“If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin’.”

I dug this out of a list of “farmer wisdom,” it caused me to chuckle and then it caused me to pause.

What kind of holes do you find you are in?

I could make a long list that would get personal.  Most of the holes we are in don’t have much to do with work.

We weigh more than we want.

Have more debt than is manageable.

We see our health slipping with each year.

Perhaps we have relationships we could be enjoying more.

Here’s what’s interesting to me about the statement diggin’:

1.  While we blast ourselves mentally about the holes we find ourselves in, we frequently keep on doing the things that got us there.  So, the hole gets deeper and our frustration grows.
2. Most of us associate getting out of the hole with some sort of rigorous climb out or some dramatic rescue.
3. A huge climb out of the hole tires us out.  We have trouble imagining how the rescue can occur and we ignore the wisdom of the simple act of not digging.
4. Almost any situation you don’t like can be improved by stopping the activity, along with the activities that got you there in the first place.
5. Don’t focus on the climb. Don’t worry about the rescue.  Just pause.  Take an inventory.  Quit adding insult to injury.  Gather your strength for what is ahead.
6. Stopping isn’t always easy. But, it’s a simple way to think about a life change.

Stop Diggin’.