Squirrel vs. Jesus (Let’s state the obvious:)
There's a story about a Sunday School teacher who's giving a lesson on how God made everything, even down to the little woodland creatures.
She starts by asking the children, "What's brownish-gray, lives in a tree, eats lots of nuts, and has a big, bushy tail?
The children shuffle silently in their seats, until a little boy finally raises his hand and tentatively says,
"I really want to say a squirrel, but I'm sure the answer is Jesus."
I love this joke.
(And not just because it sparks childhood Sunday School memories of felt-board lessons on Noah's Ark, singing “Rise & Shine”, and Nilla Wafers…IYKYK).
I love it because it points to what can happen when we get a little too swept up in the “shoulds."
And it isn't limited to Christian culture. (I know of people so caught up in the concept of “manifesting” that they believe they “manifested” their own cancer diagnosis. This makes me so sad).
It happens in business, too.
Like the little boy with the squirrel, we can get so caught up in the “shoulds” that we can ignore the obvious.
In every field, there can be expectations about how to present yourself, what your motivations should be, how to run things, how to market yourself, what your morning routine should be… the list goes on.
“Squirrel vs. Jesus” moments pop up everywhere:
The professional who avoids admitting that they dislike one or more of their clients (or just feel drained by them), but they're not “supposed” to feel that way, or don’t want to lose the income. Burnout is creeping in…
The entrepreneur who hesitates to acknowledge that the business, or some part of it, may just not being working anymore. Fear of “a negative attitude” (or "manifesting failure," ugh) is keeping them from making important decisions.
A startup founder who's pressured to “move fast and break things,” but who knows they need to actually move slowly and honor their own sensitivity.
The pressure to adopt some new AI technology because “if not you'll be left behind,” when attention to authentic relationships is what built the customer base in the first place.
And so on.
This is why it's important to regularly take a step back from your business (or role in a business) and give it a "30,000 foot view."
Take the time to check in and ask yourself what assumptions you're making, where you're just going with the flow (or the “shoulds”) instead of trusting your gut –or on the flip side, avoiding the data (the proverbial “bushy tail”) to double down on what you or others want to be true.
Notice what's working, what's not working, what wisdom to trust, and where you might need to "go against the grain" in your field.
(And by the way, often being the one willing to say “squirrel” and buck the norms of your field can actually help you stand out and get ahead).
This check-in can be as simple as a short business-journaling session every week, or as deep as having a coach deep-dive with you and give you feedback.
Let's call a squirrel a squirrel.
It's time to check in with your business. There's support available if you need it.
(And cute jokes).
To your success,
Jane