#55 An Eight-Year Old Neighbor Provides A Powerful Lesson In Ownership

Here is a powerful lesson in ownership taught to me by the eight-year old who lives across the street from me.

I realize that children love pets—especially cats. I also realize that children can teach us powerful lessons on just about any subject if we will only take the time to observe, listen and learn.

Several weeks ago, this young girl said to me, “Mr. Wayne, have you seen the feral cat that is roaming in our neighborhood?” I replied, “No, I haven’t seen the feral cat.”

A couple of days later, she asked me, “Mr. Wayne, have you seen the black feral cat that hides in my shrubbery?” I replied, “No, I haven’t seen the black feral cat that hides in your shrubbery.” I was glad I had asked my wife, “What is a feral cat?” Because her next question was, “Mr. Wayne, do you know what a feral cat is?” “Yes,” I answered, “it is a wild, homeless cat.”

The next day, the neighbor girl said to me, “Have you seen Shadow?” The feral cat that had become the black feral cat now had a name, Shadow. You see the progression here, right?

Several days later, as I was getting into my car, the neighbor girl came running across the street shouting to me, “Please, Mr. Wayne don’t back out over, My cat.” For her, the feral cat had now become her cat. She had taken ownership.

This story leads me to a four step problem solving procedure I will call, The My Cat Problem Solving Procedure. Each of the four steps consists of: 1. A Problem Stage and 2. An Action.

Problem Stage 1: The issues are vague, random and often wild (feral) in form. But something is amiss or brewing.

Action: Your challenge is to get your hands around these non-defined, often erratic occurrences and mold them into some coherent form. Problems can’t remain feral or wild.

Problem Stage 2: What were vague issues now can somewhat be described and they are going to affect me.

Action: At this point you want to be gathering your arms around the looming problem. Identify it. Make the problem as visible as possible. Look for facts. Each new fact brings new knowledge. New knowledge leads to better decisions. Better decisions bring better problem resolution.

Problem Stage 3. The problem has a name and the potential payoff(s) can be defined.  

Action: Identify the problem. Pay careful attention. What you name the problem defines what the problem is and what it is not. The clearer and more specific you are in stating the problem, the easier and quicker it can be solved. Often, in defining the problem, you reveal the solution.

Problem Stage 4. You realize that you must take ownership in order to resolve the problem.

Action: Take responsibility. Successful people realize that they have the power—and the responsibility—to resolve the problems that confront them. The courage to confront and solve problems is what defines a successful person. Focus on taking ownership. This lesson is made crystal clear in the above story of the neighbor girl and “her” cat. Successful people take ownership of a problem.

Realize that a synonym for “ownership” is “possession.” Once you have recognized a disturbance in your world and then carefully researched the facts and clearly defined the problem, your task is to take possession of the problem and look at it as an opportunity for exhibiting your success skills.

At the end of the day, it isn’t just about ownership. It is about resolving the problem.

This success reflection began with the story of my neighbor’s cat and I end it with a Sigmund Freud quote: “Time spent with cats is never wasted.” So, don’t be found guilty of wasting time. But don’t be catty about assuming ownership and control of the problems you face. Remind yourself to say, “It’s my problem,” and do what you can do to solve the problem.

Success Summary

SUCCESS THOUGHT: The Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines “ownership” as the state, relation, or fact of being an owner (having control). This definition is straightforward, clear and obvious. But depending on what is to be owned, the owner may not be so obvious. Ownership of a problem is an example. Any problem that has the power to affect you is a problem that should have your name of ownership attached to it.

SUCCESS QUOTE: “Another way to lose control is to ignore something when you should address it.”      —Jim Evans (Major League Umpire)

SUCCESS ACTION: Take your most important problem and begin to solve it now.

BOOK REMINDER— I recently published an e-book—"Mentor In The Mirror"—that is available on Amazon, Barnes& Noble and iBooks. Go to my web site: www.waynenalls.com for additional information and a review.