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As most of you know, I have been back in Ohio touring and working with teams and state associations, but I was also able to squeeze in a few personal visits. As I was visiting a friend’s house to catch up on life and work, and it was such a beautiful day (when I first arrived to Ohio) that we decided to sit outside.
My friend has a gorgeous new deck with beautiful seating and plants, and we discussed the process of the update - and of course, as you know, many of my daily interactions always have me thinking of all of you!
She shared with me about the process of finding the right contractor and the hassle of comparing prices and portfolios, and all about the stress she felt committing to such a big change. The truth is, this was the second deck she had designed for her home and the deck she just replaced still felt new to her.
But listen, don’t tell her I said this — in reality, her deck was falling apart and she needed the new one. She had replaced a few planks on the old one, but there were parts that were starting to rot, it had large splinters sticking out, and it was neither pleasant to look at nor to walk on. It felt like it was going to collapse at any point, and I hated standing on it when I would go to see her!
So why did it still feel “new” to her? She said that it had been a big investment and taken a lot of time to choose the builder and design, much like the new renovation she just went through. In other words, it was a lot of work, time, and money, and even though it was long paid off, she remembered the experience and was attached to it.
This feeling she had is natural, and it’s a resistance that can come up in our work and keep us stuck doing things the “old” or “traditional” way. When we put a lot of time or money into a specific item, service, or method, we feel attached. But as time marches on, the old items, services, and methods we’ve been using can’t always keep up with our new needs.
Antiquated methods lose effectiveness and get big old splinters and soft, rotting spots.
Just like my friend’s deck had given its time and served its purpose, some of the old ideas and methods that used to work wonders have also given their time and served their purpose.
Have you stopped to consider what new ideas are out there? Instead of getting attached to things we’ve done and tried in the past, why not consider the updates you can make in your work and time management? Maybe that’s a new organizational platform or an overhaul of your budget. Maybe it’s new signage for your lobby, or maybe it’s that huge change you’ve been resisting, telling yourself it’s still “good enough.” Check your splinters, soft spots, and rot. Ask yourself, is this something I can patch, or do I need a new stone patio?