Did You Know? The world is changing faster than it ever has in history. If you want to stay relevant, there is more reason now than ever before to stay true to your mission while constantly challenging your methods?
Check your agenda at the door
When you are asked to join a task force, coalition or alliance there is usually an assumption made on the part of the organizers that you will leave your personal agenda at the door and apply your skills and experiences toward achieving the goals of the group.
Unfortunately far too often this is an implicit assumption instead of being explicitly stated and agreed to by all the participants.
Ideally the agenda and goals of the group will be similar to your personal ones but they will almost never be identical. If they are not close enough that you can fully support them you are better off not joining in the first place than frustrating the process and work of the group by constantly trying to make their agenda your agenda.
Unfortunately far too often this is an implicit assumption instead of being explicitly stated and agreed to by all the participants.
Ideally the agenda and goals of the group will be similar to your personal ones but they will almost never be identical. If they are not close enough that you can fully support them you are better off not joining in the first place than frustrating the process and work of the group by constantly trying to make their agenda your agenda.
Agreeing on definitions
When you work with a group of people on a project it is critical that you agree on a set of common definitions (preferably at the beginning if you don't want to waste a lot of time). It is amazing how often people use the same words but mean totally different things.
The Week in Review
- I finished my third full week of training for the Ocean Drive 10 Miler and the Long Branch Half Marathon. Got to do my long run outside for the first time in 4 weeks which was wonderful. Next week is a light week of training which my body is looking forward to.
- I started reading The Shack.
- The blood drive last Sunday was fantastic. 47 pints were donated. You can see the pictures here.
- I think Tuesday was a good day for our country.
- The restructuring process I am part of at work is getting really interesting.
- Went to see Chris Tomlin in concert last night. He shared about a neat cause called One Million Can.. It is built on a similar concept to how we hope to fund the ongoing operations of Connor's House so it really resonated with me.
Go Back to the Beginning
When you loose your way, when you hit a major roadblock, when you make a huge mistake and you think your dream has been lost, don't give up.
Go back to the beginning. Remind yourself what your dream was and why it is so important. Take a deep breath. Refocus yourself and your team. Take stock in what you have accomplished and what you have learned. Then start again.
The Wright brothers first plane did not fly. Apollo 1 happened before Apollo 11. Edison discovered at least 1,000 ways not to make a light bulb before discovering 1 way to do it. The first (and still only) children's respite and end of life care facility in the United States took over 10 years to develop.
Go back to the beginning. Remind yourself what your dream was and why it is so important. Take a deep breath. Refocus yourself and your team. Take stock in what you have accomplished and what you have learned. Then start again.
The Wright brothers first plane did not fly. Apollo 1 happened before Apollo 11. Edison discovered at least 1,000 ways not to make a light bulb before discovering 1 way to do it. The first (and still only) children's respite and end of life care facility in the United States took over 10 years to develop.
Because You Matter
This quote describes so simply, yet elegantly, one of the primary goals for building Connor's House and what we hope to accomplish.
"You matter because you are you. You matter to the last moment of your life, and we will do all we can not only to help you die peacefully, but also to help you live until you die." Cicely Saunders, M.D. St. Christopher's Hospice
A Good Day
Today was a good day for our country. It showcased everything that is good about the United States of America. We witnessed the peaceful transfer of power between two men who by most accounts do not agree on to many things other than their love for, and desire to serve, this country. Today, unlike any other day I can remember in my life, our country came together to celebrate and to hope. Today we put aside our differences, no matter how large or small, because we recognized something historic was taking place and we all wanted to be part of it, together. Only history will tell us for sure, but today may well be a day that defines a generation. For the greatest generation there was Pearl Harbor. For the baby boomers there was John F. Kennedy's assassination, Martin Luther Kings I have a dream speech, and the first moon landing. For my generation there was Ronald Reagan being shot, the Challenger and the Berlin Wall coming down. For the current generation, today just might be another one of those days...either way, today was a good day for our country.
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