Are You Hunkering Down or Pivoting?

I grew up on a basketball court. Naturally, several of our children have played as well. As our family concludes another basketball season, it never ceases to amaze me how many life lessons can be gleaned from the game.

Saturday my parents and I were sitting in the bleachers watching Elijah (our 7-year-old) play. When the little kids get a rebound or steal the ball, they’re taught to wrap their arms around it and hunker down. That signals to the refs and the other team that the child has the ball, and everyone backs off and heads down the other end of the court.

My dad watched the children doing this and pointed out what a bad habit this instills in young players. He knows a state championship coach who laments that most players never completely outgrow their training as little children to grab the ball and hunker down with it. As older players they often slip back into this protective stance when they should be looking for openings or putting the ball back into play. While they’re hunkering down, they miss important windows of opportunity.

What should a player do instead? Pivot. Pivoting in basketball is where you plant one foot securely in place and move your other foot around like one of those compasses we used in 6th grade math class. A player who knows how to pivot can keep the ball moving, see openings that are available, and keep other players from taking the ball away. Pivoting is a powerful skill. It doesn’t waste a dribble, and the ball doesn’t get stolen. It buys a player time to examine his options and then take proactive action at just the right moment.

What does this have to do with life or business? It has everything to do with it! When things get stressful, do you hunker down and withdraw into a protective stance? If you do, then you’re missing things! Your head is down, you’re constricting. But if you keep your head high, pivot, and keep the ball moving as you examine options, you are alert and can seize the moment.

For those of us who have been learning universal laws – like attraction, sowing and reaping, polarity, etc – it’s a natural tendency in an economic crunch to feel that somehow the laws don’t work anymore. We revert to our old conditioning and start to draw down into a fetal position, and go into protective mode.

Resist the urge! The laws of the universe have not suspended themselves just because the world says we’re in a recession. Stay true to who you are and what you stand for. Stay true to your gifts. Remain open, and plant your pivot foot securely to grounded truths. Resist the temptation to grasp at money-making schemes that are outside your purpose. Explore the possibilities and calmly choose your next steps wisely. As you do this, you’ll be able to see things that other people cannot see because they’re too busy staring at the ground, curling up in a wad, and grasping to protect what they have.

I'd love to hear your comments and what you're doing to pivot.

Comments

[Terri Zwierzynski]

I firmly believe that the recession provides a wonderful opportunity for solo entrepreneurs particularly, because we are small and nimble...and can respond to opportunities and change our strategy quickly in response. But you are absolutely right -- we can only do this if we have our heads up and are looking around for those opportunities! Thanks for the reminder :)
Terri Z
http://www.twitter.com/TerriZSoloCEO

[Rich]

Hi Marnie I really liked your post. With the economy the condition it's in seems everybody is trying to make money on line, one look at my email is proof of that. Being in internet marketing I see that everybody has the next best way to make money online.
I take that opportunity to see what they are offering and find the part of the market they have all overlooked. When things seem bad, I think it's important to work that much harder to acheive your goals.

[Phil Davis]

Marnie,
This is so spot on. I especially like the part where you mention, in the protective mode, our heads are down. From that vantage point we can see nothing... we have no opportunities. It reminds me of the parable about the servant who only had one talent, so to avoid losing it, he buried it and it gained nothing. Pivoting allows us to see the entire field of play in motion and take action when needed. Thanks for the wise reminder!

[Judy Jones]

Hi, Marine

I love the analogy you made between the two stances. During difficult times most of us tend to retreat to fear and forget that the universe is always supporting us. Thank you for being a voice to remind us that the universe always provides the best for us at all times.

To your success and happiness,

Judy S. Jones
http://makingmoneywithaffiliates.com

[Dr. Jeanette Raymond]

Your advice to stay open and see things that others can't see during tough times is a great philosophy for always.

Some people can do it with ease no matter what is going on around them. They are more secure and resilient in themselves.

Other people are less able to do it because they haven't developed the same security or resiliency. Their right brains overreact to negative stuff. They get angry, or curl up in a ball - both the victim position. BOTH SERVE TO GIVE THEM A SENSE OF TEMPORARY POWER at the time they feel most helpless.

Learn to change that negative cycle at http://www.drjeanetteraymond.com

[Curt Rosengren]

Great analogy, Marnie. For me pivoting is about keeping one eye on the present and one eye on the future.

The eye on the present says, "Hey, you've got some challenges you need to address - now!" And the eye on the future says, "Yes, and that's ultimately a step on the way to my long-term vision."

When I can keep my long-term vision in sight as I'm addressing those immediate concerns (using your analogy, when I keep my head up and look around), I don't have to lose momentum to hunkering down. I can do what it takes to get through the present moment and keep watching for those possibilities at the same time.

Curt Rosengren
http://mapmaker.curtrosengren.com