The Return of the Stink-eye
The turd and final plumbing trilogy post which was originally part three but turned into part six. Screw you George Lucas
It seemed like a good idea at first.
I had no commitments.
I had little to do.
The kids were supported. The family seemed fine.
I took the weekend off and went away riding bikes with the boys.
I returned to work on Monday.
It happened again, the third time, er turd time in two weeks. Everything was backed up and I had a problem.
This time it was a lot easier
I opened up the clean out and found my poo eating snake.
Within an hour everything was clear and flowing well again.
No chemicals were abused. No mustard gas billowed from the basement.
No toilets were removed.
The first two trips around turd mountain taught me everything I needed to know about getting things flowing again.
The first time was an emergency. I called for help. A professional came. I watched carefully as he did his work.
The second time, I tried my best and made some mistakes, ultimately I got the job done. I took more than twice as long as an experienced professional. And the job got done.
Turd time’s a charm?
Indeed it was. Although frustrated by my third plumbing emergency in two weeks, I quickly got to work. I opened the clean-out without incident. Within half an hour the blockage was cleared, all remnants were removed and the floor was bleached and ready to dry.
The next task was to address the teen aged source of the blockage.
After some embarrassing photos, I had exactly what was necessary - a commitment to use no more than four squares at a time lest this person be cursed to assist me in future plumbing problems.
In three agonizing steps I moved from student to guide.
That’s right, in three short steps I went from lost and overwhelmed to ready to show someone else how to clear a pipe from below.
When something awful happens, the first time is frequently shocking. The second occurance is less troubling. By the time we get through our third difficulty, we can likely help others learn their way through as well.
So. When you’re shocked, surprised or overwhelmed, is it the first time? If not, what do you know from other trips?
How would you teach / guide / lead someone else through the yuck you’re facing?
If you’ve experienced anything difficult often enough, you can lead others through the same shit.
This applies to managers, CEO’s, teachers, therapists AND plumbers.
It’s like the old saying goes:
Shit flows downhill
Turd time’s a charm?
This is why I come.
The path to competence isn't long. The path to mastery is. Competence is fine. There's too much emphasis on being G.O.A.T. and not enough on being okay. Imagine if okay was accepted as .... okay. Perfectionism or the need for mastery leads to procrastination, anxiety and fewer life experiences. Embracing the okay also requires embracing the suck. We may suck at something before we get okay. Are we willing to suck? Really suck? And be proud of it because you tried and trying is step one to being okay. Who knows? Your okay could be step three in being a master.
I'm devoting this holiday weekend to the suck. I'm making a list of things I want to be okay at. Its not so much a bucket list as a jack list, as in jack of all trades, master of none. I don't want to do it once. I want to be okay at it. I want to Get Jacked.
Join me. Do something three times over the next few weeks or months that you could suck at. Take joy in your okayness. No, take joy in the suck. You can only get better, or not. In hockey, they recognize the MVP and MIP. They both deserve recognition. The MIP? That's code for they weren't very good, but look at them being okay now.
It's gonna be a great weekend. Embrace the suck, and do it anyway. Let's work on that MIP award.