Uncomfortable Truths of Growth

The truth of how we learn, and grow is rarely as clean, straightforward, fast, or glamorous as we are led to believe! But this isn’t just limited to a comment on what is presented to us externally from the world around us; it’s also a comment on the chasm between our own desire for growth to be easier or faster and the reality of the actual experience.?

In Walden, Henry David Thoreau points out that?“All change is a miracle to contemplate; but it is a miracle which is taking place every instant.” ?

I love that reminder of a miracle that is taking place in every moment... The truth and power of Both/And is never far away!

I saw some stunning drone footage last week of two whales, a mother and her calf - captured by my friend and very talented Creative Director, Stef Hanson .

I watched the short clip Stef put together a few times in a row. It was inspiring to be able to observe the two of them moving through the water from the vantage point of Stef’s drone. Then I read the caption she had written alongside the video and two things stood out to me:?

1. When you’re doing something BIG, movement can look and feel very slow even when the distances or significance is anything but small.?

Stef wrote: “It looks like I'm filming in slow motion, but they're just so big that everything to us looks that way. It's an unbelievable sight.”? You can watch her footage here to get a sense of what she is describing.??

Whether it’s a massive organisation, an entrenched social issue, or a life-altering personal shift you’re dealing with when the change or growth we’re working on is big we can be tricked into believing that everything is in slow motion.?

I have felt that on numerous occasions in my life and need a quiet moment of reflection, or the prompt of a trusted advisor, to lift me up enough to the vantage point of a drone. To remind me to look around and get some perspective on the truth of the distance I have already travelled and the significance of the work I’m doing.?

2. Learning something new happens best when we slow it down.??

Stef said that the video was a “Mumma and her calf, and she was teaching the little guy how to breach.” That got me thinking about the conditions we need to develop. Here’s a few of the things I’ve learnt through my own journey, focused study, and observance of others over the decades.?

Learning something new happens best when you:??

• slow it down??

• break it down into more manageable parts??

• embrace deliberate practice??

• have a patient and thoughtful mentor(s)??

• run the reps repeatedly.?

Nothing about that is fast, or glamorous but it allows you to hone the skill and then execute with seemingly effortless precision. Things don’t become second nature without practice.??

When you sit with some of the uncomfortable, but powerful, truths of growth what comes up for you??

Are there things you could look at differently, where the perspective of the drone or the role of a mentor helping you engage in deliberate practice might be helpful and encouraging???

Do you need a reminder of the truth of the distance you’ve already travelled and the significance of the work you’re doing??

Do you need to run the reps until it’s second nature??

?

If change and growth are on your radar in your business or leadership journey, I’d love chat and explore if there are ways I could support you. Feel free to book a time in my diary using this link.?