The Stages Of Life Are Not What You Think

When I think back to my childhood and the holidays in the DC area, my best memories are the Christmas plays. The classics, such as A Christmas Story andThe Nutcracker, performed at renowned theaters like Ford’s or the Kennedy Center.

And what I especially remember is the evaporated line between the stage and everything else in the theater. Everyone had a role.

A story plays out on every stage. Simply to be aware of the story is to be a part of the story. ← Worth re-reading.

Like actors in the theater or dancers in the ballet, some of us naturally want to move to the center of the stage. Fast.

Others of us find comfort off to the sides?—?where there is space to take a step forward, back, or stay put. Here, you influence the story but your actions draw much less attention compared to those at center stage where the tiniest movement is brightly spotlighted. The sides have its advantages.

While center stage might not be everyone’s final destination, the storyline itself is not static. It shifts and moves. As in live theater, the predictable can immediately become unpredictable through unplanned changes of direction or messaging.

Even if you’re good with your place on the stage, the story eventually could move closer to you, and perhaps right over to you.

If it happens, will you be ready…

to step up?

to deliver the line?

to serve the bigger cause?

to connect with the audience?

The story that calls you is an opportunity to align with a force greater than your own. Your small part will reframe the center of the stage.

In life, keep this in mind:

1) The path to the center of the stage is anything but direct. It moves up, down, and sideways. The path meanders because the story meanders.

2) Choose your story wisely. Being on the side of a good stage is better than being in the center of the wrong one.

This week is the perfect time to look at your story and your position on its stage.

I transfer my experience and strategies learned as an Olympic Champion, Coach, and CEO to move you towards your “Best Moments” at work and in life. My platforms include performance coaching, professional speaking,videos, and my weekly newsletter, “Sunday Morning Joe.”