When its all said and done, this week I discovered that I have a split personality. In this particular case, I will however deviate from the true psychological definition of this term, and leave the “disorder” from the lineup. Am I a hedgehog, or am I the fox?
This week in training, several key principles were revisited, and we were shown how everything we were introduced to from the beginning, including the assignments, were all leading up to this point, where the cobwebs were gradually removed and I could see more clearly, the “whys?” of the “whats?”
I was particularly interested in the Hedgehog Principle, as put forth by by Isaiah Berlin’s famous essay. In this essay, the hedgehog was the one who kept things simple, was laser focused on the task at hand, and then worked the plan.
The fox on the other hand was always focused on the products and other important, but not really expedient aspects of the business. When I heard that the hedgehog always defeats the fox, that scared me.
I thought about how I did my business. I had ‘fox like’ tendencies. I was/am always collecting information, arranging files, ordering materials etc. rather than making a plan, staying laser focused on it and implementing it.
I guess I was hiding behind all these other activities rather than making calls and making contact with people. This is where another aspect of a daily companion, and where I often live, reared its ugly head- that of the Fight or Flight tendency when my “comfort zone” is disturbed.
Normally, when my comfort zone is rattled by any uncomfortable action I must take, I retreat and become inactive because I feel anxious and afraid. Mark J says, we/I should not jump out of the that state of discomfort, but to do it gradually allowing the discomfort to build strength and grit.
Even though this is a very scary place to remain, I can see the virtue in it. I am encouraged to look at the negative thoughts or feelings as tools to help me get to where I want to be.
I have the combination of the hedgehog and the fox in me, and I want the hedgehog to become dominant!
This mindset, and action driven decisions are what will drive my economic engine. I am still “ Nature’s Greatest Miracle” as I ask myself these two questions:
- What am I pretending not to know?
- What would the person I intend to become do next?
I always keep my promises.
Valerie, combine the best parts of the fox and of the hedgehog to make yourself better. From your blog rover friend John.
John, thank you. This to me is the best way to do it that will not be too overwhelming to my “system.”
A lovely blog post. Taking an itinerary of the qualities you have of the fox and that of the Hedgehog is the step to success – you now know what traits you will adopt and make your own so you can create greater clarity of who you are ‘being’ in your experience of life.
Naila, so true. Being able to recognize that there is some of both in me, will help me strengthen the good qualities, and slowly put to death, the not so good ones.