The "Popeye Point"

Rock singer Tina Turner endured years of physical and emotional abuse from her husband and co-performer Ike Turner. Like so many people in similar situations, she had been unable to muster up the determination to break out of the soul-destroying situation that was imprisoning her.

Then one day, after a particularly violent episode, something suddenly changed inside her. She became a different Tina Turner. She abrupty made a life-changing decision. She walked out and never came back.

Tina Turner had come to the "Popeye point."

The metaphor, familiar to most Americans but maybe not to others, refers to the long-surviving cartoon character Popeye (the sailor man); he's a good-natured, easy-going guy who tries to get through life as peacefully and cheerfully as possible. In the animated cartoon episodes, his emotional fortitude is always being tested by mean, nasty, abusive people around him, some of whom like to whale on him physically.

At a certain point in each episode, he reaches his tipping point ("That's all I can stands - I can't stands no more!"), after which he blows up. He whips out a can of spinach, downs it in one gulp, flexes his muscles, and then mops the floor with his tormenters.

I refer to that instant of self-assertion, metaphorically, as the Popeye point. I imagine that almost every functioning adult has had one or more big Popeye experiences during his or her life. I've tried to study some of mine, and I've been intrigued by what I've found. I want to learn more about this unique and intriguing psychological event.

More broadly defined, the Popeye point is the instant at which a person (you, me, we) decides to break out of an imprisoning life situation and asserts his or her own interests. It could be a bad marriage, an abusive relationship, a lousy job, a wrong business situation, an attachment to smoking, food, or ... ?

There are 3 criteria for the Popeye experiences I want to study:

1) There's a period of being "stuck" - unable to muster up the determination to change one's circumstances.

2) The decision to change comes suddenly - a flash of inspiration / determination / clarity, which I believe originates at some preconscious or visceral level, not the level of conscious processing.

3) The decision is irreversible; it's a permanent change.

I'm running a narrative survey questionnaire on my website, seeking to gather anecdotal evidence about individual Popeye experiences - what they're like, how they happen, what impact they have.

My hope is to illuminate the key "tipping factors" that are always or usually present, and see if we can learn to "cause" the Popeye point to trigger sooner, more cleanly, and more consciously in specific instances. This, I believe, would have a big potential impact for personal performance, either solo or with the help of a coach.

If you've had a Popeye experience in your life that you'd like to share, please click the link below and fill in the brief questionnaire. Your contribution will be most appreciated.

Popeye survey: http://www.KarlAlbrecht.com/surveys/popeyepointsurvey.htm

I'll report the results in a future blog article.

Feel free to pass on the link to anyone else you feel might be interested.

Feel free, as well, to add your comments to this particular blog topic.

Thanks,

Dr. Karl Albrecht

To find more information on this topic, visit http://www.KarlAlbrecht.com

Dr. Karl Albrecht is an executive management consultant, futurist, lecturer, and author of more than 20 books on professional achievement, organizational performance, and business strategy. He is also a leading authority on cognitive styles and the development of advanced thinking skills. His books Social Intelligence: the New Science of Success, Practical Intelligence: the Art and Science of Common Sense, and his Mindex Thinking Style Profile are widely used in business and education. The Mensa society honored him with its lifetime achievement award, for significant contributions by a member to the understanding of intelligence. Originally a physicist, and having served as a military intelligence officer and business executive, he now consults, lectures, and writes about whatever he thinks would be fun.