As someone who holds a communication degree, concepts from physics like equilibrium, force, etc. are not in my wheelhouse. But over the years I have often used the concept of a pendulum to describe a healthy, or at times unhealthy, state of being. For any of you other potentially clueless communication folks out there, a pendulum consists of a weight hanging suspended at the bottom, and this weight can swing back and forth.

Most things in life exist on a sort of pendulum. A person must be aware of this phenomenon, and the wise person strategically thinks through exactly where to keep the pendulum at in any given area of life. For example, most people would agree that being nice to others is a good thing. But swing the pendulum too far to one side and you become a yes man who gets trampled on by everyone while doing their work for them. When swung too far back the other direction, a person becomes selfish, aggressive, or even mean.

Too far left, or right?

Identifying the correct spot for important areas of life and work can often mean the difference between success and utter failure. It takes planning and work to get the pendulum at the correct spot. And then, the right spot changes and evolves constantly across time. When the pendulum lands in the healthy spot in key areas of a person’s life then this will be a key driver in producing success. When it does not, the opposite will be true.

Have you recently experienced friction in an area of your life or work? Chances are that your pendulum is out of whack and needs some adjusting!

One tangible action:

Pick an area of your life that you consider important. Where is your pendulum currently at? Was this a calculated decision or was it random? What adjustments should you make to maximize your current effectiveness in this area?

Pro Tip:

Instead of just thinking this through, take a piece of paper and actually draw the pendulum. This helps to visualize reality for you and can reveal changes that need to be made immediately.