If we challenge ourselves to be greater – to dream, to plan, to create, to do – we increase the chances of our success. And when we expand that challenge and opportunity to those around us, we can find that our work becomes a source of strength and joy.
I was reading a health related book this weekend and the very first page had a quote from Lao Tzu, the Chinese philosopher and founder of Taoism (600 BC – 531 BC).
“If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.”
He speaks to me about the natural consequences that result from the actions we take and those that we don’t. If we live a life in which we are not kind, we find ourselves with few true friends. If we are frugal, and we train ourselves to manage our finances, we have more choices. If we eat well and lead a healthy lifestyle, we increase our opportunity to live better and longer.
In the world of work and careers, if we make a habit of reading books and blogs that expand and challenge our thinking, we may become thought leaders. If we challenge ourselves to be greater – to dream, to plan, to create, to do – we increase the chances of our success. And when we expand that challenge and opportunity to those around us, we can find that our work becomes a source of strength and joy.
Not always of course.
Sometimes natural consequences are delayed. We can live carelessly and seem to get by. We can be selfish and prosper. We can be lucky and lazy in our work and still do well. But for most of us, there comes a time of reckoning.
Perhaps this is a good time to take an afternoon and reflect about the places we are heading. And in those parts of our journey where we realize we’ve been lost for a while, ask ourselves, “Is it time to stop and study the compass and the map before we set out again?”
Those are our thoughts … we welcome yours.
