LISTEN:
I was out for my Saturday morning run, well before the big heatwave would roll in later that day!
As I run on the sidewalk of one of the “main drags” of town, I still remain vigilant of cars that suddenly appear and want to enter. This particular morning, a car came barreling down to the stop sign.
I was close enough to make out the driver…or at least the back of his head.
He made a quick “rolling” stop, while looking out to his left for oncoming cars. There were none. He accelerated out of his “roll,” and proceeded quickly to the right and merged onto the road.
He never saw me.
I only hoped my terse rebuke – which included a few choice words which I won’t share here – somehow made it into his stream of consciousness. I doubt they did.
It’s pretty easy for people with years of driving experience to eschew looking out to the right when they “know” that they don’t have to worry about traffic from that direction. The problem is that they have no idea what runners, walkers, and bicyclists may be there in their path. I’m glad I was looking straight ahead.
In our business, it’s easy to get into a pattern of “rolling stops.” The days seem to be getting back to a sameness and it’s effortless to avoid taking in all the information around us. The consequences are short-sighted decisions that could cost the business revenue, reputation, or calamity.
In our careers, we can also be vulnerable to focusing too much on where we intend to go without considering all aspects with a 360 degree lens.
And finally, the predictability of daily living that became monotonous for many during the pandemic may also have made us susceptible to blindly missing both mishaps and good fortune.
This is more than a “look both ways” narrative.
I was looking ahead, attentive to what was in front of me. I don’t listen to music when I run in an effort to establish a clear mind. It also keeps me from being careless in my journey.
In all areas of our lives, while looking both ways draws clarity to our surroundings and information, keeping our attention and focus at what’s in front of us is a discipline that will both avert disaster and get us to your goals faster and in one piece.
Note: In July, I’m embarking on a new program around being “Unleashed.” The concepts will be around advancing motivation, inspiration, and ideas for you to create a more rewarding life.
The announcement will come right after the Independence Day holiday. If you’d like an early sneak peak, email me with the subject – Get Unleashed!
Quote of the Week:
“Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.”
~ Eleanor Roosevelt
© 2021 Toro Consulting, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Unleashed is the registered trademark of Toro Consulting, Inc.
