The other day I thought it would be fascinating to hear how foxes communicate with one another.

Not surprisingly, I started my search by looking up “fox communication,” and I received links to Fox News.

Not really what I wanted. So, I took a step further, “fox communication vixen (a female fox).”

I clicked the first video.

Immediately, I thought about how we must sound to other animals.

This is a short self-reflection.

I do these every now and then because I want to show what I’m learning.

I have an eclectic background.

I am, therefore, interesting, useful, and not useful at once.

I am proud of my experience.

I have many interests.

Like Wisconsin’s weather, they change often.

I know that makes me difficult to pin down, but I’m not the kind to be pinned down.

I am proud of my curiosity.

I’m writing this to you on a Saturday morning, even though it will be Thursday (today) when you read this message.  I’m looking out my window, as I often do for inspiration, and I notice the sound of the wind.  Like the folkloric, Banshee, the wind howls and “whoooooooos” across the window.  What’s it saying?  Wind doesn’t make a sound unless it comes into contact with another object. What we’re hearing is the sound of friction and disruption.When the wind passes over surfaces, the friction it creates is the howl.  When the wind dislodges branches and leaves, the disruption creates the rustling of the leaves.It’s this friction and disruption that changes the way we perceive the wind.  So, what is the wind saying?  It’s saying get out and do something - come alive.You won’t be able to create a message that spreads as fast the wind rushes without creating friction.  You won’t be able to do the work that matters without creating a ruckus.  You won’t be able to find fulfillment unless you actually take a step outside your comfort zone and work.You and the wind have much in common, you both are capable of significant change. But, you’ve got to make a ruckus.

Try to put yourself in their shoes.You’re not a leader seated atop a thrown in a high castle somewhere in a distant land, looking down upon your gentry, and telling them what’s needed.Or maybe you are?If you’re building something for someone else:Walk a mile in their shoes.Understand what keeps them awake at night.Know the things that make them come alive.Have a vision for what they’re trying to achieve.  See the world through their eyes.Develop an impression of how they came to be where they are today - what was their journey?Know who they are for! Who are they trying to help?What is their “something better”?You can’t speak to someone until you learn to see them.That requires empathy.It’s simple.

As sung in the hit musical, “Hairspray,” - “You can’t stop the beat!” But you can control it! Another lesson from a lifetime as a musician - time and the management of time. Time, in the music world, means “the speed at which music should be played.” For us, to manage time means to control the “speed” at which a song is performed. In a band, every member is responsible for the correct execution of time. Though, the drummer seems to exert (or would like to say they do) the most influence over it. Life is no different. You can not make others work harder. You can not make time speed up. And, no amount of huffing and puffing will make it better. You can quickly shift focus. You can help others focus with you. You can help people set aside the time to do the work that matters. You can help manage expectations. You can hold healthy expectations. Sometimes what is needed is the right form of control. Take it from someone that’s tried to control too much. As the song says, and as I’ve learned, “I can’t stop the beat.”

It doesn’t matter whether you’re wrong or right. Did you remember learning about how to create a hypothesis in school? A hypothesis is not a declaration of fact, it’s a suggestion. “The readers of this blog are more interested in doing things for themselves better than having things done for them.” This is my hypothesis, and I suspect I’m right. I make that guess because no one (yet) has unsubscribed, and the ones that do subscribe read the content. But, what if we make suggestions that don’t work out? “People will unsubscribe from the blog if the content was exclusively for musicians.” If I changed the content of the blog, I imagine some will unsubscribe. Why? Because not everyone who reads is a musician. The power of a hypothesis is the power of testing a belief. It’s the willingness to be wrong. It’s the excitement of being right. It is the ability to do things that matter and discover who cares. You might have an idea before you, something you’ve always wanted to do, and perhaps this isn’t the right time. Or, it might be a perfect time, and you just don’t know. But, one thing is for sure, you’ll never know unless you test. That’s the power of the hypothesis.

Time doesn’t just stop. It moves with or without you. If you try to stop it, you’ll fail. If you try to get out ahead of it, you’ll fail. The best option is to move with time. You’ve got 24 hours in the day. You’ve spent 10 seconds readings this blog. Now, what’s next?

If you want to change the minds of others, you need to create tension. If you want to change a habit, you need to create tension. If you want to do anything that matters - tension! Tension is unease. It’s the feeling of, “perhaps we weren’t right about this.” It’s the questioning of our status quo. Tension requires relief. The goal is to be the relief. To be able to solve the problem. To help people that need help. To do the hard work of making something better. If you want to grow muscles, you must break a few fibers first. If you want to ride a bike, you’re going to have to fall off. If you want to be a relief, find success, and fulfillment - You’ll need to create and embrace…

You are not like everyone else - you are like you! As much as the world would like to make you like everyone else, it’s not possible - you are you. As much as people would like you to follow “the way it’s always been done,” that’s not you! When you try to be like everyone else, You’re doing denying our culture the thing that we need the most - YOU!

The beautiful thing about a plan is that it creates certainty - makes something real.  I used to have a boss that would insist on plans being printed out, nicely drafted, complete with dates, objectives, metrics - you name it!I’ve also traveled with people that like to plan out every stop along a trip - where we go, what we see, where we eat, when we sleep, when we wake… ugh! I say we stop planning what we’ll do in the future!  Do away with the whole concept, all together, goodbye!Instead, let’s plan for HOW we’ll act in the future.Instead of planning for what we’ll do 30 days from now, let’s plan on what we’ll hope to learn 30 days from now, and how we’ll figure out whether or not we’ve learned.Instead of planning for each vacation activity, let’s plan how we’ll make decisions about what we’ll do and when.  Instead of planning for what steps we’ll take to execute recruitment, let’s plan for how we’ll decide what steps to take at different milestones.  Why is this better?Because life changes! #hellocovid19Because life changes! Maybe our customers don’t want that product anymore?Because life changes! Because Disney no longer has “Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride!” (biggest disappointment ever…)Because life changes! When you have the wrong expectations, you risk frustration.Because healthy expectations lead to productive work!Because to do work that matters requires your ability to change and adapt.Because you will learn, grow, and come alive during the course of work.And, because that growth is only meaningful if you can lean into it! Next time you’re ready to sit down and list out your next steps, make sure you’re planning for the right thing ;-)