Rip the Wallpaper: A Tactic for Moving Forward

There are lots of people in the world with great aspirations, with big dreams, and inspiring goals. The funny thing is that there are very few who are actively doing something about them. The rest are waiting for the right time, doing some more planning, deferring until some other milestone is reached, or stalled due to doubt or lack of confidence. It sounds like this:

• “Someday I’m going to start my own business. I’ve just got too many things going on right now to even think about that right now.”
• “I need to spend some serious time and effort into developing the talent on my team. We need to get this new product launched first – and then I’ll focus on it.”
• “Our team has been putting together a new customer service process. Our plans are 80% complete, but we don’t want to make a mistake on this project.”
• “I dream of making a career shift; I even know what I’d like to do. I’m not sure anyone would hire me to do that though.”

I know that because I talk to lots of people. I know that because I teach college students and coach executives. I know that because I have a wide network and we talk about such things. And I know it most of all, because I’ve fallen trap to the same thing.

I have a surefire way to move forward toward a goal or dream when I get stalled out – I call it “Rip the Wallpaper”. We’ve lived in our house since 1989. At that time, I covered the walls with wallpaper that I loved – but am weary of now. Every year, I’d select a room and put it on my “to do” list to strip the wallpaper and then paint the room. And every year, for the longest time, nothing would happen.

Then I learned the trick of “ripping the wallpaper”. I’d go into the room I wanted to tackle, take hold of a lose edge and rip off a big chunk of wallpaper. Immediately my motivation shifted. What before was something I wanted to do, but could defer, became something I felt I had to do. And there was a glaring reminder everyday that something needed doing.

Funny thing happens when I rip the wallpaper. First of all, I get a sense of exhilaration and possibility. Secondly, I get very creative about how I can get this project done. I experience a sense of direction and focus that was lacking before. I find time to do in the space of a week, what I had deferred for a year. And I have an incredible sense of satisfaction when I am done.

I’ve use the concept of “ripping the wallpaper” in my personal and professional life. I take the leap and schedule the meeting that forces me forward. I make a public commitment to deliver on something that I’ve wanted to do. I say yes to the important things for my vision even when I’m not 100% ready or before I have the perfect plan. Some examples:

• To start my business, I resigned from my existing job even before I was quite ready.
• When I wanted to do less travel, I committed to teaching at Purdue two days a week. That meant I had to find local clients.
• I publicly shared my dream of doing a triathlon, even before I could swim.

Ripping the wallpaper is a leap of faith that I can make it happen if I really want to. It creates a tangible motivation to get unstuck. It pushes me into an uncomfortable position that I want to resolve – and I find that I always come through.

So my question for you – where in your life do you need to “Rip the Wallpaper?”

Any examples of times you “Ripped the Wallpaper” successfully?