- story of my life is good at this point, but aware of limited time and want to ensure I live an even better story
- also invest in physical and spiritual well being
- typically have plan for career, but not one for life
- make the most significant contribution in this world that you can and add the most value to those around you
- raised with assumptions about help, marriage, work, etc.
- caught up in your career and find it more interesting then spending time with your family, busy season of parenting and neglecting your health, enamored with apps/gadgets but not getting work done you were hired to do
- drift happens when we are overwhelmed, when we take on more than we should, giving more than we can bear, feel swamped
- convince ourselves the situation is temporary
- “as soon as we get through this season”
- without the clear destination in view, challenges on the journey seem pointless, no larger story to provide meaning to smaller dramas
- with no destination in mind, tough to separate opportunities from distractions
- “will this situation move me closer to my goal or further away” — without a plan, no way of knowing, then easy to procrastinate (most opps have expiration dates)
- if only: eaten better, exercised more, taken care of myself, time connecting with my spouse, listening, seeking to understand, more time with my kids and explaining how to navigate life, been brave enough to launch out and start my own business, more generous
- when something negative happens, ask “What does this experience make possible?” moves attention to the future
- don’t sacrifice marriage and kids for career/hobbies/volunteering
- balance does not mean equal attention to everything in our lives, but is a dynamic tension — appropriate attention, not equal
- you can’t improve what you won’t face and own
- you get what you focus on
- what we see ahead impacts actions we take now, how we live and lead, etc.
- we’ve settled for what is, rather than what could be
- where is this all going, and how is it going to end if I stick to the same path
- you are here for a reason, and your job is to determine why
- want to be known for the focused attention I gave
- INTENTIONAL
- effective people are not busy, unless busy with with right things — busy/hectic often loses sight of priorities — keep truly important front and center
- allow myself to pull away from day-to-day tedium and focus on bigger picture things for the team
- those who live and lead with joy and contentment are those who have clarity about their priorities — they know what they do best and fill their days with more of it — delegate, delay, or drop the rest
- if you don’t figure out how to say no to good, you won’t get to say yes to the great
- as I move up the ladder, find myself working less with what I want and more with admin and financial oversight — good at it, but at this level, the “what” isn’t important and instead overshadowed by revenue/costs
- HATE ^^^ — progress, but lost the passion
- can’t take care of anyone else unless you first take care of yourself
- if not fed spiritually, won’t have the resources to edify others
- if you don’t take care of your health, become sick and can’t serve family/co-workers
- if not crystal clear on where we’re headed, allow other well-meaning people/opps to influence us and make decisions we later regret
- greatest gift you can give your family and world is a healthy you
- spend last 30 min of each night communicating with Jenel — encourage, honor, respect, support, accept, and love with time and no interruptions
- help Jenel coordinate getaways with girlfriends
- pursue Jenel’s heart, daily
- feel in control of my schedule and restore each day with personal and family time in the evening
- limit evening email to 15ish min
- easy to underestimate the power of incremental change — don’t think you must take massive action to achieve anything significant
- if you make the job too daunting, we can get demotivated and give up
- law of diminishing intent: longer you delay doing something, less probability of actually doing it — lose the emotional energy
- TRUTH: people make time for what is important to them
- ANYTHING WORTHWHILE IS OPPOSED
- I’m restless — feel change on the horizon, but comfortable in current position — no energy, lifeless, uninspired
- What do I wish I could be doing if money or status were not an issue? Impact Upgrade. No idea how to make it all happen, but know it’s the right course. Lay the groundwork.
- desperately need margin — time to breath, to reflect, to act
- if you don’t have a plan, someone else will
- achieving goals requires giving them attention — unimportant things are not
- self-leadership precedes team-leadership — make the greatest difference when self-aware and well-rounded, investing time into multiple accounts
- teams are watching me, setting levels of trust and engagement based on what they see in our lives — how we live matters