It is what it is.

I’ve come to hate that phrase with a passion. One of our managers, whenever faced with a particularly significant challenge, will respond with that saying. I’ve decided that the next time this manager says, “It is what it is,” I’m  going to respond with, “Because we let it be.”

It’s time to stop letting things get by because they require a modicum of effort to solve. It’s time to start thinking in terms of what you can do about the problem.

One of the interview questions I’ve taken to asking is “How lucky do you think you are on a scale of one to ten?” There has been research done on this topic, and when people believe they are lucky, they end up finding more opportunities and generally seeming to be more lucky because of their openness to challenges. People that believe they are unlucky are like this manager, and they feel like things happen to them without any control over it.

Do you know someone who uses one of those “catch all” phrases as an excuse?  Will you challenge them in a similar way to look within for an answer instead of throwing up their hands in defeat?