PIVOT! Changing direction doesn’t mean you have to change your destination.

Before I dive in, let’s go ahead and get this out of the way.

Okay, now we can move on! 🤣

Over the past several months, I’ve been helping my husband, John, facilitate a monthly Biblically based business meeting. And by helping, I mean I run his slideshow and sound. Make no mistake, his talent for business coaching far exceeds mine.

Anyway, at today’s LAB Lunches, John shared the principle of “beginning with the end in mind.” In a nutshell, this means that you determine your ultimate goal and then work backward to create sound practices to get there.

During our discussions, one of the attendees mentioned the word “pivot.” She told us that in her previous career as a teacher, she had learned that although you must have a goal, you also have to be prepared to pivot at any given time.

Boy, isn’t that true!

Before my lung transplant, my goal was to help others learn to care for their bodies the way God desires. I also wanted to lead by example. My outlet to accomplish this was to become a coach, own a gym and model healthy behaviors. Ultimately, I knew God would be glorified if I stayed the course.

Then came 2020. Covid restrictions temporarily closed the gym, and I lost my lungs to a rare autoimmune disease I was unaware of.

PIVOT

I wasn’t planning for a worldwide pandemic, and I certainly wasn’t planning to become a double-lung transplant recipient.

As I began my healing process after my surgery, I was encouraged by my doctors that someday I would be able to return to everything I was doing pre-transplant. So I headed in the direction of re-establishing my coaching career.

Covid restrictions lasted a lot longer than anyone anticipated. There was no end in sight and no guarantees our business would recover from the extended closure. So, my husband and I had a tough decision regarding the gym–keep it or sell it?

PIVOT

We chose to sell, knowing I could still create a thriving private coaching business.

But then April 2021 came and brought chronic rejection along with it.

PIVOT

As my lung function declined, so did my ability to exercise. I was no longer able to work out as hard as I once did. I realized how hard it was to walk and talk simultaneously. A busy day and the thought of what it takes to be a personal trainer left me exhausted.

However, my goal of living life to glorify God was still my end game. I realized I didn’t have to change the goal; I just needed to change the process to get there.

I had to PIVOT

So, I took a step back, adjusted, and got back on track.

My desire to share God’s faithfulness and love through the written word began. That desire birthed this blog, the devotional Praise Him Through the Tough Stuff, and, as long as there isn’t another significant pivot ahead, my forthcoming memoir.

Your PIVOT points

I assume you’ve also had times when barriers or changes force you to pivot. Did you find you were able to get back on track? Or did it leave you spinning in circles?

Life is full of situations that we must work around, but we don’t have to lose sight of what we initially set out to accomplish.

Remember, when you’re forced to change your direction, you don’t have to change your destination.

You just need to –

PIVOT