Patrick Sauerwein | @virtual_patrick

TL; DR

• Focus on ONE thing
• Are you in your flow? What’s hindering you? Could you get back in the flow by increasing/ decreasing your challenges or skills?
• Grow by increasing your skill set

The challenges

This quote is leading me since starting the house renovation back in 2019:

If you chase two rabbits, you will not catch either one.

Russian proverb

As I had three weeks off for vacation without doing that much for the house renovation and read some books during the time, my monkey mind started again to challenge my current thinking and decision back in 2019. I still believe in the truth of this quote as it is very challenging having too many big open construction areas in life. Focus is key.

On the other side, work or “career” evolution makes me think as well. It’s not only the time as I’m five years now with my employer. A next step forward would be great as growing is very important to me.

What’s the underlying problem?

The Search Inside Yourself course thought me an important thing about flow challenges and skills.

Facing my current challenges in the areas of home renovation and job evolution, I’d rate myself into the area of anxiety, which might be a very vulnerable confession to write about it here. Two conversations last week amplified my thoughts about this. I seldom felt bored in my life, my general tendency seems to be anxiety, and this was an eye opener for me.

So, what will be good next steps?

I’ll continue to work on my house renovation project and going to finish it. It’s an ongoing process and I usually learn a lot of new things every week, mastering situations, having real ownership and freedom to shape. Increasing skills is the default state continuing my home renovation.

At work as SIY suggests, I’ll continue to work on my skill set. Starting in October, I’m thankful for the opportunity to participate in a Stanford training course about product management. I worked hard on shaping and contributing ProductOps for my team and will continue to do so. There are more things to be solved and I’m convinced to continue to grow my skills in this area too.

Additional growth opportunities are here by reading and writing about them:

#2. How can a man come to know himself? Never by thinking, but by doing. Try to do your duty and you will know at once what you are worth.

— FS (@farnamstreet) September 3, 2022

What are your experiences in growing? What is hindering you to grow? Is this “SIY framework” helpful for you?

Please share your thoughts.

Best,

Patrick