More of the same is not enough
Many of us have never driven a car with manual transmission, so the art of gear-shifting is lost. The basic idea is this, you put the car in gear, then accelerate. At a certain point, the engine is revving high, at its limit, you can’t go any faster, so you shift gears, now you can go faster, and the engine doesn’t work as hard, it’s revving lower.
Why is this important to business or work or career? This is an excellent metaphor for work. Often, we think we just have to do more more more faster faster faster, when what we really need to do is shift gears, but so many of us are hesitant to do so. Why? The current gear is comfortable, we understand it, we know what to expect, we don’t want to let it go, but the engine is under stress, and we are limiting ourselves and our performance. Too bad, we could go farther, faster, with less effort, if we can just let go of first gear long enough to shift into second, then third, then fourth…
I think this is a valid metaphor for everyone, but I think men in particular often cling to the old “gear” too long. They want to work harder and go faster, but worry about shifting. The economy and the world is different than it was is 1985, or 1985. Are we adapting? Some are, more need to. We can do it, but so many of us fall back on “trying harder,” then burn out and give up. It breaks my heart, it doesn’t have to be that way.
Man or woman, ask yourself, where are you revving too high? Where can you up-shift and go faster with less effort? Where are you clinging to the old familiar way, even though it’s hard work?
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia
Originally published at Dark Matter Consulting