Turning Injury into Opportunity

As the calendar turned to November, I had a full slate of travel and work planned. I had multi-day meetings in Atlanta, Nashville, New Orleans, and Raleigh; a workshop in San Diego; a half marathon to run; and I would be spending some time with family over Thanksgiving. Even though I’d be busy, I was looking forward to seeing many colleagues during the month.

As you’ve probably experienced, the increasing complexity and speed of work seem to fill every single minute of the day. If I have a block of time open on my calendar, it invariably gets filled. I tend to push forward quickly, become impatient with myself if something takes longer than I plan, and then drive to execute with increasing fervor.

The best-laid plans for the month came to a screeching halt when I turned my ankle during a run around the Vanderbilt campus. As soon as I stepped down on a hard gumball pod from a nearby maple tree, I knew the injury was more than a strain. It turned out to include a couple of torn ligaments and a hairline fracture in the ankle bone, landing me in a large boot and on crutches.

I was instructed to stay off my foot as much as possible over the coming weeks, and I wasn’t competent on crutches, so I began clearing my calendar. But, the more I thought about it, it was almost as if I needed this incident as an important reminder to SLOW DOWN, which is not something I am very good at. I am very disciplined about taking time away from work through a weekly Sabbath from electronic devices, however, I typically don’t rest during this break and fill the time with personal activities and other work.

The first two weeks spent on crutches quickly taught me some lessons I hope can encourage you as you embark on your Thanksgiving holiday:

• Slow Down (for at least a day or two). Life moves at a breakneck pace with ever-increasing work and family demands. Since most companies celebrate a four-day weekend over the Thanksgiving holiday, I encourage you to slow down for at least one of these four days and focus on what matters most in your life. Thanksgiving Day often brings activity and work, but look for opportunities throughout the holiday to minimize errands and activity. Work to be fully present with family or friends by going for a walk, playing some board games, or just catching up on each other’s lives.
• Ask for Help. I am the world’s worst when it comes to asking for help. I don’t want to be a bother to others and am pretty self-sufficient. All that changed with my injury. My lack of mobility forced me out of my comfort zone and made me ask for help. And it hasn’t been as hard as I thought. Actually, it’s been very rewarding. Everyone has been very kind, particularly people I don’t know. I have marveled as strangers pause to hold doors open and engage with me about my predicament. I believe it’s hard for professionals to ask for help because we think it makes us look weak. I think it just makes us human.
• Be Grateful. I admit that most of my thoughts immediately after the accident did not include a lot of gratitude. There were a lot of “what ifs” (What if I had not decided to run that morning? What if I had run in Centennial Park instead of the Vandy loop?). The more I thought about it, however, I became overwhelmed with gratitude. I was grateful the damage to my ankle did not require surgery, I remain healthy, and with other’s help, I can continue to do the work needed to finish the fiscal year. I am grateful for more time at home with my family this month, particularly as my daughter's wedding is only three months away. I am grateful for the opportunity to lead young leaders and help them develop a purpose-driven commitment to get better every day. Truth is, we all have so much to be grateful for, sometimes we just have to take a moment — without having to turn an ankle — to remind ourselves.