Only enough Structure to allow Flow

“Only enough Structure to allow Flow”

This is a personal mantra for me now and is the reason why the two photos above could happen.

I used to be known to plan life with great detail, packing the diary days, weeks, months and even years in advance. I also stuck rigidly to whatever was planned. Would you believe that until 2017 I had never cancelled or changed a trip plan ? Truly.

So, I chose to change that approach, and it created the two magic moments above.

To being, in October 2017 I committed to write daily on this site. As I then wrote about at the quiet period for me at the end of that calendar year, in “Stop the Busyness“:

“..being busy is not a virtue, and in fact can be radically destructive to all of us, and in particular to our capability to lead ourselves and so lead others.

As for me, I recognise a tendency towards busyness, so in 2017 I committed to posting daily on this site. Around this, I therefore create time to “pose puzzles” as I wrote about here, and I do this by, among other things, experimenting, reading, reflecting. My writing is an anchor for me to keep the discipline of NOT being too busy.”

Choosing to write has created many amazing serendipities in my life already, and at the heart of it is that new mantra.

“Only enough Structure to allow Flow”

I have rigorously eliminated the extraneous, both in terms of plans, commitments and material things, so leaving space for serendipity and experiences.

So, to the two photos above.

August 2nd

This summer I have had the glorious experience of having two of my three sons with me for an extended period. Now, for reasons going back to the 1960s when a family member starred for the team, our football team has been Hibs in Edinburgh. To be a Hibs fan is to be an eternal optimist, a fan of the beautiful game, and of Sunshine on Leith.

By Sunshine on Leith I mean both literally and figuratively, as the anthem of the team is Sunshine on Leith by two of their most famous fans, The Proclaimers. Oh, as an aside, the five-minute video below is one of my all-time #goosebumps videos, of over twenty thousand Hibs fans singing along to this anthem after winning a cup final, with the commentator having the presence of mind to stop talking and just allow the TV audience to listen.

On August 2nd, the morning after Hibs unexpectedly won a match to go through to a level of European competition qualifying not seen for decades, my oldest son asked if we could go up to Edinburgh for London for the game six days later.

The old, “planner” me immediately kicked in and I said I had work plans so couldn’t do it on such short notice. I then stopped myself, chose for myself to “Move your “NO” to “HELL YEAH!”” and we made it happen.

August 8th

As I’d already set up over past months life and work based around “only enough structure to allow flow”, I was able to move a few meetings and calls around and carve out this precious occasion, so what you see in the first photo is my oldest and youngest sons in Edinburgh at the game on August 8th

Oh, and Sunshine as on Leith that night, so brightly that we had to shade our eyes to see the action on the pitch!

August 15th

Now, one of the things I had to let go of being fixed in the diary to make that trip to the game in Edinburgh was that we had made plans to meet a friend and his son on that same night to watch a cricket match in London.

When I told him of the rare opportunity we had to see Hibs, he completely understood.

Now, as it turned out, while there was “Sunshine on Leith”, there was a deluge in London and the game was rained out, with full refunds given on tickets!

My friend then suggested we go back for the cricket match the following week, which we did, then also including another friend and his son. That evening, August 15th, we had a glorious sunny summer evening, with three dads and their four lads.

I believe if we create an environment based on “only enough structure to allow flow” then we also create space for serendipities such as these.