The work that I specialize in is figuring out viable solutions to complex, messy and challenging projects. It is intense and it is consuming. There are also numerous pitfalls to doing it well. You try to create clarity around something that is inherently unclear. You also need to avoid making it too simple, where simple answers become tempting and potentially create further challenges. Doing this work is as much art as it is science.
How to Be an Ally
Last week was a difficult one for many. In one decision, rights have been taken away that were long-accepted as fact. There has been a lot of rage and sadness and frustration expressed already. There have also been calls highlighting the importance of others making their voice heard in support. That’s an interesting challenge. It is not easy being an ally. It is not something we are trained for. Nonetheless, there are approaches and strategies to engage in that will help.
Learning to Embrace Failure
We are told that failure is an essential part of growth. It is something that we need to accept. If we are not failing often enough and hard enough, then we aren’t making progress. While it is wonderful to be able to make that argument intellectually, it is another thing entirely to respond to it personally. Our obsession with the negative isn’t about embracing failure; it’s about avoiding it. Perfectionism doesn’t reflect an obsession with excellence so much as an intolerance for mistakes. Our brains actively work to avoid situations where there is the possibility of failure, and discourages taking action that might result in pain. Actually embracing failure is directly contrary to that outcome, which means that we’ve got our work cut out for us.