Issue 030: Would You Want to Start Over?
– Mike Murdock
Have you ever thought about the difference between “start over,” “fresh start," and “jumpstart”?
A few days ago, a talented colleague who had his best year in 2019 called. “I’m getting nowhere, and I don’t have the energy to start over.” I understood and felt his battle cry. (Story shared with permission.) If the pandemic struggles have zapped your energy, you get it.
His comment reminded me of a former co-worker. She scanned someone and made a prediction. “Oh, he’s not going to buy,” she said once about a customer who turned out to be a well-known doctor and signed a multi-six-figure contract. Someone else got what would’ve been her sale.
After my colleague’s call ended, our conversation stayed with me. At first, I couldn’t pinpoint what bothered me about his phrase “I don’t have the energy to start over.”
Then, I remembered an in-depth discussion I had with an editor and close friend. After my second cancer diagnosis in July 2019, I said something similar. “With two months of recovery, I’ll be starting over again.”
“Mj, are you really starting over?”
“Yes, I can’t work for two months.”
“You can’t work at all?”
My editor friend nabbed me. I had initiated the negative “start over” mindset. But the fact that I wasn’t allowed to drive or give live training sessions (I’ll spare you the reasons) didn’t have to stop me from writing content for upcoming programs, fine-tuning business systems, or prospecting remotely. Little did I know then that the Zoom meetings I had while recovering from surgery in 2019 would be an advantage in 2020. And don’t tell my kids, I might or might not have ordered an Uber a time or two. Starting over would’ve wiped out everything I learned or gained along the way.
Sometimes, it might feel like we’ve been sent back to “zero” again, especially during this ongoing pandemic. We have certainly lost something along the way. Yet, we’ve learned additional skills, strategies, and tactics to maneuver the unexpected setbacks. We boosted our resilience, or as I say, our “Bounce-Up™ Factor.”
My friend and I discussed two replacements for “start over”.
Fresh start
Jumpstart
Both changed my perspective, attitude, and direction. I chose jumpstart, thinking of the time my car battery needed a jumpstart. With a quick charge from the AAA road service professional, I was on my way to my next destination.
After sharing these replacement options with my colleague, his perspective shifted, too. Sometimes, we all could use a little help from a friend or colleague.
Bounce-Up Momentum Questions
Are you a “fresh start” or a “jumpstart” thinker?
What could use a “jumpstart?”
What is one skill you’ve developed or perfected since March?
Until next time, have a Bounce-Up™ day.
Mj
P.S. Listen to the quick interview as I share what I don’t want my kids to know.
