Leave Your Bubble

You can do it without even leaving your home.

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This is the first installment of a seven part blog series called “Keys for a Comeback” written to help businesses and non-profits dealing with challenges due to COVID-19.

By definition, the closer we are to something, the narrower our field of view. In other words, if we’re always grinding day in and day out (and never stepping out of our normal frame of mind to see things from a broader point of view), it becomes harder to see the whole. Moreover, it becomes difficult to make adjustments.

Successful pivots and significant decisions require distance. To get a fresh perspective (as long as its safe and legal in your area), try spending an afternoon hiking or take a drive somewhere. For this purpose, it's actually to your benefit that you can't do much else right now. Solitude and outside stimuli can help you focus, and they can spark new ideas.

Additionally, try learning about a different industry or a different hobby. By getting your mind out of what’s comfortable, you can borrow a strategy or a tactic from a world far removed from your own. Personally, I like to go to the magazine section at Barnes & Noble and spend an hour or two asking myself, “who is doing something fresh and how can I apply that to my business?” You might not be able to go there with Stay-at-Home orders in place, but you can try watching a documentary you wouldn't normally choose, or listening to a podcast that lies outside your typical sphere of interest. If all else fails, watch an inspiring biopic to get the juices flowing. 

Josh Best