“Lift up your foot for me.” I then proceeded to wave my hand over his shoe as I said, “I am putting magic glue on your shoe and when you put it back down on the court it will not move.” The five year old aspirational basketball player got a big smile on his face as he placed his foot on the court. “Excellent! Now that foot is glued to the floor so it can’t move, but this other foot is free to go anywhere else you want to put it.” So it goes trying to coach the basic principle of a pivot foot in basketball.
I have told this story in some form hundreds of times…and less than half of them on a basketball court. Most of the time the context is working with folks who have found themselves not where they want or expect to be. The landscape of their world has changed and they are befuddled. Wait! What do you mean we can’t….? is usually where the conversation begins and my intention is to help them to begin to explore shifting…pivoting a little in one way or the other.
The capacity to pivot in any given moment can be the difference between being stuck or thriving. It is the ability to stay both grounded in what is important (faith, vision, mission, identity) and being able to adapt to changing circumstances. It is the ability to hold on to what is important all the while being nimble, flexible to explore other alternatives.
Two guys walking down the road completely depressed and downtrodden. Their expectations of the way forward were shattered by recent events. Amidst their grumbling, a fellow joins them on their journey whom they do not recognize. The fellow begins to inquire about what they are talking about. Flabbergasted by his cluelessness they respond, “Are you the only one who does not know!!!” Their journey continues, ending with inviting their companion to share a meal with them. And then something happens in the breaking of the bread…”their eyes are opened!” Pivot!
The story of the road to Emmaus is one of my favorites. I really appreciate how Jesus sidles up to these followers who were stuck because their expectations were not met. Then Jesus opens their eyes and in an instance they are still grounded in their faith – and – pivoting to new possibilities!
“You have to be able to pivot and shift and try things to continue to grow.” — Michael Jordan
BP