Running through security
to catch his flight, Jeff looked
down to notice his cell phone missing
from its usual place on his belt.
Oh, NO!!! Back to security, to the
lost and found, to the terminal entrance
- no phone. Sweating, dazed, and
in a full panic, Jeff opted to miss
his flight. He couldn't possibly
make the trip without the phone.
All his contacts, itineraries and
plans were in the phone.
Saturday night in a
popular local restaurant, Jill realized
her cell phone was not on the table
where she left it. Oh, NO!!! Find
a manager, find security, find the
guy who swept the floors - alas,
no phone. Shaking, dizzy, and visibly
distressed, Jill headed home wondering
how she would function without her
phone.
Jeff and Jill are not
alone. Like us, they are mature,
highly successful professionals who
no longer remember a phone number
by heart or pay attention to appointment
details because their lives are contained
in their cells (not their brain cells).
The sudden disappearance
or absence of our cell phones from
immediate reach has been known to
cause anxiety attacks, heavy sweats,
increased blood pressure and other
severe life-threatening cellular
reactions.
Not only does a sudden
panic attack or fit of terror stand
to quickly destroy an otherwise well-cultivated
image, it creates serious risk of
danger to yourself and others. That
is not a good look on anyone.
So much of our image
is tied up in the systems that support
us along our journey. Like a wardrobe
that works for us, the right systems
allow us the piece of mind to function
at our best and know that the job
is getting done. For instance, if
your 'look' isn't current, it begs
the question, “what else is out of
date?” If you are stuck in the less
than current way of doing anything,
the subconscious association is that
you may be less than current in doing
everything. And, given what it takes
to stay on the cutting edge today,
if you are less than speeding along
the superhighway to success, you
are bound to be left behind.
Ask yourself:
1. Does your current
cell phone truly serve your needs?
2. Have you had the same phone
for two years or more?
3. Have you resisted upgrading
to the new phone technology because
you are 'comfortable' with the
old technology?
4. Do people look at your phone,
grin and say, “Wow, I haven't seen
one of those in some time?”
5. Has your phone or service provider
failed you more than once in the
last year at a critical moment?
Here are some tips
to get you thinking about what's
right for you:
- If you “live and die” by email
- get a phone that will keep
you connected and in sync. Find
a phone that synchronizes your
emails and your contacts with
your main computer. Be sure the
information you put on your computer
resides on your computer's hard
drive and not on your system's
server. Be sure to back up and
sync regularly.
- If you travel extensively -
be sure your phone will adapt
anywhere in the world without
pre-notification to your service
provider or anyone else.
- If you find your phone dropping
calls or not notifying you of
incoming calls or messages -
contact your service provider
immediately. If they cannot fix
your problem within a reasonable
timeframe, get out and move on.
There are others who will work
hard for your business.
These simple questions
and quick tips will, hopefully, allow
you to relax your cells - all of
them - explore some new options,
and prevent a disappearing phone
from causing the end of your world.