Between 20th and 31st December, I have chosen a Quiet Disruptor post from each of the months of 2019. I hope this walking reflection on the year helps prepare us for 2020…
August – fresh thinking and next steps
Where to now?
Yesterday was the last public holiday in England and Wales before Christmas. It was also our last alpaca open day of the year.
We all enjoyed ourselves, immensely. A fitting end to the summer season.
But where to now?
It’s easy to drift into the next phase. Picking up the things that make us busy and feeling like we are doing something.
Bernadette Jiwa’s post yesterday offers a brilliant alternative: Why Next?
Here’s the core:
“My uncle Larry taught me to play chess when I was eight or nine. I learned just enough rules to get started because he said I’d learn how to play, by playing. The thing I’ll always remember is the way he taught me to make better moves. Every time I picked up a piece to move it he’d asked, “why is this your next, best move?“
We’re all good at asking the question, “what next?”
…
But we’re not so good at questioning, “why next?”
We make more right moves when we stop to think how the next thing we are about to take on aligns with our values, and if it’s helping us to get to where we ultimately want to go.”
Thanks, Bernadette.
27th August 2019
If you would like to dig deeper into this, then read the reflection from the end of August: How’s your inner navigation system?