I believe in the power of a strong plan. Plans are not formed in a vacuum. Plans are not based on what we think we can afford, or what we already have, or how much time is left. Plans are more than dreams, or hopes, or guesses. Our strongest plans grow out of our shared values and vision. Our plans are founded on who we are, why we are working together, and where we are going. We need to know ourselves well and share... Read more
There are times when we just want to sit and be comfortable for a while. We want things to be normal, typical, predictable. We have our own perspective on what life should be like and how to deal with the way we like it. We see life in ways that make sense to us, and just want things to work that way for a while. We do not want to be asked to stretch, to reach further than we want to reach.... Read more
Some people see spiritual life as enormous. They experience spiritual life as about absolute, universal truths. Even when they are cosmic and philosophical, spiritual life is more than that. Spiritual life is all about deep truths that are beyond our ability to understand and describe. Spiritual life deals with the infinite, which is another concept we cannot truly grasp. Wherever we set a boundary or find an analogy, spiritual life is more. What amazes me, and what can be difficult to remember, is that spiritual life... Read more
We dream of having and enjoying it all. We want lives filled with deep meaning, rewarding experiences, and lots of fun. We want life with the works, life with everything. No one aspires to live a plain, dull, boring life. We want lives we can savor, with extra flavor and plenty of spices. We want to taste all that life has to offer. We dream of lives like a hot dog with the works; mustard, relish, onion, pickle, chili, cheese. Make me one with everything. We want... Read more
Some people believe that leadership is all about knowing things. They expect leaders to be experts, to have all the information they need at their fingertips. They believe leaders should know things, or at least be able to find answers quickly. Not only facts and information, leaders really ought to know what is going to happen next. How can leaders possibly lead without knowing everything? I have worked with people who felt they needed to know everything, anticipate everything, be prepared... Read more
Spiritual life is all about love. Love is the seed of spiritual life, and the soil in which it is planted. Love feeds and nurtures spiritual life. Spiritual life is how we learn to love ourselves. Love is how we share spiritual life with the people around us. Love sparks our appreciation for and commitment to the Sacred. Love is how we make a true difference in the world. For spiritual life, love is what teaching and thinking are for... Read more
We all want to live lives filled with joy and satisfaction, to be fulfilled and go from triumph to triumph. We recognize that challenges teach us important lessons. We recognize we will be able to look back on these struggles with gratitude. What we really want to is to have already learned the lessons and be beyond the challenges. We want the assurance that life will work the way we hope it will. We read books and see movies that... Read more
Some leadership is like winter; everything is under the surface, hidden by cold layers of ice and snow. Some leadership is like spring; plowing new ground and planting seeds. Some leadership is like summer; tending, watering, helping people grow and produce. Some leadership is like autumn; sparking explosions of color and harvesting rich crops. Autumn is the time of reaping what we have sown and nurtured. It is the most exciting season, as trees burst into flaming color. As the days get colder and daylight... Read more
We believe, deep inside, that spiritual life only happens in certain places, when we act in certain ways. Some of us know that spiritual life means we must wear special clothes, or think special thoughts. It is accompanied by particular music, associated with specific sights, aromas, and tastes. We may associate spiritual life with sitting in silence or joyful dancing, with hearing a word or reading sacred texts. Our spiritual life may be primarily emotional or analytical, based on deep truths or shared experiences. We... Read more
I grew up knowing that I could change the world, that one person could make a difference. It was a time of tremendous potential. I believed people who told me that we were making progress, we were solving problems, the future would be better. The key was understanding and using the right instruments of change in the right ways. When we had the knowledge we needed, we would change the world. I went to school for a long time. I... Read more
Strategic Monk
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