What can you do without “unhealthy strain?”

There’s a couple of guys at my gym who lift heavier weights than they should. How do I know this? I watch them, observing how they lift their backs off of the bench when doing chest presses or bend their backs in painful ways when performing curls. The unhealthy strain is obvious; their form is poor, and therefore their bodies are being placed at significant risk for injury. Injury will require them to take time off from the gym, thereby undermining their ambition to “get ripped,” “get cut,” etc.

Beyond exercise, there are numerous things we can find ourselves doing with unhealthy strain. One of these is a poor job fit. Think about your state of mind and your behaviors each day at work. Consider what comes naturally to you, and what requires really hard work but is still enjoyable. These are positive signs that you’re “in form” when it comes to your vocation.

But are there numerous activities that cause you feel torn down, exhausted, unfulfilled, worried, stressed, and so forth? If these are dominating your landscape at work, chances are you have unhealthy vocational strain…and some soul searching is a must.

So what to do differently? Think “ACE:”

(A)ssess: As stated above, what do you love or loathe about your job, your career? What do you notice about the situations and tasks that enhance your energy, and the ones that drain you? On the whole, how much do you strain against the odds, trying desperately to make things work out for you?

(C)ollaborate: Who can you reach out to for some coaching or insights around steps you can take to decrease strain and increase satisfaction and results?

(E)xecute: Move forward with what you’re learning! Take some chances! Warning: One can only withstand unhealthy strain for so long. Something eventually has to give—or break..

For more ideas on how to apply this ACE process across the board, check out my book Assess, Collaborate, Execute: ACE Your Way Through Life:

Kindle devices or applications on iPads, smart phones and computers:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&search-alias=digital-text&field-author=John%20Michael%20De%20Marco

Nook devices or applications on iPads, smart phones and computers:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/john-michael-de-marco?keyword=john+michael+de+marco&store=ebook