Blog Post 12 - What’s Next?
One of my favorite shows of all time is The West Wing. I must have rewatched the entire series 20 plus times. For the uninitiated, it’s a TV show from the 90s that follows the people who work closely with the President of the United States and the drama of American politics at work. President Josiah Bartlet, played by Martin Sheen, is an intelligent man who surrounds himself with people who are talented at their jobs and who are proud to serve at the pleasure of the president. He is not without his flaws—as a man and as a president—but he is a strong, effective leader without question.
A catchphrase made famous by this character is What’s next?
As in: The subject we just discussed is done with and I am ready to move on to the next thing that needs my attention.
It did not matter the circumstance.
If what just transpired was a step towards accomplishing their current goal:
What’s next?
If what just occurred was a blow to their latest endeavor:
What’s next?
It’s not personal and casts no blame on any particular person or entity. The phrase maintains perspective and keeps the group focused on the next task, the smaller items that must be dealt with in the pursuit of greater goals.
Folks in the sporting world often refer to this as “baseball memory.” If the pitcher gives up a homerun, he can’t carry that guilt and pressure into the next pitch. He must shake that off before focusing on the next batter, because he has an entire team counting on him. The same holds true for striking out the batter. Once that batter leaves, a brand new one will take his place. The pitcher keeping his attention on the previous play forces him to lose focus in the present and the next pitch.
This is a powerful and practical concept to apply to one’s life. Oftentimes we can get caught up in things that steal our attention away from other matters that are much more pressing. Our egos just can’t let things go so easily and we have to obsess over it, going over different scenarios in our heads about how things could or should have gone differently.
Combat sports training is a terrific vehicle for teaching us to stay present in the moment. When sparring another person, all of your attention must be devoted to the task at hand less you risk giving up easy shots, or in the worst case, getting injured. However, there are so many things competing for your attention at any given time. It takes many practice sessions over a long period of time to develop the skill of being present and blocking out the distractions so you can focus on your current task. It’s not that the distractions just disappear, you just learn to handle them better as you progress.
Another thing I love about this legendary catchphrase is that it implies there is always a next step. The journey does not have a destination, however, there certainly are pitfalls, plateaus, and victories both big and small. No matter what though, once those moments pass, the next one is around the corner.
Hopefully this is a concept you can apply to your life and your personal journey.
Anyway, what’s next?