This week, I had an unexpected four hour round-trip drive to pick up something.
Traffic getting out of Toronto was very heavy, so while I waited in traffic, I noticed many kinds of different driver personas.
Traffic can be an example of status quo and different driver profiles are an example of how people react to status quo.
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Driver Type One: “The Occasional” These drivers change lanes occasionally. They’ll stay put for a while, but eventually they reach a tipping point when the lane is just TOO slow and they look for other options.
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Driver Type Two: “The Content” These drivers stay in their lane. They’re content with where they are and don’t bother switching lanes. You’ll get there eventually so why stress and move around?
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Driver Type Three: “The Changers” These drivers are NOT content with their driving lane. They’re actively looking at traffic patterns, analyzing the lanes to see if there’s more efficiencies and then moving when appropriate. They are not content with status quo and are always looking for other possibilities. They do the lane change.
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Driver Type Four: “The Weavers” These drivers are the extreme version of the changers. They duck in and out of car gaps, moving with ninja-like precision to find opportunities to gain efficiencies in the drive every single step of the way. It’s wrought with risk because one wrong move can result in an accident.
What type of driver profile are you?
I’m a changer. I’m always looking for the next move. I analyze traffic patterns and use data as a feedback loop to inform me of my next decision. I’m not rushed when I drive, but I like to be efficient. I mean, why stay stuck in traffic if you don’t have to? When I see the opportunity to move, I do the lane change.
Since I had an extended drive time, I couldn’t help but think about how powerful the mindset of a changer was and could see an obvious parallel to innovation.
You see, a changer is someone who does not ACCEPT things for the way they are. They’re looking for other options, possibilities. They’re seeing what’s possible and take the action to get there. Changers don’t stay put. They move. Changers think differently about the situation and actively choose a different path.
My definition of innovation is this: creating a new future by transforming ideas into value. 💡 Innovation is saying NO to the present (aka. Status quo) and YES to the future. When you’re stuck in traffic and you intentionally do a lane change, you’re doing the exact same thing. 🤯
Now don’t get me wrong here. I’m not saying getting stuck in traffic and making a lane change is innovation. What I AM saying is that this is an example of an innovation mindset at work! 🙌🏻
As I thought more about this as I continued to drive, I got really excited! 😁 You see, every single time I changed my lane, I was saying to my brain – I DO NOT have to accept this driving situation and I can CREATE a new future by finding other opportunities to move beyond status quo.
🌱 This is an important innovation mindset to build because we need to always be reminded that NOTHING has to be the same, unless we want it to be. We ALL have the ability to change the narrative, if we choose.
The more you can practice this mindset, the more it will become second nature to you.
What about you? What mindset do you have normally? Are you the Occasional? The Content? The Changer? Or the Weaver?
This week, I want you to adopt the mindset of the Changer. I want you to know that you do NOT have to accept the status quo and you can look for other possibilities out there… Just like you can when you’re stuck in traffic in a slow lane. And when you drive, I want you to consider that this indeed is an innovation mindset. When you see status quo, don’t accept it. Look for possibilities and then, do the lane change. 🚘
💫 If you enjoyed this post, give it a like and share it with a friend.
When’s the last time YOU did the lane change to move out of status quo and created a new future? Comment and let me know!
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