Three Minute Leadership: The Magic of Doing One Thing at a Time
To: The Great Leaders Who Have a Passion for Continuous Learning
In a recent Harvard Business Review Blog, Tony Schwartz, President and CEO of The Energy Project and the author of Be Excellent at Anything, writes about “The Magic of Doing One Thing at a Time.” The reality presented in his dramatic opening captures our attention and gives us pause for reflection about how we are spending our time: “Why is it that between 25% and 50% of people report feeling overwhelmed or burned out at work? It’s not just the number of hours we’re working, but also the fact that we spend too many continuous hours juggling too many things at the same time. What we’ve lost, above all, are stopping points, finish lines and boundaries.” These are the moments of great learning – when we see the impact of our juggling and burnout on our creativity, productivity, relationships and life’s purpose.
Charles Darwin once observed: “A man who dares to waste one hour of life has not discovered the value of life.” Great leaders understand the profound meaning of these words – the incredible beauty each moment brings – each brief second, minute, hour or day – and the potential it offers to bring something magnificent to our life, our business or the lives of others. This is the great value life offers. Yet, these same beautiful and rich moments also offer the gift of a pause: the quiet time to refresh and rejuvenate, to stop the line and bring balance and focus back to our life, to recommit ourselves to our life’s purpose. We need that wonderful balance of our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual to be at our best game. Each beautiful day find your beautiful magic and change the world. Be more than you ever dreamed you could be. Remember always the words of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, German playwright and poet: “We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves; otherwise we harden.” And great leaders never, ever harden. Please take care.
Have a beautiful day and a magnificent week!!!
Mike