What's next? I'll let you know when I learn it.

Thought I'd try something new.  Sometimes I need accountability to keep me purposeful in my learning (and other areas of life).  I think we all can learn from each other's experiences so I figure I can get accountability AND share so that other's may benefit along the way.  All that to say, I'm going try sharing what I'm learning once a month.  I don't expect it to be super deep and detailed.  Just an idea of what I'm reading, listening to and pondering.  If something interests you or you have something to add, please connect with me and share.  Let's keep learning together!

In the past month 2 topics have risen to the top.

1)  Art and design

2)  Pondering my reactions to thoughts and how I can adjust my perspective

I'm reading Walter Isaacson's book about Leonardo da Vinci.  I picked it up because I've enjoyed all the other books that he's written but I hadn't read this book yet because, honestly, art hasn't interested me much.  I've been to Florence, The Louvre and the Vatican and quickly walked past the art and sculptures.  I thought the Sistine Chapel was gaudy but appreciated Michelangelo's work.  I stood in a huge crowd inching forward to see the Mona Lisa and walked away underwhelmed.

But, after reading this book, I'm much more interested in what goes into these works of art.  The technique.  The intentional design.  The preparation.  The time it takes.  

Similarly, I've learned about the work of Antoni Gaudi while on a trip in Barcelona.  If I had simply looked at the architecture, I would have said "that's gaudy", as in tacky.  But, after a tour of Sagrada Familia, I have an appreciation for his work.  Again, the preparation, the purpose behind the design, the time, the details...  It's still not exactly "beautiful" to me but it is inspiring and fascinating.  

I'm left wanting to learn more, maybe revisit some of these places with rich histories of art.

Shifting gears.  I often find myself thinking about how I think.  Wondering why I react to certain things in certain ways.  Pondering how I may be able to think about things differently.  I guess the art story even fits with this.  The very same art that bored me a year ago is fascinating to me today.  Why?  Because I have a broader perspective.  A broader appreciation.  Where else in my life might this be true?  Where else in my life do I need this to be true?

On this same trip, we also visited some towns that the Apostle Paul visited.  Ephesus, Corinth, Athens...  Seeing these places and learning more about what they were like when Paul visited has certainly expanded my perspective on the passages we read in Acts, Ephesians, 1&2 Corinthians...  God used these major economic centers to help facilitate the spread of the Gospel and these strong economic cities turned into ancient ruins.  Ephesus went from being a port city to being being 7 kilometers away from the coast thanks to silt deposits from the river.  These things were true before I visited but now my perspective has expanded.  I can see how we are part of the same story as Paul.  I can also see that life as we know it will almost certainly change and maybe even cease to exist.  Imagine Atlanta or New York City as we know it becoming simply ruins.  Rome, Ephesus, Athens, Corinth show us that this is "normal" as time moves along.  It's so easy to think we are apex of civilization.  I'm sure the Roman's and Ephesians felt the same way.  God used these economic power houses for the spread of His Gospel and then the center of power moved.  I'm pretty sure that will be true of for us as well.  So, we are part of a BIG story and our current reality won't remain as we know it for very long in the grand story.

So, what will be next for learning?  I'll let you know when I learn it!

Viral Thinking

March 13, 2020.  That was the last day our dining room was open for customers due to a virus that's become most commonly known as COVID-19.  

For a week or so after, a topic of debate was masks and the initial message from health officials was for us to not wear masks in order to protect the supply of masks for medical professionals.  Just weeks later, masks became encouraged by the CDC and commonly seen in public spaces.  Chick-fil-A and the city of Durham then required them.  It's unusual to see folks in public without a mask now.

Somewhere along the way, masks went from a health issue to a political issue.  One side requiring them as a public health issue like seatbelts.  One side dismissing them as an infringement on their freedom, like freedom of speech.

Now it's become pretty easy to predict a person's opinion on masks and COVID-19 based on their political persuasion and church membership.  That just seems odd to me.  It's a virus.  It's science and medical.  Yet, we are collectively basing our stance more on politicians and pastors than scientists and medical experts.  Not to mention the media outlets that are mostly aligned with these groups.  For or against. 

It's a virus.  I don't call my representative when my shoulder starts hurting.  I also don't ask my pastor for advice regarding treatment for my thyroid.  I ask health professionals.  

When forming thoughts, it makes sense to listen to experts in that field.  I don't ask my financial advisor for help with my car's AC system.  

Perspectives

        

What do you see?  Describe it.  

Would you agree that its a white styrofoam cup with red lettering that says "Sit and sip awhile"?

  

How about this one?  Describe it.

Would you agree that its a white styrofoam cup with a large red icon that looks like a chicken?  Any words?  

And this one?  Describe it.

Looks like a styrofoam cup again.  White.  I can see "Sit..." but that's it.  I can see some red marks on the left side but its not really clear what the image is.  Same on the right.

If a person only saw the first picture and described it to a person that only saw the last picture, would they be describing the cup the same way?  How about the middle picture? Which would be wrong?  

They'd each be describing the same cup but they'd be describing it in different ways.  And, they'd each be accurate.  And, they'd all not being seeing what the other person was describing.

Situations, problems, opportunities...  I think they all are like this cup.  I tend to see them from the angle that I naturally see things.  And another person is very likely going to see them differently.  It's very easy for me to think I'm right which means they must be wrong.  Often we are looking at the same "cup" but just seeing a different side of it.  

I also have realized that when I am having trouble solving a problem I often need to simply find a different angle to look at the problem from.  I've seen this when I'm putting together a jigsaw puzzle.  When I'm stumped, I walk away and come back later and look at it from a different position. Often, the piece I'm looking for "magically" appears when I find a different perspective to look at it.

How about a disagreement with another person?  We tend to just yell louder what we see from our angle.  Would that make sense when describing this cup?  If you want the best perspective on this cup, you would either purposefully walk around it to see it completely or you would listen closely to what others see.  That would give you the best understanding of what the cup looks like completely.  Maybe when we are in a disagreement we should stop insisting on what we see and consider listening more closely to what the other person sees first.  

Even if our perspective is best, often we are able to best persuade others when we can show that we see it from their angle as well.  

Seeing the other person's perspective doesn't mean you always have to say they are right.  But, it does show that you understand their perspective.  That's a great place to begin a discussion.  

Rather than reading books that reinforce your perspective, maybe its time to read some books or listen to some podcasts that expand your perspective.  We like when others affirm our thoughts.  They are simply reinforcing the cup looks like you described from that angle.  We don't tend to like when people challenge our perspective.  But, often, they are simply describing another angle of the same cup.  

You don't have to compromise your beliefs to understand the beliefs that others have.  In fact, often the best way to strengthen your beliefs is to see them from multiple perspectives.     

Hitting Your Marks

Imagine yourself in a Porsche 911 GT2.  On a race track, completely by yourself.  No limits.  Taking laps.

You are on the long straight away, gas pedal on the floor.  Engine whining!  140, 150, 160, 180 mph...!  And then... CRASH!!!!  

What happened?!?!  Well, at the end of that straight is a 90 degree right turn and you didn't hit the brakes in order to enter that turn under control.  Car went straight into the tire barrier at full speed.

Good news is you survived.  A little sore.  Also good news is you have another Porsche 911 GT2 you can get back on the track with.  How will you approach that straight away the next time?

Hit your marks!

On the side of the track, approaching the turns, are numbered signs.  Race drivers learn at which mark they need to get off the gas and onto the brakes in order to make the turn safely while not compromising their lap times.  The best drivers know exactly what their limits are because they've practiced, learned from mistakes, and studied others that are better than them.

The best driver isn't the one that hits the top speed on the straight away.  It's the driver that hits their marks and has the best lap time AND protects the car so they can do lap after lap without crashing or wearing out the equipment prematurely.  If its a qualifying lap, they know how hard the car can go one lap.  If its a 2 hour race, they know how hard the car can go between fuel stops.  If its a 24 hour race, they know how hard the car can go.  Top speed doesn't matter if the car dies before the end of the race.  AND, simply lasting till the end doesn't matter if you are 10 laps behind the rest of the field.  The key is optimizing your pace while avoiding a crash or burnout.  

We all have "marks" we need to hit in our personal lives as well as our professional lives.  Examples in my personal life would be daily prayer and devotion time, hitting my target calories each day, monthly check ins with my mentors, daily reading, exercise...

Examples at CFA would be things like our parking lot timer, setting clear expectations with team members at the beginning of the shift, breaks, food safety/quality checks, ice timer, repeating orders...  When we stop using our marks, we tend to hit the corners too fast and either wear out the tires prematurely or crash.  We want to win the race.  We need to make it to the end of the race to win it.  For us, its a 16 hour race each day.  Let's hit our marks.

Here is an in-car video of a hot lap at the local road track.  Hitting the marks.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFxfmMwe89I

And another in a track prepared racing Ferrari with the driver narrating and explaining his "marks".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJPmU2ogfJk

Another one with a driving coach sharing the thinking on a lap.  Hitting marks.  Shifting perspectives...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ro_JAwvVLO4

Me and Tom Brady (or Brooks Koepka)

Last weekend was the PGA Championship and there were two big stories from it.  1)  Tiger missed the cut after having won the Masters 4 weeks prior.    2)  Brooks Koepka began the final round with the largest lead since the 1930s.

Both stories had a common component.  Preparation.  Tiger is older now.  He needs weeks and weeks of prep to build up to a PGA major event.  Between the post Master's events, only 4 weeks between events, and an illness just prior to the event, Tiger wasn't able to complete his necessary prep work to begin the event in a condition to win.

Brooks Koepka is 29.  Single.  In tremendous shape.  Strong mind.  He came prepared and dominated from the first few tees.  He had some issues in the final round but was able to draw on his preparation and power through to victory.  And commentators were already speculating on how long he could keep that level of preparation up. 

Tom Brady doesn't eat Strawberries... or lots of other common foods.  Why?  He's found that being over 40 in the NFL, his success hinges directly on everything he does between games.  His diet.  His exercise.  His preparation.

Michael Phelps.  In his final Olympics, Phelps was aiming for particular number of golds and needed one more.  The challenge was that his last swim was so close to his previous swim and dramatically cut into his pre-swim prep.  That was the story.  How would he adapt?  He won.

Story after story of pro athletes that have maintained a high level of performance directly related to their prep.  And its not just physical prep.  It's mental.  Ever notice all the guys wearing headphones as they arrive at the event hours before game time?  They are getting their mental game going.

How often do we just jump into an activity or role with limited prep?  We want sustained excellence but we don't do the prep work.  And, just because we've excelled previously we act like that will just continue.  Often, as we age, as life adds complexity, as the role grows, we actually need more preparation, not less.

If tomorrow matters.  Preparation matters.                   

   

Tony, You Are an Underachiever...

"Tony, you are an underachiever."

Those are the words of one of my college professors when I went to his office after getting a D on a book summary.  I didn't respond too well to that comment in the moment BUT I didn't dismiss it either.  And, it turns out he was right.  Or, at least partially right.

That same year my college baseball coach gave me an opportunity I had been saying I wanted for 3+ years.  I wanted to pitch.  I had been at shortstop most of High School and College and it wasn't my favorite position.  Pitcher and catcher were my favorites but thanks to some injuries early in High School plus the fact that our team needed a shortstop I ended up there most of my games.  I kept asking my college coach for an opportunity at pitcher or catcher.  The reality was we already had enough decent catchers so I knew that probably wasn't going to be my opportunity.  But, a team rarely has enough quality pitchers.  I asked for 3 years.  "No, Tony, we need you at shortstop."

Then, in the fall of my senior year, my coach calls my name before a game and says "Tony, go warm up."  I was a little confused.  I was ready to play shortstop that game, just as I had for the previous 3 years.  So, I asked "to pitch??" and he said "yes".  YES!!!

I don't actually remember how that game went but it must have gone pretty well because by the spring, I was one of our top 3 starting pitchers.  After 4+ years of no pitching, I had my opportunity and I was making the most of it... Until, my arm started throbbing.  Because I hadn't been preparing to pitch, my arm wasn't conditioned to handle the strain of pitching.  Many nights I couldn't sleep due to the pain.  Advil and Motrin had become a daily supplement.  By the end of that season, I not only couldn't pitch, I couldn't even throw the ball from shortstop to 1st base.  I finished the year playing 2nd base so I could get the ball to 1st.

What if I had prepared during those years that I had been asking for the opportunity to pitch?  I had enough talent to go right in and become a starting pitcher with zero preparation for years.  I knew I was a better pitcher than I was shortstop but I hadn't prepared.  Who knows if I had the ability to play at least minor league ball BUT I do know I was talented enough to at least consider it.  When the opportunity presented itself, I wasn't ready.

At the end of my senior year instead of hopes of continuing playing ball, I was thankful for the time to rest my arm.  I didn't throw a ball for over a year and the next time I did, it was on a church softball team.

My professor was right.  I had underachieved.  Thankfully, though, God had another door ahead of me that my baseball experience was preparing for.  Another opportunity and, again, preparation would be key.  Would I be prepared this time?

Fields of Dreams

The last few days have been spent at my grandparents house near Cobleskill, NY.  It's a place I've visited my entire life.  Each visit is a benchmark of my past, from my earliest memories.  Some are really just memories of photos that I don't actually remember living.  They begin in a house my grandfather built on a street he has lived his entire life on.  My bedroom being upstairs on the other side of my parents room (no hallway).  My great grandmother's house just a baseball throw away and across the street.  Their yards were huge... at least in my memory.  I don't remember an end to their backyards.  It was "impossible" to hit a ball out of the yard.  We could roam freely, no limits.  Well, that's what I remember.  Now, as I drive by those houses, the yards seem remarkably normal.  The Weeping Willows are still there but the yards aren't as big.

On this trip, I realized something else.  My dreams had changed.    Life has happened.  I've grown.  I have a career.  A family.  And as I've gone down these paths, the limitless dreams, sometimes assumptions of how life would be, have evolved in my mind just like the yards I grew up playing ball on.  Some dreams, like the Weeping Willows, are still there.  They've grown over the years and endured the winters.  Some are like the boundaries of the yards.  I'm not sure if they've shrunk but they sure aren't as limitless and grand as they seemed 30 years ago.  Some, like the Shortstop Diner in Cooperstown, are just gone.  They don't exist anymore.

I also saw how those dreams have shaped me.  It's Cobleskill and Cooperstown that gave me an image of life outside a large city.  They gave me a target to aim for when CFA asked where we'd like to live.  A place that was smaller and a bit slower than the big city.  A place with fresh air, stillness.  A place where a community may still gather at "general stores".  Oh, and baseball.  I dreamed of playing at least minor league ball.

Running the bases with my daughters at the Bulls ballpark, slowing just a bit as we got to shortstop to take a look at home plate and envisioning a ground ball coming.  Or, a couple swings with a wooden bat and real baseballs during an open house.  That's how Durham has played into my early baseball dreams.  Part of me still thinks I could play the game if I put forth the effort...

A baseball, a bat, a ball diamond is still what inspires me to dream.  They still provide a moment of comfort.  Peace.  Stillness.  A place to think about what's next.  To dream about what's next.

My sport has changed.  My family has changed.  My home has changed.  My dreams have changed.  But, I can still go after them if I put forth the effort.