Four of Hearts

How was your week?  Did everything go the way you thought it would or were there stumbling blocks?  Despite your plans and intentions, sometimes things do not work in your favor.  One reason for this is that you can only control your actions.  While you can anticipate the moves of others, they can always surprise you with something unexpected.  How you respond, or react, to your environment and what happens in it can determine the next steps for you.

 Think of the popular game, Connect Four.  Did you play it when you were younger?  In order to win, you need to get four chips in a row of the same color.  This theory of consistency and repetition can also be applied to your personal, educational, and professional endeavors.  The Four of Hearts will represent the concept of establishing a pattern for success.

Punctuality is a good example.  If you arrive on schedule four times in a row, others who may not demonstrate that trait will need to adjust their approach in order to work with you.  On the flip side, when you are repeatedly late , you put yourself at a disadvantage.  You don't want to be in the position of trying to figure out what you missed. 

Effective communication also needs to demonstrated continually.  It is important to be able to share your vision and achievements with others.  Your ideas should match what you say.  What you say needs to match what you write.  Your written message should match what you actually do.  When those four things line up in a row, you build a solid reputation based on accountability, reliability, and trust. 

Observation is an important skill to sharpen and display.  Pay attention to what potential partners or opponents are doing and analyze how it impacts you.  You can learn a lot by simply watching and listening.  As you gather data, you can formulate the strategy that will help you be in the right place at the right time.  If you are consistently prepared for opportunities when they arise, you may be able to alter them to provide maximum benefit to you.  Eventually, you will not have to look for opportunities because they will pursue you.

Finally, remember to recharge your batteries regularly so that your energy level will be high enough to sustain your efforts.  When you are tired, you might not be alert enough to recognize the match for your last move.  Schedule breaks at designated points to review your progress and make necessary adjustments.

Have you connected four recently?  If so, leave a comment and let others know how you did it.  If not, what are you going to do differently this week?