I recently got new glasses. Even though they’re light, comfortable, and stylish, I’m not a fan of having something in between me and the rest of the world, and I’m often acutely aware of the impact on my peripheral vision. I often find myself asking the question…

Do I want to see less, more clearly, or do I want to see more, less clearly? 

I was in middle school, already significantly taller than most professional skaters, and struggling with learning a new jump. I had the movements down, but just couldn’t get the air I needed to complete the rotations.  And my coach told me, “You need an injection of courage.”

Have you ever faced something similar? 

A consultancy I used to work for did something really powerful. We didn’t tell our clients what would be possible if they worked with us. We showed them. And when they saw, they would get excited. They would see what it would mean for their organization and the impact that working with us would have. 

Do you ever wish you could see your own future this clearly?

We were prepping to kickoff a big engagement with a new client. We were expecting a large group - around 10 on the client side, over half that on ours. Most of the client participants were flying in specifically for this event.  As we were heading home for the night, hoping we were ready for the big event the next day, I couldn’t help but wonder….

Had we focused on the right things?

I was having such a case of the “shoulds”. I had just finished doing a review of the previous year, considering what worked and what didn’t, how I did against the goals I had set for myself, and where I hadn’t. And I came away with a list of “shoulds.”

Have you been there? 

Today in Colorado we have 10 minutes more of daylight than we did on the winter solstice, just 2 and a half weeks ago. Just 10 more minutes. It might not seem like much. And in some ways it’s not. But it’s enough that I’m already starting to notice.

Do you notice it?

A few years back, I was in a yoga class. And the instructor said something to me that has stuck with me ever since. She explained that we should only push our poses to about 80% of what we thought we could handle. And by doing that, over time, we would have a stronger practice and achieve more. 

Have you ever tried that?

“What do you think I should do?”, he asked. I was in a conversation with one of my direct reports. Only once he had evaluated what had already taken place was he able to see clearly what options he wanted to consider next. 

Have you ever noticed this?

It was a stressful time. We were in our fourth quarter, under pressure to close the year strong and hit our metrics, and deep in planning for the next fiscal year. Much of our leadership was deep in planning meetings, or preparing for planning meetings. Everyone was saying, “we just need to get through this month.”

Have you ever felt that way?

This past summer, I spent 3 weeks in the Republic of Georgia with a travel group of about a dozen people. It was an absolutely incredible experience. 

During our travels, we quickly developed a tradition at meals that I loved. After the food had arrived, before we began eating, we held up our plates and simply said, in unison, “We are grateful.” 

I was making the leap and had accepted a new role. I knew it was a “towards” decision - I was moving towards work and a team that inspired me. I also knew that I couldn’t go back. I was closing the door on a chapter of my career. Even so, I was struggling through the transition. Did I make the right choice? How was it all going to work out? Would I regret stepping away from my old role? Could I “hack it” in the new one? 

And so I kept saying “I want to know it will all work out.”

Do you ever feel this way?

“I just don’t get it, Christina.” My friend was sharing a challenge he was facing with one of his consulting clients. He was genuinely puzzled at this behavior - why would his consulting client’s actions be so different from their words?

Have you ever observed this kind of obvious conflict in someone else?

My teammates and I looked at each other with big eyes. I could tell they were thinking what I was thinking. Our stakeholder wanted too much. The ask was too big. There was no way it could be done, at least not in the timeframe she was expecting. 

Have you ever felt this way?

“Wait, why do you do that?” Thankfully, I kept this thought to myself as my new teammate was sharing the team’s schedule.

Have you ever found yourself doing something in a way that made sense in the past, but doesn’t anymore?

Suddenly, we hear a crash and he starts crying. That’s when my very wise young niece observed, “that kid didn’t make a good choice.” My mom and I exchanged knowing glances over her head. She spoke the truth, in a way that only young kids do. 

Have you ever seen someone speak the truth like this? 

I was in middle school, and a few of us in my youth group were talking about what we wanted to be when we grew up. This particular girl was sharing her dream, and she had the whole plan mapped out. I was flabbergasted. I had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up, much less the path to take to get there. 

Have you ever felt this way?

My head was full at the end of every day, swimming with how much I needed to to learn about our product and the organization I had just joined. I felt two steps behind everyone around me. How do they know so much? Why is it all so easy for them? 

Have you ever felt this way?

“I need to leave my job.” I was finally admitting to my family what I had known in my heart for a while. I knew what I needed to do, but it took me a while to admit it. Especially out loud. 

Have you ever felt this way?

“How’s it coming along?” “Slow,” I said. “Sometimes it feels like I need to squint my eyes and tilt my head to see any progress at all.”

Have you ever felt this way?

I didn’t know what to do. It felt like a monumental decision. I was torn. Do I stay or do I go? Do I pivot or persevere?

Have you ever felt this way?