Locked In

Audio By Carbonatix

The hairstyle is reminiscent of the days before the Internet. A reflection of the Madonna Material-Girl-era from the 80’s combined with a lack of imagination from the 50’s. It’s not current or trendy, and the woman who wears it seems locked into believing it’s the only style for her. While everyone around her is eager to rush her to the nearest makeover session, she’s in no hurry to change.

Wearing outdated clothes or hairstyles is not wrong, it’s just limiting. It’s the same thing when we get locked into a certain kind of thinking or mindset. People may not notice it from the outside, but inside we’re secure in the certain way we communicate to our wife, our parent, our children, or heck, even the way we mow our lawn. “Stuck” might be a better word. It’s what we’ve always done. It’s comfortable, and it’s easier than changing. That’s all understandable, but what are you missing out on? By doing it one way and one way only, you could overlook opportunities to be more effective, more efficient, or more content.

People don’t always see what you see. Your perspective of another person is much more objective than their own. The woman who wears the outdated hairstyle doesn’t see what you see when she looks in the mirror. She is comforted by her appearance because it’s familiar. It’s the same one she sees every day. Your wife doesn’t hear what you hear when they speak to you. You may have to point out why their tone or inflections are hurtful or frustrating. The way we parent our children may be reflective of the way we were raised. That would probably work fine if the world never changed. But things do change, and some of the parenting techniques from 20 years ago aren’t effective for the way the world operates today.

For example, it’s more difficult to keep track of our kids and who they’re making connections with online. But because technology is so prevalent for this generation, parents need to learn how to communicate the way their kids do if they want to stay in touch. It’s risky to get locked into the same way you’ve always done it.

Marriage and parenting in this generation is more challenging than ever before. For married couples, there is more temptation out there than ever before to be unfaithful. It is easier to avoid communicating in person and instead communicate through emojis, gifs, and texts. There are a million different distractions available at any moment to tune into while you tune out your wife and family. That’s why you might need to re-think the way you do things.

Being locked into a mindset is as comfortable as a worn-out pair of jeans or shoes. You know exactly how they feel on your body and feet. There’s no mystery. No second-guessing. You’ve worn them long enough to know how they perform. They’re a safe choice.

Whether it’s an attitude, appearance, or a method of getting something done, there’s a certain security when you lock into something, but there’s a danger too. That’s the risk of getting locked in and limiting your ability to see something from another point of view.