Dealing with Double Exposure

In photography, a multiple exposure is the superimposition of two or more individual exposures to create a single photograph. It is a technique in which a piece of film is exposed twice, to two different images. The resulting photographic image shows the second image superimposed over the first. The technique can be used to create ghostly images or to add people and objects to a scene that were not originally there. It is frequently used in photographic hoaxes. It is sometimes used as an artistic visual effect, especially when filming singers or musicians for cinema posters or music albums.

Can this analogy be transferred to our relationships?

Have you faced over-exposure in your business/profession? Speakers, trainers, celebrities and entertainers can suffer from over-familiarity. Their perceived value drops when they are advertised and engaged extensively. Holding back from additional work, working on new material, taking a sabbatical, re-branding, and focusing on the business can be worthwhile options to inject a sense of freshness and relevance. That is why delayed self-gratification is taught as an early age, so children appreciate the relevance and usefulness of holding back (and reasoning through it) before they act on an impulse.

Being under-exposed is just as disadvantageous. If you fail to promote yourself, you may be over-looked. This can be overwhelming to your confidence when your competencies are under-appreciated and marginalized. Playing up to expectations and positioning yourself as an expert and one with expertise, can augur well for your career and sustainability. Certainly, shameless and self-promotion can be detrimental and exacerbate an already unpopular reputation. Express the change you want to see. Behave appropriately that aligns with others' expectations and values.

Leadership Lessons: What can you do to stay in focus, while you are focused on the job? Weigh your position: are you over-exposed or under-exposed? What can you do to shift your position? How would expose yourself to the employment market? What would be your exposure factor be like on LinkedIn?

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I took a total of four days off from training last week, partly due to my weekend vacation. I had to redeem my frequent-flyer points or risk losing them all. Thus, I preceded the trip with a few swims, rides and runs. Since my return, I have done four consecutive sessions, some of which were superimposed onto each other:

Monday: Run 10K (tempo); 45-minute of swim drills [brick day]

Tuesday: Road riding (2 hours)

Wednesday: Morning swim drills (1 hour); run 10K (tempo) & core stability workout

Thursday: Road riding (3 hours)

Today: Rest and active recovery; flexibility and core stability work

Saturday: Open-water swim in lagoon (4-6 laps of 350-400m each); short run (optional)

Sunday: 16.8K road race/time trial; active recovery (pool)