I was recently asked why I named my business Repivot. It’s a good question—and one I’ve thought about often.
For me, it represented my stage of life, mindset, future plan, and a way of being in the world. I have always gravitated toward change, especially when it comes to technology. Perhaps it’s because inherent in any new technology is the opportunity to think, do, express, and create differently. There is so much promise!
But this restless attraction to change, this sense that transformation is always just around the corner? It’s not unique to me or to our time. Every generation has felt the relentless pace of change bearing down on them. What feels overwhelming and unprecedented to us felt equally overwhelming and unprecedented to our parents, their parents, and so on back through history.
But Something Feels Different
Still, there’s something about our current moment that feels different. If you look at today’s news headlines (and I don’t recommend it), there is an overabundance of “bad news.” We know that journalism has always thrived on sensationalism, often by triggering a fear response. There is an over-representation of existential crises, and an under-representation of stories grounded in humanity, compassion, and the abundance we have, are, and can access.
The shockwaves we are feeling from climate change, geopolitical instability, pandemics, cybersecurity threats, and the continual weakening of our social institutions are real and unlikely to slow. During the transition out of the Covid-19 lockdown, every day I heard someone say, “the new normal.” The implication? Normal means we can’t be sure what’s coming next.
That’s true – although not new. What feels new is the speed between cycles of change, though maybe every generation feels this way.
The name Repivot captures this dance between the personal and the universal, between ancient wisdom and modern application. It’s both my individual response to feeling overwhelmed by change and a recognition that this feeling connects me to every human who has ever lived through turbulent times.
Ancient Wisdom for Modern Chaos
After all, Marcus Aurelius wrote about related themes around 175 A.D.:
- Focus on what you can control.
- Cultivate inner peace.
- Challenge negative thinking.
- Embrace change and impermanence.
Nearly two thousand years ago, a Roman emperor was grappling with the same fundamental human challenge: How do we find stability in an unstable world? His insights point toward something practical for our time.
This is where my Repivot philosophy comes in. We humans are constantly growing and changing – even if we don’t see it in ourselves or others. Repivot is Opportunity. To become something new. To invest in yourself. To learn and to grow.
And if you think about it for even a moment, you’ll realize that technology of some sort is involved in almost every aspect of our lives. In my opinion, many could be more intentional about that use. Like a Jujitsu master directing energy, by understanding technology at a deeper level, we can harness its potential and avoid its more negative consequences.
Timeless Wisdom, Digital Speed
So, how do we manage this eternal human challenge in our particular moment? The same way humans always have – by adapting, by being intentional about the tools at our disposal, and by remembering that change itself is the only constant. The difference now is that our tools happen to be digital, our pace happens to be accelerated, but our fundamental human capacity for resilience and reinvention remains the same.
The name Repivot captures this dance between the personal and the universal, between ancient wisdom and modern application. It’s both my individual response to feeling overwhelmed by change and a recognition that this feeling connects me to every human who has ever lived through turbulent times. The pivot isn’t just about business strategy or career changes – it’s about the fundamental human art of adaptation, now practiced at the speed of technology.
Perhaps every generation needs its own version of Marcus Aurelius’s wisdom. Repivot is mine.