Modifications
Pay attention to how you can make your plan less complicated when you need to
If you’re competitive like I am, you’re probably familiar with the feeling that, if you’re not going all out, you’re not really going at all.
And if you’re not competitive? Well, just know that the other half of us are racing you as we walk down the sidewalk.
Going all out all the time means is a good way to get hurt or burn out…
…whether we’re talking yoga, running, weightlifting, poker, playing piano, or — of course — business. Most days, we need to regulate and enjoy a smooth 60% burn instead of constantly going for 100% effort.
And some days, we go a step further. We make a modification.
We recognize that doing something well is more important than going all out.
We recognize that taking the big idea and doing it in a small way is better than not doing anything with the idea at all.
In yoga, a modification is a change to the prescribed pose that makes it work for more bodies. A modification might account for limited range of motion, an injury, or even just the intensity of a pose on a day when you’re feeling spent.
It’s tempting to think that when you take a modification, you’re not as ”good” as you should be. But that’s hardly the case! Yoga teaches that modifications are just as good, valuable, and worthy as any other pose. In fact, listening to your body and making modifications is a sign of skill not deficit.
“Modifications are signs of wisdom, not weakness.”
— Caesar Barajas, Yoga Teacher
Modifications aren’t an invitation to judgment.
They’re an invitation to participation and belonging. Modifications call us forward — they don’t hold us back.
Again, if you’re competitive like I am, remembering that modifications are there to serve me can be tough. It can be a real challenge to convince yourself that less intense, smaller, or different is better than not at all.
Paying attention to what’s happening in your business and your experience and making a modification to your plan, a system, or a goal is a sign of wisdom — not weakness.
Consider how a modification could help you move forward on your goals.
What big plans do you have that you could execute in a smaller, more stable way? How would that modification be beneficial to you?
I have a feeling that the concept of modification will be really helpful in 2021. We can dial back the intensity and focus on quality over quantity, doing things well instead of doing more things.
“Modifications” is 1 of 40+ prompts in the Stronger Business Playbook, a comprehensive collection of tools, templates, and prompts to help you build a stronger business. The Playbook is available exclusively inside The What Works Network.
