Well, here we go again!
Another year will get underway in just a matter of hours. What’s in store for us? No one knows, of course. But we can still make plans and look at possibilities.
Age and experience affect our actions, but it is our personal focus and attitude that will guide us as we venture into new arenas.
C.S. Lewis gave us plenty to think about by writing, “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” Here’s an interesting analogy that is appropriate as we look at a new year.
At this time of year, many of us think about doing things differently as part of our list of New Year’s resolutions. We set goals and we dream, but what is necessary is often missing. Action. Consider this example of the difference between thinking and doing.
Picture a beautiful boat tied up to a dock. Make it a yacht. Imagination is free.
Now imagine going on board and exploring all the equipment, all the facilities, all the amenities. Imagine traveling to distant seas and visiting new lands.
Check the maps — oh, sorry — the GPS chart plotter, and plan your journeys.
Just think of all you could have accomplished if only the boat wasn’t still tied to the dock.
Now think about visiting that boat — yacht — again and again, and imagine traveling to those distant locations and having those different experiences.
Over time, you would become expert in every facet of the vessel, the equipment and it’s myriad capabilities and limitations.
But imagining isn’t sailing!
Engaging in discussions and debates with colleagues who are similarly engaged might add to the body of knowledge and the speculation and the research for alternatives. That might be interesting and it might be fun and challenging.
But it means nothing if the boat remains tied to the dock!
Remember the adage, “A boat was never designed to remain tied to a dock. It was always intended to move.”
To assist with moving both our business growth and our personal development, consider this advice from Henry David Thoreau. “Live the life you have imagined.”
Making resolutions is a great beginning, but remember to add two items to your plans: how you will start and when you will start. Those two items will help you untie the lines. And that might be the hardest part of the task because the beginning is usually the most important part of any work. (Thanks to Plato for that thought.)
Consider these ideas for starters on this New Year. Think about the people you’ll be working with and for during the coming year. Consider how you can influence them and encourage them to help you help the business. Here are a few “one-liners” to get you started.
I offer a few ways to finish this sentence. The people around you want you to know that …
They do have good ideas. They want to contribute to company success. They really do work hard. This job is only part of their lives. What you do affects them. What they do affects you. They want you to listen to them. They deserve your respect. Just as you do, they, too, want to feel valued. They’ll eventually find out what’s going on, so you better tell them.
By themselves, none of these one-liners is groundbreaking, but together they can adjust our perspective and help us in our business relationships. They certainly deserve consideration.
So, at the start of the New Year, make your list of resolutions, set your goals, plot your course, untie the lines, and get started. The winds might change but you can always adjust your course to reach your destination.
The result of taking action can be surprising.
St. Francis of Assisi gave us encouragement when he wrote, "Start by doing what is necessary, then do what is possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”
That journey will be exciting!
Happy New Year to all.
Siesta Key resident J. Robert Parkinson, who has a doctorate in communications from Syracuse University, is an author, executive communication coach and consultant to companies throughout the U.S. and abroad. His books include, "Be as Good as You Think You Are" (Motivational Press), written with his wife, Eileen; "Becoming a Successful Manager" (McGraw-Hill) and "You Can't Push A String" (Black Opal Books). Contact him at joropa@northwestern.edu.