Category Archives: Leadership

Life Planning: How a Life Plan Can Help You Avoid the Drift

Life Planning:
How A Life Plan Can Help You Avoid the Drift

What does a life Plan do?
About a year ago, Daniel Harkavy and Michael Hyatt published a book titled Living Forward. I read it and recommend it highly. In Living Forward, they describe the importance of having a written life plan. At first glance, this idea may seem a bit over-the-top and lofty, but after going through the process of creating one last year, it has helped me in several ways.

Above all, it helps me to be intentional about how I live my life. I want to look back on my life 5, 10 or 20 years from now and see that I have lived a worthy life of significance. Simply, my life plan clarifies on paper what is most important to me, charts a course for action in getting to where I want to be in life, and serves as a regular reminder when I review it. It keeps me from drifting through each day, week and month without purpose. My life plan reminds me to live a life of intention, designing it for my purposes and desires. During my run-of-the-mill day, I can bounce my decisions, time and tasks against the intentions in my life plan. This provides clarity in purpose and has been a tie-breaker when assigning priorities. I hope that it keeps me from any regrets.

What is Drift?
I emphasize being proactive and acting on life, rather than the alternative which is to drift through life. Drift is an insidious, unintentional and silent villain which robs us of becoming all that we can. The drift never takes us to a place that we intend. It is a slow pull that we often don’t even realize. When lives crumble, they don’t happen in a day. They fall apart over time because of inattention to the important. That can be the effect of drift.

Think of it like a boat Captain adrift with no sail, map or rudder. She is not only unaware of her position, but also subject to the weather and the currents, with no way of making corrections. A life plan provides the figurative sail, map and rudder. While still subject to the weather, winds and currents, it allows the boat Captain to stay in control and make it to her intended destination.

Avoiding the drift is important because according to the authors, its consequences cause:

* Confusion — No clear direction or perspective. Our lives are not guided with purpose and meaning. We just go from one thing to the next, seemingly   unconnected.

* Expense — Causes us to waste time, money, and health among others.

* Lost Opportunities — We lose the ability see opportunities and to go down paths that would enrich our lives. We don’t see them because we are distracted in the here and now.

* Pain — Lack of planning and action in the areas most important to us, can lead us to painful troubles. This can occur in our marriage, health, finances, profession, family and other areas of our lives.

* Regret — No one wants to look back and wish things had been different. “If only I……….(you fill in the blank.) It becomes even more frustrating when we realize it is a result of our lack of planning and attention to how we want to live our lives.

What’s in a Life Plan?
So what is in a life plan? Harkavy and Hyatt suggest specific contents be included. I’ve used their model and customized it to reflect what I think is important. Your Life Plan should inspire you and sit well with you. When you review your Life Plan, it should capture your dreams, goals, beliefs, and values. Here’s an outline of what I’ve included in mine:

  • A mission statement – a short statement about what I believe my life is about
  • My envisioned eulogy – admittedly macabre, but necessary to envision the end game and provide context
  • My most important areas of life – physical, spiritual, mental, financial, relational, professional, etc.
  • What constitutes for me a successful day, and life? How do I measure if I’m on track?
  • An action plan for each important area of my life – it includes a purpose, envisioned future, my WHY, the benefits, where I am now, specific commitments to get me there, and obstacles and pitfalls to be mindful

If you know what you want in life and have a plan to get there, then you are leaps and bounds closer to “succcess.” Harkavy and Hyatt remind us that most people spend more time and attention planning vacations, weddings and car purchases than they do their own lives. I found the introspective process of building a Life Plan is as valuable as the end product itself. It need not be a long document, and does not need to be perfect, because it will change. It is not hard to do, but requires that you set aside time to do it. It will never be complete, but will always be under revision and adjustment as life progresses.

“My definition of success has two parts. The first is when my intentions, words and actions align–integrity. The second is when they are progressively moving me toward my goals and how I want to live my life.”

My definition of success has two parts. The first is when my intentions, words and actions align–integrity. The second is when they are progressively moving me toward my goals and how I want to live my life. My life plan plan helps me to live my definition of a successful life. How do you define success? How do you know if you are on track? If you want to dive deeper into life planning and how to create one, check out https://livingforwardbook.com.

Be Your Best!


Of Course Character Matters

The Issue…

Whenever election time rolls around, the age-old debate about the importance that character plays in the presidency comes front and center. Does character matter in the president, or do we just need someone who can get the job of governing done?  My answer is that our form of government requires good character, and the responsibilities of the person occupying the Oval Office are so vital, that they demand it.

What our founders thought…

When our nation’s founders embarked upon the great “American Experiment” they understood its delicate nature. How could citizens rule themselves, and provide for the collective interest of the people, despite an acknowledged pre-disposition of self-interest inherent in the human condition?  Part of the answer was to build a form of government with separate branches that provide balance of powers.  The other part requires a belief that despite the flaws in humanity, man’s virtues are equally powerful—and they would be essential.

The founder’s wrote in the Federalist Papers, that the government under consideration would not work, unless its leaders and citizens were a virtuous people. They understood that the difference between a Republic (representative self-government) and a Monarchy (authoritarian rule) was that the leaders of a Republic were servants of the people.  Those leaders were to be bound by a noble conscience, rather than their self-interest.

What is character anyway?

What exactly is character? Character is the sum quality of who a person really is—the combined total of their moral and civic virtues—good or bad.  One’s character is the result of life choices and the conduct of living.  Charles Stanley, an Atlanta pastor, says that character development is ultimately what God is trying to do in our lives.  God is all about character development, not personality change.

In my view, good character is the most significant ingredient to effective leadership. It can be seen on the outside in one’s public image, but it is developed on the inside.  But as we know, what you see is not always what you get.  It is forged through intentional pursuit and fortified through adversity and perseverance.  Everyone has heard the saying “Character reveals itself when no one is looking.”  I would also say that character reveals itself when everyone is looking.

High character is a reflection of the civic and moral virtues that appeal to our highest spirit. It is so important, that the need for great character in our society is reflected in the honor codes and oaths adopted by the military, universities and other great institutions.

The role of character in the presidency…

Civic and moral virtues are the qualities of being that inspire confidence and trust, vital components of every relationship- including that between leaders and followers. It’s necessary for the President to have the confidence and trust of the people to be effective.  Don’t you think this is especially true for the United States where the President is not only the Chief Executive, Head of State and Commander-in-Chief, but also the symbolic leader and conscience of the nation?

A democracy‘s role is to represent the interest of the majority, but not violate the rights of the minority. When the President fashions his or her vision through public policy, this is where character matters.  It’s easy to stand on the side of the majority because it is easier to drift with the currents of popular opinion—even when the rights of the minority are infringed.  It takes character to stand and make an argument for the rights of the minority.  The President must be careful not to interpret the merits of public policy through the lens of his or her self-interest.  Public policy must be viewed with the obligation to represent the majority and protect the rights of the minority, even if contrary to one’s own interest. And this requires character.

As long as a President is demonstrated to be a person of high character, moral authority is at his or her side, and with it comes the fortune of respect, trust and confidence of the people. Our country demands and deserves nothing less.

Be Your Best!

 

BennetHeadshot

“It is our character that supports the promise of our future – far more than particular government programs or policies.”
— William Bennett, Former Secretary of Education

 


Don’t Prioritize your Schedule, Schedule your Priorities

Managing Priorities is the Key

As a productivity junkie for the longest time, I was always trying to figure out how to get more done in less time.  I figured that if I could only get up earlier, stay up later, fit this in here, or multi-task there, I could get more done.  I thought that by doing more, I could come closer to achieving my goals and dreams.  As it turns out, I was chasing the wrong thing.  It’s not about managing your time, but managing your priorities.
Stephen Covey  (1932-2012) explains this concept well in his book “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People,” with the Life Quadrants diagram.  As the diagram indicates, the things we spend time on have an urgency and importance.

Urgency vs. Importance

Those things that are more urgent beg to be done now. The more urgent they are, the less control we have.   Those things that are more important contribute most to our relationships, goals and well being.  The more important an activity is, the more focus and perspective it brings to our life.
The more time we can spend doing the least urgent, but most important things, (Quadrant II) the more we can live according to our  values, mission, priorities and dreams.  Admittedly, quadrant II is the hardest area of focus (but the most important), because it doesn’t scream for our attention and demands intentionality.  We don’t  typically “drift” into Quadrant II.
LifeQuadrants
Quadrant I — You need to deal with stuff here.
The quadrant of “Deadlines and Fire Drills.”  In Quadrant I are the urgent and important things of life.  Bad things happen if they aren’t dealt with.  These may include:
  • Paying bills
  • Changing the baby’s diaper
  • Changing a flat tire
  • Homework assignments
  • Keeping appointments
Quadrant II — Set your sights here.
The quadrant of “Growth and Quality of Life.”  In Quadrant II are the least urgent, but most important things of life.  These are the easiest activities to avoid, because there’s not a looming deadline.  It’s potentially the most lucrative area to spend your time because this where we move life’s needle.  Examples include:
  • Exercise, fitness, and health
  • Goal setting and planning
  • Date nights
  • Reading and Writing
  • Hobbies and other passions you want to master
  • Creating following a budget
  • Volunteer service
  • Spending family time
  • Prayer and meditation
  • A business venture
  • Professional development
Quadrant III — Avoid.
The quadrant of “Deception and interruption.”  Quadrant III is that place where unimportant things rob your time.  They tend to be urgent, but unimportant.  Typically, this is where others demand things of you that don’t contribute to your goals or relationships. It’s easy to stay in this quadrant because it feels like we’re doing important things.  They can include activities like:
  • Answering emails and phone calls
  • Interruptions from colleagues
  • Meetings
  • Texts
Quadrant IV —  Stay Away at All Costs.
The quadrant of “Excess and Waste.”  These activities are time wasters, and we instinctually know it.  They suck out the ability for you to live productively and meaningfully.  They are neither urgent, or important.  Don’t feel too bad, however; if some of these things contribute to a meaningful area of life (such as genuine rest and relaxation, intellectual stimulation, contribution to goals, quality time with others, etc.) then they can be safely categorized as Quadrant II.  The key factor may be how often and long you find yourself doing them.
  • Social media
  • TV binge watching
  • Video games
  • Web surfing
  • Shopping
I encourage you to soak-in the above diagram and evaluate your activities against your priorities. For even more clarity on this, read Stephen Covey’s “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.” Ask yourself, what activities dominate most of your time?  You can be assured that Quadrant II activities will get you closer to being the person you want to become.  It’s really about priority management, so much more than time management.
Be Your Best!