Working at Our Own Speed

Working at Our Own Speed July 24, 2014

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There are days when I love to catch a strong breeze and go skimming across the surface of work.

Sunny and warm, work is smooth sailing. Ideas arrive exactly when I need them and people take what I say to heart. My sail is set well, the tiller rests easily in my hand. Work is a pleasure. I could stay out working until the sun sets.

There are other days when the wind is stronger and the water is choppy. Sailing is more of a challenge.

It takes more frequent adjustments to stay upright. There are times when we need to hold on and hike out over the edge to remain afloat. There may be disagreements, conflict, even arguments. Work requires more trust on those days, though they have their own sense of adventure.

Strong feelings can be exhilarating.

There are also days when the wind and waves seem to leave me forlorn. Work is in the doldrums. There is neither a breath of breeze nor movement of water to get me going. Everything seems to take too much work. Even rowing gets me nowhere.

Work, like sailing, is about working with what we have. There are times when I anticipate smooth sailing but need to deal with high winds and choppy seas. I may sense the potential benefits of clearing the air, but be met with dead calm.

Each of us pilots our own vessel. Each of us works at our own speed.

Some of us enjoy skimming across the water, some of us prefer the challenge of struggling our way forward. Some of us are more willing to wait and rest when things are calm.

Together, we work our way across the water, enjoying the sun and the fragrance of fresh air and water.

When do you work at your own speed?

How well are you navigating your work?

[Image by Robbie1]


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