Driving In China

Driving In China
by Kristine Carey

While reading the New Yorker I came across an article called, "Wheels of Fortune: The People's Republic Learns to Drive." It turned out to be fascinating. In China, there are only 28 autos per 1000 people, and the rules of the road sound very much like the Wild West - kind of a spirit of every person for themselves, except with more honking. The drivers test is quite extensive - some 429 multiple choice questions and another 256 true/false questions. And the questions read like this:

If you are driving toward a big puddle and there are pedestrians next to the water, you should:

Accelerate.
Slow down and make sure that the water does not splash them.
Continue at the same speed straight through the puddle.

And this: If, while preparing to pass a car, you notice that it is turning left, making a u-turn, or passing another vehicle, you should:

Pass on the right.
Not pass.
Honk, accelerate, and pass on the left.

These may seem like silly questions to us in the US, but in China all of these answers seem to be valid as the author drives down the road. So, what does this have to do with coaching? It's about assumptions - the assumptions that we make everyday. A driver from the US will make assumptions about the rules of the road in China, which from the examples you can see may not work. And maybe that is a good thing, if you look at it in a larger sense. Our assumptions keep us safe, which is nice if you're driving and everyone is following the same set of assumptions. However, there are probably assumptions you are making in other areas of your life that are keeping you safe in a less helpful way. What are your assumptions about money, about work, about what weekends are for? Do they help you get more of what you want, live the life of your dreams? What assumptions do you live by everyday, and are they working for you?

Exercise
Notice what assumptions you are making, specifically about work, and ask yourself if they are helpful. Do you assume you need to work a certain # of hours in the day? Are you assuming there is not enough time to get everything done? Identifying these assumptions - and challenging them - can lead to greater freedom, more energy, and increased productivity. What assumptions are you willing to challenge today?

Quotes
"Begin challenging your own assumptions. Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in awhile, or the light won't come in."
~Alan Alda


"Telling the future by looking at the past assumes that conditions remain constant. This is like driving a car by looking in the rearview mirror."
~Herb Brody