Place both feet firmly in front of you. Make sure you feel stable and well balanced. Now reach out with your left hand and grab the rope firmly. When you’re ready reach out with your right hand and firmly grab the other rope. Once again, make sure you feel well grounded in your stance. Wait for it, soon one or the other or even potentially both of the ropes you are embracing will make every effort to pull you in their direction.
The rope to the right wants to pull you in the direction of history, tradition and the way things have been done potentially for a very long time. The rope to the left desires to bring you into imagination, aspiration, a bold new future. Your task is to hold the tension between these two directions as you discern what is next for you or your group.
I have done this exercise both in person or mentally for hundreds of leaders. It is the most critical task of any person, community or organization who is attempting to navigate their way forward. One side of the equation is all things that embody the DNA: history, tradition, ritual, story. The other side represents the yet to be: aspiration, imagination, hopes, dreams. Both sides desperately want your attention, and as such they are going to pull at you at the same time.
Obviously the path of least resistance is to let go of one of the ropes. Live deeply in the past and let go of intentionality for the future. Or, let go of your roots and reach with all your might to an imagined aspirational brave new world. Neither choice will lead us to a deeper, more meaningful next season. This is why it is critical for us to learn how to fully embrace the tension…to embody both patience and passion.
Patience and passion are the secret sauce for discerning our way forward in the most healthy and helpful way on the next steps of the journey. As my spiritual director often reminds me, “God uses our history.” – and – “The Spirit always leads us forward.”
The great abolitionist and social activist, Harriet Tubman wrote, “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars and change the world.”
“Patience doesn’t mean denial; ignoring our emotions and aspirations. It means being wholeheartedly engaged in the process that’s unfolding, rather than ripping open a budding flower or demanding a caterpillar hurry up and get that chrysalis stage over with.”- Sharon Salzber
BP