Hola Todos!
Mr. Mike has a solid nugget for us via John Maxwell’s book The Time of Your Life. Our experiences and those associated memories define who we are. One of my Dr. Dan-o axioms goes something like this, “Just our DNA creates the blueprint our physical or biological self, stories and/or narratives we select as our own acts as the blueprint for our psychological self.”
As per the text below, we select what stories from which experiences that will shape our character, values, beliefs, etc., – in essence, who we are as a person.
Mike, the floor is yours…
To: The Great Leaders Who Have a Passion for Continuous Learning
In a recent article, The Time of Your Life, John Maxwell writes that our lives are not primarily shaped by those huge “notable occasions” that create wonderful memories. Rather it is those “unremarkable days which shape our character and values. The hours, minutes, and seconds in a day literally are the time of our lives. How we use them shapes who we are.” What a magnificent thought to remind us of the magic, beauty and power of each moment and the thoughts, actions and words we present that are the footprints of our life.
Maxwell suggests three simple steps to help us make the most of our days… the most of our life. The first is to have clarity about our purpose in life. He quotes Dr. Edward Banfield of Harvard University who “after more than fifty years of research, concluded that “long-term perspective” is the most accurate single predictor of upward social and economic mobility in America. Long-term perspective turns out to be more important than family background, education, race, intelligence, connections, or virtually any other single factor in determining your success in life and at work.” The next step is to set our priorities: “Prioritization means giving focus and energy to those things that give the highest return.” It is always asking the question of everything we do, big or small: Does this add value to me, my business, my community, my people, my family? The third step is to have a schedule for accomplishing our goals and to stick to it. Firm discipline is needed to keep us on track and to effectively manage those many activities that compete for the scarce resource of our time.
Maria Edgeworth, author, wrote: “If we take care of the moments, the years will take care of themselves.” Clarity of purpose, priorities and a schedule give shape to those precious seconds, minutes and hours of our life. Live each moment with passion and excitement in fulfilling your life’s purpose and be more than you ever dreamed that you could be. Remember always the words of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: “Nothing is worth more than this day.” Life is so very beautiful. Enjoy the journey and have fun along the way.
Have a beautiful day and a magnificent week!!!
Mike
Contact Information:
Michael M. Reuter
Director, Center for Leadership Development
Stillman School of Business
Seton Hall University
Tel: (Office) 973.275.2528
Email: Michael.Reuter@shu.edu
[…] of my research passions is storytelling and I’ve been working on an axiom that goes something like this: “Just as our DNA creates the […]