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Can you pivot like John Travolta?
Travolta was doomed, never to be seen again… then came Pulp Fiction.
He choreographed his own rhythm and his own moves; from Grease to the greasy diner (that dance with Uma Thurman!) – that turned out okay.
Right now, we’re all questioning what our next move will be. Do we stick or twist? Re-skill? Change direction? Or just keep going?
Who are we in this new world? Where do we want to be? The landscape is complex and uncertain. It triggers our fears which, in turn impacts our ability to think creatively, innovatively or strategically.
But we don’t feel comfortable acknowledging our fears; much less admitting that fear is undermining our future.
In the preface of Sapiens A Brief History of Humankind, Yuval Noah Harari writes: ‘I encourage all of us, whatever our belief, to question the basic narratives of our world, to connect past developments with present concerns and not be afraid of controversial issues.’
That means you. Me. All of us. What do you know about your narrative and how it shapes your world? Get curious, find out.
Try this on for size:
If you’re questioning your future as the world starts moving, look back and notice all that you’ve achieved. Instead of asking ‘Am I relevant?’, acknowledge all the small wins along the way, and ask “what really matters… to me?”.
Pull back and take an observer’s view. You’ll find that ‘Am I still relevant?’ becomes ‘is this still relevant for me?’
Self-awareness is not a frikkin’ ‘soft skill’; quite the opposite. It’s the fast-track to leadership and self-empowerment. Make it a priority and start writing a narrative that works for you.
Turn off the TV and take time to discover you. You’re worth it!
Get curious, clean your habitual ‘life’ lens and try a few alternatives.
Shift your focus from the external and look within to find your own answers.
And yes, make friends with your fear.
Playing with different lenses is not as straightforward as throwing a few moves on a Saturday night (remember when we used to do that?!), but with the right direction and a little practise, the future is yours to create.
