G.O.A.T.

The Greatest Of All Time: GOAT.  Ask any sports fanatic who the GOAT is within the sport they love, and an answer will quickly follow.  Talk to people who are passionate about their assessment, and they will provide a myriad of reasons for their position.  Some will argue that it is based upon sheer performance statistics, while others will say it depends on how the team performs in trophies and championships.  Some will state that the well-rounded players are the ones who make the grade, while others judge based on fan following or corporate sponsorships.  Typically, however, there is consensus among followers about the top 3-5 “GOATs” in a chosen sport.  But perform a search for thee absolute best athlete and you will rarely find a resounding consensus for the #1 spot from every source contributing an opinion.  And opinions they are.  While there is compelling evidence for the stance people take, there is still no perfect formula for stating what makes someone reach GOAT status.  And hence, people will have differing names on their list and how they drew their conclusion.  Watch ESPN on any given day and you will hear experts debate the topic with reverence, spirited passion, and competitive dialogue.

If we allow varying perspectives about what makes an athlete a GOAT, why don’t we consider doing the same in other walks of life?  Let’s circle back to a sport to make this point.  Because basketball is in my DNA, we’ll go with something relatable for me to convey.  In basketball, someone might be the GOAT of rebounding and not have the same ability to shoot baskets from the perimeter.  Does this make that athlete have less value?  Maybe that team would be woefully weak if they didn’t have that individual to rebound for them so they could pass the ball out to the players on the key.  Some basketball players can shoot lights-out under pressure, while others have such great defensive hands that opposing teams loathe dribbling in front of them.  The point is it takes many types of players, different fundamental strengths, inspiring coaches, and spectators to comprise team sports.  In fact, even the “best” athlete relies on medical personnel behind the scenes to keep them safe and healthy.  The GOAT rarely lives in a bubble alone, and the GOAT is frequently measured on their ability to buoy the team and work within a larger network.  There have been many athletes who are technically superior who don’t reach the level of being a GOAT because of their persona, ego, or toxicity.

The next time you feel you aren’t measuring up to the ranks of a GOAT when you are comparing yourself to others, ask yourself what parameters you are assessing them on and what you bring to the scenario that sets you apart.  There are many markers for greatness and the comparison game is a perfect recipe for making oneself feel inadequate.  Take a broader lens and look for the variables tucked away in the background, the coaches who elevate others, the subjective measures used to determine value, the overall performance of the team dynamics, and the fans who cheer on the sidelines.  Often, the most inspirational GOAT is someone who doesn’t stand in isolation and reaches their pinnacle with gratitude for supports along the way.  Watch the interviews of an athlete you are drawn to, and likely there will be a person who recognizes they are part of a larger story.  They see the unique contributions provided by those around them, and they recognize that the elements that bring rise to the GOAT exist within all of us.  In turn, their strengths don’t diminish the gifts within others.  THAT is being a GOAT, and this is present within each of us.  We arrive as our own #1 GOAT when we honor ourselves independent of marginalizing comparisons.

Changepoints:

Think about something you are passionate about and identify a GOAT:

·        What characteristics of this person inspire you?  What traits are worthy of replication?

·        While you may see this person as a GOAT, can you find ways even they are not perfect?  If they are exemplary and yet with flaws, can you allow the same to be true for yourself?

·        In what areas do you inaccurately make comparisons or draw conclusions about yourself or others?

·        How can you embrace the roles you play in this world?

o   How will this perspective change your relationship with yourself and with others?

o   What can you do to enhance genuine happiness and support for the gifts in others?

The measure of greatness and how a self-GOAT is defined starts with you. 

outSIGHTin, LLC: Creating awareness as a changepoint for improved organizational results.

Leaves

If you are from the Midwest or visit this region throughout the year, you know we are part of the United States with four true seasons: winter, spring, summer, and fall.  Most people around here love the spring and fall seasons best as these months don’t present the extreme weather like our winter and summer.  And the beauty of the spring and fall landscapes are unparalleled, along with revered the traditions of tulip festivals in May and bonfires in October.  Even the air is amazing during these sacred months.

Yet, this very air is what causes allergies for many who live here.  Microscopic pollen creates wars with people’s sinuses during both seasons.  Various trees wreak havoc starting in March, where ragweed sends its power blows in September.  These very particles, however, are the necessary backbone to creating the transitions between seasons.  Eventually this leads to the magnificent plant-life demonstrated in the spring and fall.  The buds of newly sprouting leaves and the autumn colors of changing leaves remind us that nothing lasts forever.  Even the high heat of summer and the frigid temperatures of winter won’t keep their mark indefinitely.  Spring and fall eventually greet us with their joyfully opened arms.

Such is life.  If the temperatures in your life seem uncomfortably high or woefully low, remember that a season of transition, regrowth, and change could be right in the horizon.  Conversely, if you are experiencing the bliss of wonderful surroundings, it is also helpful to remember that the tiny particles of pollen-like transformation could be entering the gates.  The next time you have seasonal spring allergies or rake the fallen leaves of autumn, mindfully tell yourself that you are undergoing these because of the splendor that came first.  The next time you dread shoveling the snow or paying the utility bill from withering heat, peacefully tell your soul that this weather is preparing the world for great things to follow.  

Jump in the pile of Fall’s raked leaves.  Run through the sprinklers belonging to Summer.  Make snow-angels in Winter’s solid ground.  Pick the daisies given by the fields of Spring.  They all have something to offer.  Embrace the seasons.

Changepoints:

Determine the times in life you enjoy and those you prefer to avoid:

·        Remember a situation that was hard to endure that eventually led to growth opportunities.  What outcomes resulted that couldn’t have happened if you hadn’t experienced the tumultuous time beforehand?

·        Think of ways you can welcome the highs and lows you might face.  What serves as your gentle reminder that nothing is forever, the good or the bad?

·        How can you personalize your story to include all seasons?

o   How will this change your relationship with the various extremes in life?

o   What can you do to remain authentic to yourself during transitions?

There is a gift to be given and received during all periods of change. 

outSIGHTin, LLC: Creating awareness as a changepoint for improved organizational results.

Sum

If a person were to say to you, “I am finding some goodness out there,” you would likely tell yourself that the person is noticing facets of positivity around them.  This would be an edifying thing to hear for certain.  But what if you heard, “I am finding sum goodness out there”?  Now THAT would be a great message to internalize as it would mean the person is looking for total goodness. 

While this particular scenario paints the picture of homophones in the complexities of the English language, it still drives home this point:  Perspective shapes reality.  How often could the lens we view the world or the amplifier we hear the universe make a resounding impact on the information taken in?  Some goodness.  Sum goodness.  What a difference in the context and understanding!

Could we give more compassion to those around us if we reframed things to assume different intent than what we might initially internalize?  Can we pause for a moment to explore meaning and definitions that might be new to us?  Would it feel better to live in an environment where mindfulness is offered to others?  I know I’ve been a chronic offender myself when I jump to conclusions.  It makes for more defensiveness, aggressiveness, sadness, and unhappiness when I try to write the script for someone else.  What if I handed them the pen to share their story with me?  It would allow me to absorb “sum” instead of “some.”  Wouldn’t the world be a safer place if we tried to see the “total” of a person instead of just a “part”?  Heavens know I could use this grace and compassion a LOT as I navigate life.  I hope you will seek to find sum goodness in your world. 

Changepoints:

Reflect on how you typically shape your perspectives:

·        Think of a specific situation where more context or information would have helped you understand those around you better?  What questions could you have asked to explore this more?

·        Consider a time when you were misunderstood because the impact of your behaviors or decisions didn’t align with your real intent.  What would have been helpful to convey your truth?

·        What metaphoric lens or amplifier can you use to heighten your sensitivity to the positives around you?

o   How will doing so soften the sharp edges within yourself?

o   What relationships might change as a result?

Listen and look for the sum total of what is being presented to you. 

outSIGHTin, LLC: Creating awareness as a changepoint for improved organizational results.

 

Returning

I recently went on a trip overseas where I was gone eight days.  Packing for the trip was exciting.  Traveling on the airplane was exciting.  The trip itself was exciting.  Then day eight approached.  I was ready to be home.  In fact, I was now excited about that.  What I was NOT excited about was the process of packing and traveling to return home.  While I had enjoyed these steps when I was ready to embark on my adventure abroad, I wasn’t so thrilled to repeat them to get home.  And yet, I wanted to be home. 

When we are away and wish to return somewhere, we often must take the initiative to do the things to get us where we want to be.  Ironically, some of these steps are the very things that brought excitement at one point in the journey and now seem challenging, like packing the luggage and flying on the plane.  We want to get from Point A to Point B without doing the necessary preparations or actions along the way.  But if the goal is to get to our destination, we need to keep this site in focus.  Home.

This is where I am at in my life.  Some might view the past years of my life as a stage of wandering or struggling.  I would have included myself in this camp of thinking at one time.  However, I now try to view this stage as a needed journey of exploration.  Some parts I will leave right where they are: in the past.  On the other hand, I also can see that I simply reached a crossroad where I decided I wished to return to the core of Kiley.  This summer I went on the overseas pilgrimage as a symbolic act of taking the next step at the fork in the road.  That is where I metaphorically started packing my bags and boarding the airplane to return home to Kiley.  To the fuller, more authentic version of myself.  I hope you will join me on your journey of returning to your own version of home.

Changepoints:

Evaluate where you wish to return to and think about the following:

·        Have I arrived at the place where I want to be with myself?  If so, what did I do to get here so that I can remind myself if I ever start to wander?  If not, where would I like to be?

·        What is the symbolic “baggage” that I need to remove from my luggage to lighten my load?  What should I include so I can arrive safely at my destination?

·        What will the process of “traveling” look like to get me where I intend to be?  Will it take me home?

o   What are the rewards of returning?

o   What are the anticipated joys of entering into the pilgrimage?

Welcome to your adventure of returning. 

 outSIGHTin, LLC: Creating awareness as a changepoint for improved organizational results.