Just Go for a Poddle: Professional Growth at a Reasonable Pace
I recently saw a video on social media that disarmed me in the best way. A guy was recording his morning run, as people do these days, when he turned the camera on an older woman walking the same route. Apparently he passed her nearly every day and wanted to give her kudos for her consistency. He asked how she stays motivated, and she replied with effortless wisdom: “Just go for a poddle.”
That’s it. No ten-step morning routine. Just a poddle.
Poddle is now my favorite word. It sounds like a stroll’s relaxed cousin, not quite a walk, definitely not a run. You’ll probably see an adorable garden snake or cool flower along the way. But the best part is the mindset behind it.
A poddle might be exactly what so many of us need when it comes to development later in our careers. We’ve been conditioned to believe that growth means reaching, climbing, stretching, and pushing. You have to take the course, read the book, build the brand, go to the workshop, get the promotion, and post about it online. All of this on top of your actual workload, and quite possibly, caregiving or household responsibilities that nobody sees.
The poddle approach works because it lowers the barrier to entry so you can make progress without burning out your nervous system. And often, that motion leads somewhere useful, even if you don’t know exactly where yet. Instead of reading a dozen business books this year without a plan, choose ONE that aligns with the challenges you’re facing at the moment. Instead of overhauling your entire career to make a pivot, identify one area where you’d like to test the waters and look for opportunities in your current role to practice.
You don’t need to sprint your way to your next destination. You just need to take some small steps. So go for a poddle and see where it takes you.
Hero image by https://unsplash.com/@cloudhymns
