Thoughts and updates on patterns & life

I am a pattern person. We all are. For me, it’s not always an active or fully conscious thing, but my brain has a strong tendency to view and process events, characteristics, risks, outcomes, etc. through a framework — I don’t know what it is, really — that leans heavily on the recognition, application and refinement of patterns.

If you're similar, you know that sometimes this can feel like a little bit of a super power (sometimes, not so much). Despite not being in full cerebral control of the processing of patterns, I do try to be actively cognizant of the ability to leverage them to be more present and impactful in the way I participate in the world, both for myself and for others.

As a basic example - we can probably all agree, especially in hindsight, it is during circumstances where we had no alternate choice, no plan b, that we stretched the most, grew the most, learned the most, and typically, accomplished the most.

With that knowledge, I try to actively contemplate my actions in big and everyday scenarios as if there is no plan b, as if I had no choice but to do the [arguably hard(er) / riskier / but probably better] thing. That’s a simple use case.

Another could be recognizing shared character traits of strong leaders and consciously using those to identify personal blind spots and areas for growth, or using the same, along with patterns I’ve seen in motivators of those around me, to help encourage the nurturing of those traits in others.

It is not a conscious, “now I’m going to think about this,” exercise; it’s become muscle memory to apply learnings from patterns to situations as they happen. Doing so can help skip a few early hurdles, or what could otherwise be repeat missteps; or to understand and weigh risk more easily; to recognize regret from not taking a previous risk, OR to remember the 4 other times that looked like this one, where doing Y would have resulted in a more meaningful impact of X.

Everybody does this in some capacity, and many perhaps in exactly the same way I'm describing. And that's not to say the sole way by which we see the world is through the lens of patterns, but I have found making active use of patterns and history to be an efficiency driver in thinking and choosing action more swiftly and with more meaning.

So, why am I writing all of this?

Over time, I have seen some big patterns (in society, broadly) that I would like to help change.

• A pattern where doing what’s right is usually harder than doing the wrong thing, and most people prefer and choose (or feel forced to choose) easy over hard.
• A pattern in our culture and country, where compliance is often rewarded more heavily than hunger for and action toward expeditious, positive change.
• A pattern where many people have a propensity to see growth for others as loss for themselves, or people like them.
• One where people are often missing the engagement and context needed to find comfort in the discomfort of change and the unknown. And better yet - to get involved!
• One where people don’t always stand up for right, even when right and wrong is the choice squarely in front of them; and one where not everyone can even see the benefit or rationale in choosing right over wrong.
• Where, frankly, many people feel they always got the short end, so they may as well pass it along, and where many of the people who didn’t look down on and point fingers at people in shoes they’d never allow to set foot in their houses, let alone try walking in.
• Where bad habits fester and an integrity and leadership drought in our fabric as people means not everyone will use power for good, and where many people seek power for nothing more than merely to hold it.
• Where we often put bandaids we know aren't real solutions on generations of systems (not the technology kind) – that may have worked then, but aren't working now – instead of making investments in new ways of operating, including ones that directly benefit youth - the only ones who can keep meaningful progress going!

For me:

• The most important pattern is the one where I know I did the right thing every time – and I don't mean in the "it worked, it didn't work" way – I mean morally.
• And... the one where I know someone who needs and deserves it knows they can count on me to go to bat for them.
• Or, the one where what ultimately matters is what’s right, even if it doesn’t make every single person happy.
• And the one where it can never be a loss if it helped someone deserving win, or taught them how to next time. (Especially true and applicable with/to children!)
• The one where creating the chance for positive windfalls for others is more important than ensuring our own.
• And...the one where when we all actually listen, actually put truth over insecurity, and where we commit to always putting right over wrong, we move so much faster towards good - together.

These are just some of the patterns I desperately hope to see more of in the world. But as we know - hope is not a strategy.

And, (finally - and the whole point of this note) I recognize one more important pattern: I have always felt intrinsically called to make big change that is both broad and deep. So, I am currently taking some time to actively plan and contemplate how I will use all of this energy I have for bettering the world in the next chapter (and before it’s too late to make doing so in some capacity my life’s work!).

If you know me, you know I have so many strong passions and personal goals along the way, but the ultimate goal is to leave this earth knowing I gave it everything I have. If we've ever spent time together, worked together, laughed together, cried together, disagreed together, celebrated together, accomplished hard things together - thank you. There is not a single person who I have sat across from or walked alongside who hasn't had an impact on the way I see the world. I hope I always carry with me the best of every one of you for the duration of my time on this planet.

If you have ideas, words of encouragement, “I always thought you should do _____!!”s, exciting projects on the horizon, or just want to catch up, please reach out!