I wrote yesterday about my adventures with my lawn mower. It was a little voyage of discovery that I’d like to share. As I mentioned, I am not exactly Johnny Mechanic! However yesterday was an interesting lesson in the various forces that either hold us back or drive us forward. I was aware of being somewhat alarmed by size of the potential bill of getting the mower fixed (the last time cost more than the car!) I knew I was operating outside both my comfort zone and competence.

Yesterday was an interesting example of what we are capable of if we just follow the trail of bread crumbs and keep moving forwards. It seemed to me there were a number of learnings:-

1. Instead of being daunted by the size of a challenge, and all the things we don’t know, act on what we do know and take the next step. We don’t need to know where it leads to, we just have to move forwards
2. Take one step at a time; with each step, we learn something more, can see a little clearer what our options are. This creates momentum and with that we feel better, stronger, less of a victim
3. Ask for help. Ask any and everyone, if they don’t now, as them who might. Once again, it is about taking action and putting positive directional energy out there
4. Take a risk; we know we don’t like the place we are in, so moving into the unknown stands a chance of being better
5. Be brave! Others have done it before us and there is a good chance we can too!

It was a process of learning by doing, and with each step I could see more of the whole and how things worked more clearly. Random patterns of wires and bits slowly resolved themselves into something that made more sense. If you find yourself in a similar place of fear and not-knowing, perhaps my mower has something to teach you too….

“What we see depends mainly on what we look for.” Sir John Lubbock
“I feel that the most important requirement in success is learning to overcome failure. You must learn to tolerate it, but never accept it”. Reggie Jackson