Three Minute Leadership: Our Second Greatest Gift
To: The Great Leaders Who Have a Passion for Continuous Learning
A friend recently shared with me an article, In Conclusion, that he writes monthly to his organization to motivate and inspire the people whom he serves. In this month’s note, he writes about the innate potential given to each of us at birth – the power to choose: “Our innate potential means we can become so much better than we are today. It is within our control to realize that which we can be.” Quoting from Stephen Covey’s book, The 8th Habit, he writes: “Next to life itself, the power to choose is your greatest gift …. Your power to choose the direction of your life allows you to reinvent yourself, to change your future.”
To help us release this innate potential, he offers Stephen Covey’s “four assumptions”, also from The 8th Habit, writing: “The closer we come to the ‘four simple assumptions’, the greater the difference we will make in every aspect of our lives.”
- For the body – assume you’ve had a heart attack; now live accordingly.
- For the mind – assume the half-life of your profession is two years; now prepare accordingly.
- For the heart – assume everything you say about another, they can overhear; now speak accordingly.
- For the spirit – assume you have a one-on-one visit with your Creator every quarter; now live accordingly.
We can become so much better than we are today – a simple statement. We will become so much better than we are today, because we will choose to be… choose to do – a powerful act. As Covey wrote: “Your power to choose the direction of your life allows you to reinvent yourself, to change your future.”
What a magnificent gift … second only to life itself. And life is so very good!
Have a beautiful day and a magnificent week!!!
Mike
