G.I.G.O.

The acronym, G.I.G.O. (an old computer programming phrase), stands for one of my current sayings, "Garbage In, Garbage Out." Basically, it means that you get out of a situation what you put into it. So, if you put in an honest effort, you should get something good as a result. If you don't take the time to do a good job, your result is not going to be what you want.

This has really been proved to me over and over the past week.

My session yesterday, the one I was dreading, was as bad as I had foreseen. The two kids who get away with screaming in order to play the computer (because, isn't it easier on us to give them what they want just to keep them quiet? - SARCASM), kept trying to get out of doing everything by screaming and tantruming. I don't feel that it is a good idea to teach kids that they can get what they want by hurting other people, so I don't allow them to get out of doing what they are asked if they are being aggressive or overly disruptive.

So what does this have to do with the phrase, "Garbage In, Garbage Out?"

I went into the session with feelings of dread and reluctance. Is it no wonder that kids went into their own patterns of avoidance? Not at all. Why would you want to listen to a person who is convinced that you will not like anything? I wouldn't.

It's time for an attitude adjustment...for me.

One of my favorite quotes is:

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Albert Einstein 

 

If you don't spend the time figuring out how to do things, then you really cannot be surprised when things don't work for you. You cannot blame the computer for not doing what you want it to do if you don't know how to tell it what to do. If you are not willing to put in the time to truly learn how to do things, then the problems are not going to be solved by spending more money and less time. The problems will follow you wherever you go.

 

It is time for an attitude adjustment...again, for me.

 

Here are the components of my adjustment.

1. I am not in control of what others think, do, or insist upon.
2. I will pick my battles.
3. I will choose whether I want to continue in specific situations.
4. I will attempt to keep my cool when dealing with people who push my frustration button.
5. If I cannot keep my cool, I will leave the situation.

There you go.

 

Time for an attitude adjustment - some cognitive behavioral shaping, and some time to think things through are in order...