I'm in the midst of reading Timothy Ferriss' "The 4 Hour Workweek" full of ideas and strategies to live life and run a business more efficiently.
The word 'experiment' comes up often. I like it. I think it should be used more often in conversation.
When coaching, the concept of having 'the' right answer rears its ugly head time and time again with different clients:
"What if I don't have the right answer? I'll sound stupid."
"What if I say the wrong thing? I'll look like a monkey."
Fears like these are commonplace so if you see yourself saying either of the above, you can rest safe in the knowledge that you're not alone. That said, it doesn't mean that either statement is likely to propel you forwards.
Let's re-wind the clock.
Think back to being young. Remember how wonderful it was to have no woes. At age 5 the biggest worry you'll have had was whether or not to wear blue or white shoes.
These were days of play. Of experience. Of learning. At this age we were content seeing how things worked, how they could be broken and put back together again.
- We were okay if the building blocks fell over. We just built them up again.
- We were okay if we said the wrong word. We just saw it as an opportunity to learn.
- We were okay if we made chocolate chip cookies with pink icing on top. We just saw it as a means to get more sugar in our bellies.
We were EXPERIMENTING. And not only was it 'okay' - it was also a heap of fun.
Here's a thought: give yourself permission to experiment. To play. To get things 'wrong' and see the funny side.
Life and work are so much more fun when we get curious and choose to experiment rather than seeking the truth or the 'right' answer. Who knows? You might uncover something even better.
Mmmm ... Choc chips cookies with pink icing ... I could be onto something!
- Rebecca
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