Run A Different Way

You probably know the phrase “deer in the headlights”. 

I don’t know if you’ve ever hit a deer before, but I read something illuminating today from Dr. Gary North who has actually hit a deer in a car:

I don’t believe that deer get paralyzed by car headlights. Unlike you, I have hit a deer in a car. So has my wife. Deer trust in their fleet hooves, and then they get hit. I think people are the same way. They trust in their feet, and then they get hit. They don’t freeze in the headlights; they run in the way that they have always run, and then they get hit.

You’ve got to start running in a different way. If you don’t, you really are going to get hit.

Dr. Gary North

I remember having a deer-in-the-headlights moment back in early 2016, shortly after I got laid off. In retro, it was not just moments of shock and paralysis. I was actually a deer that had been running the way it had always run and then I got hit.

Dr. North was giving advice to a man who sees himself getting fired in the near future. He suggested that the man move fast and launch another career. He offered valuable insight: 

“Whatever you do well provides you with a foundation. It can be used as a launching pad for another career. It would be a related career, but it would be funded in a different way. You would have a different market. You would have different positioning.” 

A couple of names come to mind, whom I believe have done exactly that. David Gibson, David Ramsden-Wood, etc. I’m sure there’s a ton of others out there.

So you may have got hit. It is painful, shocking. You find yourself between a rock and a hard place.

But take heart, and start running in a different way. The keyword here is different. Because in all likelihood we’re not going back to February. 

Reach out to those in your network who have gone through such journeys and find fellow travelers who are heading in the same direction.

A different direction. 

Personally, it’s what I intend to do with drilling, largely inspired by Fred Dupriest. I discovered Limiter Redesign back in June 2019. It was one of the early episodes of #vdoorlocksmith show, hosted by David Gibson. It forever changed my perspective on drilling engineering. I wrote an article on that interview. I know I need to write more.

If you’re still hanging in there with the profession of drilling and you want to come out of this winter stronger, I invite you to follow the hashtag #DifferentWayToDrill on LinkedIn. I will write up content to share what I learn along this new journey in the old world of drilling.

See you on the other side!