We’d all do good under the tutelage of a mentor. Whether we know it or not.
We need cheerleaders, sure. Those who support our decisions no matter what.
But we also need someone who will give it to us straight. Because we can get tunnel vision, and sometimes that means we can’t make a decision with a clear head.
A good mentor can smack some sense into you.
All people are fallible. There are no exceptions to this universal human trait; we are created equal in this regard.
With those elected to office, we expect officials to set aside these fallible tendencies while performing their duties.
Yet this expectation itself may be our greatest fallibility.
If a suboptimal result occurs, it’s important not to lower your expectations on your next endeavor.
Putting forth your maximum effort is more valuable than managing expectations.
The act of trying your hardest matters more than anticipating the outcome.
When we try to accomplish something, we naturally expect the best possible result. However, optimal outcomes rarely occur.
Instead, we must often accept suboptimal results and move forward.
In this process, the act of doing becomes more valuable than the outcome itself.
The minutiae will distract and obfuscate. You can while away minutes, hours, and potentially even a lifetime focused solely on the minutiae.
The important work, though: when you experience doing it, you’ll know the minutiae will never be enough again.
Understanding your own order of priorities can make individual decision-making significantly easier.
When you have clarity about what truly matters to you, you create an internal compass that guides your choices.
This self-awareness eliminates much of the uncertainty that complicates decisions, as options that don’t align with your highest priorities naturally fall away.
When what you have to do looms over you like an insurmountable mountain, or an impassible ravine…
There is only one way to traverse either. The answer, of course, is one step at a time.
One. Step. At. A. Time.
“Write relentlessly, until you find your voice. Then, use it.” – David Sedaris
What isn’t explicit is where the words go till you find your voice.
But guess what? Get them out there!
As Voltaire said, “Le mieux est l’ennemi du bien”
Translation: “The best is the enemy of the good” (aka “The perfect is the enemy of the good”).
In Benjamin Franklin’s famous schedule, he made notation of asking, upon rising, “What good shall I do in the world today?”
And, in the evening, asking, “What good did I do in the world today?”
It feels as if we’re missing some of this contemplation – both individually, as well as in the broader world.
Sometimes, we’re just looking for words. That’s a part of who we are.
And it isn’t that the words aren’t there. We seem to possess a commendable aptitude for verbal dialogue.
What we lack is the direction with which to take our words. Our how to engage in that meaningful dialogue with each other.
Michael's Musings 