A boxing match can be very instructive.
Have you ever noticed how the fighters don’t stop moving? Even if one guy (or gal) has the upper hand — throwing punches while the other has his gloves up — they’re both in constant motion.
While watching the Pacquiao vs. Mayweather match last year, my first thought was, ‘Okay, that looks exhausting.’ Followed by, ‘Won’t he burn all his energy by moving around? Also, ‘How many calories is he burning by moving around?’.
I couldn’t find the answer to the second question (and that’s one field experiment I don’t think I’ll try this year). But, for the first, the answer is no, not really.
It takes more energy to stop and restart
When boxing, it takes more energy to stop and restart than it does to stay in constant motion. Plus, as you move, you establish a rhythm, build endurance, and increase strength in the process. Pretty sure Isaac Newton knows something about this too.
The fight got me thinking about life…
Outside of the ring, most of us spend our careers moving slowly — or not at all. We’re coached to believe success is synonymous with loyalty and stick-to-it-ness. We’re taught quitting is a sign of failure, and climbing the corporate ladder is a race only the tortoise can win.
We get comfortable. And before we know it, we’re nowhere close to reaching our dreams. Maybe after years, you reach a moment of desperation and finally decide to move, but now you don’t have the resources, energy, or the financial means to do it.
Moving keeps you passionate, resilient, and courageous
For some reason, I never stopped moving in my career. In fact, I’ve pivoted so many times, Pacquiao would tap out in the first round. In college, I thought I was going to be a teacher, but I got married and had a kid. I started working full-time at a law firm while going to school at night. After a while, I realized I wasn’t going to leave my job to become a teacher, but I still had the desire to share knowledge.
So, I pivoted again; walking away from the billing and finance department to work as a project manager. Over the years, life threw a few more wild punches. I stayed moving, dodging kicks, swings, and ear bites. Eventually, I started my own consulting business. I believe pivoting has kept me agile, passionate, and resilient.
If at any point, If I had stopped and thought:
- I’ll just wait one more year for a promotion — Brad deserved that last one too.
- When I get assigned a new project, I’ll feel passionate again.
- If I just take an extra day of vacation, I’ll be less stressed.
- I make good money. Isn’t that enough?
- I started on this path, it would be like quitting if I veered now.
- I’m comfortable here, and getting a new job would be difficult for my family.
I wouldn’t be where I am today. I wouldn’t have had the courage to sit in a boardroom with Ivy League lawyers. Or start my own business.
Life is too short to not enjoy your career
To not have that euphoric feeling every morning you wake up for the day. Or to experience real joy and happiness because what you do aligns with your values.
Sure, not every day will be perfect — some will be really freaking hard. But, if you stay in constant motion, you won’t ever lose the energy to shift when you really need to shift.
For example, here are a few signs it’s time to move in your career:
- When you hit the snooze button too many times
- When you spend all day Sunday dreading Monday
- When you’re anxious or short-tempered
- When you can’t turn off from work — even on vacation
- When your work is no longer appreciated
- When you call your friend every night to vent about work
There’s not a one-size-fits-all approach to pivoting in your career. Your situation might be severe enough to quit today. Or you can take time to line up a second job. Maybe you just need to try out a different department. If you’re not sure how to move forward, you could tap into a mentor or hire a coach like me to guide you through it.
Either way, when you slow down and get complacent, you get stuck. When you put your gloves on, step into the ring, and never stop moving, you get somewhere.
