Shooting Down the Middle
While travelling to work one day, I was pondering how to cultivate an open mindset where I am able to embrace opportunities to learn. You see, when you have spent quite a bit of time developing your confidence and sense of self-worth, it becomes equally important to keep yourself grounded and humble.
I asked myself this question:
How do you know where your growth areas are?
The immediate response presented was: focus on what does not come easy. Think about the exact opposite of your default approach to situations.
Consider what emotions and behaviours come forth naturally, and then learn how to do the opposite.
The Easy Way
Your default behaviour is your default behaviour for a reason. You mind has developed a script for it so it becomes easy. That does not mean that it is always the right thing to do.
Whenever we operate in this unconscious mode of ease, we run the risk of not performing to our best. This applies to all social interactions be that in work or at home.
Reflecting on this reminded me of an insight from the author Dan Millman.
The Middle Path
Dan has mentioned this in his writings a number of times in different forms, I will share with you my summation of this insight.
If you are performing a particular activity such as hitting a golf ball or throwing a stone at a tree, if you find yourself consistently missing to the left, consciously decide to miss to the right.
Do this a good few times.
Now try and aim down the middle.
More often than not, you will begin to hit your target.
This logic can be applied to all areas of our lives. If we swing too much one way, practice swinging completely to the other. Once you have performed this extreme switch, then try and aim down the middle.
Through the repetition of this process, you will develop the ability to consciously decide where you want to aim and hit.
Much like raising and then letting go of a pendulum;
in life you must explore both sides before you can consciously and harmoniously come to rest in the position that best suits you.
Enjoy, for now.