Leaders should enjoy today...

Warning, this blog post is somewhat more personal and reflective than ones I have written in the past. Live in the moment and enjoy the journey. I’ve been thinking a lot lately how the older I get the more life just seems to be going by so quick. Maybe it’s watching my children leave home. Maybe it’s watching our baby getting ready to enter kindergarten (note: I have eight kids from age 5 to 22 years old). Maybe it’s the sudden loss of people I love and have adored. Whatever the change, one thing is for sure, there will be more change.

I have realized more now then ever that of course there is no going back, only moving forward. Every moment of my life from the first steps of my children, first haircuts, first loss tooth, first soccer goals, first dances and first driver licenses are gone. Past relationships, homes and communities we have lived in, youth teams I have coached, volunteer work I have done, employment I have had, and teams I have led; they are all memories. I can’t relive any of it, but I can embrace all of it.

It is so easy to take others and life experiences for granted, isn’t it? Sometimes it takes something significant to help us appreciate the “little” things in life that are so unknowingly dear to us.

Many of us, me included, have falsely believed that the next promotion, the next pay raise, the next project, the next job would be the key to our fulfillment; constantly looking forward to tomorrow. Each time we are disappointed until we realize that it’s the relationships in life that bring us the most fulfillment. It’s the relationships at home, at work, in organizations and other facets of our lives that bring us the greatest happiness.

As leaders it’s about nurturing those relationships. It’s the success of others and knowing that we had a part in it that we find our greatest fulfillment, whether that is a child, employee or friend. When it’s all said and done most of the projects we worked on, successful or not, don’t really matter much. But the lives we affect do. That is the best thing about being a leader to me.

So, enjoy the moment leaders, embrace it and create the memories. As I heard someone say recently - if there are too many tomorrows, there will be too few yesterdays. Enjoy the journey.

Mike Rogers

Inspirational Posts

True Inspirational Leadership Story of My Own Two Children - Click Here 

True Inspirational Leadership Story of a Father and Son - Click Here

What Are The Most Important Things in Life? Leadership Lessons - Click Here

Inspiring Others is The Leader's Calling - Click Here

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Comments

[John E. Smith]

Hi, Mike

This was an introspective and very thoughtful post. I appreciate you sharing on such a personal level and agree with your basic message that part of leadership involves modelling authentic and nurturing relationships with others.

This also happened to "pop up" at a great time for me personally. The serendipity that surrounds much of what we do as professionals is often underestimated - our words and actions have impact that we cannot imagine.

Thanks for your past, present, and future leadership. You are one of my favorites!

John

[Mike Rogers]

Thanks John, you are very kind. Every moment of our life has an impact either on ourselves or others. Hopefully we are always gentle, caring, selfless and grateful in our interactions with others.

- Mike