We often go through life making 2 vital assumptions.
1. Energy is abundant. This implies we have enough energy to say yes to many projects, commitments and ideas. This also means we have enough energy (and, as a result, time) to spend time with people we may not like, working with colleagues we don’t learn from and going through life surrounded by those who suck our energy.
2. Opportunities are limited. This implies that there isn’t enough out there for all of us. Everyone around us are competition for the same limited resources. Jealousy, envy and constant comparisons with others are all part of the game. It’s vital we hoard as much money as we can in comparison to our immediate circle of people because there’s only so much out there.
What if we flipped them around?
Suddenly, we realize that there is enough out there for all of us. We realize that we have a duty to share, to give and to develop. Perhaps, most importantly, we realize that we can’t spread ourselves out too thin when it comes to what we say yes too. And that realization is typically followed by one that emphasizes that we can’t afford to spend our limited energy on people who suck our energy. That we are much better off spending our time with people who fill us with energy, optimism and life i.e. the ‘No Asshole’ rule.
(In case you are worried about those who you might be walking away from, don’t worry. We humans are not too bad at taking obvious hints. We live and we learn.)
Inch wide and mile deep is what we need, and what the world needs. It takes focus to get to the inch and energy to dig a mile deep. Options to find that inch are in multitude. Our energy is limited.
When we do realize that the opposite to both our standard assumptions are true i.e. that it is opportunities that are abundant while energy is limited… our lives are never the same again.
We are transformed. Just like that.
A Learning a Day 