The Playful Life

This is just as true for me as it can be for others. Those of you following this blog of mine might think that I’ve got it all figured out. Unfortunately this is not the case. The principles I’m delineating here haven’t always created the results I’ve hoped for. Even as I preach the value of a playful mindset; I’m well aware that there are still times when I feel blocked or stuck. Hopefully this admission of mine won’t disappoint or disillusion you. Perhaps, there are others who can find consolation from this though. Those who may have thought that this was all too good to be true. How then can we proceed when all the tools in our kit don’t seem to help us move forwards? Here are some approaches that have worked for me.

Persistence and patience is the first of these. If you’re not moving in the direction that you’d like despite applying all the playfulness that you can muster; sometimes it means you need to be a bit more dogged in your approach. I would have loved to have finished my book a year ago instead of still working on it. A number of times I’ve considered that it might be better to do something else with my time and energy. However I still persist; slowly plodding along. In this process of pushing forwards I discover new techniques that help with that. Patience also is necessary because often your effort doesn’t yield immediate results. Firstly, with any creative endeavor you often need to do some work first. Sometimes we have to push ourselves in a new direction for awhile so that our brains can chew on it. Not only does this help to come up with new ideas but it helps prepare us to recognize and value them when the arrive. Some things just take time.

Secondly, sometimes we need to change things up. Paradoxically this is the opposite of the above idea. If you keep trying the same thing over and over to no avail it is quite possibly time to try a different approach. As the saying attributed to Einstein suggests; doing something over and over while expecting something new to happen is crazy. This also suggests that if you want something different it’s probably a good idea to approach it differently. Furthermore, consider that if you step out of your box you might actually end up in another box that is also doesn’t serve you well.

Another helpful approach when stuck is to step back or even step away from the challenge/endeavor. We can easily get bogged down in the details of what we’re working on that we lose sight of the big picture. Stepping back either literally or figuratively can help with this. It’s a way to change your perspective. Sometimes we need to completely step away from what we’re working on; take a break from it. This serves two purposes. First it allows our mind to refresh itself, especially if we do something relaxing or fun/recreational. After being refreshed you’ll be in a better position to move forwards. Secondly when you come back, things might actually look different. It may be clearer where you went wrong. It might even be the case that with fresher eyes it’ll look better; more promising. When painting I have put way paintings I’ve working on when I’m not sure what to do with them. I have come back and realized the problem was that the piece was complete crap. Once or twice I was blown away by what I had done was wonderful! Perspective is everything!

Lastly, consider that you might be solving the wrong problem. Worthwhile solutions might not be forthcoming because you’re coming at the challenge from the wrong angle. An office building had major renovations done on it, including a brand new elevator. Very shortly tenants started to complain that the elevator was too slow. To redo the elevator would be very costly and funds were low. Building management was scratching it’s head trying to figure how to make the elevator faster. A consultant was brought in to find a solution. What he came up with was to install mirrors next to all the elevators. You see when he interviewed people in the building it became apparent what people disliked wasn’t so much how slow it moved, but hated waiting for it. So he gave them something to distract them; and it worked. In my own life I’ve been trying very hard to figure out to get more writing done. My job, for a variety of reasons, is a drain on my energy, inspiration, and motivation. I spent considerable time and energy thinking about my current job and what my alternatives were. Problem was, I didn’t like any of my options, and I came up with a lot of them. I spun my wheels reconsidering each one in turn, over and over. The solution, when it came, had nothing to do with my job. It came when I tackled how to gain more energy and motivation when I’m at home.

These approaches have worked for me. Hopefully they will be just as valuable in your lives. Let me know what you think of the above techniques and if you have any others that you find helpful.

thanks, Steve