What started out as an intention to be a series of three posts on lessons learnt from personal experience with Disruption was also disrupted by Hurricane Leo (my son) and fatherhood – the irony is not lost on me 🙂
And it can’t be overstated the nature of change / disruption / VUCA is such you that you either take on the mindset to be disruptive, in the spirit of Clayton Christensen and disruptive innovation, and/or adapt to being disrupted.
Navigating the Aftermath of being “Disrupted”
In my previous post where I talked a bit about my car accident, I was completely disrupted and facing amputation of my thumb. Let me tell you – the thumb is an important finger to have and you’d notice it if it were gone…..TRUST ME.
To say I experienced each of the different Stages of Change, and some more repeatedly than others is an understatement.
I was left-handed and about to lose the thumb on my left hand.
Embracing What Can’t Be Changed
I’d be lying if I told you learning to write with my right hand was easy, but I did it. And to be completely transparent, and to model a leadership trait here, vulnerability – I did it begrudgingly and couldn’t get pass the first three stages for months.
At a point, I got really good at writing with my right hand, almost as good as writing with my left hand, and couldn’t get passed the disbelief stage.
I wanted to stay left-handed.
In hindsight, it may have sounded simple considering I was still alive after the accident, and often what holds us back from reaching a goal, realizing our potential, or moving on from an event, is simple in nature.
“Disrupting” The Habit Loop
For me, I was cued / triggered because the need to physically do anything was a constant, which also reminded me of my reality.
I possibly wouldn’t be left-handed anymore.
And yet I noticed I still craved the same reward – to finish tasks, to do things for myself….to feel strong again.
There it was in the reward – to feel strong again that I realized what to [re]wire to remind my “cue” my new routine (Experimentation & Implementation Stages) was connected to feeling strong again.
Mantra to Follow
The path I was on thereafter led me to disrupt other habits in my life to intentionally seek out the rewards that mattered most.
This quote by Gandhi sums it up best for me.
“Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny.”
― Mahatma Gandhi
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About David
David is a sustainable leadership development advocate and practitioner, who is passionate about creating the conditions for people development and organizational success. His passion for sustainable leadership is grounded in the belief that all people and organizations can “disrupt” their performance when the right conditions for success are intentionally cultivated with all stakeholder needs front and center.
