We all set goals and chart a course for achieving them. Sometimes, we reach a point where we lose enthusiasm and “don’t feel like it.” This paralyzing and self-defeating reluctance often occurs when we are tired or the goal is difficult to achieve — an easier alternative initially seems to be more attractive. Self-defeating reluctance tends to deter, depress or sabotage our aspirations, resulting in diminished achievements and personal defeat. Having the willpower to overcome reluctance is a pathway to an improved ability to act decisively in other situations and leads to greater self respect.

Those who are most successful make the effort to meet difficult challenges despite their feelings at the moment. Digging down deep to do what must be done is the spirit of self-discipline and the essence of success. This is much better than lifelong regret because you took the easier but less desirable path. Giving in to reluctance to confront prevents us from achieving our goals and fills us with remorse — and later regret for our lack of courage. How do you overcome reluctance? Recognize that you have a choice between two alternatives — the hard way that has some discomfort or the easy way that provides relief. Recognize your own inhibitions and the damage done by being reluctant to embrace opportunities. Recognize that moving forward into uncharted waters is anxiety producing. Ask yourself what someone that you greatly admire would do? Set short-term goals and celebrate milestone successes. Take action immediately, without hesitation. By facing and conquering all challenges and staying resolute, you will overcome reluctance and achieve a satisfaction that is rewarding and fulfilling. With willpower, you did the hard thing rather than avoiding it.

Other Bytes

Here are some of the things going on in and around the engineering community:

• An interview with the leading organizational psychologist Richard Hackman provides an interesting perspective on the effectiveness of teams. (“Why Teams Don’t Work.” Harvard Business Review. 87(5):99-105. May, 2009. www.hbr.com). The author questions the entrenched belief that teams are the best way to get things done. Diane Coutu interviewed the professor of social and organizational psychology at Harvard University who discusses five critical conditions that make the difference between team success and team failure. He believes that being disciplined about how a team is set up and managed will increase the likelihood that a team will succeed.

• Two articles in International Small Business Journal [27(2), 2009] provide perspectives on women entrepreneur’s ― “Women Entrepreneurs: Jumping the Corporate Ship and Gaining New Wings.” (pp. 173-192) and “Female Entrepreneurial Networks and Networking Activity in Technology-based Ventures: An Exploratory Study.” (pp. 193-214) In the first article Nicola Patterson and Sharon Mavin examine four case studies of entrepreneurs who left corporate careers for self-employment resulting in a positive experience. In the second article Alison Hampton, Sarah Cooper, and Pauric McGowan discuss the importance of developing and managing effective networks to the success of female entrepreneurs. Their research is based on interviews with 18 lead female entrepreneurs of technology-based ventures.

• Research conducted by Claudio Fernandez-Araoz, Boris Groysberg and Nitin Nohria and reported in. “The Definitive Guide to Recruiting in Good Times and Bad.” (Harvard Business Review. 87(5):74-84. May, 2009. www.hbr.com ) provide insights into hiring best practices. The authors look past the current economic challenges and discuss their belief that current recruiting practices are not what they should be. They provide recommendations that cover the entire hiring cycle as a seven-step process and suggest that this will result in a competitive advantage if these practices are followed by an organization.

• Murray Millson and David Wilemon describe and compare educational models based on four major concepts that can be used to assess educational quality. “Educational Quality Correlates of Online Graduate Management Education.” Journal of Distance Education. 22(3): 1-18, 2008. The focus is on graduate management programs because of their increasing use of internet technology. The authors discuss the association between the factors of dialogue, structure, access and flexibility and existing models of distance education and provide recommendations on which models are most applicable to graduate management course delivery.

• Kenneth Harris discusses his belief that the fitness ethos should begin early in life and must be returned to inclusively and moved away from organized sports where less talented participants are excluded. (“Toward a Fitter Future: Why Education Must Get Physical.” The Futurist. 43(1):30-32. January-February, 2009. www.wfs.org ). The discussion includes the benefits of life-long involvement in physical activity starting early in youth.

• William Halal believes that the ability of institutions to adapt to technological developments is stifled by outmoded social systems. His beliefs that a social revolution is needed that will bring institutions and civilization to a higher stage of maturity are discussed in “Emerging Technologies and the Global Crisis of Maturity.” (The Futurist. 43(2):39-46. March-April, 2009). An interesting scenario timeline to the year 2030 illustrates the discussion. The author believes that these technological, economic, and political projections make it clear that without change today’s systems could not survive beyond 2020. In another article in the same issue of The Futurist (“Timeline for the Future: Potential Developments and Likely Impacts,” pp. 35-37) Marvin Cetron describes evolving technologies that the author believes will radically reshape human life.

• Five individuals share their insights into the best way to move toward a more sustainable future in “Saving the Environment: Five Creative Approaches.” (The Futurist. 43(2): 48-51, March-April, 2009. www.wfs.org ). Authored by Clifton Anderson these five individuals of diverse backgrounds and viewpoints discuss hunger and poverty, taking nature seriously, bioregions, forestry, and reinventing ourselves. The author is optimistic and confident that we can rectify our past errors and envisions a transformed world.

• Energy policy must be realistic or it won’t work is the opinion of Tsvi Bisk and discussed in: “A Realistic Energy Strategy.” (The Futurist. 43(2): 18-24. March-April, 2009). What the author believes are essentials for a rational energy policy are outlined, impractical solutions are discussed, what realistically can be done, and likely developments in the next decade. The author also discusses prospects for oil.
  

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