I had a conversation with a client recently who wants to reduce her hours at one job in order to round out her portfolio by taking on other work.

As we prepared for the conversation she was about to have with her boss, I really messed with her thinking.

I started to offer her ideas that were counter-intuitive:

• What if you shifted your activities within your reduced workload so you actually increase your impact within the organization?

• What if you have more energy because your new portfolio energizes you more than what you’re currently doing?

• What if you became more effective as a result of being less available?

• What if you asked for a promotion at the same time as reducing your hours?

Logically, none of this makes sense. But I challenged her to defy logic. To do what seems unconventional.

Most people settle for scarcity thinking, and are willing to accept the standard logical equation: “If I reduce my hours, then I have to reduce my output, my impact, my effectiveness, etc.” As if it is a zero sum equation.

This type of thinking gives people a sense of security. That’s the primary role of scarcity thinking.

But if you’re willing to take a risk and ask for what you want, and willing to imagine the possibilities that are just waiting for you to tap into them, the world truly is your oyster.

Life is created

My client could have asked her boss to reduce her hours and focused on minimizing any downside to the organization. Most people would never even see the upside of this scenario.

But because she was open to the possibility that she could increase her impact, have more energy, be more effective, and even ask for a promotion, she immediately began to live into that possibility.

Turns out, during the conversation, her boss was the one to suggest they change her title in order to more adequately recognize her contribution to the organization.

The place you come from really does matter. Possibility thinking generates new realities.

Over the coming weeks and months, she will take one tiny step to turn the possibilities she is reaching for into her reality.

What feels just out of reach, or even impossible to you right now? And what if you were to defy logic?

I’d love to hear about it.

Love,

Audrey