I recently had the opportunity to join Jodi Grinwald and guest co-host Fred Wasiak on the Today is the Day Changemakers podcast.
And somewhere along the way, I admitted to having an unusual goal:
This year, I’m trying to be more bored, awkward, and rejected.
Not exactly the usual recipe for success.
But here’s why.
I teach this stuff, but I am guilty of it too…
So much of what keeps us stuck happens because we’re trying to avoid uncomfortable feelings.
We feel bored, so we grab our phones.
We feel awkward, so we avoid starting the conversation.
We’re afraid of rejection, so we don’t make the ask, share the idea, or try the thing we really want to try.
And when we constantly avoid those feelings, we can end up avoiding the very actions that would help us grow.
That became one of several unexpected directions our conversation went.
We also talked about:
- Why apathy, not resistance, is often the biggest obstacle to change
- How “Yes, But” acts like a brake while “Yes, And” acts like an accelerator
- Why leaders need to involve people in change instead of simply announcing it
- The connection between boredom and creativity
- Why letting go of your idea can make you a better leader
- The value of setting goals you don't know how to achieve
- And why saying “Yes, And” to others starts with learning to say it to yourself
We even talked about why one negative comment can somehow outweigh 123 positive ones (a phenomenon I know far too well!).
It was a fun, wide-ranging, and surprisingly personal conversation about change, creativity, leadership, vulnerability, and our willingness to get a little uncomfortable.
Watch/listen to the full episode here:
And as you listen, here's a question to consider:
Where might your desire to avoid boredom, awkwardness, rejection, or frustration be keeping you from something better?
Maybe the next step isn't to eliminate the discomfort.
Maybe it's to say, “Yes, And” to it - and see where it leads.