How you do anything is how you do everything
Life Lessons for the mindful designer from running.
There are no boundaries between the different parts of our lives.
The principles, habits, mindsets, and behaviors we apply in one part of our lives can significantly shape how we approach and navigate other parts of our lives. No matter how big or small the challenge, we are the same person showing up. We may be showing a different side of ourselves in a situation but underneath it all we are the same person at work as we are at home with our family, when we commit to becoming healthy, or when we are learning a new skill, how we do anything is how we do everything.
Each time I go running I'm reminded that how I approach my running will help me in my design practice and as a designer, when I work with intention, care, and focus on my design projects, it will benefit me during my running as well. I use running and design work as an example but it could just as easily be running and cooking, or cleaning and play, or parenting and exercising, anything and everything.
Today I want to share with you a few mindsets that show up when running that can help you in your mindful design practice:
Embrace each moment
When climbing up a steep hill it's easy to focus on the struggle. When working on a design project it's easy to focus on what is going wrong. The steep hills, that mountain in front of you that you just don't want to climb, the ice-cold stream you need to cross which will get your feet wet and make you uncomfortable, the beautiful sweeping views, the fallen tree you need to climb over, the doubt and uncertainty, the delays, the deadlines, the good and the bad are all part of the experience of each moment. Each moment is a learning opportunity to make the best of whatever situation you're in.
One step at a time
When you're tired and each step feels heavy and painful, you can remember that one step at a time will get you past that massive mountain. Don't minimize the power of small steps. One small action you can take in your project, one email, one conversation, one task, and one small step makes a big difference in how you progress toward your goals.
The journey is the reward
There is more to finishing a run or a design project. Paying attention to the sights, the sounds, our wins, the times we fall down, the fresh air, the conversations, the struggles, getting to know the people we run and work with. Bringing awareness to our journey helps us see that everything and everyone we experience along the way can be a catalyst for positive change in our lives.
This too shall pass
There will be bad days, pain, cramps, bad results, bad experiences, pivots, and wasted effort, but as the saying goes on the trails, "What goes up must come down and what goes down must come up". Nothing is permanent and challenging times will pass. So take care of yourself and do what you need to do to make it through the tough parts while savoring the good parts knowing this too shall pass.
Pace yourself
Starting fast, working overtime, not taking breaks, not fueling your body properly, and pushing through the signals that your body and mind need rest, are a surefire way to bonking, hitting the wall, and burning out. You're in the game for the long haul so keep your focus a few steps ahead on the task at hand and do it to the best of your abilities knowing the full length of the journey or the project so you can finish strong.
Help others with a smile
Too often we get so obsessed with our end goal or things that are going wrong for us that we forget to enjoy the path we are on. By smiling we are reminding ourselves and others to enjoy the moment. Reminding ourselves that we get to run, we get to work, and we get to be alive. Yes, it may not be fun all the time but having a smile is infectious and for a brief moment it can take us out of our worrying mind to enjoy a moment and help others do the same.
These are just a few of the mindsets that show up while running that we can apply in our design practice or any other part of our lives because how we do anything is how we do everything.
What's a mindset you would add to this list? I would love to know, let me know in the comments.
May curiosity be your guide ✊🏽
