When I learned to drive a motorbike, I learned that I always had to look toward where I wanted to drive. This also addressed the way I had to deal with obstacles. The reason behind this logic is that it isn’t our mind that drives the bike, but our body. A bike is fast, that is, the movements allowing us to steer the bike require much more precision and speed than our thinking brain can deliver. We learn to ride the bike and train our capacity to do so. The objective is to learn to develop a reaction that keeps us safe whenever dangerous moments occur.

The ability to drive safely is the ability to adapt our driving circumstances to our driving capacity. It means constantly choosing between safety and danger. It is asking oneself if driving feels safe as is and making oneself aware of what danger there might be.

It happens through flexibility in focus. That is the willingness to make oneself aware of the danger as well as one’s safety by allowing one’s focus to shift between both possibilities. But also, to react to both stimulations and allow oneself to be aware of them. That is what allows us to decide where to look to. And eventually, through regular training, it becomes natural and leaves a lot of space to enjoy the ride.

The approach most often used, however, is to hope that everything will go well. But also, to assume that the practice leads to becoming used to dealing with the ever-present danger. That is when the focus stays on the desire to be safe.

What that does is train the driver in having luck.

Leadership isn’t that different.