Meme: Ctrl+Alt+Delete

This is a meme that bears repeating. Mac users close to my heart: Substitute Ctrl-Cmd-Power or hold down that power button—well, don’t actually; I’m just trying to exercise a little consideration. Anyway, you have to admit that Ctrl+Alt+Delete has a sort of ubiquitous grace…

Bob Poole made a great post yesterday about rebooting yourself.

What if there was a ctrl+alt+delete for our lives?

Would you be tempted to use the keys and reboot your life? Sound tempting? Maybe you’d do things differently. You’d stop wishing it were Friday – every day. And, you’d find a job or a career that you love.

Work and play would blend into life. If only there was such a set of keys.

His post was thought-provoking, and I immediately brought up a text document. “Make a list of your strengths,” he said, so I did. I wrote:

But when I came to the impossibility of failure part, I got stuck.

This may or may not be true—my perception is constantly changing—but I feel right now as if I accept most situations the way I would if failure was impossible. I base decisions on what I want, what feels right, and not so much a fear that the world won’t allow me to have what I work for. The circumstances I find myself in now—the amazing projects, the wonderful people, and freaking awesome opportunities—are all the result of leaving fear-based thinking behind. Marty’s Evil Empire is based on him having left his full-time job because we knew we could (must) succeed, and my progression towards taking only projects that inspire me is based on an intention to value happiness and meaning over money-for-misery, or convention.

I’m sure you can tell that I’m very proud of those decisions, but there is something missing. There is something in my way. What is it?

Only fear. Look at that list of strengths again. You’re a talented, strong person. Tell fear to get lost.

I have been rooting fear out of my life—I have conquered it in so many ways. I have become downright astonishing at standing my ground instead of running scared. I have continued to strengthen my fearless-decision-making muscles, and I exercise them every chance I get. So is it fear, still, that holds me back?

It might be.

It really might be—only in a different way than I’m used to seeing. And I simply may not be close enough to see the next step. Even if I haven’t gotten to a place in my life where fear doesn’t hold me back, it’s heartening to be able to imagine it, and see the measure of that growth.

I’ve speculated (often) that my biggest obstacle is lack of resources—money, manpower. But at the same time, if someone else came to me and told me they lacked resources, I would point to their brain and tell them to use that. “That’s all the resource you need,” I’d say, and I’d mean it. Perhaps I need to be just a little bit more clever.

Well, okay. I can do that.

So now it’s your turn. Take a look at Bob’s post, and start your own Ctrl+Alt+Delete file. What are your strengths? And what would you do if you couldn’t fail?

Just thinking about it is taking me into more uncharted territory. But oh, man. I love uncharted territory. ;}

Tagged as: Bob Poole, decision-making, fear, fearlessness, growth, strengths