Is the Juice Worth the Squeeze
I was fortunate to have some free time in late July and it came at the right time to allow some deeper reflections. I'm often asked to help solve problems. In one of the two jobs I have, in the hobbies I enjoy, or as a member of a kick-ass family unit. I'm the operations guy. I tend to see connections before others and I build structure and scaffolding (so I've been told) decently well. The truth is I #$%^& suck at doing it for myself and I'm always the last person I want to help.
I've known this for years and this tale is not a story of finding this epiphany. This runs deeper. Why don't I see the signs, the obvious clues leading up to an overextension, losing sight and feeling a bit lost in the maelstrom towards something bigger?
Someone introduced the phrase "situational ignorance" to define the behavior of an individual that clearly has the ability to gain knowledge and chooses not to. A great term and I've used (with credit) often. But my path feels different, an almost "situational blindness" where I just don't see the most obvious thing right in front of me, but ONLY when it's about me.
And the clues were there. Making poor decisions with health, family, and friends. Once I started to see them it was silly. Realizing a mistake after the fact hits like a punch to the gut. You feel like the dumbest person in the world. "Of course, why didn't I see it?!?!" Situational blindness.
Maybe I'll talk more about this concept of blindness in the future, but the important thing is my time in July allowed me to build some of that structure and scaffolding for myself. It really only took a reframe. I'd been helping others from the surface. What I actually needed was to help from the inside out. Easy. :)
Early days still, but the process has provided an early opportunity to reframe the core elements of my life. Adding structure to an already rich life such that the areas I choose to help can benefit without sacrificing myself. Not easy. :)
Which brings me to the phrase itself. "Is the juice worth the squeeze?" I've always thought hardest about the "juice" and the "squeeze" and have been blind to the cost. So I've come to the conclusion that I might need to think more about who defines the "worth." If it's me, what am I paying for the juice? Up until recently, mostly myself.