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Sampling Bold Change
When is guacamole not just an avocado?
When it is a sampler instead!
A recent dinner at an upscale Mexican restaurant in the Southwest revealed a memorable and refreshing twist on change and innovation. Unlike every other restaurant serving up guacamole and chips, this one offered something unique. A sampler! What arrived at our table was an offering of three different variations of guacamole. Although they each used avocados as the essential ingredient, every option was a completely creative and different interpretation. This sampler was not just an appetizer, but an experience that was delicious, inviting, interesting, and unlimited.
The guacamole sampler was outstanding because it was different. What made it different made it memorable and unique. It was bold because it allowed itself to be courageous in its execution and meaningful in its own aura. The guacamole sampler I ordered stood out, leading with what made it different also made it legendary.
The same is true in business and in life.
What makes you different is your edge. Becoming good at leading with what sets you apart, is bold and innovative decision-making that supports change and renewal. Yet instead you may be clinging to what makes you the same, a time zapper that wastes your energy and dampens your self-esteem. One of the best ways to execute a "sampler" is to unearth multiple options in solution-seeking. This is a powerful way to engage curiosity, drive refreshed decisions, and ignite change and transition. Like this guacamole and chips example, there are a myriad of different vantage points and interpretations for even the most mundane products, tasks, jobs, and interactions. Creating a "sampler of choices" and ideas that you execute on, permits in small changes and opens the door to a variety of options that previously may not have been apparent. These samples will support you in meeting the moment at the intersection of your expertise and the unknown.
The next time you feel pedestrian in your decision-making and stuck in your head, consider allowing yourself to sample the possibilities instead. Lead with the unknown, not as a beginner but rather with all your life expertise.The guacamole sampler had unknown interpretations, but never abandoned its expertise. The sampler was an avocado expert revealing fresh updated versions of itself!
Everything is unknown until you know it. You did not know how to tie your shoes, or read, or go to college, or interview for a job, or even do your current job until you did it. What you are willing to test drive and try will seem awkward at first but will reveal what is possible and what is next. Doing something differently is a test of your self-worth and courage. If you are feeling like an avocado impostor, imagine the worst thing that could happen. Now imagine the very best result you are hoping for. Marry the two and right smack in the middle is where you can begin to sample bold change.
Ask yourself the following and begin to reset.
What can I add to the situation that no one else can?
What does an assortment of options bring to an otherwise static choice?
What changes if I allow myself to sample or try 2-3 different and perhaps unknown things?
What do I get to do differently?
What piece of a goal can I implement without feeling the need to change everything perfectly?
When is guacamole not just an avocado?
Ready to sample your next transition? Want to gain traction in making bold choices and elevating self-confidence? Let’s talk!
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