Embracing the Unexpected

Christmas is this Saturday—not that you needed the reminder. Stores in North America have been getting us ready since Halloween.

What is often missed in the bustle of the holiday season is that there is a lot to learn from the Christmas story—even for those that don’t celebrate the holiday.?

As you know, for believers, Jesus is the Son of God born to a virgin mother. No one expected the Messiah to be born in a stable to a couple of kids from unremarkable families. Mary, the teen mother, and her husband Joseph, a carpenter, were both rather surprised as well—to put it mildly. Yet, they took on the unexpected.?

While getting your head wrapped around being talked to by angels and the rest isn’t a likely experience for us, the importance of embracing the less miraculous unexpected things rings true in our own lives. Not only is the unexpected inevitable, but it can also often unlock far greater opportunities than we ever planned for ourselves. When I think back on my life, some of my best-laid plans didn’t pan out, and some of the unexpected, even seemingly unwanted events, were the most transformational.??

Two elements of the Seven-Point Framework of Personal Disruption?--Examine Expectations and Be Discovery Driven—are anchored in the understanding that to experience significant growth, we must embrace the unexpected.?

Accelerant #5, Examine Expectations, acknowledges we all have expectations of what should happen, and, if not managed well, they can sabotage our ability to grow. When expectations misalign with reality, we are often disappointed and frustrated. It is unlikely that delivering her first child in a stable and laying him in a manger was a part of Mary’s birth plan, and Joseph did not plan on marrying a woman who was already with child. The Christmas Story is full of misaligned expectations.

Even in our own time, plans don’t often go the way we want them to go. Mary and Joseph’s experiences serve as a reminder that we often carry expectations that we don’t even know we have until, suddenly, they aren’t met.??

How can you spot a moment when there is a gap between expectations and reality? One clue is if you see the word “should.” If you find yourself saying, “things should be different” or “I should have gotten that opportunity,” it may be time to examine your expectations.

The next time this happens, reflect on what happened or didn’t happen the way you thought it should. Have an honest conversation with yourself about where your expectations came from and if they were accurate.?

The seventh accelerant, Be Discovery Driven, reminds us that while we might have a plan or a desired path, the greatest growth comes from discovery and curiosity. From an individual perspective, being discovery-driven allows us to continue to grow, follow our strengths, and build the path meant for us. In a recent Disruption Advisor podcast, ?Eric Schurenberg and I discussed how?we often hold this linear narrative for success: the child prodigy who becomes a concert pianist or the brilliant wunderkind who becomes the brain surgeon––but the reality is only a few of us follow a strictly linear path through life. We meander. And there is beauty and value in meandering.?

When you don’t know what is coming around the next corner, be fueled by curiosity instead of becoming paralyzed with uncertainty.?

Regardless of your religion, the Christmas story can serve as a reminder that sometimes the thing we least expect is the thing we need the most. As we near the end of 2021 and you reflect on the year, look for the places where your expectations misalign with reality.?

In what ways is reality greater than your expectations?

Consider how your path differed from your plan. Did discovery fuel you??

How can you embrace the unexpected in 2022??

Personal Note: For those of you that do celebrate Christmas, it is my sincerest hope that you have a blessed Christmas holiday.?

P.S. Smart Growth: How to Grow Your People to Grow Your Company, Whitney's latest book, is available for preorder now.

P.P.S. The start of a new year is the perfect opportunity to get serious about your growth as an individual or the growth of your team. On January 20, join me for a unique online gathering: Begin, Grow, Pivot, and Learn. I am honored to join three remarkable individuals: Apolo Ohno, Pamay Bassey, and Michael Bungay Stainer, for a 90-minute, interactive experience to help you ask and answer the critical questions that will leave you with insights and tools to jumpstart your year ahead.