A fresh start - two ways of seeing things differently

You know when you pass 'Go' in Monopoly and collect your £200? I think there’s something about that happening with people at work.

Like with passing Go, when you get a new job, it’s nice to get something at the start of it all (think responsibility, money etc.) but after the honeymoon period, it’s a given that you receive it or it becomes a dependence… perhaps it pales against your other achievements. Either way, passing Go and receiving £200 is a pattern of the game that you come to expect, that doesn’t change and that you never challenge. It’s a holding pattern that doesn’t always serve you. 

And I’m seeing the same with my clients and their work. They’re tired, frustrated and unstimulated because the promises or dreams they had expected to come into fruition by now haven’t appeared. And yet they keep showing up to pass Go without questioning what could change. What they could change. 

And if you’re squirming right now, maybe that’s OK. Maybe you’ve needed someone to see you, to call you out on the fact that you could be doing something differently. Maybe you’ve just been showing up because that’s all you can do but now you want change. 

What is your equivalent of passing Go right now? 

I know that there are things I turn up for, things that I keep doing without really assessing if they still align with me or my work. What a waste of time! Looking at, analysing and questioning the everyday things we do is something we could all benefit from doing from time to time.

And yes, it will take energy, yes it will be fraught with fears and unknowns. But what if the alternative is always passing Go whilst you wonder why things never change? What if you always pass Go, unclear on why you never feel fulfilled or challenged? 

When we talk or think about doing more or doing something differently, we may be guilty of thinking we need to be getting a promotion or a pay rise or making an international name for ourselves. Not so. I am talking about deciding what it is that you want to be continually doing or working towards and then changing circumstances bit by bit until you get more or all of what you want.

I’ve been reading a book lately called Radical Candor by Kim Scott. In it, she talks about rock stars versus superstars. There is a really lovely but subtle differentiation between two types of workers; one who shows up, works hard and is the reason the wheels keep turning and the other who shows up, excels, wants more and moves on and upwards. The world needs both. We need both.

One year you might be the superstar because you have limited dependencies and buckets of energy, the next year, your priorities might have changed and so, creating stability and productivity in one environment is exactly what you need. Both matter. Neither are passing Go.

I mention this because it’s a helpful lens to look at our situation. Knowing who you want to show up as and why you’re showing up that way is a powerful acknowledgement to planning out your day or week. It’s a conscious decision. It keeps you aligned with your why and it means you know you’re hitting your purpose for the right now.

And I guess that’s what I’m banging on about. Being conscious and intentional with your actions. Not just keeping on going until you feel it’s too late and you feel stuck. (by the way, you’re not stuck, you can make a change but it doesn’t mean it doesn’t feel hard… it is hard but you don’t have to stay stuck).

So, where are you? Are you passing Go? Or are you actually a superstar or a rock star?