#448 Hats. Dont be so rigid.

What if a simple hat could teach you how to grow? We take a familiar object and turn it into a powerful cue for self-awareness, adaptability, and leadership. From the charged feelings people have about hats to the way a cap or hard hat quietly signals a role, this story shows how everyday symbols can help us show up better in the moments that matter.

We unpack why assigning meaning to ordinary items works so well: it forces a pause, sparks creativity, and gives you a compact reminder you can carry into your next meeting, conversation, or decision. Then we go deeper into role fluidity. Great leaders know how to switch hats on purpose, matching their approach to the situation without abandoning their core values. Whether you need to coach, build, protect, or explore, the right “hat” helps you move with clarity while staying true to who you are.

You’ll also hear a candid reflection on personal change. Tastes shift over time, and that small truth becomes a bigger lesson: if your palate can evolve, so can your habits, your leadership style, and your identity at work. We offer simple prompts to turn a hat into a daily trigger for better choices—ask one sharper question, give one cleaner direction, or pause before you jump in. By the end, you’ll have a practical framework for using symbols as growth tools and a fresh way to communicate roles with your team.

If this sparked a new way to see your day, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a quick review. Then tell us: which hat do you need to wear more often this week?

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Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome And Topic Setup
• 0:29 Method: Objects As Lessons
• 1:02 Emotions Around Hats
• 1:24 Hats As Changing Roles
• 2:17 Listener Reflections And CTA

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:00

Welcome to message 448 of the Growth Instigators Hotline. I'm Aaron Havens, your host and growth coach. This week we are talking about hats, an everyday normal object that we can assign deeper meaning to, something that can remind us of a bigger truth. Welcome to part three of five as we dive into lessons we can learn from a hat. I had no idea that hats were such a hot topic. So the current structure of our hotline calls is to pick a random object and then pause to think about that object and assign some leadership lessons or deeper truths to it. Rather simple. It does take time to pause and it does take time to be creative. If we don't just write off the process, then innate objects like a hat can turn into a mnemonic device that reminds us of a bigger truth or thoughts or reminders of something bigger. Pretty simple. However, I had no idea that the topic of hats would be filled with such emotion. Some of you love hats. Some of you deeply despise hats and don't understand them. Don't get them. Like I can assume Jonathan from Miami hates this topic. I'm not sure he has ever worn a hat or for sure doesn't even own a hat. So today, for our call today, hats remind us that roles can change. One moment it's a baseball cap. The next it's a hard hat. Great leaders adapt their quote unquote hat to the need of the moment without losing who they are. And may I also remind us that time itself can help us change. I mean, I used to gag when eating onions or peppers. Well, now I'm older, my taste buds must have been fried or something. So yeah, onions and peppers just don't taste bad to me anymore. Hats can equal change. Rolls can change. We as humans need to change. A hat is a reminder to not stay rigid. Who knows? One day you may actually like onions or maybe even wear a hat. That, my friend, is how a common everyday object can instigate growth. I'd like to hear some more of your observations. What growth lessons can you apply to hats? For those of you calling the Growth Instigators Hotline, I'd love to hear your thoughts after the beep, or you can send me a text message. For those of you listening in on our podcast, visit growth instigators.com and send me your thoughts. Let's never see a hat the same.