I lost power for 6 days

Last week, we had an ice storm and I lost power for 6 days. At first, it was simply annoying -- no internet, no netflix, no hot water. But, I told myself that we were having a little adventure and all that candle light was romantic!

?But by about day 3 (okay, if I’m being honest, 25 hours in) I was over it. Nothing but cold water from the tap quickly got old, eating random food from the freezer before it went bad made for some chaotic dinners (steak, puff pastry, and ice-cream anyone?), and as grateful as I was for our generator, that thing is deafening.?

When the power goes out, you realize how dependent you are on modern conveniences. But, after a few days, we settled into a new routine. We found ways to make our lives as comfortable as we could. I even learned a few new skills (like how to work a car inverter so I could do a zoom call from my minivan). I surprised myself.

But what amazed me the most was how hard it was to shake old habits. I mean, I knew that the electricity was off but I can’t tell you how many times I still flicked a light switch when walking into a room out of habit, or how many times I went to make coffee in the coffee maker and wondered why it wasn’t working. One morning, I even put bread in the toaster and stood there waiting like an idiot wondering why it was taking so long.?

Old habits die hard.

I see it all the time in BU. Even people who have been Builders for a while sometimes slip back into leadership. Afterall, we’ve spent years being trained on how to be leaders. Just like I reached for the light switch or turned on the coffee maker knowing that it wasn’t working, sometimes, especially in times of stress, we still reflexively reach for that leadership strategy or those leadership tools even though we know they don’t work.?

When that happens, it helps to be around other Builders who can remind you that there is a better way. Just last week during BU Office Hours, I had to point out to a Builder that the reason she was struggling was that she was trying to use a leadership strategy. She was flicking the leadership switch but there was no power there. The moment she realized that, she breathed a huge sigh of relief. Immediately, she shifted to Buildership and suddenly, she could see a way through her challenge and things felt manageable again.?

We all fall into old habits sometimes, wasting time trying to make something work when it has no power. But instead of flicking a dead switch over and over, stop. Remind yourself that you’re a Builder now. There is a better way.

Then build a new habit ?#LikeABuilder.?

P.S. I’m hosting a special masterclass for people inside the BU Community to help them overcome teacher overwhelm and learning gaps and I’ve made a few tickets available for people outside of BU. If you would like to join me on Tuesday, March 4 at 7:00 PM ET for a hands-on masterclass—The 5 In/5 Out Method?: A Proven Strategy to Simplify Teaching and Eliminate Gaps, just click here. You’ll walk away with a custom plan to help your teachers focus on what matters most and set students up for success at every grade level.

Save your seat here for just $149 — replay included if you can’t make it live!