September 23rd, 2014
As I reflected on the recent Labor Day holiday, I realized that we have become a nation of laborers.
We love to labor. We are busy, busy, busy, doing, doing, doing.
When we face a big challenge or a difficult situation, we labor. We cancel vacation, skip lunch, work through the weekend, and stay late to fix the problem, put out the fire, accomplish the result.
To succeed, we labor. We struggle, strive, do whatever it takes. We put in the hours, persevere, expend blood, sweat, and tears-no pain no gain!
Our heads are filled with what we need to, have to, should, and must do. We do things to force ourselves to get motivated. We even go into labor when we are giving birth to our children!
In my Managing Thought® workshops on Inspired Leadership, I ask everyone to think of the best and worst leaders they have ever worked with and what about these leaders made them the best and worst.
The big aha! is that nothing on these lists is about doing. It’s all about being:
Being of service.
Being honest, sincere, humble, trusting, consistent.
Being thoughtful, caring, compassionate.
Being thankful, appreciative, giving, and forgiving.
Being open, receptive, adaptable, curious.
Being a teacher and a continuous learner.
Being energetic, optimistic, fun.
Being on purpose, intentional, inspired, and inspiring.
It’s about BEING a leader.
As a nation, we tend to do in order to become. We have practiced and mastered believing that doing, motivating, forcing – laboring – brings results. It doesn’t. It brings linear, less than 10%, kind of changes, short-term results. And we find ourselves stressed, ill, unhappy, and uninspired.
Being brings step-function changes, profound change, significant and long-term results. And we find ourselves happy, healthy, and energized.
When we are being, we focus on being who we are and what we truly wish to create in any moment. The ideas on how to BE and what we could create naturally follow, naturally flow. Our channels are open, our minds are clear, and remarkable things start to happen.
We start being our highest vision of ourselves. We notice the difference we are making. Our work becomes effortless and we become energized because our decisions and actions are inspired.
Many of us do in order to become – at some time in the future.
When I am being, I am being what I am becoming-right now. I AM my highest vision, I AM inspired, I AM whatever I am choosing to become right NOW-in this moment and in this moment and in this moment.
Stuff happens all day long. In every moment I have the opportunity to BE what I am becoming, no matter what has happened or is happening. I have the power to pause, take a breath, and wonder how I could BE a leader right now, BE a parent, BE a friend, BE of service, BE thankful, BE happy, BE healthy, BE the change I wish to see in the world…BE whatever I choose to BE.
I invite you to notice when you are operating from a love of labor-when you are busy doing, in a state of fear and force, trying to motivate yourself or others, in the need to/have to/must mode.
Change it to a labor of love and inspiration. Take a breath (perhaps several breaths) and wonder:
- How can I BE my highest vision right now?
- What can I create from this?
- How could I be of highest service right now?
- How could I help?
- How could I demonstrate love and ignite inspiration?
Then take some time to be quiet. Take a walk, get some fresh air, exercise, do what you enjoy and WONDER.
We all have the ability to wonder and get our answers.
What’s your M.O.? Love of labor or labor of love? Being or Doing?