The cost of complaining

Most of us have heard people including ourselves complain for most of our lives. What has it ever accomplished? The standard result is the frustration of everyone we are around. Complaining generally upsets those in authority, creating unsettled relationships. It also, as we all have come to realize, solves nothing. Complaining alone fails to bring any positive results. So why continue?

Recognizing that there is something wrong in a situation, is not the problem, it is how we go about revealing it. Shining light on an issue is good if done in a way that promotes solutions. Simply saying “hay this is bad” does not usually produce the results the speaker desires, unless the speaker simply desires to whine.

When we see something that needs correcting, or simply an adjustment, we should speak out about it so it can be repaired or modified to accomplish the true agenda of the task. But along with revealing the problem we should offer a solution or a direction to a solution.

In the case where we have determined that the issue is much bigger, then revealing the problem again is essential, but again revealing the problem without also an indication of a solution that addresses the intended role of the original task most likely will only be seen as whining. Whining is most often seen as part of the problem and in no way a part of the solution.

We each in our time have, and in many cases are, frustrated with the status quo. But each of us should not just cry out this is wrong but instead take the time and effort to envision a solution or at the bare minimum a direction to look for the solution. Concerns with solutions are much better received and have a vastly greater probability of obtaining our goals than simply complaining.

Perception declares that whiners complain while people of character bring up concerns. The actual cost of complaining is how we are perceived. We need to stop complaining and instead, bring up concerns.