It’s Just a Pen …

I’m a pretty sentimental guy. If you have read any my blog posts or know anything about me you know that I take tons of pictures of my family and hold dear to things that are important. I tend to keep and collect things. I even blogged once about my junky souvenir gift shop experiences.

This last week while taking notes during a coaching session with my mentor, my pen ran out of ink. For most people this is not a big deal, just grab another pen (which I have plenty of) and continue on with the task. However, this pen was a little special to me.

This pen was not a family heirloom or one that could not be replaced. It was not given to me by someone special or as a mark of a special occasion. I believe it was a gift from someone in my family because they know I like this type of pen and it would prove useful.

This is the pen that I used to sign my exit documents from my previous 9 to 5 job and the pen that I used to begin my new experiences in creating an online business. This pen has been on my desk and has been used for countless notes, signatures, head scratches, finger twirls and fidgeting, desk drumming and whole host of other activities.

No, it’s not an expensive pen or anything special that you can’t get from an office supply store for a few dollars. But it’s my pen. For some reason it fits well in my fingers and it is one of those strange comforts that I, being a sentimental person, fully embrace.

If only this pen could talk. It has been a witness to many conversations inside my little home office and outside when I carry it with me. It has documented many, many situations and important notes that need to be referred to from time to time. It has seen my signature on many important documents. It has been the object of my focus when someone innocently grabs it and all I can think about is getting it back.

I know, this is absolutely silly, and borderline obsessive. It’s just a pen, but it’s my pen.

So, when my pen started to run out of ink during the coaching session with my mentor, my first action was to unscrew it and make sure that it had ink. After I verified that the ink was just about completely gone, I did not panic as I have several of these types of pens in my desk ready to use for such an occasion. And without hesitation I grabbed one to use.

No, I’m not completely crazy. I didn’t mourn the death of my pen or the fact that it was out of ink. I didn’t lose my mind and cut off the conversation with my mentor to focus on the tragedy of my pen losing its effectiveness. But I did think about this pen and what it has meant to me.

And I came to the conclusion that it was a tool that served its purpose and served it well. Should I save this pen and frame it and honor it… no. Should I obsess over it and see if there’s some way that I can refill the unfillable plastic ink tube… no. Should I think about it constantly and allow it to distract me from my task at hand… absolutely not! It’s a pen and I will toss it and begin anew with my next writing instrument.

If I’m perfectly honest, I really did not think about it that much until I considered how much I rely on comfort and order and don’t like a lot of change in my life.

And, I’m really not thinking about stuff like a simple pen right now even though I’m writing a whole blog post on it. It’s just a symbol for me and a reminder that it is okay to be comfortable with your current environment but it is also okay to move on when new tools or change is required

So, what does this have to do with running an online business? Well, I’m glad you asked!

It is so easy to get comfortable with what you are doing on a daily basis. It is so easy to get into the habits that fill our activities. It is so easy to rely on something that currently works and not want to make a change when the situation warrants. It is so easy to get distracted when things don’t go the way we feel they should.

In the last several months I have been forced to pivot from doing things the way that I’ve always done them or the way that I’ve thought they should be done because circumstances have changed. I have had to embrace new technology and have had to start using new tools and, in some cases, abandoned what I was doing before.

Just like my example with the pen, I had to move on from some things that were comfortable. And it was difficult because I didn’t want to. I had to ask myself the question and figure out why I didn’t want to move on and do different things. And the only answer that I could come up with is that I wasn’t being stubborn, rather simply unwilling to make a change outside of my comfort zone.

In order to be successful, I must learn to be mindful and aware of when a change is needed and the courage to make the change at the right time. Just like I can’t keep writing with a pen that has no ink, I should not be operating my business in a way that will not be profitable for me and add value to those that I serve.

Now, of course, my business is much more important and much more significant than a pen. But the concept remains the same. I need to continue to ask myself what I am willing to do and what I am willing to give up and what I am willing to change in order for my business to grow.

I need to be ready and willing not to hold on to things that will slow me down. I need to be fully aware that there might be new opportunities to embrace. I need to be ready to write new chapters for my business with my new pen.

If you’ve read this far, I appreciate you sticking around long enough to hear this silly story. But silly or not, it is important and it is necessary that we consider what we are hanging on to that could keep us from moving forward.

Are you hanging onto something that will keep you from progressing? What do you do on a regular basis to evaluate where you are and what may need to change or what may need to stay the same? And finally, what is your motivation for making changes? I’d love to hear your thoughts so that I may learn from you.

As I toss my used and out of ink pen in the trash, I really won’t give it another thought. I don’t want to discount that pen, but I want to move on to one that works. I guess that’s what it’s all about – knowing when to move on.

I hope your ink well never dries up, but if it does, I hope you have a backup! 😊

“Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today.” – Will Rogers

“You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore.” — William Faulkner

And of course, a few VERY BAD Dad jokes:

Why did the pencil break up with the paper? Because it found someone sharper.

I have a pen that’s always on time…It’s always “write” on schedule!

Until next time, STAY FRESH, Friends!

 

 

 

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