It's Tuesday at 2:00pm! (PST Time: I live and work from Southern California)
Greetings to you!
Each week I send out a short leadership blog that's called "Tuesday at 2:00pm". The purpose of this is simply to provide a brief thought on leadership that you can read and think about in just a few minutes. I send it out every week at 2:00pm (PST) and encourage you to make an appointment with yourself to pause and think about the thing I'm writing about.
Russ...
LEADERSHIP QUOTE:
"The beginning is the most important part of the work." Plato
What does this stir up? Either write me HERE or comment at the end of the blog post HERE.
A LITTLE BIT DEEPER:
It's a New Year, and this month we're going to talk about the word BEGINNINGS.
I love the cycle of life: seasons, rhythm, endings and beginnings. I sometimes struggle with endings, but when it comes to beginnings, I love to start fresh.
You can see this in the way I approach a New Year...
I block out time the first week of the year to ORGANIZE. I go through files, I go through storage, I get rid of stuff, I find things that I've been looking for, but I love to get organized.
I make lists! Lot's of lists... things I need to do, things I want to focus on, things I've ignored for too long. I just write stuff down, then work on organizing it into a system.
I "let stuff go". There's always some "unfinished business", some unmet expectations or some regret. I make a conscious decision to just let that go. It does no good to keep carrying that weight.
I like New Beginnings because it's an opportunity to PAUSE, to TAKE A DEEP BREATH, and then START AGAIN!
I don't know how you do with beginnings, but Plato nailed it when he defined beginnings as "the most important part".
If you don't begin well:
It's difficult to find traction and build momentum
It's impossible to get a fresh perspective
You spend more time looking back than looking forward
It's a lot of work to define goals & objectives
You end up working "harder" not "smarter"
If you struggle with NEW BEGINNINGS, don't freak out! Below I'll give you some practical suggestions on where to start.
As you look forward, what are you most excited about when it comes to NEW BEGINNINGS?
DEEPER STILL:
NEW BEGINNINGS
If you're like me, you're ready to go! It's already January 6th and the year is moving! Here are some thoughts, ideas & tips for you to consider as you spend some time thinking about New Beginnings:
#1) BEGIN WITH REFLECTION
Take some time to look back first. This will give you some perspective, but it will also help you identify some things that you want to continue doing or bring into the New Year with you!
#2) MARK THE BEGINNING
Formally identifying a new beginning helps you frame it. I often will write in my journal about a new beginning, and it helps me switch gears into the New Year. Find a way to MARK that it's a fresh start or a renewed start.
#3) START SMALL
Don't try to do everything all at once. Allow time to process, think, dream, plan, and prepare. I often take the whole month of January each year to lay the foundation for the rest of the year. Don't rush it.
#4) MEASURE WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT
You don't need to measure everything, but figure out what should be measured and do that!
#5) PLAN FOR FLEXIBILITY
Realize that all new things don't always begin well. Allow for some "false-starts", some "failures" and some full-on change in direction.
#6) DEFINE YOUR WHY
Don't spend time working on things that aren't important. Define why each of the things you're defining have a clear purpose.
#7) CREATE ANCHOR HABITS
Find some small, repeatable habits that can help you move towards your plan. Don't try to do it all at once, but look for rhythm and motion in the right direction.
This isn't an exhaustive list, but it's a START.
Today, I want to just encourage you to BEGIN. Choose One Thing, and Start! Feel free to share with me what you're discovering along the way.
Things I'm Reading, Listening To and Watching This Week:
Here are some of my favorite books that address the idea of NEW BEGINNINGS: ATOMIC HABITS by James Clear. This gives you a template for rebuilding habits in your life. THE ONE THING by Gary Keller helps you identify what's most important. START WITH WHY by Simon Sinek helps you define your purpose. THE 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE by Stephen R. Covey provides a principle-centered approach to leadership. And lastly, HOW LEADERS LOSE THEIR WAY by Peter Greer and Jill Heisley. This is a great place to begin when you want to define where you're currently at and what risks might be coming after your leadership.
The Andy Stanley Leadership Podcast just dropped a great episode called, "Managing Leadership Anxiety: Yours and theirs with Steve Cuss". Check it out!
I just started re-reading a book by Jim Burns entitled, "Finding Joy in the Empty Nest". I love his writing and his encouragement to people in my stage of life!
I'm enjoying Donavon Frankenreiters album Get Outta Your Mind (With Friends). I'm listening on Apple Music.
OK, we had fun playing this game with our family: Guess the Gibberish. Lot's of laughs and some were really difficult!