It’s July. It’s so hot outside. We know, it’s hard to motivate to do anything in these temps, but we’re checking in.
Did you set goals earlier this year to better your life? To help others?
How’s it going?
Even if you’re not where you want to be, don’t worry. You’re not alone. Maybe you just need to turn up the A/C and recommit to getting it done.
Or maybe it’s time to pivot.
When my son got into the highly competitive Y Combinator tech start-up program a few years ago, he was a little surprised. He believed in his big idea, but frankly, the YC folks didn’t seem all that interested during the interview. But they accepted him and gave him a bunch of money to launch the new company. He was off to the races.
Fast forward a few months. Their idea hadn’t gotten traction as quickly as they’d hoped, so they abandoned it and went in a different direction. In other words, they pivoted.
As an outsider, it seemed fast. But YC – which has launched major companies like Airbnb, Dropbox, Instacart – doesn’t see pivoting as failure. Pivoting is an expected part of the growth process. Better to switch gears and put your energy toward something else than waste more time on what’s not working. YC didn’t view my son’s pivot as a negative, just another step toward eventual success.
A solid piece of wisdom for the rest of us. It’s not easy to shift our mindset, but if we can find the courage to do it, we might get a better outcome.
How do you know if it’s time to pivot? Be honest with yourself.
1. Have you made a solid effort toward your goal (or at least as much as you’re willing to give it)? Still not working out? Maybe it’s time to shake things up a bit.
2. Are you still excited about the idea? Does the thought of it still light you up? Do you want to talk about it with everyone you meet? Do you still dream about making it happen? If not, maybe it’s time to tweak the idea or abandon it entirely.
3. Is there still a market or need for it? Even if you’re not trying to make money, if the need is no longer there, it’s hard to be motivated to work for it.
4. Even if there’s still a need, are you the person to do it? If circumstances have changed since you first set the goal and you just can’t do it anymore, don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s not a failure to shift the plan or walk away.
Doug Ruch was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer earlier this year and is on a mission to volunteer and give back in all 50 states through his “Dying to Serve” tour. With 38 states down since March and just 12 to go, Doug has recently posted that he’s headed back to his home state of Texas to help flood victims there and get some much-deserved rest. He’s feeling depleted physically and mentally, but hopes to get back to those remaining 12 states as soon as he can.
In comments to his posts, Doug’s followers urge him to take care of himself. Even if he can’t finish, they want him to know how much he’s inspired so many people with the work he’s already done. Some have even offered to help him finish virtually, but Doug feels like that’d be a “cop out.” He hopes to feel better in the next 30 days and resume his tour up the East Coast.
We wish Doug the best. He’s an inspiration, regardless of whether he finishes all 50 states.
It’s hard to pivot when things don’t go the way you planned. But sometimes you need an honest assessment of where you are and what’s possible.
If you’re still excited about something you can still do, see it through to the finish line.
But if you’ve given it your all and you can’t figure out how to accomplish it – or you don’t want to anymore – there’s no shame in making adjustments or walking away to focus your energy on something else. You just might find what you were meant to be doing all along.
And that’s the power of a pivot.
