The Two-Minute Struggle

By Marty Nemko

When clients tell me that their job is too difficult, they imply that the entire job is too tough. But upon probing, they're often only referring to frequent stumbling blocks which, in total, constitute only a small fraction of their workday. Yet those stumbling blocks are so frustrating, they make clients feel that their overall job is too difficult. Many of those people have found relief using the two-minute-struggle.

What can you do today?
When you reach a stumbling block, struggle for no more than two minutes. If you haven't made any progress, the odds are small you'll overcome the problem, even if you struggle for much longer. So, after those two minutes, ask yourself, "Should I get help, come back to it later, or is it a problem I can afford to ignore?" Limiting yourself to two-minute struggles can often cut a difficult job down to size.