Sharing Our Stories
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During a Gamification Conversation, I helped a startup founder create a framework of rules, rewards, and accountability for the area of his work that gave him the most resistance. This framework made him visibly excited - he was glad to have a lighter perspective on the work that was so heavy to him that he frequently avoided it. Towards the end of our conversation he asked why I was doing this. What's important to me about this offering? I feel most fulfilled when I give something that someone wants to receive. When I give something but the recipient doesn't want it, or when something is asked of me but I am not capable of giving it, that shows me that something's not right. My task at that moment of awareness is to do something different to move closer to an aligned state of giving. The Gamification Conversation was effortless for me because I could see how the founder's story about what he resists is like the bird that falsely believes it is trapped. By sharing the full context of his situation - the relevant beliefs and constraints which define his narrative of being stuck - he was able to redefine the meaning of the work he was avoiding, and thereby make it more approachable. This is why collaboration is so good: one person's impossible obstacle is another person's low hurdle. When we share our stories about what we're struggling with, we can show each other alternate ways forward. It's vulnerable, but rewarding to reveal where we are giving into stories about fear or lack or resistance. Our blindspots and quirks and imperfections make us human, and there's a joy in being seen in our unique messiness. I was glad to help the startup founder shift from a narrative of fear to a narrative of empowerment, and I would be glad to help you gamify something in your life that matters to you. By setting up rules and rewards for your task, you can have a lighter and more playful approach that helps you view the work with joy rather than dread. Schedule a 60 minute Gamification Conversation if something in this newsletter has resonated with you. |
@strangestloop
I stand alone on the balcony overlooking the backyard, leaning against the railing, thinking of nothing in particular. The door creaks open. "It's tiiiiiiime," my friend tells me. I walk inside towards the room where a dozen people await my arrival. Murmurs and declarations of "yes" greet me as I breach the circle. I stand at the center and am rewarded with louder yeses. I move towards someone, then someone else. Silence. Back to the center. "Yes," affirms the chorus. Okay, here. I hold my...
Hello! In the throes of a lower mood I try to remember how much I have to be grateful for, how much I have in my life that is worth celebrating. Today's newsletter is me doing that! It's remarkable how simple and effective this practice is at shifting my mood from gloom to bloom. Here is my gratitude list: Receiving appreciation for The RAMP Mindset and the dots method on a video call. Running into some new connections at a friend's birthday party. Hearing Nine In The Afternoon on the radio...
In any situation you can take a moment to notice whether you could enjoy it more - maybe a lot more or maybe a little more - and then take action to raise your enjoyment. Turning the act of noticing into a habit yields huge gains for lifetime enjoyment. This has been the message for me lately and so it is my solemn duty to pass the message on to you. Some examples: During a conversation someone asked me out of 10 how comfortable I was in my seat and I said 7. Once I was aware of this it was...