Why Coming to a Complete Stop is Sometimes Necessary

When driving, do you ever approach a stop sign and do what is called a ‘rolling stop’?

What is a rolling stop? We slow down, look both ways, almost stop, and then hit the accelerator and keep on going. This happens whether you’re turning right, turning left, or going straight. Of course, if there is an obstacle (i.e., oncoming car, pedestrian), the rolling stop is abandoned, a complete stop is made, and you don’t proceed until it’s safe to do so. You only stop completely when it’s necessary.

I contend that much of life is conducted in a series of rolling stops. We leave work, hit the gym, arrive home, immediately start interacting with the spouse and kids, eat dinner, watch some TV, and then go to bed.

Our work day is equally filled with a series of rolling stops, going from meeting to meeting, checking emails, a quick bite to eat with colleagues, more emails, phone calls, and more meetings.

We only stop when we are forced to stop.

Here is why last week I came to a complete stop.

Looking back from the time I decided to move to Montana about five-plus years ago, I went through a series of activities with only a series of rolling stops in between. Pack up in California and move, find and set up part-time residence in California, set up residence in Montana, continue working out of state, shut down part-time residence in California, log 200,000 air miles over the next few years, start speaking business, launch SpeakingGump.com ver1.0, remodel a duplex, sell duplex, start speaking, ramp up speaking business, launch SpeakingGump.com ver2.0, wind down working for Bubba Gump, try selling other rental properties, continue promoting speaking services, remodel primary residence, try selling primary residence, move out of town, sell one four-plex for $50K less than paid, remodel two other four-plexes to remediate mold issue, give them both back to the bank less than a year later, join NSA (National Speakers Association), continue developing speaking skills, etc., etc., etc.

For five-plus years, I was running and running and running. I stopped only when I was forced to stop. I was living life going through a series of rolling stops.

Last week, I came to a complete stop.

After selling my last investment property and dodging a bullet … metaphorically, someone asked me, “Did you jump up and down and yell, “Yippee!”…

My answer was, “No” … I just came to a complete stop.

This week I’ve started moving again. I started moving again with no regrets, with a few scars, and plenty of new wisdom. I’m also moving with plenty of gratitude.

I’m especially grateful for the opportunity I had to come to a complete stop.

Sometimes coming to a complete stop is absolutely necessary.

When was your last complete stop?

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Next Blog Title: Forrest Gump’s Complete Stop
Next Blog Date: October 24, 2011

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