The Curve
Issue 1: January 2021
Finding the right curve for myself in 2020
Although I had begun working with my coach mid 2019, in preparation for my transition out of Haiti in mid 2020, I had intended my transition to be to another type of role Stateside, preferably with the same employer, but with another if necessary. I took all of the right steps to put that in place. But then we had to depart Haiti sooner than planned, under difficult circumstances. Three weeks after arriving in the States, COVID came. Then I found myself on a major learning curve caring for sick family members, and then to yet another learning curve of homeschooling. However, without the stress and pressure of accountability to an employer, I gained critical head space to reflect much more deeply about the goals, desires, and motivations that I had begun articulating with my coach. There is something to be said for taking a sabbatical- even if it was in the middle of a host of other crises.
The longer I have been in this work, the more selective I am about the opportunities I pursue and accept. Over this past year, I came to understand that this is because I know what drives me and I know where I bring value. This does not mean I will never undertake tasks I don’t enjoy, but I would not put myself in a role where I knew I would not truly thrive. Have you taken the time to reflect, truly reflect, on what drives you? Where your energy comes from? What your sources of deep pride are? This exercise is often done when someone is ready to transition, but it is important to do on a regular basis because being in tune with who you are and what makes you click will help you get more from and give more to your current role.
Sharing and using my knowledge in a way that lifts up others to be successful is a powerful motivator for me. I take pride in pushing individuals and communities to push themselves to achieve what they always could but didn’t believe they could, or have the opportunity to try- easing people’s fears as they climb a new learning curve. My personal learning curve now is the merging of my life’s experiences with data-backed frameworks for grounding those experiences so they can be presented in a variety of ways that are useful to my fellow colleagues doing the exhausting and important work of relief and development. I am excited about the opportunities technology provides for different means of providing support and I look forward to receiving your input, feedback, and reflections about your own learning curves.
Are you on a learning curve? Is it a healthy learning curve or were you thrown in the metaphorical deep end? Tell us about it in the comments below.
