At the risk of sounding like a man with no original ideas … I confess:
- I didn’t invent the Hermit Crab analogy.
I had a long conversation with chatGPT when I started disliking the snake metaphor and, eventually, and probably just to get rid of me, it suggested hermit crabs.
Likewise, my 3 rules for hermit crabs are actually Christine’s 3 rules.
Christine is one of my clients. She’s one of those amazingly gifted people who, because of her gifts, has lived and worked in a load of different countries.
She is a high flying hermit crab.
When we first met she shared her 3 rules for surviving-then-thriving whenever you land in a new job, in a new country.
Here they are:
Rule 1. Get a lay of the land
Get an overview of your new environment, in part to identify potential threats.
And, I reckon, also to find the nearest MacDonalds because you never know when you’re going to need a Big Mac.
Rule 2. Build a network
Your most important source of information to learn about the new environment.
Local info - can’t beat it.
Rule 3. Find a safe and stable base from which to operate.
This is essential.
Just like how hermit crabs risk dying in the hot sun if they don’t have any shell, until you’ve settled into a safe and stable base in your new environment you’re vulnerable.
Growing into your new shell/environment is hard work. It takes a lot of energy. There will be times when you need to just retreat to recharge or process setbacks.
Thats your safe place.
Thats your new shell.
My daughter is leaving uni soon, and maybe move overseas for a while. I am going to send this to her. Hope it helps you.
And thank you Christine.
Cheers,
Clarke