Phrase that shaped my 2021
A lot happened in 2021, and so far, we are standing, more experienced, and a bit wiser.
As I reflect back, there are definitely a few things that helped me be better this year. You could always say that it’s a part of growing old, having a bit more white hair, etc.Yet I can highlight one phrase that has had an extraordinary impact on me this year. I am thankful to Raja Chidambaram for it.
I took a deep dive into mental models with Raja this year through one of his workshops. And what a revelation it was. Not that I didn’t know about it, but this deep-dive introduced me to the nuances (quite obvious now) of it. The profundity at which it impacts individuals was a revelation for me. There may be opinions about the power of mental models; however, their utility is undisputed to me.
One would naturally ask after knowing about mental models — Now that I know about it, what can I do about it?. And answer to that is pretty straightforward.
“The moment you observe it, it changes.”
And this is true about everything. In the digital-first world (at least in my profession), we are constantly glued to digital mediums for communication. Alternatives are also practically impossible in covid hit times.
Mindful observation introduces a slight pause, which forces us to respond than react. One of the most suggested practices is “here and now”. With a digital presence, it’s probably 100x tricky as we are trying to focus through a tiny screen in the environment with so many other things unrelated to the conversation. Being mindful of our thoughts and mental models forces us to listen intently with our own views suspended.
Obviously, it’s not easy, though it sounds simple. The initial few weeks were extremely chaotic. I missed my own thoughts as I tried to observe. I went blank on several occasions. That left me disappointed as my own contribution was not satisfactory to my own expectations. So I started a few things -
- Kept the focus on the video conferencing tool window. It was always visible and not in the background. I also disabled global keyboard shortcuts, which allowed me mute/unmute from anywhere. To speak or mute myself, I had to actively be there on the window. (I had a bunch of global shortcuts configured for mute, video, screen shares earlier)
- Started noting down keywords on paper using a pen.
At times, there would be meetings that I would log in and end without me saying a word other than “Hello” and “Bye”.
After a few weeks, this exercise brought some exciting insights about my own defocussing triggers, trigger words, and trigger actions.
I wouldn’t say that I managed it in my personal & social life to the extent I did it professionally. And as I step into the new year, that’s the one I wish I have.
Thank you for reading!
Wish you a happy new year; stay safe; stay healthy.
