Your Wild Idea Is Waiting For You

People respond to chaos and uncertainty differently. 

From what I see (after working with over 200 individuals), there are two kinds of responses.

The Hunkers are those who choose to hunker down when things get dicey.

No need to make any decisions. No big moves.

They wait until there is some sort of settling, even if it takes a very long time.

The Heeders, on the other hand, prefer to take heed of what is emerging and their own ideas of how to respond. After months or maybe even years of watching, they are weary of  the wondering, the worrying, the wallowing, and the waiting for a sign to DO SOMETHING. 

[Friendly reminder: waiting for a clear sign to do something is how we got here.] 

So, they start to pay attention to their ideas and decide to take action.

But which idea? What action? 

That´s their challenge. 

I work with the Heeders.

And with every client, there is a similar arc.

First, they tell me that they have no idea how to handle what is going on, or how to begin to make sense of it, or what to do next. But they know they want a change.

That´s a good place to start, because what I know is that they actually DO have an idea (or two or three).

So, when I ask them what they have been considering, they have answers.

Almost always, they tell me that they have a couple of ideas about what they could do that might make them feel more aligned, more useful in a meaningful way, and more positive about what´s possible.

Then, they share their two ideas.

And since these ideas have been bouncing around in their head for a while, they can describe them easily.

The first idea feels like the obvious choice. It makes sense on paper. It feels comfortable enough, though it is a step down in some way. It doesn´t require much of a stretch, but it might be enough to free up more time and energy.

The second idea is a little bolder. It would take more effort. It makes them a little uneasy. It doesn´t require much imagination to picture how it would turn out. It offers some advantages over the first one, but since it requires more work/time/inconvenience, it´s just less appealing.

I call these two ideas Ho and Hum. (Not at that point, but when we get to the breakthrough.)

Now, neither Ho nor Hum are particularly inspiring or exciting. Both would nudge them toward what they are longing for, but not by much.

And the reason they have not taken action yet is because neither of these ideas are calling to them. Neither has enough oomph to rev up their energy to even begin.

Now, it is absolutely critical that we give Ho and Hum some attention and explore what they might offer.

And this is because we have to see their limits and get them out of the way in order to reach idea #3, which I affectionately refer to as Whee. (It also comes with a serious dollop of Whew.)

Ho. Hum. And Whee.

Nearly everyone has these. But most of us do not allow ourselves to even consider Whee.

Because it´s wild.

Whee makes you laugh out loud and shake your head at its audacity.

Even picturing it makes you giddy.

It would be thrilling, but also, a huge relief. It´s a wild leap toward a promise of more lightness and more depth.

Are you picturing your Whee right now?

As soon as you do, your inner naysayer is likely to pipe up:

¨Oh, sure, that sounds amazing and fun, but it is just IMPOSSIBLE. No way could I pull that off.

How would I even get started?

And what about everything I´ve built? Who would I be WITHOUT it?

How do I know if I will even like it once I´ve committed?

Uff. That sounds hard. And embarrassing.

I mean, what if it doesn´t work out?

What if it turns out to be a freaking disaster?

Nope. It´s too much of a risk. Better to stick with Ho or Hum. Nice and safe.

Yes. Either one of those would be fine.¨

P A U S E …….

What happens next might take an hour, a day, or a week.

But eventually, there is a realization that both Ho and Hum are, well, pretty boring. 

Especially now that you´ve gone and stirred up all that excitement about Whee.

The truth is, you aren´t even interested in Ho and Hum anymore.

All you can think about is Whee.

And, now that you think about it, you realize Whee is actually doable:

¨Okay, yeah, it will take some serious energy to pull it off.

And what will people think? Does that even matter?

There will be some push-back. Some doubts of my own.

But once I get through that part, things will really open up.

All kinds of possibilities will appear once I make my decision to start.

Hmm. What would it really take to just say yes to it right now?

How long have I been stuck?

When was the last time I felt truly EXHILARATED? Or, for that matter, at peace?

And, if not now, when things are basically falling apart anyway…then WHEN?

Will I ever have a better reason/opportunity/wild urge than this?

Will I regret it if I just opt for Ho and Hum?

Wait, I don´t even want to consider Ho and Hum anymore.

No.

I am going for Whee.¨

And this is where it turns into excitement….and trepidation.

Depending on your Whee, the first few steps might feel like leaping through a ring of fire.

But soon enough, you find your rhythm. Your life finally feels like YOURS. It fits. You breathe easily.

And you are so very grateful you went with Whee.

Let me share the story of one of my clients.

Michael was a media consultant in New York. He had a very high-powered, high-income role.

It was all-consuming. He had been through a recent divorce. He rarely saw his son, and when he did, he was too distracted to be a fully present father.

All of these things pained him. He knew he wanted a different life.

But which life?

We started with his Ho and Hum, of course.

Ho: switch clients. Maybe if he reduced his hours by taking on some less demanding accounts, he would have more free time and a chance to mend things with his ex and his son. Downside: it would mean lower income, less prestige, and frankly, less excitement.

Hum: move closer to his ex and son. Without that two-hours-each-way drive, he could see his son more often, not just a designated weekend per month (which he often had to cancel due to deadlines.) Downside: it would require a long daily commute, extending his already-grueling days.

Ready for his Whee? It is wild.

But it took him just three days to decide to go for it.

Whee: sell his apartment, quit his job, and move to the countryside within 30 minutes of his ex and son. Use the carpentry skills he had learned from his recently-passed father to fix up a little place. Grow food. Meet neighbors. Have a quiet but enriching life, with room to think and time to write.

You can read his six-month update here.

Here´s a photo he sent me of his sunrise writing time view:

So, what are your Ho, Hum, and Whee ideas?

Spend some time seriously considering Ho and Hum first.

How do they feel to you? Which one tugs at you most? Why?

Now, admit to your Whee. You might have given up on it long ago. Or, it might be a new idea that keeps you up at night.

What about it makes you smile?

What resistance do you feel?

Spend some time considering Ho, Hum, and Whee.

(And, if you think you are ready to go for Whee, I am here to help you make it a reality.)

Maya Frost is a creative disruptor, imaginative futurist, and adaptation activist. She helps collapse-aware people around the world turn despair into rewilded imagination and bold action. Join her clients in 20 countries who have gone from dreading and delaying to dreaming, daring, and DOING. Learn more at MayaFrost.com