The Room Where It Happens
When I had this idea for a post, I added the piece to my calendar, indicating when I should write it. I didn’t, however, include any detail of what the idea entailed. A lesson, yes. But we pivot. Meanings often change over time. We learn from experiences and mistakes. But how can we find ourselves in situations to learn and grow? By being in the room where it happens, as often as possible.
Some readers may know “The Room Where It Happens” as a song from the play Hamilton. And so let’s stay on topic.
Alexander Hamilton was one of the founding fathers of the United States. The American Revolution occurred over a period of decades, and the outcome beforehand was of course, unknown. It required bravery. It required change. Something we often struggle to accept. But look at what it led to.
Change can be a good thing. We need to on occasion push ourselves to see what we can achieve. That thing you’ve always wanted to do, or that big problem you continuously face, why are you putting it off? Are you afraid of change?
Sure, it's never a process of walking forward and naturally adapting to change, taking it in your stride. It can detail one step forward, and three back. Another one forward, and two back. But through consistent effort, this change becomes a part of life.
Actionable Advice
· Be the least intelligent in the room. Find and seek the best mentors. You don’t even have to know them directly or personally, although, of course, you can. Over time, if you surround yourself with the best, you’ll unknowingly become the best.
· Remain adaptable and open to change. Seek growth, which occurs by seeking discomfort. Reflect inwards on how you really feel. When discomfort arises, when you feel like pushing yourself towards it and doing something that scares you, go for it!
· “Competition only ends with death.” This was a quote I heard from Benjamin Netanyahu on Lex Fridman’s podcast, and it stuck with me. He interprets it from a political standpoint, where he is competing with other people. Long-term happiness doesn’t come from comparing ourselves to others, but it can come from seeking purpose. And nobody should get in the way of your purpose. One way to use competition in your life is with yourself. Every day reflect upon the day you’ve just had.
One useful prompt is "How can I improve tomorrow? And this could be a missed task, to take more steps, to drink more water, anything. Yesterday, I was feeling tired, so my improvement was to rest more! Either way, you become more aware of yourself, and how you’re feeling. You’ll better understand how to care for yourself, and as a result, you’ll have more time to seek growth and improvement.
· Say Yes. Try new things. How can you know what might be truly for you if you never try? By saying yes, we better understand ourselves. It could even help you to cultivate your purpose, something that not many people in life pursue and are even slightly lucky to understand. Next time you lean towards saying no, catch yourself. Could saying yes provide new experiences and new adventures? Could that lead to further experiences and adventures?
Concluding Remarks
You don’t have to start a revolution or create a new framework that explains the world. Compete with yourself from yesterday. What’s one improvement you could make? What’s one new room you could find yourself in today? Start with one improvement or one new room. Over time, you’ll be unrecognisable.