Variety Is The Spice Of Life

I am a "creature of habit". I get into a routine, and happily continue along the same path. It is not that these actions are good, bad or boring, just the same...comfortable.

I think many people are like this. Early in life we find certain ways to do things and identify specific products we enjoy using, then we continue along with them.... if not forever, for many years. I still eat the same types of breakfast cereal that I was buying 15 years ago..... With over 19,000,000 different drinks one can create at Starbucks I always have a Vanilla Latte or a Cafe Mocha..... And I only indulge in chocolate chip mint ice cream.

I have recently made an interesting observation about my three-year-old daughter, Kate. She is NOT a creature of habit. This kid marches to her own beat, and does things her own way (Yes, being her parent is proving to be an adventure!!!). But the most interesting thing is that every time we go to an ice cream parlor, she wants to try a different flavor. Kate never has the same flavor twice in a row!!!

I don't think I have ever seen anyone do this. As long as I can recall, I have always ordered chocolate chip mint. While I might branch out and have two flavors, I rarely forgo my green speckled favorite. My wife ultimately orders jamoca almond fudge, and my eight-year-old is a big chocolate connoisseur.

Yet Kate wants to be lifted up to view all the colorful flavors and seeks out something new and exotic that she has not tried before. I am not sure what this means, but I do believe that she will be one who hunts for adventure throughout her lifetime.

This makes me wonder if we all should get out of our routines and try new things. In our business lives, how could we benefit if we tossed aside some of the sameness and looked for new ways to interact with the people at work and in our professional networks. Would we be be able to expand our existing paradigms and achieve more? I think yes.

I am inspired by Kate's way of facing the ice cream parlor, and hope you are as well. I suggest that you find three tasks at work that you can approach differently today and then see if your new tactics lead you to better experiences with clients, prospects or co-workers.

Tonight I will take the family out for dessert and try the pistachio (hey, it is still green!!!).

Have A Great Day.

Thom Singer
www.thomsinger.com
thom@thomsinger.com