Words that caught us: W is for Wayfinding (Part 3)
We presented
a list of 13 issues
Regarding
the jar,
That
we, probably, have never considered.
There
is a 14th one.
It’s
the most difficult step in this puzzle,
And, perhaps,
the most critical one.
It’s
the bump that slows down all of us.
We
all know that the jar is presently full,
And that,
for us to add anything in,
We
have to, first, get something out.
Assuming
we all know
What
needs to get out and go in,
Why
do we hesitate and suffer so much?
It
should be as easy as ABC, right?
We
should be able to do it in one fell swoop, shouldn’t we?
Why,
then, is it so hard?
And
what exactly is difficult with this?
Is it
the act of removing, or adding?
In
other words, what is the relative difficulty between
Letting go, moving on, and starting over?
We
mostly underestimate the cost and trouble
Of switching
and pivoting;
And that leads us to under-invest in the process.
Unfortunately, switching and pivoting doesn’t just happen.
And when it does, its non-linear,
Happening in fits and starts,
Never
in one-smooth-pull of the lever.
Take
the rocks in our lives, for example.
We
have already invested heavily in these rocks.
It
has cost us time, resources and emotional labour,
To tend
to them and be where we are today.
Think
of switching careers, or closing a business,
And
moving into a completely new terrain.
That’s
not a decision to be taken lightly,
Or,
on the spur of the moment.
And, its not for the faint hearted, either.
The
sunk costs run high and deep.
We
debate and contemplate.
We ruminate
over the pros and cons.
It
takes time, energy and hesitation to arrive at that point,
Where
we realize we’ve to bite the bullet,
Let
go of the rock, and start over.
And
that’s not all.
Our
rocks have been sleeping comfortably
Next
to our pebbles and sand,
And they
have developed, over the years,
Great
alignment, synergy and affinity for each other.
We all
love our pebbles and sand,
Especially
the sand!
Someone
looking keenly at our typical day
And how
we spend our time,
Will
discover some interesting, if not weird, stories.
How
much time is dedicated to our rocks?
How
much is spent on the phone?
Or
browsing the internet, watching sports,
Or gossiping
with friends?
The
truth is, we don’t spend a much time on our rocks
As we
probably think, or assume, we are.
A
look at our monthly expenses
Will
more likely reveal that some sizeable amount
Goes
into things we crave for,
But
don’t actually need?
How
much of this sand are we willing to pour out,
In
order to concentrate and focus on our new rock?
Rarely, if at all, do old habits produce improvements.
They are our sand.
To move forward, we’ll need to work hard
At pouring most of it out,
At replacing it with new and shiny sand.
Easier said, than done!
It’s very
difficult to break free
From
established patterns of thought and action.
We, unintentionally,
stay attached to our past.
Our brains love cheat sheets.
And that's exactly what habits are!
Our
routines and habits are our 'platforms'.
Just
like google, safaricom or adroid/iOS,
They
are constantly humming in the background, unseen.
They
keep us locked in, tight and comfortable.
Any
switching comes at great hesitation,
Pain
and discomfort.
That’s
why we defer the decision,
Until
it’s too late,
Or, until
we have run out of options.
Is
your wayfinding weighed down by high sunk costs?
Or,
are your wheels stuck and spinning in the sand?
Here's where the battle is waged.
We can’t move on, or start over,
Until and unless we accept to release, and let go.
What
are you finding most difficult to accept to let go?
What’s
holding you back?
*Today’s reflection has been inspired by this tweet by @wiseconnector.
**Highly recommended: ‘Atomic Habits’ by James Clear and ‘Think Again’ by Adam Grant
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