5 Questions from Four Thousand Weeks

I started off the new year by finishing the book Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman. The final chapter included these five questions:

1. Where in your life or your work are you currently pursuing comfort, when what’s called for is a little discomfort?
2. Are you holding yourself to, and judging yourself by, standards of productivity or performance that are impossible to meet?
3. In what ways have you yet to accept the fact that you are who you are, not the person you think you ought to be?
4. In which areas of life are you still holding back until you feel like you know what you’re doing?
5. How would you spend your days differently if you didn’t care so much about seeing your actions reach fruition?

Also, “It doesn’t matter if answers aren’t immediately forthcoming; the point, in Rainer Maria Rilke’s famous phrase, is to ‘live the questions.’ Even to ask them with any sincerity is already to have begun to come to grips with the reality of your situation and to start to make the most of your finite time.”

As we start a new year, best wishes in your approximately 4,000 weeks on Earth!

Connect!

Do I know someone with whom you’d like a connection? Is there a company you’d like to learn about? Have we worked together and you’d like feedback or a reference?

Let me know! We might be remote but we can still connect and provide a helping hand, even if it’s a virtual one.

Be part of the solution rather than part of the problem. Be the one that restores someone’s hope in humanity. Be the change you want to see.

Make these phrases be more than just words!

Speak out … Say Something/Do Something

I’m going to be off work for a week so the time away might give me some perspective.  One area of focus is my words and works (actions) … what I say and do matters.

I don’t often speak out and I definitely keep my political views to myself.  While I’ll continue to keep my political views to myself (after all, I work for a media company and occasionally consult with our newsrooms on projects) it’s important to “speak out” for others.

For awhile now, we’ve been “attending” Church of the Resurrection online.  On Thursday, the theme verse of the day was Proverbs 31:8-9

8 Speak out on behalf of the voiceless,
and for the rights of all who are vulnerable.
9 Speak out in order to judge with righteousness
and to defend the needy and the poor.

I thought this was a pretty fitting verse for these times.   Last Sunday, COR had a guest preacher. While Senior Pastor Adam Hamilton was a part of the service, he welcomed the Rev. Emanuel Cleaver III to the pulpit and he delivered a powerful message about it being time to Step Up.

So, I will work to do a better job to …

• Speak out for those whom society pre-judges.
• Speak out for those who aren’t being heard.
• Speak out for those less fortunate.
• Speak out for those that need help.
• Speak out for those younger and weaker.
• Speak out for family.
• Speak out for my world, nation, state, city and neighborhood.
• Speak out for God and the church.

Some are judged by the color of their skin or by their name before they even speak.  Some are judged by whom they love. Each person is unique so let’s them live that way.

Some are unable to speak up for themselves so let’s make sure their voices are heard.

Let’s lend a helping hand keeping in mind that while it’s better to teach someone to fish than to just hand them a fish, sometimes it helps to get through the immediate need.

I need to be an advocate for my family and friends.

I am a citizen in the United States of America and I live in Kansas City, Missouri.  There are times when the places I’m associated with make me proud and other times when it makes me cringe to think of how my home is perceived by others.

I’m a Christian.  Years ago, Adam preached about “When Christians Get It Wrong” and there are many times that our faith is known more for what we’re against than truly what we stand for as a faith community.  Let’s change the conversation to be about taking a stand and sharing love with the world.

My children are grown but I know that I still learn lessons from my Mom (and I’m 50) so hopefully I can still share wisdom and insight with my kids and also with my grandkids.

While I’m not working (no access until June 29th) I will once again interact with employees, co-workers and even management.  I need to speak to them and for them to make sure all voices are heard.

In my career in marketing and research, I also have a professional  obligation to make sure that the voices found in research findings reach those that need to hear it.

My mantra and tagline for years has been “Finding the Information that you Need” but that isn’t always going to be about what you think you need; sometimes, it’s the information that you need to know but didn’t even realize it

 

 

 

 

Favorite Quotations

What’s your favorite quotation?

My friend & mentor Duane Hallock had so many favorites, he created a page on his blog: http://duanehallock.com/quotes/ and actually a comment he made on Facebook is what prompted this blog.

My brother has a bulletin board with a collection of different quotations.

One of my favorite quotations (which I had on my college dormroom door) is from the Rush song “Free Will” and it says “If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.”