{"id":1702,"date":"2015-12-10T23:41:02","date_gmt":"2015-12-10T22:41:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lornemitchell.com\/?p=1702"},"modified":"2015-12-11T00:26:46","modified_gmt":"2015-12-10T23:26:46","slug":"jump-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.lornemitchell.com\/?p=1702","title":{"rendered":"Jump Out!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yesterday I flew from the UK to Germany to have the first meeting this year with a client that I last worked for ten years ago. \u00a0Getting up at 4.00am and struggling through the security gates which reminded me of a cattle ranch and then twisting and turning through the duty-free glitter path that is the only way to get to the plane at Stanstead Airport, I took a short 20-minute taxi ride to the client’s office that turned out to be more expensive than the flight itself! \u00a0It was a beautiful day and I had a good two hours before the meeting to walk down memory lane. \u00a0I needed to make sure I was energised and\u00a0that my mind was clear.<\/p>\n

The most surprising thing for me was that the \u00a0client faced pretty much exactly the same challenges that they faced when I was last there. \u00a0It was like seeing an old friend in the street that I had not seen for a while and saying “Wow! \u00a0You haven’t changed a bit!” \u00a0They were stuck in a rut. \u00a0And what is more, they acknowledged the fact. \u00a0It got me thinking: how difficult it is for all of us (and large organisations in particular) to adapt and change.<\/p>\n

\"iStock_000004324712_Small\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Whilst chatting to a friend today, the exact same thought arose in a different way. \u00a0We were reflecting on what we had achieved in 2015 and what 2016 holds in store for us. \u00a0Like wine, we tend to describe the past year as a “good year” or a “difficult year” or even an “annus horribilis” – depending on what has happened.<\/p>\n

I think I would call 2015 a year of transition. \u00a0What one word would describe this year for you?<\/p>\n

Yet another friend said that their work has gone very well in the past year (to the detriment of everything else) and that he was way off on the objectives he had set himself which were to spend more time with his family. \u00a0Success is both personal and relative – not just from individual to individual – but also in terms of the emphasis we put on specific relationships and projects. \u00a0Everything has an opportunity cost associated with it. \u00a0Life is a balancing act.<\/p>\n

For example, in the first six months of this year, I became very distracted by a project which meant that I took my eye off the ball for several other things in my life – both personal and business. \u00a0Setting a balanced set of aims and objectives at the start of the year is so important. \u00a0Reflecting on the objectives that I set myself at this time last year, I completely underestimated the passion that I had for this unplanned distraction.<\/p>\n

Understanding the dependencies and trade-offs that need to be made is so important. \u00a0Yet we are emotional creatures and can often be overtaken by distractions and unpredictable events that come at us from stage left. \u00a0Planning for unexpected turns is also important. \u00a0As the great Peter Drucker said: \u201cIt’s not the plan<\/em> that’s important, it’s the planning<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Fish<\/a><\/p>\n

But perhaps the most difficult thing in all of this is to break old habits. \u00a0This is the case with my client in Germany – and is also so true of \u00a0myself as we move into 2016. \u00a0In order to change, you need to jump out of an existing pattern and create a new pattern – like the goldfish jumping from one bowl into another in the picture.<\/p>\n

Some say that if you practice a new habit for 30 days, then it will stick. \u00a0I tried that by giving up alcohol for 6 weeks in mid-October. \u00a0Those friends who got a bit worried need concern themselves no more! \u00a0I started again last week. \u00a0Which just proves that the 30-day rule doesn’t work!<\/p>\n

The creation of a new habit\u00a0requires the displacement of other\u00a0habits that you need to stop. \u00a0And it needs to happen so that the new pattern becomes unconscious behaviour. \u00a0Yet, when you jump to a new habit pattern, it can be quite lonely for \u00a0a while.<\/p>\n

Unless you can create a substitute\u00a0pattern that is more fulfilling and purposeful, the tendency is to jump back to what is familiar. \u00a0All the 12-step programmes understand that. \u00a0The first step is always to admit that you are powerless to the particular addiction or pattern. \u00a0In doing so, you become conscious of it and can change it.<\/p>\n

Think about it. \u00a0Which patterns do you want to dissolve or move away from in 2016 to give yourself more time to do the things you really want to do? \u00a0What entrenched (perhaps unconscious) patterns do you want to jump out of? \u00a0Write them down and share them with a close friend or relative. \u00a0Get some support on the shift to a new pattern. \u00a0It is much easier like that!<\/p>\n

That’s what I hope to do with my German client. \u00a0Given that they are conscious and want to change, we will start by describing the new fish tank. \u00a0All the good things about the new environment and the benefits of being there. \u00a0Then finding one or two fish that will make the first jump. \u00a0A bit like “Finding Nemo”. \u00a0The good news is that there are plenty of fish to choose from and I believe that, 10 years on, the temperature in the current tank is a bit too warm for comfort.<\/p>\n

Please comment if you see any other analogies or have any relevant stories to tell! \u00a0In particular, let us know what patterns you want to jump out of and let us know how you are thinking of doing it!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Yesterday I flew from the UK to Germany to have the first meeting this year with a client that I last worked for ten years ago. \u00a0Getting up at 4.00am and struggling through the security gates which reminded me of a cattle ranch and then twisting and turning through the duty-free glitter path that is … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Jump Out!”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[41,5,40,68,86,95,36,65,91,57],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6DQGK-rs","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1425,"url":"http:\/\/www.lornemitchell.com\/?p=1425","url_meta":{"origin":1702,"position":0},"title":"The Heart’s Intuitive Intelligence","author":"Lorne Mitchell","date":"28\/06\/2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Last Thursday, I had a meeting with a business colleague. \u00a0We had only met once before - but somehow the energy felt really good between us. \u00a0Conversation flowed. \u00a0Ideas bubbled to the surface. \u00a0Creative spirit abounded. During the conversation, it became apparent that I had talked in our\u00a0previous meeting about\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Animated"","block_context":{"text":"Animated","link":"http:\/\/www.lornemitchell.com\/?cat=70"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1088,"url":"http:\/\/www.lornemitchell.com\/?p=1088","url_meta":{"origin":1702,"position":1},"title":"Two-Speed Engines and Wonky Gearboxes","author":"Lorne Mitchell","date":"20\/09\/2012","format":false,"excerpt":"I was with a client yesterday and drew attention to a recent article Two-Speed IT: A Linchpin for Success in a Digitized World\u00a0from BCG Perspectives on how some organisations are being forced split in two with the pressure of the internet. \u00a0The BCG paper describes a \"two-speed IT\" - but\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Architecture"","block_context":{"text":"Architecture","link":"http:\/\/www.lornemitchell.com\/?cat=35"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lornemitchell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/automatic_gear_shift.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2002,"url":"http:\/\/www.lornemitchell.com\/?p=2002","url_meta":{"origin":1702,"position":2},"title":"TT1947 – Learning to Learn Again","author":"Lorne Mitchell","date":"21\/11\/2019","format":false,"excerpt":"When faced with a challenge, some folks lark aboutThinking it\u2019s funny. I used to do that sometimes.But as I get older, I find that those that behave like thisAre oft lacking some training, skill or knowledge.Perhaps even covering up some learning difficulty \u2026Because they have not applied themselves to MASTERY.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Art"","block_context":{"text":"Art","link":"http:\/\/www.lornemitchell.com\/?cat=69"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lornemitchell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/music-2833897_1920.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lornemitchell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/music-2833897_1920.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lornemitchell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/music-2833897_1920.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lornemitchell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/music-2833897_1920.jpg?resize=1050%2C600 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lornemitchell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/music-2833897_1920.jpg?resize=1400%2C800 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":436,"url":"http:\/\/www.lornemitchell.com\/?p=436","url_meta":{"origin":1702,"position":3},"title":"Writer’s Block, Blooks and Going with the Flow","author":"Lorne Mitchell","date":"19\/02\/2011","format":false,"excerpt":"We have all had it. That frustrating blankness that hits you when you want to write something. Those who know me, know that I have been trying to write a book on bees since 1986. I am not sure if this is worthy of an entry in the Guinness Book\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Big Ideas"","block_context":{"text":"Big Ideas","link":"http:\/\/www.lornemitchell.com\/?cat=42"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":203,"url":"http:\/\/www.lornemitchell.com\/?p=203","url_meta":{"origin":1702,"position":4},"title":"The Power of Envisioning Your Ideal Outcome","author":"Lorne Mitchell","date":"23\/09\/2010","format":false,"excerpt":"I was reminded this week of a very useful technique that a friend taught me about five years ago.\u00a0 She called it the \"blueprint method\".\u00a0 She used it with her partner many times - and it was extraordinarily successful for her. At the time she taught us the method, my\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blueprint"","block_context":{"text":"Blueprint","link":"http:\/\/www.lornemitchell.com\/?cat=39"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lornemitchell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/09\/envision.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1675,"url":"http:\/\/www.lornemitchell.com\/?p=1675","url_meta":{"origin":1702,"position":5},"title":"Experiencing Flow and Being in the Zone","author":"Lorne Mitchell","date":"12\/11\/2015","format":false,"excerpt":"The older I become, the clearer I become about one thing. Life is all about flow. \u00a0And the current modern madness that we see in society is mainly due to us being \"out of the flow\" and not \"in the zone\". What do I mean? Last week,\u00a0a friend asked me\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Big Ideas"","block_context":{"text":"Big Ideas","link":"http:\/\/www.lornemitchell.com\/?cat=42"},"img":{"alt_text":"AdobeStock_58963799 450x600","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lornemitchell.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/AdobeStock_58963799-450x600-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.lornemitchell.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1702"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.lornemitchell.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.lornemitchell.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.lornemitchell.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.lornemitchell.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1702"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"http:\/\/www.lornemitchell.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1702\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1711,"href":"http:\/\/www.lornemitchell.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1702\/revisions\/1711"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.lornemitchell.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1702"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.lornemitchell.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1702"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.lornemitchell.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1702"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}