The Out of the Way Life

So, you want to change the world.  How does your world tell you to do that? It says: “Roll up your sleeves, dive in and get a plan and people together.  Then get set for what could be a long game.  Be diligent to show up in the right places and in front of the right people at the right times.   Persevere.  Stay the course.  Regularly revisit the mission to be sure you are heading in the direction of your vision”.  

All good.  All true.   

Now find a way to get out of the way. 

By this I mean that unless and until you develop a 'get out of the way'  life practice, you may lose the perspective and voice needed to reach your change goals.  Marginalizing yourself from your work is essential so that you don’t succumb to the classic inability to see the forest for the all trees.

In August of 2017, I went for a walk on the Camino. An unplanned sabbatical because I had failed to practice an 'out of the way life'.  The overinflated importance I placed on myself in my work was a contributing cause to my burnout.   I was about to enter a forced time of being truly marginal to my work.  

Marginal – a word that evokes thoughts of  isolation, insignificance, and ineffectual existence.  However, I want to introduce it to you as an essential leadership practice.

En route to Spain I read a book called “The Jesus Way” by Eugene Petersen. Petersen made a comment about a Biblical leader named Elijah who had for various reasons had chosen, and was occasionally forced into, an 'out of the way' life.  The following quote struck me as it pertains to the outcome of a more deliberate, ‘out of the way’ leadership practice: 

“…his out of the way life, marginal to everything we assume is important and significant, is foundational to whatever effectiveness he will have when he has the attention of the world. (pg. 108)

I know you want the attention of the world because as a leader you want to change a system, a way of thinking, a product, or a people.  Yet to accomplish that, at times you need to practice an out of the way life for a time and be marginal to your leadership engagements. Practically speaking it’s time away where you re-calibrate your mind, body & soul.  

The constant noise of leadership demands makes us hard of hearing. The pace of activity our leadership produces makes our bodies tired. The multiplicity of detail that our goals require makes our vision blur.

 

Therefore, get over yourself and step out of the way. Go do whatever renews your mind and soul.  Let something or Someone, take over your attention for a time – an hour, a morning, a day. You will be surprised at the deep impact these ‘out of the way’ times of life have when you finally have the attention of the world you are seeking to change.