What is Trying to Happen in Your Work and Life?
By Laura Macro M.Ed. PCC.
‘Try’ is an interesting word! ‘Try a Tri’ is an invitation to athletes, to stretch beyond their normal fitness endeavours and “give a triathlon a try”. There is no shame in ‘trying’ a triathlon, as this is a stretch event for all but the most dedicated and multi-skilled athletes.
As we nurture our children, we often request that they ‘try their best’. We boost their self esteem by using ‘successive approximations’ as a way of acknowledging their successes and breaking down their learning into manageable bites.
At the other end of the continuum, sometimes we harshly label the word ‘try’ as an excuse word that indicates that we are not actually doing something. We are just ‘trying’, as if that were not a serious effort and therefore not worthy of note.
However, in all these cases, while something new and different (often a new skill) is attempting to unfold and become visible, something else is happening. What was previously the normal or usual way of operating is being stretched into a new place. Growth is happening. Comfort zones are being pushed. A level of skill or behaviour that is not normal is trying to become the new normal. And that new normal becomes the threshold for the next ‘try’. This is how we grow. But there are challenges in pushing over the edge from the old way to the new. Sometimes it takes more training that stretches the muscles, and sometimes it takes more courage, or more dialogue, or more openness to doing what feels risky. But on the other side of the risky edge is a new normal. The reward for the ‘trying’ is even greater possibilities.
‘Try’ is a small word that holds big possibilities. What is trying to happen for you at this time of your life? What is trying to happen in your career or your business? Where are you feeling called to take a risk and go over an edge and do something different? What conversation is trying to happen? What relationship is trying to be different? What possibilities will unfold for you in 2007 if you notice what is trying to happen in your work, your leadership, your life and your relationships? Where will you grow?
Laura Macro M.Ed. PCC is a leadership coach who supports mid-career women leaders, professionals and business owners who are re-energizing their work, their leadership and their teams, as they contribute significantly, experience more meaning and intentionally develop their legacy.
Laura is a certified coach through The International Coach Federation and The Coaches Training Institute, is trained in Organizational Relationship Systems Coaching for partners, teams and families, holds an M.Ed. from U of T, and has 25+ years experience as a professional coach, senior HR professional, career development consultant and not for profit leader.