Читать книгу Start With a Win - Adam Contos - Страница 21

Relationships—business or personal—with yourself or others all matter. We need to deal with them, not ignore them, to find success in all aspects of our lives. Think of a relationship that's not working as a crack in a wall. With added pressure, that wall will eventually collapse.

The negativity and stress associated with the domestic violence cases I worked day in and day out had cracked my wall and threatened to collapse it. The problem wasn't the work. It was the attitude that I had allowed myself to develop. I had decided that because I was dealing with misery, I should be miserable, too. I was there to help others, not hurt myself. Fortunately my colleague noticed and said something. I just needed someone—my colleague—to wake me up to the reality. I needed to take action to make a change, and I did.

Soon after that realization, RE/MAX founder and friend Dave Liniger provided the wisdom I needed to move on: People need to be in an environment where they can be as successful as they want—where they look up instead of down.

I learned to redirect my fears, embrace “I can,” accept the challenges, be a leader of myself and others, and take action. I also learned that each of us has to take care of ourselves. Why? Because if you're stuck, you can't possibly help others get unstuck. Think about the safety briefing on an airplane, which reminds passengers before takeoff: “In the event of cabin depressurization, the oxygen masks will fall … place it over your nose and mouth and breathe normally … once you have secured your mask, you may help others around you.”

The deeper meaning is that in order to help others, each of us must help ourselves first. Too often people try to help others when, in reality, they need help themselves.