As author and executive coach Marshall Goldsmith once said, “What got you here won’t get you there.” I take that to mean that different stages of our careers require different skill sets. What has served us well in the past may not get us to the next leg of our journey. And if life is the proverbial road trip, then it might serve us well to stop every now and then to check what we have packed in our bags.
The following exercise is for all of us who are moving into a different phase. Or simply starting off a new semester or new year with a new mindset.
Unpack Your Bags
Unpack your bag by taking an inventory of all that you have accumulated thus far: skills, talents, behaviors, beliefs, assumptions, and expectations. Ask yourself the hard questions:
- What has worked well for me (what has been useful) …?
- What has the potential to limit me or hold me back (what is not useful) …?
- What takes up precious cargo space (what can I do without) …?
This is an exercise that requires intense self-examination. A reflection on where you have been while also anticipating what is ahead. If ever there was a time to lighten the load, this is it. The ultimate question simply becomes ‘what do I really need to carry…?’ as I move into the next phase.
Repack Your Bags
Pack your bags with purpose and intention. It is highly likely that the examination process shifted your perspective a bit, giving you more to consider yet less to carry. And by lightening the load, you’ve created room for new stuff – new experiences, new discoveries, new thought processes which can cause new growth spurts.
With any luck this process of unpacking and repacking your bags won’t be too painful, because we’re apt to do it many times throughout our lives. Our paths are not linear. Careers change, lives change, we change geographically and metaphorically. Change really is the only constant.
Just over ten years ago I had the chance to ruthlessly examine the contents of my own overstuffed bags. In the interest of honesty, I will admit that I am structured. Very structured. My world operates on routine, discipline, and order. These are fine qualities in and of themselves, but just like anything else, too much of a good thing is still too much. So, for me, unpacking was about letting go of some of this rigidness, and repacking was about adding more fluidity to my world. This is where improvisational theater came into my life. Nearly everything about improv is counter to who I am at my core. Allowing myself the opportunity to experience true spontaneity – to give up control – has been euphoric. And even though I’m still somewhat rigid, I’m embracing far more spontaneity, which has given me a level of freedom I have never had before.
My example of repacking is behavior-based, an examination of my mindset between two dichotomies, structure and spontaneity. But repacking is a mindset that can be applied to just about any type of change or transition: careers, finances, family, relationships, responsibilities, hobbies and interests, health and wellness, even what type of pet to adopt or what kind of car to drive. You’re posing new questions to yourself, looking at things from a new point of view, and deciding what you really need to carry in your metaphorical bags.
Everyone is unique and every journey is personal. Repack accordingly. A good rule of thumb might be, when the destination changes, it’s time to repack your bags.
Ancora Imparo…
Still, I am learning (and still repacking my bags)
