What complex process have you done so many times you’re utterly confident about your ability to pull it off? Can you take a vegetable garden from new ground to dinner table? Bathe a reluctant, grumpy, bedridden patient? Turn a box of financial data into a ship-shape tax form? Playing a violin concerto?
For me, it’s moving. I’ve moved so many times the mystery’s long gone. I know that if I do this, then this, if I push through this part, if I don’t do that, then it’s done, on time, and all is well.
After I returned the big rental truck to Vancouver a few days ago, I stayed overnight at a friend’s house. She wowed me with this useful bit of brilliance: use what you do well as a template for what you wish you did well.
I keep getting stumped about money. But when I consider what I know about moving as a template for learning about earning, light bulbs go on over my head. Oh! I get it. If I do this and this – commit to an unchangeable deadline, strong-arm through the nasty bits, hire help, make progress easily measureable, build in rewards, and lots else – I suddenly understand how to transfer my success skills from one topic to another.
Find your success templates, then change the topic. You already know how to succeed.
Photo by Grace: New View from Our New Home
Related reading: The Fun of Change, Commit to Difference
10 Comments
Grace, thanks for that -and lovely view! I lost count of how many times I have moved this lifetime and as I look to another move I am letting go of the things I don’t use – a big part of my moving ritual – and seasonal routine. So now I might apply that to my work – brilliant – we have work to do :-0
So here’s what I’m thinking: if one were to use one’s success template in various other areas of one’s life, one could potentially be successful in all areas of one’s life. Now! How cool is that?!
What a great idea Grace! Thanks!
Yeah. It boggled my mind, too, Jo. The template idea was like a good kind of virus – oozing through my whole life, spreading positive possibilities in every area that has stumped me so far.
Denise, we followed that plan, too. The amount of stuff we processed through and out during this move was phenomenal. And hilarious. Contstanly, one or the other of us was wandering in with a bemused look to ask, “Do you think we really need to keep this…?” Collection of rubber bands. Broken doo-dad. Massive collection of you-name-it that we haven’t thought about in almost a decade. I’ve felt immensely freed by the process.
I just finished *another* purge of my place. I live in a small apartment with a small balcony and try to live as simple and frugal a life as possible, freeing myself for those paths I wish to walk, none of which include caring for “stuff”. And yet. It is utterly amazing to me how stuff can accumulate here and there, in corners and the backs of shelves if one is *constantly* vigilant – and really who has that kind of time? Frankly, I think it breeds at night. Surely I can’t bring *all* that stuff in here, can I?
As I clear out, I can literally feel my soul expand. It’s a great feeling!
A very interesting approach. It’s all about perspective, isn’t it? You got me thinking, too. For me, it’s about getting through the airport. I’ve traveled so much on business that I know how to get through security quickly and efficiently. I’m going to document that process and see how I can overlay that to other aspects of my life. Thanks!
Love this! Just tweeted it. Now gotta DO it. Rainy day here = perfect backdrop to put some thoughts on paper for success template transfers … Thanks, as always.
This is brilliant! And so obvious…why didn’t I think of it? Take the template for success for things at which you have been successful and apply it to something at which you aspire to be successful.
Pancakes. I do them every weekend morning. Know the recipe by heart and my pancakes are awesome. And here’s the thing…it took me about 10 weeks to make them consistently good. Had to experiment with temperature, different pans, ingredients, techniques…what a great metaphor to apply to other areas of my life! Esp. those where I expect instant success and get frustrated or bored when I don’t achieve it.
Glad you’re back, Grace! Missed you!
Yay, everyone! I love all the examples (from airport security to pancakes!). It’s funny how the tiniest shift in perspective can open whole worlds. I suppose it’s like the keyhole: tiny little space, but you can see a whole room if you put your good eye close enough.
Thanks for all your comments and enthusiasm.
My apologies for not posting something else this week – call it moving box labyrinth plus Internet hook-up hiccups. Please don’t go away….
Love to you all,
Grace
~ Emerging sun. Light breeze. Calm sea. ~
Following seas to you Grace! Don’t worry about us, we understand about moving hiccups, and trauma generally. We’ll wait!