Growing Up

 

I have always heard that it really is possible to grow up, I just never have met anyone who has really done it.

 

What does it really mean to grow up anyway?  Does it mean to...

Stop acting like a kid?

Be responsible?

Stop having fun?

Take on Debt? Be out of debt?

Act mature? (What is mature?)

Get a job? Keep a job?

 

Growing up is subjective, and it means different things to different people.  I tend to believe that growing up is the sequence of life's events that makes us who we are.  The nature of those events may cause some of us to feel grown up sooner than others.  Those events may cause some people to never really grow up.  For that matter, maybe none of us ever actually grow up.  That may not be all bad.  After all, life is a journey and not a destination.  If we were to all be grown up, what would we have to look forward to?

Life is a journey

Have you ever heard the saying, "Life is a journey not a destination"?  It is a great concept to keep in mind every day.  All too often we want things to be all finished, resolved, and complete.  More often the events of our lives, including our business lives, are a part of ongoing change that makes us who we are and leads us where we are going.   It is in fact a journey, not a destination.  Sometimes we need to be reminded to enjoy the journey!

"One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon—instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today."

-       Dale Carnegie

Right Under Your Nose…

How many of you have discovered something new over the last six weeks that was right under your nose?  Maybe it was a new friend in the neighborhood or a re-kindled relationship far away?  Did you discover a new author, love for a card game or a new board game?  Have you taken up a new hobby?  Was that five-year-old puzzle finally put together?  Possibly, you have learned something totally new about a loved one under your roof.

I will share mine…  My wife and some friends in the neighborhood have turned me on to this incredible green space right down the street.  I knew it was there, but I had never been back there in 20 years!  It is not just your normal greenbelt; it is a huge, natural, open space that stretches from one end of the neighborhood all way to the other and down to a golf course.  Parts of it follow a man-made drainage way, but part follows a natural creek.  It is like a nature preserve filled with a variety of plants and wildlife.  It has a great trail that has become almost a daily walk route for me.  I also have added part of it to a run route.  It is a great way to get back to nature and experience God’s handiwork.  Often, my days begin and end with walks through my newfound nature sanctuary.  It was right there under my nose all this time…

Goals

Set clear goals and standards for each person.

What gets measured gets done.

--Brian Tracy

Great leadership tip!  The establishment of clear goals is so important.  They should be specific, time bound and measurable.  However, the real key is actually doing the follow up and measuring the results.  Human nature is an interesting thing.  People behave differently when they know that their actions will be monitored and measured.  For some it is a motivator, for others maybe just an obligation.  Whatever the case, what gets measured gets done.  It is just a matter of human nature.  Goals must be set, clearly communicated and then measured.

Assumptions

We have all heard the old adage about what it means to “assume”; it makes an ass out of u and me!  Making assumptions is human nature.  We just think we know what someone meant.  We think someone heard us the way we intended.  We believe that others think like we do.  We assume some will handle a situation the same way we will.  We think and we assume and we go on down the road ignoring that wake left by these assumptions.  In its most effective form communication leaves no room for assumptions.  In fact, when we communicate effectively assumptions are not needed.  Assumptions are noise in the communication channel.  They lead to confusion and distrust and missteps.  Don’t assume.  Ask for clarification.  Confirm what you believe to be the case.  Communicate effectively.  Consider the below quote from the “Fonz.”  Don’t make an ass out of u and me!

“Assumptions are the termites of relationships.”
-Henry Winkler