pivot (v) use with object : to modify (a policy, opinion, product, etc.) while retaining some continuity with its previous version.

It is good to be intentional, create goals, and plan a course of action to have a direction to move towards in life. However, one's ability to pivot and redirect his or herself can assist with navigating change. God's timing is not reliant on the timeline we have created for ourselves. While planning and organization are great skills to have, it is important to be aware of how your steps are aligning with the circumstances you are currently in. What worked in one moment may not work in the next. The strategy you used in previous months may need to be updated for the season you are in now. It is easy to want to feel like you are supposed to be constantly doing something to ensure that life is going "right". Have you ever considered that despite all of your preparation things might still inevitably hit the fan? Ultimately, drastically changing your course in life. There is a saying "to plan for the worse and hope for the best". My dad tells me "your highest level of preparation is where you fall when things go wrong". Those two pieces of advice have been extremely helpful allowing me to approach life differently and elevate. Though I find myself most frustrated or caught by surprise when what I should be doing is nothing at all. "Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10). Certain areas of life are just simply out of our control and manipulating the situation for a specific outcome can do more harm than good. Patience is not always about how long you wait but how well you wait. Now I enjoy the extra downtime to do the internal work and some soul searching.

In the particular example of connect four, I was so use to my winning strategy working that I focused on the execution of the strategy rather than watching my opponent's moves more carefully. "Lol. Yeah you were too locked in on your strategy" instantly became a reminder to not be so narrow minded or have tunnel vision. As a MMA fighter I should known better but life has a way of giving you nudges to re-evaluate your actions. Thank you Lando for being such a good friend, a source of encouragement, and a sound mind to entertain life questions. You are appreciated and I am grateful to have met you!