14 seconds
If you were a fly on my wall now, you would have heard me talking to my dogs. A lot. My family has travelled to our country of origin, and both my kids are enjoying their summer camps. After years of observing their summertime journeys to individuality, I know that their (and hence ours) happiness score is inversely correlated with time spent calling parents.
For the record. No calls from my daughter (yet). My boy called me twice. 14 seconds each time.
THINK. So, I have plenty of time to think and catch up on reading.
I am truly glad I read 'Range. How Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World' by David Epstein. Such a range of disciplines all integrated into a single narrative - the power of broad experiences leading to breakthrough innovations, better decisions, long term impact and collective power of teams. Great mix of stories, case studies, research, and theory.
While I noted many nuggets I intend to observe and apply in my professional life as a leader of large organizations, here is but a few least obvious:
Lateral thinking is a way to apply technologies and methods from one discipline in another, most often accomplishing innovation that is beyond what deep specialists can envision.
'Cognitive entrenchment' is the biggest risk: we tend to overvalue our own ideas, we find it hard to abandon projects we invested time, effort, and money (a false aspect of 'not quitting'), we cherry-pick details that conform with our point of view. The art of letting go of one's tools is so hard that can lead to actual loss of life (vide cases of wildfire firefighters who have not imagined dropping their equipment while escaping fire!)
The immediate test results are not the best proxy for long-term knowledge. It's the desired difficulties that help integrate and make connections to other pieces.
Spacing is one of the best learning strategies. Same as rest in athlete training, it is often undervalued (I am making this mistake on and on and end up too exhausted).
We might be pushing kids in middle school and college to specialize too soon. To find a fit, there is no other way than trying.
While trying, be a deliberate ignorant. It is through asking questions that we uncover the most, not through listening to our own voice.
Learning about learning and solving problems is just fascinating. Well, to me it is.
FEEL. The intermittent solitude also means movies I marked to watch. Usually, the ones that require some concentration, reflection, and emotional impact.
'Anatomy of a Fall' is one of these. It tells a story of a married couple and their 11-year-old, vision impaired son, living in a chalet in high mountains if France. Both writers by spirit and profession, they seem to be having a complex relationship. But we are discovering it through retrospections and stories of court witnesses because the Fall happens.
What sounds like a crime story (did she kill him, or did he just fall?), turns into an intense journey into human soul in many of its diverse features. Uncomfortable for most of the time, we are confronted with layers of stories, longings, and possible motivations. The witnesses and the defendant herself help us peek beyond the obvious and dig beneath the surface. Reasons, reactions, and moods create a patchwork of meanings that seem to undermine the previous belief. We think we know, but then we discover new depths.
The story appealed to me at a few levels. How much do we really know about another human being? We continuously make assumptions, but can we validate truths? How much accountability we can and should be taking for mental state of others? Where is the division line between pursuing one's ambitions and sacrifices made for the loved ones? Is there even a point of fragile balance?
Not the easiest 150 minutes, but well worth it.
DO. So how do I drink my own Kool-Aid and integrate thoughts and feelings into action? Most growth and change begin from self-awareness, embracing who we are today and whom we want to be tomorrow.
Two impactful conversations with clever people, I sat down to evaluate my strengths using Clifton Strengths methodology. I also wanted to reflect on my blind spots and emotional baggage, using EMS (Early Maladaptive Schemas) therapy framework. While the first pass outcome was not a surprise to me at all, what matters now is the reflection, exploration and... emotional fitness training.
Often, we get bogged down by all the things that we could do better, forgetting about things we do really well. Aspects of our personality that makes us - us. Same goes for the baggage - there is a reason it is there! It is how we train ourselves to lift, carry (and occasionally drop) that would help us face it with a constructive attitude. What happened to us is not our identity.
On that note, you are most welcome to share any thoughts on your strengths or behavior patterns with me individually!
Striking balance with all the serious thoughts and feelings of the week, I took my time to test my new bike. The mileage and extraordinary wear and tear on the previous one spoke volumes on how much I love road cycling. A combination of speed, fresh air, fighting the wind, body weight, incline - just to see a magnificent view from the mountain gap. Cruising along the coast and smelling salt in the air. Stopping by to have a legendary ice cream. Very liberating.
It was first 14 kilometers before my first puncture. Coincidence? Doesn't matter. Love doing it anyway.
