We live in a world that I submit far too often celebrates “the bigger, the better”. More likes and popularity, bigger capacity and audiences, more consumption. Hustle, grind, scale up, go BIG. Big time. And seemingly, too much is never enough.
These two months of July and August, I am dialing back to dial better in, and “sharpening the blades” on my own meditation. With that said and in mind and heart, just yesterday, amidst some time in meditative reflection, my little ol’ brain did what it does in receiving a thought and then almost automatically conceptualizing and organizing it… a thought around going SMALLer.
Some years ago, I had a similar moment around health and SLOWER living … where I came to better understand that sleep, laughter, oxygen, water, exercise and real food made for core elements in our own physical care. While it has taken some years to get ever better at these, the notion of SMALLer helps in my own application of SLOWER living.
For me, and especially with my health road right now, going SMALLer is about the practice of Simplicity, Moderation, Accountability, Love and Leadership.
Life can be complicated but we often over complicate things ourselves … with systems and plans and more. Strategies and plans are important. But the execution is so very important… and I humbly offer that execution is advanced with Simplicity, Moderation, Accountability, Love and Leadership.
“Stickin’ to the knittin'”… focusing on the fundamentals… keeping our focus simple, moderating and adjusting on the fly avoiding unnecessary distractions, holding daily Accountability for effort over outcome, finding what we love such that we will stay engaged, and practicing our own best sense of Leadership… this is SMALLer. If everyday, I keep my focus simple, moderate as needed, take account each day for my efforts, follow my love and engage my own personal Leadership… I will get “there”, wherever there is.
Effort daily, will lead to outcome greatly. For me, while I have my own sense of longer vision… I am ever more realizing that these five elements are really but one; living purposefully today…. and letting the outcomes unfold. Indeed, born into a construction family, it occurs to me that it is not unlike laying one brick at a time. Do each well, one at a time, and a strong structure arises. Dale Carnegie referred to living in “day-tight compartments” when considering how we best address worry. But, I respectfully offer up that this notion also relates to “getting there”; again, wherever “there” is.
Bigger is not inherently better. It is just bigger. As I work on my healthy road, one day a time… as I consider my work and Service, one day at a time… as I approach my life and living it, one day a time… I am ever more aware that smaller audiences provide greater connection and impact, smaller goals are better bricks to lay one at a time, and smaller (shorter) plans are more executable in the now.
I might and will add that it is becoming ever more clear to me that moving forward and towards our “there” involves (a) owning a simple focus for our day at hand, (b) having a sense of what is most important so that we can moderate and adjust during said day ensuring that we get our “musts” done, (c) being intentionally prepared without shame to hold ourselves healthily accountable at day’s end, (d) choosing to love what we do and do what we love as we move through our day and (e) practicing our own personal Leadership as we walk that day… intent on getting the “must do’s” done, This means being joyfully purposeful. One day a time.
I am left with the thought that our lives well lived are A PEACE of WORK. The way we best build such lives I humbly suggest is going SMALLer. That is my intent… in my road to optimal health and in matters of work, Service, play, learning and life… day-tight compartments lived with Simplicity, Moderation, Accountability, Love and Leadership. Wishing you a SMALLer road and 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