Self Disruption

Disruption is a term used (overused in my humble opinion) these days to represent the sharp twists, turns, and all-out changes in industries, companies and/or businesses.  These disruptions are usually viewed as bold, brave and typically come with huge pay-offs financially and otherwise.

The definition of Disruption according to Merriam-Webster is:

“the act or process of disrupting something: a break or interruption in the normal course or continuation of some activity, process, etc.”

My questions are…

If companies are seeking out disruption opportunities for the betterment of their business and industries, why aren’t we seeking the same for ourselves?  Why don’t we search for ways to shift our lives in directions we’ve never headed? Why don’t we take bold calculated risks in our own lives?  Why do we “play it safe?”

Well, in my personal opinion, most of us are afraid.  Yup, I said it, we hide, we “punk-out,” we wait, we wish, we dream. We allow disruption to happen to us, then we shake in our rain boots when the water is already neck high!

Here are a few ways I’ve seen what I call Involuntary Life Disruption play out:

• Lay-offs:  As an HR professional and professional coach I’ve met with thousands of people at all levels and stages in life who are miserable in their jobs yet they refuse to do anything about it.  Then that fateful day arrives when they are laid-off and they get all angry, or sad, or bent outta shape (like Mr. banana man) and

  

  storm out because they lost the job!?  Here’s a fun analogy:  So you’re holding a super stinky fish, that is all moldy and slimy.  Someone on a bike rides by and snatches it out of your hands.  Do you run after them with your fists in the air screaming “give me back my smelly, moldy fish you sorry excuse for a bike rider!”  Or do you look down at your now free hands that are ready to go fishing for a new and fresh fish?

 

• Divorce and break-ups:  At my age, I’ve seen marriages, friendships, and relationships of friends and family start and end.  I am NEVER, and I mean NEVER surprised when the people who complain about their partners from stem

  

  to stern hear those fateful words “I’m leaving.”  I am also not surprised when the complainer feels betrayed and all discombobulated about losing a partner that according to them was all “suck-a-licious” in the first place. They knew things were bad, so why didn’t they consider and/or execute other options?

 

• Health issues/Injury:  This is a touchy subject for those in the initial stages of a diagnosis or the results of an accident.  I remember that I was depressed, suicidal, and downright pissed off at the onset of my illness and subsequent disability.  These feelings lasted for many months until I took the life disruption as a motivation to just keep on disrupting!  I decided to stop the poor me palooza and live a life that demonstrates a different side of disability.  I decided that if I’m gonna be rolling, I was gonna be the friggin’ hottest thing on wheels!  I decided to represent my fellow rolling and/or disabled peeps in outstanding fashion by demonstrating to those in my path that we are not our stereotypes! Disruption of disruption!  BAM!

There are many examples, but the point is this…

Get control of your life and lead your disruption!  Let’s not be victims of disruption.  Let’s stop waiting for that promotion!  Why not seek it out where you work now, or find another place to work?  Why hold your boss or company hostage by your goals?  Do it yourself.   End that lackluster relationship that no longer serves and that you have a bunch of reasons to wallow in and complain about.  Either disrupt it by doing something radical and different to make it better or get the hell out.  FYI, if you’re doing it for the kids.. the jig is up!  Your kids know you are unhappy, and you are teaching them to be unhappy… no matter what?!  

Disrupt yourself!

As my regular readers know, my life has been disrupted in MANY ways.  Some led by me, and others involuntarily.  I can tell you that disruption is scary and risky, yet bold and courageous!

Either stay the same and shut-up about it or make bold moves.  Only YOU know what you need to do.  My question is.. WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

Let’s disrupt ourselves like Ford did when the company courageously all but shut down the horse and buggy world and made automobiles available to the masses.  Let’s disrupt ourselves like Amazon did when they successfully disrupted brick and mortar retail (in just about every industry). Let’s disrupt ourselves like Netflix did in the 90s when the then small company boldly took down the video rental business!

A little disruption and a lot of hustle go a long way.  Let’s look under the couch cushion of our lives for ways to disrupt the status quo!  Let’s look under the bed of our existence for ways to do things we never even considered or thought we could.

• Take that vacation alone!
• Start that new business!
• Buy (or sell) that house!
• Write that book!
• Start that blog!
• Retire!
• Change careers!
• Go out with that new love interest!
• Move to the beach

Stay safe and stay stuck!

You are NOT too old, too young, too tall, too short, too disabled, too sick, too tired, too sad, too cute, too poor, too proud or too whatevs!  Shut up and DO IT!

 

Don’t HAVE TIME, MAKE TIME!

Love, Light, and Self Disruption!

We got this!

Cr8Ab

 

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