Hurry Up and Wait

You hear the announcement over the speaker, We are presently in a holding pattern, but will be landing soon when we get the go-ahead from the ground. That is something most of us have heard multiple times who travel by plane. There are times though, when we feel like we’re in life’s holding pattern, circling, circling. We’ve crafted our master plan, put many of the pieces in place, but then we end up rotating and pivoting, waiting to actually arrive at our desired destination. We have sped up making sure all details are in place, just to wait, circling the target.

Three Outcomes from a Holding Pattern

OUTCOME ONE: Saves you from a detrimental transaction or contract. I remember making an offer on a home quickly, mainly because we knew there were other offers coming in. At the last minute, we pulled out as we felt the decision was rushed. In hindsight, with the amount of fixing up the house would have taken, it was not best home for us, especially because of the expense and time involved. Entering the contract would have put undue pressure on our family not only financially, but as a major time-sucker with a huge remodel while our children were still young.

OUTCOME TWO: Gives you more time to fully develop a project. I’m big on self-imposed deadlines, starting with the end in mind. However, I’ve recently needed to step back because of a family health emergency taking a great deal of time and energy. Leaving a project half-done for several months is not easy for me as a Type-A project person who pushes projects out the door. But in hindsight, there have been definite benefits in letting a book project I’m working on season with a few additional rewrites. It has been a project I truly could not rush as it was out of my control to do so, but I feel the outcome will be more valuable to readers.

OUTCOME THREE: Gives you time to evaluate and assess relationships. This is a very common holding pattern. Whether the relationship is professional or personal, emotions are involved. The chemical dopamine is a brain chemical that influences mood and feelings. When those feelings are dependent upon particular relationships, there is a danger of mood swings and depression. This triggers the amygdala part of the brain, which manages emotions having to do with survival, especially fear. Many errors caused by mismanagement occur every day because of misguided steps taken while juggling the politics within a business. Stepping back and giving relationships time and space provides the opportunity to evaluate and then make the next move upon a solid relational base, rather than being driven primarily by an urgent need to satisfy someone needlessly.