#125 - Why Sometimes You Need to Pivot
And how it enhances your story
Think outside the box, pivot, fail fast, assume positive intent, and all the rest of them. I used to work at a tech company, so I’ve heard all the tech-style inspirational “values” that tend to trample over our humanity and force a very specific way of being. So I tend to role my eyes at them.
BUT I am also a consummate learner. So I like to go back to things I’ve dismissed in the past and give them another change. An amazing recent episode of Brene Brown’s podcast, Unlocking Us got me to rethink the whole, assume good intent thing, which I used to see as an excuse for assholes to treat other people badly (and saw it in action in exactly this way). But there’s another side to it that Brown helped me see. And if I could make room for that one, why not the high priest of all tech bro mantras, pivot. Which I’m certain is the name of some book that tells us to change fast or something along those lines, but I won’t be googling to confirm.
I’ve been thinking a lot about pivots lately. What they mean in life and in your story. As I prepare my career storytelling webinar (which I encourage you to sign up for if you need to pivot or are seeking clarity in your career story) I can’t help but think about how pivots affect our careers and the way we tell stories around them. And, in reality, life is a series of pivots. Rarely do we live a straight line and it’s in those dips, valleys, and redirections that interesting stories come to life.
If I’m honest, and I try to be with you, pivots scare me. They arrest any forward motion and sneak up from my belly and into my throat choking me with fear of the unknown place that a pivot may take me. Though more often than not, I look back on pivot points in my life, the ones I chose (moving to Vancouver and more recently to Mexico City) and the ones chosen for me (not getting into Columbia or my manuscript rejections) and see how they have shaped a life that is full of interesting stories and experiences. The story of my career is one of pivots. So I think what I’m saying is embrace the pivots, look back on the ones you’ve already made, and see how they bring tension and interest into your stories (because they do! That scary uncertainty they bring is also the tension every story needs). If you’re thinking about your career, look at it through the lens of pivots and see how it shifts the focus and maybe makes the retelling of it (to potential hiring managers…) more interesting.
And, in the spirit of pivots, I have one I want to share with you.
I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want my career and work life to look like lately (as the co-founder of a community dedicated to the idea of re-thinking work it only makes sense). As I look toward the future, I’ve made some decisions that affect this little weekly publication. I’ve decided that for the next three months I’m going to make Adventures in Storytelling bi-weekly.
I recently moved to a new country and the time away has afforded me new perspective that I want to take the time to consider as I plan for what I want the next step in my business to look and feel like. I promise all the same great things, but at a cadence that feels less filled with pressure and allows me to really go deep on certain storytelling related topics 🤓.
I’ve also decided to archive some of my older and more popular posts and make them only available to paid subscribers. No, there won’t be any future posts you won’t have access to—everything I write here is for you whether or not your pay. It just means that after a certain amount of time, you’ll need to be a paying subscriber to reference some of those older posts. I’ve also decided to offer those of you who have chosen to pay for this newsletter free access to one of my upcoming storytelling webinars. There are a few scheduled this year (!). More on that in a future note.
NO this is not a push for you to become a paid subscriber (though you’re welcome to), it’s just to let you know about shifts that will give me room and space to offer even more in this newsletter. As someone who doesn’t do well with change, I wanted to introduce you to this gently. So you won’t see me in your inbox next week, but you will see me the following one. I’m hoping this will also make it easier for you to spend time with these notes (which can be long) and not be a contributor to inbox overwhelm, which is a real disease, that I suffer from 😅.
Thanks for being a loyal reader. I really do appreciate the time you take and the notes you send and especially when you share this little adventure with folks in your life. You’re the best.
I’m curious, what pivots have you made in your life that made all the difference (or led to an adventure)? Share in the comments below.
A Story Well Told
Listen to the man and scroll all the way down. I found it deeply soothing and just a moment away from the day-to-day to dive deep into something different (pun only half intended). People are also creative and magical. Shout out to my sister who shared this.
