“We cannot live the afternoon of life according to the programme of life’s morning; for what was great in the morning will be little at evening, and what in the morning was true will at evening have become a lie.” ~ Carl Jung
My recent post about getting clear on the game you’re playing generated considerable conversation on social media and in my inbox, so I thought I’d linger here a little longer.
What happens if you know the game you’re playing, but you need to play it differently than you have in the past?
This idea always brings my friend Alex Hagan to mind, as he first reminded me that when you level up in a video game, you can’t play the new harder level the same way as the previous easier levels if you want to win. Despite being adept at lower levels, your skills won’t be fit-for-purpose in the higher ones.
Another context where this idea becomes visible is taking care of our bodies in the second half of life. We can no longer tolerate late nights, too much fast food and poor form at the gym — staying healthy is still the game, but we need to play it differently.
Parenting examples of this concept are too many to list.
And for organizational leaders and entrepreneurs, the lesson holds. I suspect your operating systems need an update to serve you well in whatever next chapter you’re pursuing. Practically, you may need to upgrade your software systems. Or your communication habits. Or your positioning in your market or community. Or your leadership style. Or your mindset. Playing small won’t take you to a bigger place.
Before you nod and move on, I’d invite you to pause with this one. Because although this idea may sound self-evident, our tendency to stay too long in old stories is remarkably powerful. There’s a reason What got you here won’t get you there has been such a memorable title for Marshall Goldsmith — and it surprises me how frequently it continues to trip us up.
What is one specific skill or strategy begging for an upgrade right now?
