It's Making Me Late

Few mental images correspond to feelings of anticipation like that of a 16-year-old me standing outside of a 1 Hour Photo shop at the mall, waiting for film to develop.

Within 55 minutes after film drop-off, friends and I would begin staring through the shop window, foreheads against the glass, studying the carousel of glossy pictures slowly emerging from the photo machine, our necks craned, eyes squinting, excited by the prospect of reliving memories now preserved by the modern-day gift that was Kodachrome.

Of all the time saving technology to enter the mainstream in my lifetime—the microwave, GPS, remote control everything—digital photography feels, to me, like one of the bigger cultural shifts.

Gone is the anticipation of waiting to see if the light was right, if both eyes were open, how many birthday candles survived the first blow. Now we can take 20 photos, review them immediately, deleting that one where so-and-so was talking and it makes them look drunk. 

I have embraced countless new technologies over decades, but what I have gained in efficiency, I have regrettably and undeniably lost in patience. What was once the excitement of anticipation now feels like a countdown clock on the gameshow that is life.

Tell me, can you relate?

Let's imagine a scale of one to ten — ten being that you could sit alone, in silence, until the next season of cicadas are due to arrive; one being that a long line at the grocery store leaves you questioning if food is even that important. On the scale of 1 to 10, how patient are you?

Let's explore anticipation and what that feel like to you, is it a good thing or does it make you antsy?

More notably, how is patience—or a lack thereof— impacting your long term goals? Is it helping or hindering you?

Does down time feel like wasted time, and, if so, why?

As your coach, my aim is to help you focus on what it is you're working toward, not stress you out with a ticking time clock. I'll help you identify realistic and helpful milestones in order to measure your progress, and, as much as possible, help you enjoy the anticipation of what it is you are working toward. 

Think of it as a couple of teenagers, foreheads against the glass, excited about the prospects of what is yet to come. Sounds like old time fun to me. 

SNOW Excuses

Just last week I was talking about daffodils blooming and the early signs of Spring. Today, local ski fields opened to a fresh 51 centimetres of snow, just from the last 48 hours, and more has been forecast for the weekend ahead.

Full disclosure, I briefly considered a pass on this week's letter, but my conscience got the better of me. There is little doubt skiers and snow boarders will be feeling the pull of the mountain today, or perhaps the sudden, unexpected onset of a cold.  

Have you ever fudged an excuse for taking a day off work, or school, or getting out of a social or family obligation? Right, right. Okay, me either.

But what about other times, when the excuse— or reason, justification, rationale, grounds or case to be made— is with yourself? I'm thinking about the big themes in your life, like what you really want or what you're capable of, and the reasons you tell yourself it can't happen, or why it can't happen now.

They need someone with more experience. I'm waiting until the kids are grown. I would need to go back to school for that. I would if I had someone to do it with. I don't have the right team. Management doesn't understand. No one will read it. It's not important. No one will want to hire me. That's not my style. I don't have time. It's too late. I'm too old. There is always next year.

What excuse are you leaning on the most? What would happen if we dug into that a little, what might you learn or discover?

It's possible you have shared your reasons out loud, with friends or a spouse or a co-worker, seeking feedback or confirmation. And good for you, saying things out loud can be a helpful step.

What I'm offering you is different.

As your coach, I bring no judgement to the conversation, or preconceived ideas about what you should do. Even if your rationale rings a little hollow —sure, I understand eating that entire tub of ice cream so you wouldn't be tempted by it tomorrow— it's not for me say if your reasoning is weak or strong.

How I can help is going a little deeper inside those reasons, and making sure they are rooted in facts and information, not just feelings and suppositions. A little inside scoop: sometimes it's a combination. 

Whatever the case, it's good information to have so you can move forward with confidence in your decisions, and clarity about what you're actually trying to achieve.

So what do you say, ready to get started? I am if you are. No excuses.