The reality is
April 4, 2006 by admin
I would say, “but the reality is” at least 3 times a week. How about you?
The word reality can be quite limiting. It acts as a dampener, and when it is used in team discussions it can limit the exploring of opportunities.
Someone said to me just the other day, “Well, Michelle, its ok for you to be concered about this issue but the reality is you won’t get anyone else interested.”
My response was, ok. But I am still new and enthusiastic so I am going to try anyway.
As it turned out, I did manage to get past the “reality” and the issue is now being addressed.
Be careful when you remind people of their “reality”, in fact instead why don’t we try encouraging people instead.
This seems relevant: “The reasonable man adapts himself to the world. The unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”
~ George Bernard Shaw
How about — “In the real world”. I hear that a lot and its pretty bad considering we are in the real world actually.
Thanks so much for sharing this insightful advice. There’s no doubt about it, I have been automatically using the phrase “but the reality is” when I think folks have gone off on non-productive tangents and I want to draw them back to the here and now moment. On one hand this can be a useful tool for helping folks regain their focus. On the other, I don’t want to stifle creative solutions to complex issues. As a result of reading your blog entry I’ll be taking the “reality phrase” off auto pilot and only using it selectively. Blog on.:)