The One-Man Relay Race
If you’ve ever seen a relay race, then you know that the next runner up needs to match the first runner’s speed before the baton is passed to him. This is the best technique for completing the race in the shortest possible time.
There are also lots of ways to mess this up. If the second runner just waits in place for the baton, the first runner is forced to slow down to make the pass. In addition, the time it takes the second runner to accelerate to a full sprint is also a loss. In another scenario, the first runner might run out of steam and cause the second runner to have to make a slower start. And if the second runner is too fast, the first runner might not be able to catch up and make the pass in the allotted 20 meter exchange zone. Worst of all, the handoff itself can be done poorly, leading the baton to be dropped.
It strikes me that we can think of our lives as a one-man relay race in which we have the opportunity to optimize how we hand off the future to ourselves. For example, my wife is about to go into labor so I am writing this article earlier than usual, giving my future self a running start in case the baby arrives. Some might make their bed in the morning or set aside the next day’s clothes in the evening so that they are better able to receive the future as it comes.
The art of the graceful handoff impacts others as well. Giving a colleague a heads up far in advance about a large project or letting your friend know as soon as you find out that you have to cancel an appointment are both examples of taking care to pass the baton well to others.
This week, I invite you to ask:
Where in my life will I practice giving myself a better running start (preparing now to better receive the future)? Where will I practice making a better handoff (doing things so well that my future self isn’t left scrambling to catch up for my current lack of effort)? Where might I drop the baton if I don’t change (think catastrophic failure)? What can I do now to prevent this from happening?
Where do I habitually pass the baton poorly to others? What will I do to be a better teammate in the future?
God bless,
Dan