Episode 165: Don't Fight the Current. Embrace it. Use it to Propel You Forward
Analogies are a powerful way to shift a mindset, taking all the emotion and knowledge of something familiar, and applying it to something completely different.
In our conversation, Joe demonstrated the analogy of taking small steps in business, testing them, and shifting them when necessary to adjust to external forces, and compared that to how a whitewater canoe athlete can roll with the force of the current, testing different positions of the paddle, their body weight, and the position of their legs. Each small adjustment, taken with thought and intention, can make the difference between fighting the current and embracing its power.
Whitewater Canoeing Makes For Ideal Life & Business Analogies
I spend a lot of time on rivers here in Montana, and never thought of that time and all the lessons I've learned in my experiences as analogies for business and life until I read Sarah Johnston's interview with Joe Jacobi.
Analogies are a powerful way to shift a mindset, taking all the emotion and knowledge of something familiar, and applying it to something completely different.
In our conversation, Joe demonstrated the analogy of taking small steps in business, testing them, and shifting them when necessary to adjust to external forces, and compared that to how a whitewater canoe athlete can roll with the force of the current, testing different positions of the paddle, their body weight, and the position of their legs. Each small adjustment, taken with thought and intention, can make the difference between fighting the current and embracing its power.
You don't have to be someone who spends a lot of time on, in, or near rivers to understand this analogy and apply it to whatever problem you're trying to solve.
The highlight of this conversation for me was when Joe described how being mindful makes the difference between getting frustrated and fearful as the river takes control of the boat, and the thoughtful, intentional, subtle movements he makes to get "unstuck" from whatever obstacle he was facing.
As I make my way as a self-employed professional, building my business, trying out small ideas and shifts in my services and focus, I'll continue to consider this analogy, not fighting the current, but embracing its power to propel me forward.
Episode 127: Charged by a Silverback Gorilla, Adam Lewis Walker Knows What an Alpha Looks Like
He had me laughing from the moment we hit record, and our conversation ranged from the end of his Olympic pole vaulting dreams, destroyed knee, and subsequent bout with depression, to his TEDx in 2016, and even included what I'm sure was the subconscious inspiration for the name of his first podcast, Awaken Your Alpha.
Hint: It involves a silverback gorilla in the wilds of Rwanda.
Stories of Resilience, Persistence, and Personal Growth
Adam Lewis Walker promised me he went by his full name because the name Adam Walker was far too common and wouldn't be searchable - not because he's a serial killer.
Am I the only one who remembers the article on Slate.com from 2011?
He had me laughing from the moment we hit record, and our conversation ranged from the end of his Olympic pole vaulting dreams, destroyed knee, and subsequent bout with depression, to his TEDx in 2016, and even included what I'm sure was the subconscious inspiration for the name of his first podcast, Awaken Your Alpha.
Hint: It involves a silverback gorilla in the wilds of Rwanda.
What really became clear to me was Adam's inspired motivation to help others uncover their talents, their dreams, and the actions they know it will take to reach them. On top of that, his insistence that reaching a goal isn't nearly the end, and that each subsequent goal leads us to greater self-reflection and personal growth.
After listening to this episode, you'll want to connect with Adam on LinkedIn, follow him on Twitter, and check out his website to learn more about his work with want-to-be TEDx speakers and podcasters.