This week I listened to one of the best podcast conversations I’ve ever heard. Our Bird associate Naomi shared this link with me and I was gripped. I do love a bit of sport myself, so it was interesting to hear the perspectives of a well known sports person, but the podcast isn’t really anything to do with sport, it’s to do with life, and being present, and seeing potential in every moment.
One of the key learning points we share in our resilience webinars here at Bird is that resilience isn’t about controlling outcomes, thinking of all eventualities and ‘being prepared’, it’s actually about knowing that life is full of potential and unknowns. Resilience is actually about seeing life’s twists and turns as opportunities rather than things to fear.
In the podcast interview the interviewee, Jonny Wilkinson, talks about how being childlike in our approach to life allows us to see situations as opportunities to be curious. Children in their nature are present and explorative, and for some reason we lose that as we grow older. But when we see situations as opportunities to learn, to explore, to grow, to evolve, life becomes full of unbound potential in every moment.
At one point the interviewers ask Jonny who he is. And his answer is one of the most profound responses I’ve heard to that question. He says, ‘I am undecided potential.’ Effectively in every moment he is open to what might come up, he is open to growth, he is open to learning, even if that learning is challenging.
This approach to life is game changing. When we let go of the idea that things are going ‘wrong’ and re-frame them as opportunities to dig deeper into our resourcefulness and realise more of what we are capable of, life becomes more expansive, lighter and more joyful.
If you decide to watch the link, enjoy, and we’d love to hear your thoughts.