The No Complaining Rule

I just finished reading a book called the No Complaining Rule by Jon Gordon. It really made me think of how easy it is to complain when things don’t go the way we planned.  Some of the things that can frustrate me and then I may complain about it:

• Traffic or people not driving the way I think they should
• Standing in line at the store and they don’t open additional registers, especially since they have 30 but only 3 are open
• When work doesn’t go the way I planned
• OU football team loses
• My wife makes dinner and I have to wait an extra 10 minutes for it to cook
• Gaining weight even though I don’t exercise or eat right.  

I am sure I could add other things to this list.  I do have a choice though.  As the book states, I can jump on the positive road or the negative road.  MY CHOICE!   

So why is it so easy to jump on the negative road?  

I want to share a couple of things from the book that stand out to me:

• One negative person can create a miserable office environment for everyone else.
• Mindless complaining cultivates negativity- this sabotages morale and performance.
• If you have a complaint, take it only to someone who is in a position to address the complaint. Also share one or two possible solutions to your complaint.

What am I going to do about complaining? Well, I decided to do a no complaining FAST, taking it one day at a time. I also have asked for someone’s help in holding me accountable.  My desire is for my co-workers, family and friends to notice the change in my behavior. 

What makes you complain and what can you do to change your behavior?