Tom Leu "seeing things" … perspectives on music, marketing, & motivation

taking inventory

“Stop confessing someone else’s sins.” – Stephen Covey

Most of us are really good at noticing other people’s faults. We seem to take joy sometimes in pointing out where others are falling short. It’s as if we’re empowered and begin feeling better about ourselves when we can tear someone else down instead of looking at our own “areas of opportunity.”

In 12 step groups, “taking other people’s inventory” is often discussed and always discouraged because recovery (from anything) is an inside job. Our problems aren’t “out there” somewhere. Our problems, as well as the solutions, dwell within ourselves; within our minds. Here, the intellectual constructs that we create and manage our world around often take over. The world now becomes as we are, not as it is.

We need to be continually taking our own inventory; not the inventory of others. Easier said than done… but with ongoing practice, it is possible. To do this, we need to be actively observing ourselves and recognize that we are not our thoughts and emotions. Who we are and what we do are two separate things. The mere act of noticing when we are angry, sad, frustrated, elated or anxious for example, puts us in a heightened conscious state to now react in a way that will best serve us and those around us. This is powerfully persuasive both internally and externally. And this is a form of taking our own inventory that puts us on the road to finding true and lasting contentment. Something I believe everyone is after…

©2009 Tom Leu