Patio Pondering: The Wabash Cannonball Incident

It dawned sunny here in NE Indiana, and I am actually enjoying my coffee on the patio: crisp air, water babbling through the backyard feature, the whole deal. I was somewhere between relaxed and reflective when my hearing aid buzzed and rang as a call hit my cell. That little interruption pulled a memory forward.

A few years ago I was standing in front of a room full of executives and sales teams talking about a new swine feeding program. I was mid-stride, outlining the features and benefits of the feeds I had designed, when I quietly froze. It was not visible to anyone else, but I knew it. The K-State Marching Band’s version of the Wabash Cannonball was suddenly playing in my ear.

My phone, set to silent and sitting at my spot, was still Bluetooth-connected to my hearing aid. My ringtone, typical of a K-State Wildcat, was coming through loud and proud directly into my skull.

I had a decision to make: rip out the hearing aid mid-presentation, or keep rolling and let my personal fight song fuel the talk, silently, for everyone else.

I let it play.

That moment taught me two things. First, silence the phone or remove the hearing aid before presenting. Second, and more useful, sometimes you simply have to keep going through internal distractions.

Like that old ad used to say: do not let them see you sweat. We all have our own “Wabash Cannonball” moments?

What internal distractions are you pushing through these days?