Joe Calloway wrote a book I love called, “Be the Best at What Matters Most“. I wholeheartedly recommend the read, reflect and action. I am thinking this day that there are lessons for me inward and outward. Being the best at what matters most to who we best serve is vital for a sustainable and sustaining success. It also starts from within, I am thinking.
A couple of weeks back, I shared Have a Digital Coffee, offering up some recent episodes of Digital Coffees. Just this past week on LinkedIn, I offered up A PEACE of WORK on TUGtv… with more of our cool content driven conversations. In Settlin’ Sucks some three weeks ago, I suggested “That “ok” relationship, that often numbing work, that sterile “picket fence thing”. that “what are ya gonna do anyway” mentality… all the seduction of settlin’. And it sucks; it sucks the Soul out of us. It might be “easier” but it is the road to regret; and I want no part of it.” The conversations of late and my own thoughts and Joe’s book revisited have got me thinking on what is most important to me, and how it might help me serve ever better.
To be the best at what matters most, I must needs work inward to serve outward. Of late, I have found much to overwhelm and distract… and my body is sending signals that it needs better attention; on the health front. The potential for overwhelm can be high and striking. Amidst a world that has its challenges and opportunities… individually and collectively… there is much for and around which we can be uncertain. But we can be certain of some things and decisions inward. That in mind and heart, not unrelated, this pic at Cape Spear often reminds me of the notion of resolve. I see a great ape looking out to the see with such. Can you see it? Now, consider…
Resolve and Certitude
Resolve is grounded in the practice of Certitude. And Certitude is about knowing that for which we can be and are certain. The world might be uncertain, but we can discern on that for which we are certain, within. For me, here are what I am calling my 4 Commands Meant of Certitude… going forward. I started with 9, but brought them down to a core 4.
My 4 Commands Meant
Command Meant #1. ARISE. I will quickly arise at 5 am daily as it works best for the start of my day.
Command Meant #2. HEALTH. I will pray and meditate thrice daily to consistently re-center and find my grounding. I will do it amidst working my body twice daily in my self-styled FOXhole Gym… boxing, biking, dancing, walking, and lifting my way to optimal physical health. In doing so, I will live SLOWER daily, getting my necessary and healthy doses of SLEEP and LAUGHTER and OXYGEN and WATER and EXERCISE and REAL FOOD… consistently and committedly.
Command Meant #3. WORK and PLAY. I will commit to one thing daily that will make me a better educator…. and will make my Service through Epic Engage ever more effective. In so doing, I will commit to daily Creativity and Play.
Command Meant #4. HOME. I will take stock, bringing myself to healthy account each day, at day’s end… not to shame or blame but to learn of what went well and did not, and how I might get up next day better served by both. With this, I will manage my Home daily, taking care of a healthy order.
Doing these will serve my longer goals, without necessarily setting arbitrary goals and metrics. Indeed, I suggest that the efforts are the daily goals. The commands meant are the daily bricks. These commands meant are efforts and the outcomes will be the fruit born. These commands meant I have certainty around and control over. They provide ballast, rudder, anchor and sail to get where I am best and soulfully needing to go… mind, body, spirit and Soul. And executing on them will make me better able to be the best at what matters most to those I serve and matter most. Does that make sense? I am pondering this better sense of exploring conviction. I am considering how my own consistent and responsible action (around which I can be decisive and certain) can better serve me and those I serve. I am examining how daily effort and execution advances Service and achieving progress. If you were to establish 4 daily commands meant that would move you forward being the best at what and who matters most. what might they be? Wishing you PEACE…
Barry Lewis Green, The Unity Guy with Epic Engage.
Developing Leadership Character – Ivey Business Journal
“Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.” ― Martin Luther King Jr.
Human greatness does not lie in wealth or power, but in character and goodness. People are just people, and all people have faults and shortcomings, but all of us are born with a basic goodness. ― Anne Frank
Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing. ― Abraham Lincoln
Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved. ― Helen Keller
Knowledge will give you power, but character respect. ― Bruce Lee
Sports teaches you character, it teaches you to play by the rules, it teaches you to know what it feels like to win and lose-it teaches you about life. ― Billie Jean King
Our ability to handle life’s challenges is a measure of our strength of character. ― Les Brown
People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously. This is how character is built. ― Eleanor Roosevelt