Stagnation is defined (in a web search) “as a state of not flowing or moving. Of having stopped or ceased to run or flow.” Stagnation invokes the imagery of the absence of life in a dirty pond that has no new water flowing into it.
This topic came up in a discussion I had with an equipment salesman today. My team inspected some equipment we bought from his company yesterday. Today I had an inquiry for making product that would fit well with the new machinery we had just bought.
I commented to him by email today that “What I find interesting is that as you bring things into the world with intent (in this case buying larger equipment for processing), things start to happen around it.”
He replied with these wise words: “The world is looking for opportunities to spread and connect. There is no stagnation, unless we willfully indulge in it or oppose growth. Change is inevitable and often we just have to open ourselves to it and the opportunities will always be there.”
My thanks to Chris for sharing his perspective with me.
Stagnation is something that I fear. We tend to view change as static. Our perception of change confronts us as if it is immovable. Crushing us under the weight of our mistaken reality.
Chris’ choice of the word stagnation more correctly describes the process of change as being more fluid. This is more accurate when you willingly immerse yourself in any journey involving change.
Chris’ main lesson for all of us is that when things are not flowing or moving, the only person we can blame is ourselves.
A truth that we can easily repeat but many times hard for us to see.