Differability

Just a quick update. I've been on Ghost for a little over a year to publish my newsletter. It's a beautifully simple platform for just writing. But I need to do a bit more with my newsletter to build my business. And the problem with Ghost is ... it is simple ... and much younger than platforms like Wordpress or (Convert)Kit. It just does not have enough of an ecosystem built around it. And the plug-ins like Outpost make it more expensive than other options. No worries.

The folks at LinkedIn recently asked me to respond to their post on entry-level professionals making connections in hybrid work. I had more to share than the tiny space I was given to reply. I hope you find this more detailed answer useful. Connecting online is not impossible, but it is more intentional. You cannot rely on connections happening serendipitously.

When change happens, you should consider your own change. Apologies for being so quiet these last few weeks. I've been retooling in a number of ways. I'm picking up new skills and launching my fourth career pivot. Why pivot now? I've applied agile thinking in my work since 1999 - when the first articles and books came out. I wanted a better way of working. I was tired of "the grind" of developing software that didn't quite meet the needs of the customer. I wanted to make their work better.

I hear a lot about loss lately. I lost my job. (Yeah, I’ve been there too.) I lost my country. Let’s make it great again. I lost my community. Someone bought it, encroached upon it, didn’t respect it, enshitified it. Sometimes I find the loss is loss of comfort. Not always. Sometimes. But times change. People change. Places change. I’ve found that I have to let go of that to find the new comfort. Can I be comfortable in a new role? Can I be comfortable in a new place?

How to find a smoother ride with your career. In my career, I’ve ridden through multiple tech bubbles and financial bubbles, rising startups, collapsing corporate cultures, bumpy buyouts and messy mergers. What many do not know is I’ve also pivoted my career four times on my professional journey. What allowed me to ride through these ups, downs, twists, and turns and change directions in my career? I built my career like a bicycle wheel. Why a Bicycle Wheel?

Many people like to “power through” difficult situations. No matter the difficulty, they do their best to reach their goal. It’s all about “pushing through" or “winning at all costs.”  Sometimes we achieve the goal and we celebrate. Sometimes this approach causes harm — to ourselves and others — whether we reach the goal or not.

I’m stuck right now. I’ve been stuck in several ways. I thought you might be stuck too and you might find it useful to learn how I get unstuck. How I’m Stuck As I Write This Now We can all get stuck in various ways; sometimes, multiple things might contribute to being stuck. I’m feeling that now and thought it might help to share how I’m stuck: I’m stuck writing marketing material for a new leadership coaching business.

Previously, I've discussed the dangers of "powering through" your work. I also shared the pitfalls of powering through when you are stuck. Now, I'll share one of my biggest secrets to becoming unstuck. Are you ready? Walk away. I discovered this approach by accident several years ago. When wrestling with a particular problem, you might uncover such complexity and intense risk, that you can’t find a clear path. Options seem hard to find.

Last time I shared how walking away from a problem and scheduling a time to come back to it helps me unlock some difficult problems. It works most of the time for me, but not always. Did you ever come across a complex problem or a complex web of problems that you couldn't seem to untangle? Did you feel stuck in the web of risk or anxiety with the problems? Yeah, me too. That leads me to my third approach to dealing with difficult problems: write through it. For me, "writing through" is NOT journaling.

As I approach the end of each year, I like to look back at what happened and what I can learn from it. Whether it’s been a busy year, a fantastic year, or a challenging year, I always try to find time to examine elements of work and life to see how it compares to previous years. Then I look for ways to build to better in the coming year. Considering the time of year, I also want to reflect on where I’m grateful and how I want to recognize that gratitude.