it on a regular basis, week in and week out.
You can’t lose twenty pounds in one day. You can’t learn a foreign language or a musical instrument in a weekend. The secret is slow and steady progress, a little bit at a time.
Use your calendars, phone alerts, and other technology to keep you on track on a regular basis.
When you activate these three superpowers, it becomes easier to say no to the things you shouldn’t be doing. It becomes easier to say no to people you’ve been trying to please up until now. You’ll make better decisions based on your greatest needs.
When I started using these superpowers, I found I was able to fly, going higher and higher in my life than I thought possible. When I started using these superpowers, I found I could lift impossible weights, like writing twenty books, learning three foreign languages, and playing two musical instruments. When I started using these superpowers, I was able to help more people than ever before.
You will have the same results in the area of your dreams, but only if you activate the three superpowers with intention on a regular basis.
Joe Serio, Ph.D., president of The 360 Dispatcher, is co-author of Dispatcher Stress: 50 Lessons on Beating the Burnout, and Dispatch Supervisor: 50 Lessons on Being a Great Leader. He hosts the 911 Leadership Training Event as well as the Transforming 911 Culture Workshop at the Mayan Ranch in Bandera, TX. Joe trains across the country and delivers keynote presentations at state 911 conferences. www.joeserio.com