Ah, summer jobs. Carefree days of mindless tasks, hard work, humble lessons, and some of the most colorful characters in history. Who doesn’t cherish those memories?
And now it has come full circle. In this coronavirus environment, my son was lucky enough to land a job working as a food runner at Millie’s, a cool, Nantucket-vibe restaurant just across the state line in Washington, DC. And the lessons continue.
On his first day on the job, he was tasked with running three plates of food from the kitchen to the sun-soaked outside patio. He grabbed one plate with each hand and started toward the door. But a veteran worker stopped him before he could get too far.
“Hey, you missed a plate, my man.”
My son was in a rush.
“I’ll be back for it right away. I can’t carry more than two.”
But the veteran worker was insistent. He demonstrated.
“It’s time you learned one of the tricks of the trade. Here, you balance two on one arm and then grab the third plate in your other hand.”
My son was hesitant. He didn’t want to drop any food on the first day.
“I don’t think I can do that.”
The veteran worker smiled.
“How do you know unless you try? Just give it a shot!”
My son cautiously grabbed the two plates and precariously balanced them on his right arm, while he grabbed the third plate with his other hand. It was not an easy run. He was shaky at best. But he made it without great catastrophe or embarrassment. And by the end of the night, balancing the plates was as natural as walking or chewing gum.
It was a great lesson. How often are we willing to step out of our comfort zone and try something new? And how many experiences have we missed out on because the first step was too daunting? Sometimes, we all need a little push.
We Need Outside Perspective
Most of us crave routine. We have a known set of skills that generate tasks and expectations. When something comes along to challenge those expectations, we immediately resist. I can’t possibly expand my company at a time like this. I don’t have the quantitative skills to take on those additional responsibilities. I know my accounts inside out and don’t need more territory. Oftentimes, we put up our own stop sign because our fear of failure and embarrassment stifle our confidence.
Sometimes, we need a different voice to drown out the negative voice inside our own head. Perhaps an empathetic manager. Perhaps a trusted colleague. Perhaps a client who sees more in us than we see in ourselves. Outside perspective is key in times of stress and change. Balancing the plates is easy but we may never find out without that little boost of external motivation.
Fear of Rejection is Powerful
And the same is true in our personal lives. Why bother making new friends? Why take the first step toward meeting a new companion? Why reconcile or repair a broken relationship? It is easy to stick with our own comfortable situation. We are creatures of habit. But beyond that, the fear of rejection and embarrassment is a powerful force in any mental tug-of-war.
But perhaps our new friends will be just as rewarding as our old friends. Perhaps we are one ask away from the person who makes us happy. Perhaps by taking the first step toward forgiveness, we re-establish an even stronger bond. It will not be easy. We may need a little push. But how will we know unless we try?
Action Drives Growth
But what happens if we try to balance the plates and they slip and crash all over the Millie’s patio? We expand too fast and have to pull back. We take our eye off the ball and lose clients. We can’t handle our additional responsibilities. We get rejected or fail to make new friends.
There are no guarantees in life and failure is certainly a possibility. But the actual failure is so much less menacing than the fear of failure. And failure as a result of action is still a positive step toward growth.
It’s All About Balancing the Plates
We need to break through that initial layer of doubt and uncertainty. It may come from within, or it may take an outside voice to help put us over the top. But once we start the journey, we cannot lose. Each minor accomplishment will build our confidence and soon new tasks and responsibilities will be as natural as walking and chewing gum.
We have an incredible capacity for learning new skills. We are destined to push through our limitations and conquer new mountains. We will balance all of the plates in our lives with dexterity and ease.
But the first step in the journey must start with an action. How do we know unless we try?