Another special time is upon us. It's a time for celebration, a time with friends and family, decorations, parties and good food.
This Independence Day weekend, the waterways are bobbing with boats filled with fun times. The smell of smoky barbeque wafting throughout the neighborhood as grills sizzle with burgers, steaks, chicken and kabobs.
Youngsters are jumping in and out of backyard swimming pools or building what could be their last sandcastles of the summer. Yes, it’s a good time and the holiday weekend will feel way too short.
Then, it’s back to work and time to look forward to the next six months of the year. I know you don’t want to think about it right now, but this is really the best time to think about how to move forward in the right direction.
You see, while you’re relaxed and have a few extra hours when you’re not stressed out about reports or lagging revenue, and leisurely sipping on lemonade and munching on fruit, you’re more likely to move past your anxiety and into a growth mindset. You’re more likely to dream about the possibilities that await you.
So I invite you to sit back and think about what you can do in the next six months to elevate your organization, business or career.
You might ask yourself, what didn’t I accomplish in the first six months, that I need to accomplish during the next six months? You might also ask yourself, what didn’t work, and why? You might think about how you can correct any mistakes or make up for lost time during this second half of the year.
This is not a time to cast blame on yourself or others, or belly ache about woulda, shoulda, coulda’s. It’s a time to look forward to the future. Yes, it’s good to reflect on the past in order to learn from past actions, but be careful not to wallow in negativity.
Think of the next six months as a beautifully wrapped, bow-covered gift. Now imagine, as you leisurely sip on your lemonade, that the box contains exactly what you want. That gift might be the contract that you’ve been working to acquire for several months. It might be a promotion, the keys to a new car or a new home. It might be letters to students who will receive the scholarships that your foundation or family fund is presenting to them.
Make your thoughts as precise as you can and just sit with it for a while. Let the joy that you feel just thinking about the accomplishment roll around your mind. Then, begin to add the steps in your mind that you need to take to make your thoughts a reality.
Jot down your vision and your thoughts now, because once you get back to work, other demands will take over and you’ll forget about the gift box and the joy you felt. You’ll soon get bogged down in daily tasks, resolving problems and making money.
For now, just enjoy the dream, illuminate the vision, sip on your lemonade and plot your future.
