If you have ever been around children for any amount of time, you’ve likely had some funny interactions with them. I have a photo of one of my nephew’s naked tushie at three years old, wearing only his mom’s boots, and several others of his little brother upside down on the couch in his underoos. Once when having a sleepover, the same little guy rolled right out of bed, looked at me sleepily, said, “Wellie, I fell out of bed.” I asked him if he was okay, he thought for a second, said, “yeah,” promptly crawled under the covers, and fell back to sleep in 10 seconds like nothing had happened. And the things that come out of their mouths . . . sheesh!
Many times, I simply sit back and watch them. My younger nephew, Cade, is obsessed with the Titanic and with Bendy. His favorite stuffies to sleep with are Baa and Teddy. He calls himself the Cat King and says he can communicate with his cats and mine because he knows cat language. He’s a wiz at Minecraft, and he is always hungry. Always.
His brother, Luke, has a mind like a steel trap. He remembers everything. He often starts sentences with, “when I was a little kid” (he’s 11, mind you). He has the best eyebrows, which he can raise independently, and does so in every family photo. He introduces himself by his full name, his favorite fruit is watermelon, and he can build any Lego set you put in front of him. ANY.
Observing Luke with his Legos has been fascinating. The way his mind works, how he interprets the instructions, and the dedication with which he builds is simply incredible to watch. As always, I try to learn from everyone and everything, so allow me to share a few of Luke's Lego lessons for life and leadership:
Start with one piece. You might have a picture of your end result, and to get there, you have to put the pieces together in the right order, one at a time.
Take chances. Allow yourself the opportunity to try something new, big, different, unusual, or unexpected.
When (not if) you get frustrated, take a break. Give yourself a time-out to walk away from the situation and come back to it with a clear mind.
Be patient. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was the Millenium Falcon.
Use a different perspective. If you allow yourself to look at things in a different way, you’ll notice that other possibilities exist. Lego 3-in-1s are specifically designed for alternative outcomes. Perhaps we should all be open to other options . . . in life and in Legos.
Play. Use your imagination and get creative!
Follow your passion. Find something that you makes you happy, makes you smile, brings you joy, fills your heart, and do whatever that is.
Build something amazing. Allow yourself the time and space to conceive and then create a project that you are proud of.
Lastly, watch your step. If you’re not paying attention and put your foot down in the wrong place, you could really get hurt. (Legos + bare feet = a new level of pain)
Thank you for the lessons, Luke. Your next Star Wars set is on me.
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