“I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do.”
— Leonardo Da Vinci
At some point, action is required.
It just is.
And you must “do.”
It is a trait of leadership to be able to not only recognize this vacuum but pour yourself into it. That singular moment that must be met and filled. With effort. Commitment. And character.
There is no manual, class or team dinner game sheet that will tell you when.
You just have to be fully embraced in it, be aware of it, and respond.
You may fail once, twice or ten times.
But simply knowing when the moment arrives and knowing what to do will not suffice.
My mom’s father, Grandpa Cordts, “knew no strangers”. Whenever I was with him out in public, at the store, getting gas, buying worms or playing putt-putt, everyone within sight and sound seemed to know him.
That isn’t to say that he or they did. It is just that EVERYONE he encountered each day, no matter the circumstance, investment or need was approached as a friend. Someone that went way back. The one in the back row of the picture. A compatriot.
Was not aware of it then, but as I go about daily life now, how he went about life left an impression on me. As it stands, I don’t know any strangers either.
And when you go about it in that fashion, you cannot believe what you learn.
Once they recognize that they can just be open, all sorts of things flow out. Not that they are meant to be sewed all over. Just that they want me to hear and know it. Shared as a friend. With trust and an understanding that it was in some sense collaborative, restorative and affirmative.
And is ain’t all one sided. You share as well. In an equally genuine fashion. Maybe you only see them the next week, month or year. Perhaps never again. But they did. You did.
And it was something.
Maybe substantial in certain situations. Maybe just the spur of the moment.
But again, if you think about it, not really ordinary. In all actuality, those chance moments become special. Not because they were designed that way. But simply because they were.
Unordinary.
Like them.
And what we – and they – chose to make that encounter to be.
“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised.
But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of – throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.” ― C.S. Lewis,
I think for the most part He might be past the ‘getting the drains right and stopping the leaks’ phase of the renovation.
But then again, maybe not.
I get the impression that He is not going to be satisfied with only one new wing. And an extra floor. There is still an abundance of work that is going on inside of me.
To be honest, I am not always able to appreciate why certain things have had to happen, are still happening and have yet to happen. But as time passes, I am letting go. Learning to trust. Accepting that it is all part of His plan for me. And embracing an attitude of gratitude.
Perhaps some of you are where I am these days.
Being rebuilt too. Feeling that same kind of remodeling sensation.
Developing an awareness of an intentional, internal renovation.
For certain, this is an ongoing process that can leave clutter. Scatter your focus. Misplace some of your trusted tools and talents. And unsettle your demeanor.
For the most part, I am “ok” with all of this.
Not “ok” like, “whatever”. Far from that.
But “ok” as in I am getting used to it. Still. Learning more than I ever imagined. Growing into this relationship. Beginning to get a glimmer of what I might look like once this phase of the project is completed. And wondering who I will become once He finishes.
But I do have to confess.
From time to time, and more often than I care to admit, this renovation process totally stresses me out.
It starts out as a simmering anxiety. Soon, I feel the fear begin to well up inside. And then, for no apparent reason, it just spews out in all directions. As hurt. A bruised ego. Selfish pride. Diminished self.
Anger.
Sometimes the venting is directed at all the innocents around me. Other times, unmercifully towards myself in destructive thoughts, words and deeds.
And, finally, I train my aim on Him.
But as anyone should do when they have a disagreement with their best friend, I speak my piece.
Not just when I hit my knees.
But to or from work. Cutting the grass. Watching the sun come up. Or during a walk. Places and times where it can be just He and I.
Before I even get there, he already sees the simmering anxiety. Senses my fears. And weathers the anger. Taking the worst I can offer. No matter what.
He listens.
Helps.
And always comes back for more.
Little by little, with great effort, patience and faith, I am trying my best to get past the self-generated drama and self-aggrandizing behaviors that I allow to become a part of this venture.
And foist upon others.
While those around me may beg to differ,I never think I have all of the answers.
But I do think I have earned some wisdom to share throughout His renovation process.
I better understand what He wants it all to look like.
And despite the mess, it absolutely feels like home to me.
So since He holds the permit, I will be content to let the master builder do His work.
Because after all, the body was meant to be a temple.
To epitomize attitude is often easier said than thought, understood and applied.
But attitude truly is everything.
In the right hands, a coach, mentor or leader can make attitude a powerful weapon of mass instruction. Instilling in others an awareness of its impact and how it can promote achievement and success. How it ripples ever outward. And ultimately, creates unanticipated growth.
Of all the things that we seek to control and temper throughout the course of our daily lives, attitude tends to be the one thing that is overlooked or taken for granted. Perhaps because it often requires more effort and perseverance than was ever anticipated. After all, it is not something that can be held, defined or KPI’d. It is only just attitude.
But then again, attitude is EVERYTHING. It alone belongs to and answers to us. It is a personal, business and life changer. If we can fully recognize and honor that.
However, more often than not, we choose to cede our authority to it. The wrong one. Allowing it to run rough-shod over us and others when we allow it. Attitude alone has the ability to transform any adversity into opportunity. Attitude provides one with the proper perspective regardless of the severity of the situation. It is our ally when we understand its goal. Enemy when we do not.
Attitude – good or bad – can go viral. It can become a highly contagious element. For good. And, for bad.
You must be willing and able to become the relentless source of a positive attitude for all. Not just for you. But for all.
And then?
Be willing to administer the vaccine should all negativity happen to turn it into a bad infection.
“If you can’t live through adversity, you’ll never be good at what you do. You have to live through the unfair things, and you have to develop the hide to not let it bother you and keep your eyes focused on what you have to do.”
— Maurice “Hank” Greenberg
I will go one step further.
It is simply not enough to live through adversity, to choose a path of tolerant coexistence and acceptance. Instead, you have to learn how to embrace another tack, and go far beyond just leaning into it.
You have to figure out how to thrive in it. Because if you are living right, adversity ain’t ever gonna be a “one and done” thing. “If” that something just happens to happen.
Adversity will then always be a “when” event.
That is for certain.
Because if you consistently push out beyond your personal envelope of safety and constantly venture out beyond the confines of comfort, you will be creating guarantors that produce more than your fair share of adversity. The “when” will then always be the operative word to describe the frequency of adversity’s presence in all of your endeavors.
So perhaps at first, leaning directly into an increasing array of challenges isn’t always possible or prudent. After all, they are new surroundings. And this is an acquired taste.
But in time, you will learn to thrive in this environment. Not just in spite of it – but because of it. You will develop a rare sense of perspective. Become adept at recognizing the opportunity that is hidden within every trial and tribulation. And then, proceed to shine in spite of it.
I promise.
Sure a thicker hide will help absorb and deflect the punishment those moments are bound to deliver as Mr. Greenburg asserts.
But a stoutness of character paired with a resolute courage in your convictions will always help you to overcome just about anything.
And not just “if “ they do.
But when they present themselves.
Then, once that begins to happen, things will no longer happen to you.
...my temporary assignment. 