Be yourself, everyone else is taken
The days, weeks and months go so quickly that they can become a blur.
Earlier today, I shook my head and commented to Karen that next March, our oldest son will be turning 15.
15?
I can still remember when he was born and now he’s a couple of inches taller than me!
When time moves so swiftly, and the days merge together, we can allow them to pass unhindered and without reflection, but that would be a mistake.
According to French writer, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry:
“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, & give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast & endless sea.”
If you’re a leader, how do you get things done?
Do you just give orders?
Do you tell people what to do?
The old-fashioned process of making butter is a physically challenging one.
After the cream is separated from the milk, it is left to cool and then the action begins.
The cream is churned.
And churned.
And churned some more.
You can’t stop, or it won’t work, but if you keep going, eventually you will get what you are after.
Doors are meant to be opened.
They are meant to be a transition point to another place.
You may need to knock or try the doorbell first.
You may need to jostle the knob or pick the lock.
As I write this post, I am in a delightful little B&B in a small seaside town on the south coast of New South Wales. In my new role, I travel here once a month to visit the staff that I manage and it’s always a nice place to visit.
To get home usually requires a 2 hour drive to Canberra to catch a flight to Melbourne and then another long drive of almost 2 hours home to Bendigo. It’s a long day!
But alas, tomorrow’s journey will be longer than usual.
To maximise your potential and reach all of your goals, it’s gonna be hard.
I wish that I could tell you otherwise, but I have to be honest.
There will be days when you will feel like giving up.
Days when you will wish you had chosen an easier path.
Days when you will wonder if it is all worth the effort.
It’s not about making yourself look better, it’s about elevating others.
It’s not about having all of the answers, it’s about asking the right questions.
It’s not about getting recognition, it’s about generously distributing praise.
It’s not about who puts the ball in the back of the net, it’s about who contributed to the goal being achieved.
It’s not about getting all you can get, it’s about giving all you can give.
As an avid sports fan, I love it when I hear about a young athlete who suddenly believes that they belong at the top level.
Everything changes for them.
Their body language changes.
Their response to their coaches and team-mates changes.
The game suddenly looks easier.
James Clear, author of the book, “Atomic Habits” recently tweeted,
“We want solutions, but what we really need are attitudes.
You don’t need abs, but rather an attitude of training.
You don’t need the answer, but rather an attitude of curiosity.
You don’t need an easier life, but rather an attitude of perseverance.
Attitude precedes outcome.”
You know he’s right.
When you enter a room, what changes?
Does it become more energised?
More optimistic?
Calmer?
Do people smile more?
