linchpin where you are
I have a crush on Seth Godin's intellect, and on Hanif Abdurraqib's way with words. I'm walking steadily through Dallas Willard's Divine Conspiracy like it's a colorful ball pit with occasional buckets of gold. And John O'Donohue whispers sweet blessings across the years and the water to sing my soul to the surface of myself, if only for a moment.
That's my way of saying that I'm reading four books at once, and they are all beautiful works.
I'm reading Seth's Linchpin, and I love it but I'm not sure what to do about it. I love the idea of being a linchpin, but in practice I really like following good rules. I love the security of being told what to do and following it religiously. I consider myself something of a linchpin at my current job as a barista, because I follow rules so well and remember All The Things about what ingredients go in what and how to charge for odd items. But what would it look like to be a true linchpin at that job? Not just obedience, but art - motivation - connection - awareness - passion?
Little things I might already do. I enjoy working with my coworkers. I enjoy making good coffee and quality food. On occasion I might show up early or stay late or pick up a shift because I like my people. But after a certain bit - the options for art and motivation and connection scare the jeebies out of me.
What would it look like to really look at the system I'm working in and say, "I think this would be better"? And be willing to do the work to make it better? That's the hard part, let's be honest. Building new systems within a framework that has existed, functional but also defunct, for years and years, is hard work.
I sought my job at the coffee shop for one and half reasons: the first, that I could wear jeans to work every day. The second half that I loved coffee and wanted to learn how to create latte art. I loved the idea of working in a small coffee shop because employees there are allowed to retain their humanity (don't talk to me about rude customers who upset this idea - they exist but in small number). Some of the regulars know my name and my story, and I love that.
Do I love it enough to make it better without being told? Or am I going to move on to the next place where I can follow the rules and get a gold star?
That's my way of saying that I'm reading four books at once, and they are all beautiful works.
I'm reading Seth's Linchpin, and I love it but I'm not sure what to do about it. I love the idea of being a linchpin, but in practice I really like following good rules. I love the security of being told what to do and following it religiously. I consider myself something of a linchpin at my current job as a barista, because I follow rules so well and remember All The Things about what ingredients go in what and how to charge for odd items. But what would it look like to be a true linchpin at that job? Not just obedience, but art - motivation - connection - awareness - passion?
Little things I might already do. I enjoy working with my coworkers. I enjoy making good coffee and quality food. On occasion I might show up early or stay late or pick up a shift because I like my people. But after a certain bit - the options for art and motivation and connection scare the jeebies out of me.
What would it look like to really look at the system I'm working in and say, "I think this would be better"? And be willing to do the work to make it better? That's the hard part, let's be honest. Building new systems within a framework that has existed, functional but also defunct, for years and years, is hard work.
I sought my job at the coffee shop for one and half reasons: the first, that I could wear jeans to work every day. The second half that I loved coffee and wanted to learn how to create latte art. I loved the idea of working in a small coffee shop because employees there are allowed to retain their humanity (don't talk to me about rude customers who upset this idea - they exist but in small number). Some of the regulars know my name and my story, and I love that.
Do I love it enough to make it better without being told? Or am I going to move on to the next place where I can follow the rules and get a gold star?
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