Some warnings are not meant to scare you…
they are meant to prepare you.
A heads-up is not an attack.
It is an advantage.
I am speaking of those moments when we tell someone ahead of time that something is coming — perhaps not to their liking — but giving them a heads-up may better prepare them for what lies ahead.
Now, I don’t go around doing this with just anyone.
There must be a working relationship, cause, reason, or purpose behind it.
THE PREMISE
Before I get into the example, understand the premise first.
I can either tell you something straight out…
or I can prepare you for it beforehand.
Preparation softens impact.
Think of it this way:
I can suddenly shake you and stun you…
or I can tell you beforehand that I am about to shake you.
That notice alone creates an edge.
Why?
Because awareness changes reaction.
What comes next may be good or bad — that remains to be seen — but simply knowing something is coming is often the advantage itself.
It’s coming.
THE STORY
I had an emotional client once — someone who only functioned well when life stayed inside a predictable course.
Anything outside of his comfort zone immediately triggered resistance.
He had begun making decisions that were slowly turning into problems because he insisted on having things his way every time.
And let me tell you something…
Having your own way every time eventually gives you a fool for a client.
I needed to confront him about this argumentative behavior and make him understand that WIN-LOSE rarely excites the other players involved.
So I approached carefully.
I BEGIN WITH…
I said:
“I need to share something with you. It is important and it must be said.
Furthermore, we need dialogue to resolution in order to solve it.
I don’t want you to react to what I am about to say — I want you to explore it.
Don’t argue.
Ask questions instead.
Let’s converse and exchange ideas that bring about the closure necessary.
Can you do this?”
HE RESPONDS WITH…
“Yes,” says my client.
I repeat the condensed version:
“Remember… don’t react. Let’s converse. Got it?”
“Yes.”
“Ready?”
“Yes — and c’mon already,” he says impatiently.
So I shared the issue.
And what happened?
It was like we never talked at all.
“I’m not doing that.”
“I’ll never do that.”
“You’re starting to piss me off.”
“You’re making me angry.”
And on and on he went…
Until finally he stopped long enough to breathe.
CAN YOU LISTEN PLEASE?
I looked at him and said:
“You just did everything I asked you NOT to do. Do you realize that?”
“I’m not doing that! I’ll never do that!” he repeated.
“Whoa… stop and listen to me,” I said calmly.
“Please calm down and pay attention.
I warned you beforehand to relax and remain calm — and you ignored it.
THAT is the subject matter before you right now.
How do you expect to solve problems by ranting and raving like this?
Come back to your senses — they work very well when engaged.”
HE CALMS HIMSELF
And finally…
He did.
He calmed himself down.
Then I introduced several ways to proceed forward, but none of them involved:
More arguing.
More pride.
More emotional rhetoric.
More off-topic distractions.
More unnecessary problems.
Instead, he chose based on what actually moved the situation forward.
Not based on anger.
Not based on ego.
Not based on emotional theatrics.
And we solved it.
Ironically, the other side involved was expecting nothing less from us.
We had a breakdown…
but we moved forward anyway.
HEED THE PLEAD
Heed the plea when someone is trying to prepare you.
Be reasonable enough to hear what is being said.
And consider yourself fortunate when someone gives you a heads-up instead of allowing you to walk blindly into a situation unprepared.
That is called:
A briefing.
Need-to-know.
Preparation.
Wisdom.
Without it, we operate at a disadvantage.
Why choose that?
Isn’t it better to know than not know?
SMARTER OR HARDER
This may or may not hurt.
Brace yourself.
Whatever it is…
it is coming.
And then…
it will be gone.
Warnings about what may lie ahead are often gifts in disguise.
Practice this principle and you will succeed in life with far less unnecessary struggle.
Or ignore the warnings…
get blindsided repeatedly…
and work harder than necessary.
Either way…
You still must do your part.
— Richie
Pearls for the Soul
when you feed the soul, you feed everything.
https://pearlsforthesoul.com
Been expecting you