“If we want things to stay as they are, things will have to change”
This famous quote is spoken by Tancredi in the novel “The Leopard” by Guiseppe Tomasi de Lapadusa (translated by Colquhoun) (#ad).
If you stand still, the world moves on and you will be left behind.
And if you want to move forward, you are going to have be pro-active about it. In order to progress, think about to what you are giving your time.
It is very easy to be very busy without being productive.
The Moonwalk
The moonwalk is a dance move made famous by Michael Jackson in the 1980’s, originally thought to be invented around 50 years earlier by tap dancer Bill Bailey.
I started learning it in my early teens and then perfected it while I was at mime school in my 20’s. These days it forms part of my straitjacket escape to music(!)
The moonwalk gives the illusion of walking forwards while you are actually moving backwards.
It is so easy in life and work to appear to be moving forwards while we are actually moving backwards, or at least to be left behind as the world moves on.
How do we avoid this?
The Pause
Reflection is always valuable.
Spend some time thinking about the activity that fills your life. You will have choice about much of it, if not all of it. Is it moving you forward? Why are you doing it? Maybe some of it was useful once but is now just habit.
I am a big fan of education – stay curious, keep learning. Much education can move you forward and help you to advance, but some learning is just esoteric. This is fine if it is just for leisure or relaxation, but make sure you know why you are doing it.
What tactical learning can you engage in to take the next step?
Likewise, think about the societies you belong to, the meetings you attend, the hobbies that you do. Do you know why you are doing them? Again, if they are good for your social life, relaxation and/ or recreation, that is great. But, again, know why you are doing them. If they have run their course, move on to something else that will help you take the next step forwards.
It is very easy to get stuck in old routines and carry on regardless. Suddenly you can find yourself very busy while the world moves on ahead of you,
The Shuffle
If you reflect and realise that you have unproductive busyness in your life or work, have the courage to change. Maybe it is time to end one chapter in the book of your life and start another one. That is fine.
Mix it up and deal the cards in a new order.
Look at how the world is dancing around you.
Ask yourself: “Am I moonwalking?”