Key Point: The blog about my 7-year-old grandson created a lot of response from readers about the simple beauty and multiple “lessons” connected to a child’s fishing victory.
A friend I used to work with sent the following in response:
“It is amazing that when you stop, look and listen to the things in life that seem so complex, come clearly into view. I read this speech by Brian Dyson (former CEO of Coca-Cola) and it really helped in making sure we think about what are the right things to focus on:
‘Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them – Work, Family, Health, Friends and Spirit and you’re keeping all of these in the air.
You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls – Family, Health, Friends and Spirit – are made of glass. If you drop one of these; they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for it.
Work efficiently during office hours and leave on time. Give the required time to your family, friends and have proper rest. Value has a value only if its value is valued.’”
As summer ends, and the fall season grabs hold with added work intensity, it seems like a good time to examine our juggling prowess.
Character Moves:
- How are you and I doing juggling the “glass balls:” Family, health, friends and spirit? What adjustments can we make? What are the consequences if we don’t?
- Hard work and achieving results at work are obviously important. No excuses allowed. However, no organization worth contributing to should require you and I to damage or break one of the glass balls. Achieving valued work results and juggling the other fragile components of life is something you and I (not the organization) are responsible for. It takes intentional COURAGE and SELF CONFIDENCE to juggle well.
- Follow CEO Dyson’s guideline: “Work efficiently during office hours and leave on time. Give the required time to your family, friends and have proper rest. Value has a value only if its value is valued”
Note: the great thing about working with mobile tools is that for many of us, “office hours” and “leaving on time” are antiquated concepts. The key thing is to give the organization expected or better value while we also invest in the other life parts so we grow our personal equity in the most complete way.
Great Juggling in the Triangle,
Lorne
One Millennial View: Now, more than ever, it seems we can successfully “juggle” glass balls without it having an affect on the rubber ball. When Joan Rivers passed away yesterday, it sent my entertainment news team into hyper drive, right at lunch hour, as some editors and our voice over guy had stepped out to eat… Uh oh… Although we were prepared for the anticipated death, it still was a unique situation that required me to tunnel focus on the task. I needed to produce the news in light speed, and the clock was ticking… Just prior, I was in a personal text convo with someone. I chose to ignore my vibrating desk. I now needed to focus on my rubber ball more than one of my glass ones… This happens, and is completely understandable when explained. Phew, glass ball unscathed. But, 99 percent of the time, there’s no such thing as “too busy” anymore, so let’s not shatter glass balls and blame the rubber one unless we’re intending to… (Sometimes glass balls can’t take hints).
– Garrett
Edited and published by Garrett Rubis