What's Up with the Car?
A while back at work, I walked into one of our branches and noticed that there was a toy car sitting at the receptionist’s desk. Deciding to be playful, I turned it upside down, opened all the doors, and just left it there to be discovered.
The funny thing? Everyone kept asking the receptionist about it. “What’s up with the car?” “Do you have this car this way on purpose?” “I’m sorry, but I think one of your coworkers or perhaps a a member may have played a prank on you - have you seen the toy car?” This went on all day and sparked many discussions with members and coworkers alike.
Why is that? Expectations were broken. When you walk into a financial institution and see a car - it’s nothing too surprising (spoiler alert: they do auto loans). But...when someone see a car from an unusual perspective (with no explanation)...curiosity gets sparked and conversation ensues.
In life, work, and everything in between we often get stuck because we see the same things, day in and day out. Our lives become white noise and we start to coast. Things that once excited us, slowly start to lose their “pizazz.” We often get bored or start to feel stuck. Often times, the things we are most passionate about are a lot like that toy car - they don’t get noticed, unless...
...we see them from a different perspective; from a different angle.
And that’s the lesson: What are you not “seeing” anymore? Where are you feeling stuck, bored, or otherwise “blah” about? Sometimes when this happens we are tempted to look for something new, something fresh. While that can help, it only works to a point...the point where that something new or fresh because “blah”, the familiar boredom kicks in and we find ourselves looking for the next “new” thing.
What if we tried a different approach?
What if we dared to take the source of our “stuck-ed-ness” (not a word...but it should be) and flipped it on it’s head? What if we looked at it from a different angle with a new set of eyes? Could it become “new” and “fresh” again?
The answer is a resounding, “Hell yeah!”
Maybe you are feeling stuck and bored at work. Perhaps a project you’ve been working on just isn’t causing that same passion anymore and feels “same old.” Maybe you’re in a relationship that feels stuck on auto pilot. Whatever the case, instead of running to something new, why not flip the script and try to see it from a new angle? Ask questions, make lists, engage the challenge as if you “knew” how to fix it and see what kinds of solutions come to mind and, just like the flipped over car, you might just find your curiosity being piqued and new questions, thoughts, and solutions flowing free. Good luck and until next time, make today great!
