A Chance to Pivot

Several years ago, when I was entering into a battle with depression that would forever shift the way I looked at the world, I made a decision around the holidays. 

Call it a New Year’s resolution if you want. But really, I just knew I had to make a change.

At the time, I’d developed a bad habit of obsessing over negative people or events in my life. The obsessing wasn’t doing me any good. Instead of enjoying the end of the day with my family, I’d be ranting and complaining while making dinner.

(Interestingly, that mindset was related to the most popular talk I’ve ever given - so it was something that I had hard-wired into myself while competing because that mindset was more positive in sport. It was a TEDx talk titled “Wake Up Everyday With a Problem” where I speak to focusing on trying to solve problems every day. The problem with that approach is the toxicity and impossibility of the task has the potential to lead one down a pretty negative path To this day, I get companies asking me to give the extended version of this talk.)

But then I realized: I have to stop this. 

It dawned on me that this habit was only hurting me. It wasn’t helping me or anyone else. 

So I decided: Nope. Not anymore. I’m not doing it this year. I’m going to stop fixating on the stuff that pisses me off, and put my attention elsewhere. It was a “definition of insanity” moment for me.

And you know what? The result was huge. It wasn’t the only thing that helped me beat my depression, but it certainly contributed very positively. It wasn’t easy since old habits die hard. But I was conscious of it so any time that thought process started, I was able to stop it in its tracks and start thinking about something else. Over time, probably within a month or two, the new habit was formed and I was free.

That was a pivot point for me. (Okay, it wasn’t the pivot of a lifetime, but it still improved my life.) And I haven’t looked back.

That’s what I think New Year’s is so good for: it offers a natural opportunity to pivot.

Ever since I made that change, I’ve tried to find one thing each year that I know I can do differently. 

At New Year’s, I pick one thing. Just one. I choose it, and stick to it. And it’s always a mindset/actionable shift. 

I know from experience that the results from one change can be massive.

So that’s it. That’s my “advice” for the new year. It’s what I’ll be doing this year and I’ve already got my one thing ready for action. Fire me a note and we can discuss!

- Steve

P.S. - I don’t give that Problems talk anymore and always politely decline the request. But I, clearly, do have a new spin on it whenever it’s brought up!