Be open

Being a systems thinker, it is easy to get consumed by the mechanical parts of systems. There is an element that is perfectly logical.

But life isn’t as logical. Things happen that make sense. But things happen that don’t make sense. In fact, sometimes things happen that are heartless and cold and illogical.

Everything isn’t sunshine and rainbows. There will be pain and discomfort. There will be times we are tested. We have realized that there are negative elements. There is randomness. There is chance.

If you follow my articles, you know that the images I tend to use are vintage machines, usually broken down and rusty. I use these because they become a metaphor for life. And they show what happens when systems get neglected and break down.

The best symbol of the system is different. It isn’t metal. It isn’t sturdy. It isn’t a rock. Yet it is much more powerful than any of those. When pitted against these, it wins every time.

The best symbol is water. When looking at water systematically we gain so much more wisdom. Water against metal produces rust. Rust will destroy a metal object. Water against rock produces the grandest canyons and valleys on earth.

But we equate strength with metal and with stone. We think of water as weak. But water is stronger than any of these. Water endures.

The key is to become flexible like water. Water is always filling the space available. It moves to the low points that others dare not traverse.

If you push on water, it gently moves out of the way. It doesn’t resist and stand its ground. It allows things to happen. It is almost like it has a confidence that says, “Do what you want, in the end I know you can’t stop my purpose.”

Imagine if we took on that mindset? Imagine if we could confidently take anyone’s best blows and keep doing what we know we need to do?

But most of us cannot do that. Instead, over time we degrade. We slowly lose our flexibility. We see our strength vanish. The world breaks us down like the stone or old piece of metal. Our joints creak and groan like a mechanical joint we forgot to oil.

It seems that the trying times come up and sap our life energy. Each time we fall further away from the youthful innocence we held as a child. We become more jaded. We get grumpier. We get tired. How can we not when we see first-hand the pain potential in life?

Water doesn’t do this. Water keeps flowing to the lowest points. It remains flexible. Yet its long-term strength is unmatched. It carves canyons and builds ecosystems wherever it happens to be.

If we want to learn from water, we need to focus on two factors. First, we have to see that water endures and is open to the long-term future. It isn’t sacrificing tomorrow for today.

It keeps following its system principles, never giving up. It might not be the wall of strength, standing in the way of others. It allows them to move right through it. But it always endures.

Second, water is willing to go where others avoid. It goes to the lowest points. It goes where it is taken, never questioning, or resisting this flow towards the low ground. It joins up with other water molecules on the path through streams to rivers to oceans.

When a rock gets thrown in water, there is a big splash but that’s about it. Water will temporarily give way to the force and might of the rock. But then it settles and returns to the exact same form as it was. It takes the rock’s hardest shots and remains unfazed.

When life throws us adversity, imagine if we can allow it to happen instead of resisting? We can allow the seasons of life to flow while remaining confident in our long-term focus. Sure, this sucks right now. But keep going. Don’t give up. Don’t question your life and your abilities. Just settle back down to humble systems. Just be like water.