July 26, 2010 – Today is my father’s birthday. Dad would have been 85. At first blush, my dad had a charmed, easy life. Dad graduated Harvard Law School, was an accomplished attorney, built a successful real estate business, was a good husband, raised three children, and lived to bounce twelve grandchildren on his knees. Easy to describe; yet easier said than done. For my dad was a child of the Great Depression, served his country as a front line medic during the Second World War, and considered himself lucky to land his first job as a lawyer with a starting salary of $25 a week.
“Easier said than done.” The words are simple enough and on face value judgmentally neutral. But in the vernacular the phrase is judgmental and dismissive, suggesting that the thing said is of no practical value.
How valid is that judgment?
Last week while talking with a friend about the coaching process – specifically the process of shifting perspectives and changing the way we think – my friend mentioned colleagues of his who would benefit from coaching and whom he could hear saying, “That’s easier said than done.”“Exactly so,” I replied. It IS easier said than done. So is walking. Consider the complex sequence of signals from the brain required for us to simply walk.
For that matter so too is becoming a lawyer. It’s easy to become a lawyer. All you have to do is graduate college. Then apply and be accepted to law school. Graduate. Sit for the Bar Exam, pass, and be admitted to practice. Land a job and begin work. Voila, you’re a lawyer.
Easy, no?
‘Tis easier said than done.
Like most worthwhile things in life, the shifting of perspectives and ways of thinking are much easier said than done. And that is precisely what makes their actualization so gratifying and worthwhile. Through hard work and persistence, we effect real, positive change in our lives.So the next time you hear or think, “It’s easier said than done,” I’ll ask you to rejoice in the opportunity to expand your horizons and actualize greater success. And I’ll think of my dad and celebrate his life. Happy Birthday, Dad.
Consider the possibilities.
Adam J. Krim www.driveconsulting.net
