Real generosity toward the future lies in giving all to the present. Albert Camus, 1913 – 1960
How do we be the best we can? And what does best mean anyway? I’ll start by providing my definition for the latter; being my best means I’m listening and responding, I’m going extra yards if necessary to carry out (i.e. not giving up) the task assigned to me either by me or by someone else, I’m doing this in a positive (and probably humorous) frame of mind and I’m communicating with the participants involved in the task in an appropriate manner. If I do at least these four things, then more than likely I’ll be successful in that pursuit.
Achievng these four attributes means laying out a good foundation. Did I sleep well? Am I healthy? Did I exercise today or at least yesterday? Are my relationships working? Are those around me doing well? Is my lifestyle in balance (another topic). And so on. Take away any one of these factors and I’m going to have work a little harder to achieve the being all I can be. Respond with a no to two of these questions and it’s going to become a major effort to be all I can be.
And therein lies the paradox. We can be all we can be even if we respond with a no to all of the above questions (Am I healthy? etc,). It’s just going to be a different being. This is important to me because in our workplace all of us cycle through good times, bad times, worse times and great times. When it’s going great, don’t hold back – be amazing: leap, gush, volunteeer, wow it up, and enjoy. When the bad times flow through, make small goals such as adding a smile.
The more people we work with, the more we appreciate an ability to work well or play well with others. In this life, we see what’s on our plate – relationships, children, spirituality, work and where we live. The dance we do within these spheres and how much we put in this dance is what makes our life. No one I know wants their epitaph on their gravestone engraved with an “I wished I watched more TV, played more video games or got more sleep.” We are remembered by what we gave to all our moments.
Even when blogging…
Cheers,
Bryan Dear
www.payrolldept.biz
