After 44 days on tour, Anke and I are back from the Caribbean to cold Germany. The layer(s) of ice on my car were quite thick, and the driveway was nicely covered in snow as well. Well, that’s what happens when you don’t clear away the old and make space for the new. At some point, it becomes a real challenge.
One sentence that stayed with me over the last few days on the Leadership Cruise has to do with a parachute. Our mentor said: “Your mind is like a parachute. It works best when it’s open.” You’re probably smiling right now. I did too when I first heard it.
“Yes, yes, my mind is basically open,” you might be thinking. “Basically” is a very interesting word—it often reveals a very different answer deep inside than the words we speak. So how willing are you really to learn something new?
I keep meeting people on board Mein Schiff who stop at the entrance before my talks and ask, “What’s happening here?” “There’s a journey within the journey. A journey toward more joy and ease in your own life.” “Oh no, that’s not for me. I’m on vacation and I don’t want to work.”
Well—when would be a better time than right now, while you’re on vacation? And of course, everyone is free to decide what they want to take home from such a journey (apart from the extra five pounds on the hips 😉).
Then there are others. “Norman, my willingness to learn something new is quite high. I’ve even seen the ChatGPT app once.” Wow. That’s… yes, that’s… great. You’re basically right at the pulse of time 😉
Because simply looking at something only has half to do with having an open mind. There’s a second, much more important question: „How willing are you to actually integrate something new into your life and put the things that matter to you into practice?“
On a scale from 1 (low) to 10 (high): How much of these “new” things do you really, really, really put into action?
The answers to these two questions will show you whether your mind truly behaves like a parachute. Because both work best when they are open and being used.
An open parachute alone may bring you back down to the ground—but not necessarily safely to the right place. You could fly straight into a wall or hit the ground hard if you see the full potential of a parachute as mere decoration. Use all the cords, lines, and parts of the parachute. Try things out. See what it can really do.
It’s the same with your mind. It can take you anywhere you want to go. You just have to believe it—and then move in the right direction.
Because the saying “practice makes perfect” is only partly true. A better version is: “The right kind of practice makes the master.” So this week, take a moment to observe yourself consciously: Where are you open—and where are you still keeping your parachute half closed? Then make one decision to not only understand something new, but to actually live it.
