My three super words for 2017 are Deepen, Sharpen, Share. These are the three words that are supposed to guide my approach and intention through the year.
- Deepen: Working on deepening relationships is not easy. Especially when you would prefer to not to talk to anyone - which is my usual resting state. So one thing that works for bringing a little juice to my game is focusing on another word entirely: Gratitude. Every morning I spend time meditating around this one word, what it means, and what I can be more grateful for. I usually think about the ONE THING that is frustrating me the most, then I try to come at it from a place of gratitude and questions like 'Why the hell am I facing this challenge?. This often forces me to accept responsibility for where I am, and by extension allows me to go deeper. Mostly, but not always.
- Sharpen: This is about upping one's game. When asked how he would approach cutting down a tree in six hours with just an axe, Abraham Lincoln replied "I would spend the first four hours sharpening the axe." You can't do great work if you are dull, and I've been working pretty hard at eating well, getting exercise (T25, yo) and being awake to opportunity. This isn't a 24/7 proposition, but my game is getting better - especially creatively. Improving habits.
- Share: This is perhaps the thing I need the most work on - and is directly related to the deepening mantra above. Because I'm a hermit who would prefer just sitting in front of his keyboard (sharing online counts very little - sharing with the people in front of you is the goal), I need to force myself to share. To have conversations. To engage.Even at work, I can disappear for hours and not talk to anyone. So I'm trying to pick one thing to share with the people closest to me, each and every day (you have to start somewhere).
Overall, I'm doing all right. There's still lots of room to grow and shake things up. To make bigger impressions. To connect more. To love more. That's the goal, isn't it?
