Episode 38

How do we know when something is dead? Boredom, tension with the boss, “in it for the money” – these are all signs that it’s time to move on. But it’s very difficult to leave a job, a relationship or a situation that we’ve grown accustomed to, even if the benefits are in decline. Paul admits he has tolerated attenuating circumstances in the past, distracting himself with holidays, hobbies or exercise because he didn’t know what to do and was afraid of change. Learning The Art of the Pivot, therefore, is a crucial skill of the mature man. How do we exist in the void between what we know and what we hope for? Stephen Shelley shows us how to use faith and courage to make a change when we don’t know what’s next. Peter and Paul then discuss a situation we’ve all encountered: someone isn’t doing a “good” job and we feel they could do better. Is that judgment accurate? Paul makes the case that emotional blocks to success are just as real as physical limitations or skills deficiencies. Somehow, though, because we can’t directly observe why someone is fearful, uncooperative or careless, we judge them differently than one who falls short because of a handicap or a lack of technical knowledge. Paul argues that reality is always right, and that – axiomatically – people always do the best they can at a specific moment, given the many undetectable and subtle influences on performance.