Always racing, always learning

We're home from the MotoAmerica racing season, and I'm digging out from some exhaustion from this year's push on that front. We had a few big setbacks in the early season that made for a very challenging first season in Stock 1000, and ended the season very lean and mean, without our (awesome) mechanics on the road, which meant a lot more heavy lifting for Chris. It also meant a steep learning (and fitness) curve for me to set aside my responsibilities around strategic comms and community and embrace a new role as assistant crew chief in training. In the end, we had a strange but big-learning season, and operating in that paddock has become a part of our life, now.

I can't say yet what next year holds since it sounds like the series is in for some pretty big changes, but we're in a holding pattern until those are locked down and announced. For Chris, that's crazy-making, but for me, it's been a huge gift to be able to focus on other parts of my work and life, and, to take some time for actual physical recovery, myself. The season isn't over – we still have a number of commitments that we need to keep to our supporters and sponsors – but it is a relief to sleep in our own bed more often than not and to get some time home with Gibson and bank a little rest.

My brain, on the other hand, never shuts off. These days I'm working at the intersection of motivation science, organizational performance, and leader development, and after 17 years away from small-print two-column academic reading my linkybrain is quite busy these days.

The work the world is seeing is still in the arena of organizational OKR coaching: helping leaders and teams set and then organize to achieve goals to achieve change, transformation, and innovation. And after two false starts, "The Book" is in the works again, with a significantly narrowed focus and an aim for a quick, useful finished product to help people quickly and efficiently write useful OKRs without dogma, overthinling, and inefficiency. Beta readers: I haven't forgotten you. I think this time I'm finally on to something work sharing. I hope.

I'm finding joy and satisfaction in the Executive Coaching part of my career – which I stumbled into by accident. My time doesn't scale, and 1:1 Executive Coaching is a challenging fit with my business model and schedule, but it's also become deeply rewarding work that fills my tank instead of depleting it, because working 1:1 is my most natural place from an energy standpoint.

I'm also finding joy in serendipity (as always). I had an unexpected blast as a guest on Adam Pierno's podcast earlier this year and am enjoying working on my own work-life and motorcycle-life podcasts (and trying to overcome certain unhelpful conditioning and perfectionism to do more podcasting because I really enjoy it).

And after over a half-year away from teaching to refine my OKR and leader development practices into a ground-up original curriculum set, I'm back in the (virtual) classroom and spending an increasing percentage of my time teaching. Teaching is my other "happy place" that puts more gas in than it takes out, especially now working with my own curriculum again.

Speaking of: I've got a friends and family discount set up if you'd like to learn OKR Coaching with me later this month. This class is for leaders, strategic operators, and program professionals (project managers, program managers, business managers, chiefs of staff) who want to increase their effectiveness coaching people and groups on writing and achieving meaningful, results-driving goals.

We're gearing up for a busy off-season of trying to reclaim the house from nature and our household operations from survival mode after two years of MotoAmerica-ing, reconnecting with friends and family in this strange new normal, and getting used to wearing hard pants and cute but uncomfortable shoes again sometimes for events that require leaving the house that aren't racing-related.  

I hope you and yours are taking good care.

P.S. An oldie but a goodie P.S. from Erin Farrow (@_erinaudrey_) via Instagram:

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