Do something different

By Chris Trout | March 14, 2008

You've heard this before. When you are frustrated, baffled, stymied, at your wits end… Do something different. There is nothing quite as simple and powerful as giving your old way of seeing things a kick in the pants. I know. The impulse is to sit around pondering the "right" action. Could it be that doing just about anything unexpected will get better results? 

Dig this video of 200 people in Grand Central Station, all freezing in place for five minutes at exactly the same time. My guess is that no one who witnessed this had the same day they would have without this mind shift. (Watch it now.)

Did you smile? Could you feel your energy change? Did the wiring in your brain kink up a bit?

Good. Now, today, when confronting that person or situation that has you frustrated, stymied, locked up, perplexed or downright lost, leave that serious-and-earnest-professional pill on your desk and just do something different. What you've been doing hasn't been working so well. What have you got to lose?