Dear reader,
I realize that I’ve been somewhat more sporadic in my posts lately than normal. My sincerest apologies for that. I’ve received several comments asking what’s going on, and, so, I thought today I would wrap up this week in five neatly packaged points.
I have been seeing for the last six weeks an amazing coach and mentor, Renee Perry. We’ve worked through some amazing lessons and exercises that I’ve not previously experienced. Some of what I’ve taken away are:
1. Stop listening to others and follow your heart
I can’t tell you how freeing it is when I was able to tell even some of my closest family and advisers this week that I needed to do things the way that I do them. I will be quite honest with you: I have found that I have not been following my own heart. I’ve, more often than not, found myself doing what others told me to do. It was quite freeing when I stood up for one of my own beliefs, and told everyone who told me contrarily that I was going to do it my way.
2. Take some time to be with the ones who matter most
Honestly, the last few weeks have found me spending less and less quality time with my wife and kids, and spending zero time with the rest of my family and friends. I made two albeit too short social visits this week that had nothing to do with business. While one was an absolute bust because I was the target of a sale of something I didn’t need, the other left me recharged. Moreover, taking a little time this week to talk with and listen to my mother was just what the doctor ordered. The most blissful times this week have been when I have been able to shut off the business, not worry about the state of affairs of anything external, and just be with Lisa and the kids.
3. Follow your passion
While I am being completely blunt and honest here, I must admit that I have not been following my passion completely. At least, I’ve not been doing anything to make a wholly satisfying life by doing about what I am truly passionate. However, this week, I did something so amazingly different and something that felt so incredibly “right”, that it has rocked my world.
On Wednesday, I gave a musical presentation about the music of Australia to a group of about 60 2-to-6-year-olds at a local day care center. I drew a cartoon for the kids, played the didgeridoo for them, and helped them to make music with me through the power of the drum. It was absolutely incredible, and a rush like I hadn’t had in years!
My quest has become to find that golden opportunity to blend my love of business and branding with my love of art and music!
4. Know thyself and thy purpose
One of the things that Renee and I did was go through a module on the power of purpose. In several exercises, we probed into the recesses of exactly who and what I am and what makes me tick. I was able to isolate three core values that have been helping me to better define my purpose in life: Creativity, Education, Accomplishment, and Family. My purpose in life, a mission I am still working on to define in its most powerful and simplest form, is to live my life fullest by fully exercising the God-given talents and gifts I have, melding each of these “TruValues” into something that impacts the lives of many people.
5. Prioritize
One of the most powerful things we did this week was something that my friend, Jim, and I have attempted to do for a long time–to help me to prioritize all of the “balls in the air” in terms of choices which can be made. Everything we do is a result of a choice. When I mapped out all of the choices that could be made with regard to all of the opportunities going on in my life right now, I was able to best visualize how I wanted my life to look.
It was a staggeringly overwhelming yet freeing exercise. We took all of the possible choices that could be made about my personal life and career, prioritized them, and placed them into a calendar. It became more and more clear how little I was, indeed, following my passion, purpose, and my heart currently. It also, however, showed that it is possible to fill my day with the proper balance of a purpose-and-passion-driven career, a healthy and family-oriented life, and the rest that is required to be energized to begin anew.
I’d love to go on sharing, but I must close this blog entry. I leave you with two thoughts, though:
- When is the last time you sat, reflected on what was most important, and looked deep within?
- If you need help taking yourself to the next level in your business, career, and life, I highly recommend speaking with Renee Perry.
Keep Moving Forward.