Musings for October

I often even have to remind myself that if I am concerned then my team members are in the same situation and it is my responsibility to go out and remind them not to give up on dreams and goals and that life will go on and we need to be experiencing it.

Right now the world feels like it is spiraling out of control and that can cause a lot of concern and worry. Yes, there is much that we cannot control; there is always a reason to stop and give up. But I recommend that you do not stop. This too shall pass; we can weather the storms be they economic or other and will get through and be better for it. Glen Bland in his book Success said, “Your life is defined by the people you meet and the books you read”, I would add and the places you have been. For many of us our life gets wrapped up in our work and we often forget that it is work that is performed for the purpose of living. Each year we should take stock and re-evaluate how our time and effort is being spent. There are many things that we do not have control of but so often I find that there are just as many that we can control.

Earlier this month I was having a conversation with several of my team members and they were trying to decide if they should cancel their vacation plans during the upcoming national holidays. My first question was have you already paid for the trip, all answered with a resounding, well yes of course we have. My answer back was then yes you should go. Why? What the US government, the markets, or our organization's actions are not in our control and will happen whether we stay home or go on a trip. Given the choice between a life experience or sitting home staring at the news channels trying to forecast the future, I will take the life experience every time. I would rather be climbing Mount Fuji, lying on a beach, riding my bike through China, or some other exciting activity and gain a life experience that I can share with my friends and family the next time we get together.

I believe that your life is a collection of the books you read, the people you meet, and your experiences.