Have you ever played the game Twister?
It starts out easy, because you only need to pick one spot to place a hand or foot on. But as you are given more and more spots to pick, it gets progressively difficult. Never mind the fact you have to contort yourself — and try contorting yourself around others at the same time.
The thing is that the longer the game goes is dependent on how well each person picks their own spots and how they use the advice given to them by those they are in the contorted mess with. It’s a team thing, which is a lot like life and work. There is no one winner in Twister. The only winning involved is based on how long you all keep things going.
And it all starts with spot picking.
The next time you think about making a move in work or in life, make sure you’re not only picking a spot for the time being, but it could be something that may have to sustain you (and others) over the long term.
It makes for a better game. And definitely one that’s more fun for everyone you come across in the process.
Photo credit: Leigh Jay Temple (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)