It appeared to be a simple task but once you got into it you realised you opened Pandora’s box. The list of problems is growing exponentially in front of your eyes and it doesn’t show any signs of stopping.
You check to see if this task is absolutely necessary to do. You groan audibly when you find out it is.
You halfheartedly start but the internet is slow. The software crashes on you again and again. The first three things you tried didn’t work and you’re beginning to realise just how long this is going to take.
You’re on the verge of screaming your head off when the software crashes again but you don’t. You remind yourself you’re an adult, you’re in an office and that would be socially unacceptable behaviour.
You’re about to give up and then you remember the growth mindset and how you’re supposed to view problems. So through gritted teeth you murmur:
‘Oh I love problems, go on give me another one I dare ya! I love the challenge!’
You realise that as long as you’re distracted and looking around for a way out of it, this problem will continue to beat you.
So you knuckle down and clear away all of the possible distractions. You close all the tabs, bar the one you need. You put your phone away. And you say to your problem
‘It’s just you and me now pal! And I’m not fecking leaving!’
Now you start hacking!
At first you’re only solving the little problems but then you start to solve the bigger problems.
Then all of a sudden you’ve solved all the problems and the task is done. This time you’re ready for another socially unacceptable act (roaring your head off with delight) but instead you settle for a fist pump and quiet ‘yes!’
Now completing that task has become the highlight of your day. You now have ten times the satisfaction you would’ve had if the task was as easy as it appeared. The harder the task the more satisfying on completion.
Thomas Duggan 