Stability, Challenge, and Trying New Things

David Nagai

Feb 75 min read

I want to share with you some insight from a wonderful book called Daily Creative by Todd Henry who is an author about creativity. I really like his perspectives as they relate not only to creativity, but also to work and life in general.

So let me share two of his short daily readings from pages 296 and 297 and also share a few thoughts and questions to help you think about and apply the ideas.

* Listen to audio here *

Stability and Challenge (p. 296)

There are two key things that creative professionals need to thrive – stability and challenge (newness and risk).

Stability means that you need clarity of process, clarity of expectation, protection of your time and focus, and protection of the runway (space) needed to do your work.

Challenge means that – whether you know it or not – you need and want to be pushed to take risks, try new things, and to be operating on the edge of your abilities from time to time.

The problem is that stability and challenge exist in tension with one another. As you are challenged, the environment in which you work often becomes less stable because there is more uncertainty and less clarity about the process that will get the results you need. When you increase stability, you feel less challenged because things are more predictable.

Much of the success in creative organizations lies in getting the balance of stability and challenge right. If teams are overly challenged without the corresponding stability needed to support the effort, they grow frustrated and angry. If there is high stability but with little challenge, talented people grow bored and begin seeking better horizons (opportunities).

Whether you lead a team or not, it’s important to be mindful of these two dynamics – stability and challenge – and which of them you might need more of at the moment.

Much of your success lies in striking (hitting, getting) the right balance of stability and challenge.

Brachiation (p. 297)

A technique called brachiation is an important phase of physical development for children.

For example, when a child is swinging from one side to another on a set of monkey bars, there is a moment when they must let go with one hand before the other hand is fully secured on the next bar. If they fail to let go at the right moment, as often happens when they get scared, they will likely fall (or be stuck between the two bars with no momentum).

A key reason why they don’t let go at the right moment is a fear of falling. Ironically, that fear is self-fulfilling. Their fear of falling causes them to fall because they expect to fall. It’s precisely because they don’t let go that they fall. You must learn to let go at just the right time – not too early but still at some point before you know for certain that everything is going to work out fine.

Creative work is very similar. You have to know how to let go of an idea and move on to the next one. If you don’t and try to grasp onto it long after it has served its purpose, you are likely to end up with something mediocre (average).

We all mastered this skill as children, but emotional brachiation can be much more difficult. There is so much of our self-identity wrapped up in our ideas or projects. However, we need to train ourselves to let go and move forward.

If you don’t know when to let go of an old idea and move on to the next one, you are destined to struggle creatively.

My Own Thoughts…

Now let me respond to these daily readings with a few of my own thoughts about stability, challenge, and brachiation, or letting go and trying new things.

We all need stability, especially as kids or when we are establishing ourselves. Stability helps us feel confident and in control, and also allows us to do quality and reliable work. Some people or companies really value stability and want to make stability their main focus – and that’s fine! In fact, it’s more than fine if stability is their number one goal. But, it’s not fine if the person or company wants to reach their highest potential.

For me, a big question is: what keeps people from taking on a new challenge or letting go of safe routines in order to try something new that might completely transform or revolutionize their work or life?

I think for many of us, it’s fear. Fear of failure. Fear of judgement. Fear of losing control. Fear of losing our job or customers or status or reputation. But in this modern day and age, we must ponder whether or not we can afford not to try something new. If we don’t keep trying new ideas or innovations, other people or companies will most likely do it instead. And if we don’t move first, or at least keep up with the change, then in the end, it will actually lead to the instability or unpredictability that we were trying to avoid in the first place.

So maybe taking risks is actually a pathway to stability and sustainability.

Another question is: how can we overcome barriers that keep us from letting go and trying new things?

Perhaps we exaggerate how big of a step we need to take. So instead of making a huge change with potentially horrible consequences, how can we make it into a smaller step that has small consequences if it fails?

For example…

Instead of quitting your job to start a business, just keep your job while starting something small a few hours per week and see what happens.

Instead of creating a whole new system in your work, just try one smaller change each week and see how it goes and then adjust it accordingly.

Instead of asking a colleague on a date, which might make your relationship become awkward, invite them to join you and your friends for dinner at first.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself if you are nervous about trying something new and risky:

1. Are my fears about doing it really that scary? Or am I assuming too much or exaggerating the potential consequences?

2. What’s the worst thing that could happen if I do it?

3. What’s the best potential outcome if I do it?

4. What’s the cost of not doing it?

5. If this new idea fails, what is a backup plan I can use to follow up for success?

6. How can I try it in a small way, quickly, in order to minimize the risk and quickly learn from the experience and then adjust it so that it succeeds?

7. Who can I ask for advice about it?

8. Who can join me in my new venture so that we can support each other along the way?

You always have the choice to keep something the same or try something new. You get to decide the degree of risk you want to take. If you practice trying new things often enough, you can grow to become more comfortable with change. And in the end, it’s possible for regular, calculated risks to actually provide ongoing stability that is sustainable, productive, and that offers increased value and excitement along the way.

* Listen to audio here *