Slowing Down to Think: The Lesson Herbie the Fly Taught Us About Life
Once upon a time, a little fly named Herbie set out to explore the world. He wasn't a regular fly as he was fast gifted with the CliftonStrengths of Activator, Achiever, Command, Futuristic, and Woo. You'd often find him buzzing around, enjoying the freedom of the open air and the abundance of other flies to zing around at high speeds. Herbie was a good friend and liked his peers.
He just thought they wasted a lot of time; life is short for a fly.
One day he smelled the sweetest scent known to Flydom – a human's freshly baked apple pie! Soon Herbie found himself racing to a small house with an open window. The pastry of his delight waiting inside. Excitedly, he flew towards the window and into the house. He landed there and feasted upon the most delightful pie crust he'd ever tasted. “Life is good”, he thought to himself.
Once finished, Herbie cleaned up his wings and zoomed around to exit the house. The problem was he didn't remember what window was open. There were so many to choose from, and Herbie was confused. Rather than slowing down to think, he kept flying around the house trying to find an opening, but to his dismay, he couldn't find the right path. He came close to another window, and in his confusion, he rammed into the glass. The more he rammed the glass, the faster he flew in a panic. Finally, little Herbie buzzing in pain crashed against another closed window and fell to the ground, exhausted and near death.
As Herbie lay there, still, and silent, his energy-less eyes staring at the cloudy sky through the glass, he felt a soft breeze from the open window beside his dying body.
If only Herbie had slowed down and thought through his dilemma, he could have flown to freedom, but now, it was too late.
Herbie died because of his own carelessness. He didn't slow down to think. For him, speed ruled, and even though he was a swift fly, his approach to life caused him to miss the open window right next to him. Herbie paid a heavy price for his carelessness, and his death is a warning to others to always know their strengths and yet, stay vigilant to slow down and think critically.
And with that, Herbie's story came to an end. His story may have been short, but Herbie's life taught us all something profound. As we buzz around at work. Sometimes, slowing down to think allows us to do less better.
Have you ever felt like life is passing you by too quickly? With so much technology and constant distractions, it's easy to get caught up in the fast pace of life. But what if the key to genuinely living well is to slow down?
Taking the time to appreciate the simple things, like a beautiful sunset or a good conversation with a friend, can remind us of the beauty and importance of each moment. The greatest gift of working with a coach is slowing down to think about your next move. Not just your next move but your best next move.
So next time you feel like life is moving too fast, Don't be a Herbie, take a moment and think about slowing down and making your best next move by working with a coach.
Living more freely and fully alive is within your reach.