WARNING: This is a long one. Nonetheless, you may find yourself wanting to read the whole thing.
Take a few minutes and savor for the sake of story and your QUANTUM LEAP…
It’s been an interesting few weeks. This is the first time in years that I decided that it was time to stop all the pushing and “making stuff happen” and enjoy summer for what it is—slow, and filled with a different kind of business building: deepening relationships, making and building new ones and above all, having fun!
In the last few weeks I’ve been in Hawaii for a family affair, traveled close to 20 hours to the opposite side of the country to spend time with my business partner and friend in Nantucket, and as I write, I am sitting in a bar on Martha’s Vineyard, having just returned from spending time with my friend and her family on one of the Elizabethan Islands. Every leg of this trip I’ve slowed down. At this point I’m probably on speed with turtles. There is incredible value in slowing down and disconnecting. I had intended to catch up this last leg but lucky for me, the WIFI quit. With low reception and no WIFI, I was forced to stop altogether. What a gift! I got to connect with new friends, got to be curious about their stories, laugh, be present and have all sorts of awesome adventures.
I feel incredibly grateful and blessed for this time. As I prepare for the final leg of my trip that will take me back to Nantucket and eventually, back to Cali, I’m thinking about my favorite moments in this last place. Difficult, cuz it was filled with them.
Probably one of the most peaceful places I’ve ever been to and a profound reminder to get back to the basics, and, go with the flow, ahm, current…
No cars, no WIFI, an actual telephone if really necessary, walk or take a boat if you want to get somewhere and well, focus your attention on yacking it up with friends, cooking LOTS of amazing food (the clams you have dug with your very own feet) and appreciating everything and everybody for what’s most important: their unique skills and talents.
A favorite moment was the story telling at the long dinner table when someone comes up with a question, and everybody contributes their own unique version of the story. What fun and what a great way to get to know everybody better!
Another one, and the inspiration for this post, was the ritual jumping off a narrow bridge into the incredibly fast current, rushing underneath at the turning of the tides, emptying Buzzards Bay into the Atlantic. What a glorious moment when your only option is letting yourself be carried by the current, relaxing into the flow of the fast waters, giving up control and going with it until you can easily exit into an eddy.
If you insist on having it your way and controlling the moment, you’ll only struggle and can end up getting swept into the Atlantic.
Translating this to business…
Look at where you are expending tremendous energy that gets you nowhere fast. Where you could stop pushing and pulling and get a lot more results if you surrendered and went with the flow.
Where are you insisting on having it your way and missing effortless opportunities to create the best outcomes possible?
The key is this: when you find yourself struggling, more often than not, you are missing something or you are not seeing the big picture that allows you to connect to your WHY and to the rockstar methods that High Performers use when they are on their game.
Step back. Take the time to notice. Observe what’s working and what isn’t. Proceed with passion and purpose.
If you find yourself struggling along the way, you might be able to participate in a powerful solution. But I’ll tell you about that another time…
Big Love,
Simone