The Myth of Ready

This week, I tried a simple AI morning brain-warm-up experiment at the suggestion of Alex Morgan from The Neuron.

I gave ChatGPT this reflective prompt: Share one interesting assumption I might hold without realizing.

The response: Sometimes we assume we need clarity before we’re allowed to move.

That immediately reminded me of a reflection I wrote a while back. I’m resharing it here, because I appreciated the reminder. And maybe some of you will as well.

I didn’t expect to learn a life lesson from paddleboarding, but I did.

I received advice during my first ocean paddleboarding class.

Once you stand up on the board, put need to immediately put your paddle in the water and start moving It’s like a bike. You wouldn’t expect to get a bike balanced on both wheels first, then start moving. Forward momentum supports balance.

This pearl was very helpful as we started just past the breakers that day.

It’s also a good metaphor that can be applied in other contexts.

After recovering from chaos or burnout, the key to equilibrium isn’t just trying to remain upright. It’s to start moving.

After a setback, we all need rest and recovery. However, staying in rest and recovery for too long can quietly rob us of making meaningful contributions, which in and of itself is often rejuvenating and healing.

So we can’t necessarily wait for a perfect feeling of “balance” to get started again. Sometimes momentum is required to find it.

There’s a corollary to this principle.

As we set the foundation for a statewide GME Council last year, we undertook a lot of research and had many, many meaningful discussions. At one point, the question came up: do we do this, or wait to see the outcome of that?

One of our astute working group members said, “Sometimes you need to be moving to determine if you’re going in the right direction.”

In other words, after enough due diligence - whatever that means for you, it’s time to make the best decision you can with the information you have on hand and reassess down the road.

Reflection: What situation comes to mind for you when you read this?

How do you know you've done enough thinking or research?

What's it costing you not to take the next action?

How are you fitting in time for your default mode network?