We’ve all heard variations on this theme: today is the first day of the rest of your life
If you were leaving on a vacation or business trip, you’d be packing.
What do we live for?
What’s worth dying for?
OK, not so seriously, but these questions are old. And so difficult to answer.
Shouldn’t we have to ask similar scope questions of everything – about projects that die, initiatives that make or break projects – those issues which divide politics and culture, which fail to unite those who need to be united and widen chasms of unreasonableness between reasonable people. Were those worth dying for?
Obviously not …
Worth fighting for?
Next time an idea withers and dies, or project gets killed – shouldn’t we ask whether it was worth fighting for?
And if they aren’t worth fighting for, why were we spending scarce energy on them?
Was spinning our wheels important?
Of course not. We thought that project had potential, was a really good idea. But looking back, was it that good? Did we give our best efforts?
Are you going anywhere?
Are you plowing ahead with your life, the rest of it out in front of you – looking for hills to die on, battles to avoid so you can live to fight another day and working hard to live without being a cliché?
Well, are you ready?
It’s a long journey. You don’t need a lot of things, but you need clarity don’t you? Pack some of that along with wisdom and perseverance. Know which battles are worth fighting, which principles are worth living for, worth dying for.
Thanks for reading. I appreciate feedback, pro and con, and suggestions to help improve this column and this website are always welcomed - usually published the following day under COMMENTS RECEIVED.
