YES! AND… Facilitate. Innovate. Transform – Creative Gorilla # 31
“Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation) there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans. The moment one definitely commits oneself then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would otherwise never have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.”
W.N. Murray, The Scottish Himalayan Expedition [Source: “Synchronicity” by Joseph Jaworski]
Start the Journey
Are you totally committed to something in your professional life?
“I wish my flight were two hours later,” I mumbled to my wife when the alarm sounded at 5.30am last Sunday morning.
That afternoon, PRECISELY 120 minutes later than scheduled, the tyres of my 747 amicably divorced the runway and I wondered if there is a mysterious force in the universe, yet to reveal its corporate brand.
You might consider this force has nodding acquaintance with one that C.J. Jung called “synchronicity”. He defined it as “a meaningful coincidence of two or more events where something other than the probability of chance is involved.”
In his quotation, Murray alludes to this force but calls it “providence”, a force unleashed by commitment.
So
So why does commitment unleash synchronicity? I don’t know, but here’s my thinking.
Imagine that when you commit to something you start a metaphorical journey. Envisage a 3D model of space and time in the universe, filled with bright lines. These lines represent people taking journeys that start at any point and any time on the map.
Every so often some of the journeys intersect (see the brighter glow as they strike?) and when they do, synchronicity happens.
Now imagine that by starting the journey you become a creative leader and others follow your lead. There are now more lines on the map and more chances of synchronicity happening.
This is my concept, what metaphor would you use to explain synchronicity?
Action
I am not going to suggest glibly that your action this week should be: “Commit to something”.
But in the spirit of Solutions Focus, as a small action… perhaps you might start thinking about it? Or increase your commitment on a journey you have already started?
To Close
As mentioned, I sourced my quotation this week from “Synchronicity” by Joseph Jaworski. It is a thoughtful book on leadership and a powerful theme in it is the need to commit. Jaworski cites many examples of synchronicity in his life since his commitment to a new vision.
As worthy as these are, the story that I recollect the most is when he describes how he met his second wife. He explains how he “knew” that he would meet her through synchronicity and that he had to take the opportunity when it revealed itself.
Walking through Dallas airport one day with his son, he passed a woman on the journey between terminals. They exchanged “the look”, he “knew” she was “the one” but carried on walking.
100 yards later, he apologised to his bewildered son and ran back to find her. He did, explained she was “the one”; they swapped business cards and eventually married. Romantic yes. The likelihood you will be committed to an institution other than marriage if you try it? Definite.
PS I wrote most of this article on the flight and next decided to watch “Unbreakable”, a thriller with Bruce Willis. I sat amazed as it unfolded a story of synchronicity bringing together two people who both have to commit themselves before they can achieve their destiny. I can hear you saying “it’s just a coincidence”, but what a coincidence!
May you have a life full of synchronicity.
John Brooker I Facilitate, Innovate, Transform.
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