Going Down?

Going down!

I was waiting to go up 6 floors in my office today and someone had pressed the down button. “Do I ride one floor in the wrong direction and then go back up?” I asked myself. Then, without really taking time to ponder, I jumped on board. The woman behind me hesitated, and then the doors closed.

I enjoyed a painless journey with the maintenance guy down to the basement and in less than a minute (perhaps even 45 seconds), I was back at the lobby level, heading upstairs. Two young people got on. We chatted pleasantly during the ride up to 6 and I made a new work friend.

So, what’s the point?

Every day, we’re faced with split-second decisions about whether to hop on or hop off. The choices we make can have an impace our destiny. One of my favorite films is “Sliding Doors,” which is all about that. Some choices are more significant than an elevator ride. But just a few seconds can change life outcomes in business and in life. (My ride with the maintenance guy didn’t do that, but it inspired me to write this post. I can consider that a positive outcome. Perhaps it will go viral and I’ll get a book deal. Just sayin’.)

Think of the business opportunities you may have missed because you didn’t want to travel that one extra floor…that event you blew off because you worked an extra 15 minutes on a project… the person you ignored at an event you went to (who later turned out to be someone important).

I’m not suggesting that you go through life making impulsive choices. But mixing up your routine and jumping on that car that’s going down to the basement might be the right move every now and then.

	Split-second (and other) decision-making: How your brain does it.
	Chance encounters and fate.
	Elevator music and your brain.
	The history of the elevator.