Don’t Make Jack a Dull Boy...

Through the last several posts, we’ve been working through the importance of enjoying each step of the journey rather than resting on the hope that fulfillment will come once we reach that ever so important goal we’re chasing. I even used the last post to share an example of just how badly I’ve failed at doing just that…

In an attempt to be as corny as I can possibly be, I believe the saying may actually be true: All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy!

As I prepared to put this final post together and wrap up this Don’t Wait Until You Get There idea, I found myself thinking about what John Maxwell teaches about the Three R’s in the Law of Priorities: What are we required to do?; What gives us the best return on the time we invest?; and What provides us with the most reward?

Nearly every time I reference these questions, it’s around making the most effective use of our time as leaders. But truth be told, that can often be done with the first two R’s alone. As I described last time, we can be very effective and productive, making significant advances toward our career goals, and still miss out on some of the most important things we ever have the chance to experience and enjoy.

As I was thinking into those three R’s and how I wanted to wrap all this up, I received a weekly email from one of my mentors that wrapped up by saying “The secret to success is to make your vocation your vacation!” Dr. Robert Rohm emphasized how powerful it is when we’re able to find fulfillment in each step of the process as we work to achieve our goals rather than focusing only on how great it may be when we finally cross the finish line…

That’s where the third R really comes into play. And quite honestly, it’s the toughest R to focus on - especially when we carry the heavy weight of leadership!

There’s typically an incredible amount of pressure to accomplish tasks and provide for the team we lead; at least for those of us who lead authentically by serving the people around us as opposed to barking commands and expecting compliance like so many with fancy titles tend to do as they consider themselves to be leaders… For many of us, myself included, this is the pressure that keeps us focused primarily on what’s required and where we get our best return and limits the attention we put on identifying where the reward comes from. And all too often, we can fall into the trap of believing we shouldn’t have the reward until the people we’re leading are taken care of first.

But fighting through that pressure to  just accomplish everything we possibly can, regardless of the cost at the time, and being sure to keep our own cup full in the process goes a long way toward helping us sustain the effort necessary to lead our teams (and families) effectively. Let’s be honest here, leading (serving) the people around us can be extremely hard!

In his weekly message, Dr. Rohm shared this: “Do you wake up energized and excited about the opportunity to participate in your daily vocation? I believe that when you do, you will live longer and enjoy life more. Each one of us should pursue filling our dreams based on what we believe we were born to do. Our destiny is too important to miss it!”

Depending on where you are in your career, or the responsibilities you’re currently carrying, this may not be all that easy. Early on, even differentiating the things that are required from the things that provide low return may not be a call we can make on our own. The challenge I’ll leave you with though is to keep a constant focus on fighting the pressure to just do. We are actually allowed to enjoy the steps along the way, but we have to choose to!

We’ll change gears with the next post. Until then, here’s an early invitation to the complimentary webinar that Cindy and I will be hosting in our Intentional Action For Ongoing Growth series on Monday, March 15 at 11a EST covering steps for Building Buy-In Around a Clear Mission & Vision. That session has been approved for continuing education credit through SHRM and HRCI, and we’re providing access at no cost! Hope you’re able to join us…