We all need a little bit of this in our lives in 2022

First Chaos. Then Structure.

I just completed ten stories about each growth cue in my playbook.

It was fun to do. It gave me some structure for five weeks in a row. I basically knew what I was going to write about next.

Sort of.

I knew the topic, but the story still came from what was happening around me.

I also know what my next story, the last one for 2021, will be about.

I will write about experimentation because I genuinely believe we need a little more experimentation in our lives.

It’s all so predictable.

And yes, I know very well this may come across as inconsistent with what I wrote in my last stories.

But it’s not.

Let me explain.

I wrote about daily execution, habits, and consistency. Inspired by an article on Medium last week with the following headline:

“This One Skill Should Be Your Priority For 2022, No Matter Your Goals.”

The article addresses consistency.

Each of us will need consistency, habits, and execution in our lives to be successful. 

But that doesn’t mean it all needs to be one big pile of to-do lists, routines, rituals, and resolutions.

First, that would make life just insanely boring.

Second, we (or at least I) also need a little disruption (not the same as a distraction) in our lives.  

We need a little chaos; we need things to be unpredictable; we need the energy of the unknown.

Disruption, chaos, unpredictable, energy.

We need those to create the creativity to be able to execute the things we love to do.

Chaos and consistency go hand in hand but have a manual:

1. Chaos comes first, consistency comes next;
2. YOU create chaos. It’s done by you, not to you;
3. Once chaos turns into consistency, you remove any chance for chaos;
4. Until things get boring and predictable again, and you need inspiration;
5. The cycle starts again.

Last week I spoke to a friend of mine who was cleaning his garage and creating a little workshop inside.

He wanted to do something different with the place. Give it a new purpose.

He doesn’t need to work for money anymore and finds himself projects to entertain himself.

When I spoke to him, he said his garage looked like a bomb had exploded.

He sent me a few pictures, and indeed, it was a mess.

But you could also already witness the contours of what things would look like. 

It was clear that order would be created out of the chaos.

He created chaos with the vision to create a new order. A place he could enjoy being in and use for his hobbies.

Before structure comes chaos.

And if you want to have the best possible structure, you need to embrace the chaos.

If you have ever decluttered your wardrobe, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

The problem is, we fear chaos. 

The word chaos has a negative connotation. And implies we’re going to lose control for a while.

And that’s what we don’t like, do we? Ok, that sounded a little condescending, but I didn’t mean it that way. 

Most of us do not like to embrace the chaos needed to create the perfect order and consistency we’re looking for in our lives.

But if we don’t, we won’t get the best possible outcome. We may be consistently doing stuff that looks good because it’s consistent but doesn’t get us what we really need.

So, in this next to last insight of the year 2021, I’m advocating for chaos and consistency in your life in 2022.

One way to achieve that is with a bit of experimentation.

That will be my last post of this year, this Friday.

Your turn: what would be the chaotic thing to do in 2022?

Do more of what makes you happy!

Erikjan