Pivot As Needed
Remember last week, when I wrote about writing at the Office? Well, I had such a great experience the first time, I decided to come back here again. When I arrived, I sat down and immediately found my flow. After two hours, with a huge smile on my face, I got up to take a quick break and use the bathroom. I came back not 3 minutes later and there was a gentleman standing very close to where my stuff was. He seemed to be just ordering a drink and I assumed maybe he would take it to another seat - after all, the entire bar was open. Unfortunately, I was wrong.
I sat down and immediately opened up my laptop and began working again but what just 5 minutes prior was the perfect working scenario, I now had someone 5 feet from me singing along to the restaurant playlist. As the lyrics to freeze frame were coarsely repeated, I laughed at my situation.
…freeze-frame, freeze-frame, freeze-frame …
I am writing a book on all the things you can to try and increase the possibility of reaching your goals. I have theories and case studies and statistics that show all the things you can do to stay motivated and be successful, but this right here is a solid reminder that sometimes you can do everything right and someone still sits next to you to mess up your flow. When that happens though, we have a choice. We can get mad and give up, or we can pivot as needed.
…little ditty about Jack and Diane, two American kids growing up in the heart land…
Once I realized I had lost my flow in the book and couldn't think about anything but the lyrics this man was reciting, I decided to flip over to my OneNote and start writing this Sunday Starter. It may not be what I was hoping to accomplish today, but it's still something that will get me toward my goal. I think the reason I was able to pivot so quickly is because of the book I was listening to on my run this morning - Mindset, by Carol S. Dweck PhD.
…my love for you will still be strong after the boys of summer have gone…
Carol Dweck is the person that studied and created the idea of a growth mindset, which is the understanding that we can change, including our intelligence. In other words, everything that we are, is not fixed. When that man sat down, I wanted to declare this situation as something that I was not capable of overcoming. It's something we all do when things get hard. We say something like "that's just not who I am." Anytime you hear yourself giving up because "that's just the way you are" I want you to pause and remember that everything, even your IQ, can change. Nothing about you is fixed, unless you decide it is.
…this is the story about joe and bobby sue, two young lovers…
Having a growth mindset or a fixed mindset isn't something we have or don’t have. It's a spectrum that will ebb and flow in certain situations but just being aware of it will allow you to pull yourself out of being "fixed" when it happens. Maybe when the day started, I couldn’t overcome this situation, but that doesn’t mean today won’t be the day I do. The next time you want to give up, try to pivot instead.
…bye, bye miss American Pie…
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