Do you have a movie that splits your life into a before and an after?
Mine’s Tae Be Live: Advanced Volume 3.
I know. You’re thinking — bruh (if you’re one of my kids). That’s a fitness DVD. Not a movie.
And yet, I first saw this game changer at my friend Gabby’s on movie night. I plopped on her couch, dove into the popcorn, and when she hit play I met Billy Blanks. And my life was forever changed.
Insert all the jokes, but Gabby didn’t love fitness. She just loved watching Billy.
And here’s how it changed me.
Up until this point, I’d been a runner. By which I mean I did a thing called running (I was not a runner in my heart). To be honest, I hated it. No shade to running. It just…depleted my soul.
But I did it because it gave me results — it helped me shed some college weight, dial up my cardio, and feel more energized.
Also? It gave me bursitis and shin splints and a bad AF attitude. It made me cranky and I dreaded every step.
But hey — in the wise words of Johnny Lawrence, no pain no gain, right?
As it turns out…nope. Johnny had it all wrong. And Billy proved that to me.
See, here’s what I discovered. For me, running was treachery. But it wasn’t the only way to get the results I wanted.
Billy showed me exercise could be joyful. Tae Bo became my gateway to all sorts of modalities of fitness. And I discovered I could engage new muscles, grow even fitter and stronger in ways that motivated me to push even harder.
This is the foundation of the work I do with leaders on Work Design.
This same principle applies at work. If the ways we’re working are getting us results at the expense of our human experience? If it’s costing us engagement and wellbeing? Then we need to redesign the work.
We can — we must — rework the work so it drives results AND engagement AND wellbeing.
So it turns this tug-of-war into a virtuous cycle where we’re building development, connection, recognition and recovery into — not onto — the work.
And I would love to share more about how…
So when you’re ready to talk about how to bring work design to life in your organization? Just send me a note.
I can’t wait to be your Billy Blanks. 💪