We all live in a relatively predictable world. Maybe what’s happening around us is not predictable, but the way we perceive, respond, or even react often is. We make choices that are familiar to us, we take actions that we are comfortable with, and we experience outcomes that we are rarely surprised about. Did you know that there are many possibilities and outcomes available for you in your life? I want to encourage you to explore unexpected outcomes this week.

My most recent podcast with Bruce Molloy, called Flip your journey to freedom, has had a powerful effect on me. Bruce spoke about the most amazing, and unexpected, journey he experienced after deciding to let the flip of a coin guide his life for 12 months. After losing his partner, his job, and his home, he found a twenty-cent piece on the dashboard of his camper van. With nothing to lose, he decided to let that coin determine the direction he would travel and the things he would do for 12 months. He would ask a question about something, and then flip the coin. A ‘head’ would be a yes, and a ‘tail’ would be a no with that option is no longer available. He would continue with this process until he got a ‘head.’

His first decision was which direction to head in his camper van. He asked, should I go south? Toss, tails, no! He then asked, should I go north? Toss, heads, yes! So, off he went. His journey took him to some amazingly unexpected places and doing things he said he would never have done if not for the coin flip. He said, in no uncertain terms, it led him to a feeling of freedom. After I finished the conversation with Bruce, it was dinner time and so I was inspired to use his strategy to decide what I would have for dinner.

Why his flipping strategy is so powerful is because the toss is not to choose between two known options, it potentially creates the need to come up with ideas that may never have been considered. For Bruce’s incredible journey, you will have to listen to the podcast, but I will share my dinner adventure, which led to a gastronomically unexpected outcome. I asked, will I have chicken? Toss, tails, no! I asked, will I have fish? Toss, tails, no! I asked, will I have vegetarian? Toss, heads, yes! I asked, will I make it vegan? Toss, heads, yes! Okay, unexpected, but that’s cool. I then asked, will I have a salad? Toss, tails, no! I asked, will I have a stir-fry? Toss, tails, no! Now, my mind was scrambling for ideas. I asked, will I have a rice dish? Toss, heads, yes!

I ended up making an unexpectedly delicious rice dish with vegetables, cut up vegan sausages, vegan feta and raw nuts. This is a simple and less than spectacular outcome, but a meal I would never have decided to make without the coin flip. I am telling you this story because I want to offer you a challenge this week, to see if you are courageous enough to allow a coin to determine some basic decisions in your life. If you are, I know there will be some wonderfully unexpected outcomes you will experience by letting go and giving control over to a coin. Trust me, it’s an incredibly liberating thing to do.

If you are up for this challenge and you do in fact create an unexpected and exciting outcome for yourself, no matter how simple it may seem, please let me know. I know that Bruce Molloy would also love to hear about it. So, once the outcome is experienced, could you please send an email to me at andrew@andrewjobling.com.au and copy in Bruce at book@flipyourjourney.com? In that email, please let us know the outcome of your coin flipping and how it felt for you though the process. I look forward to hearing from you.

We are often boxed into life by the limitations of our thinking, based on our knowledge, experiences, self-belief and fear. There are experiences and opportunities out there that you may not have ever considered, and the ones that will transform your life. This is the case for Bruce Molloy. Have fun with your coin flipping this week and I look forward to hearing about your unexpected outcomes.