Here is your last seven-bullet Monday for January - 2023 is already flying by
1. A quote I am pondering:
“It is your life; make it great.” – Anonymous
I love this little quote because it squarely puts the onus of responsibility on our shoulders to make our lives great. Let’s stop looking everywhere else for motivation and incentivization and instead stoke up that internal flame.
2. A question I am asking myself:
How do I live in the moment?
There is much to be said for not worrying about the future or repeatedly chewing over past failures and disappointments. Instead, I can embrace the here and now, be truly present and fully experience all the gifts the present moment has to offer me.
3. A book I am reading:
Trust and Inspire: How Truly Great Leaders Unleash Greatness in Others – Stephen M.R. Covey
When someone first mentioned this book to me, I had my doubts, thinking that Steven Covey junior was trying to ride the wave of his late father, Steven Covey’s success, with books like The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Instead, I found this an excellent and read-worthy book on working to change leadership styles from “command and control” to “trust and inspire.” People want to be led, not just managed. This book showed how the “trust and inspire” leadership model can nurture people’s creativity and collaboration and help them become the best version of themselves to produce their best work.
4. What I am learning
Clean energy sets a $1.1 trillion record
Last year saw two firsts on the renewable energy front. It was the first time global investment in renewable energy exceeded $1 trillion. Secondly, it was the first year where energy transition investment equalled global fossil fuel investment. It has taken a long time to get to this point, considering how incredibly efficient fossil fuel combustion has become, given its plus one hundred year evolution. Yet today, renewable power is broadly the cheapest power generation available, making the global transition more accessible and more beneficial for our planet.
5. The highlight of my week
I had another two significant highlights from last week:
Getting an all-clear on my first medical in 13 years
My last annual (sic) medical was in 2009. That’s a long time without a checkup, so I finally got a comprehensive one done with Telus Health in late December. I got all the results this week and a clean bill of health to celebrate. I will be doing my next one before 2035 😊.
2. Ice skating for the first time in 35 years
Having got my Canadian citizenship last week, I was told by several people that, to consummate my Canuck status, I had to prove I could skate. I grew up in Zimbabwe, which had one ice rink in the entire country, and even that broke down. So, 35 years later and very rusty, I got on the ice, patiently coached by Leanne. I avoided falling over and even did a pretend slapshot #HughCanSkate.
6. Hugh-bits
Understanding what people want and need from me
I have never been particularly good at giving the best of myself in relationships. I have not always understood the context, the intention, the ask, or how I am being heard or felt. Robert Greene’s books on human nature, with some coaching from those more skilled than me, have helped. Now I need to work on listening carefully, understanding everything at play, and hopefully saying what needs to be said.
7. My challenge for you for this week
Make sure you do something every day towards your long-term goals.
January 2023 is already done; before we know it, Q1 2023 will also be done. As Jim Rhon said, “Either you run the day, or the day runs you.” If we want a stellar 2023, we must always keep an eye on our longer-term goals and make sure we progress these daily. These don’t necessarily need to be significant steps – they could be as small as making a note, putting something in the diary, or just reading the goals repeatedly. What they do is keep the momentum, keep us thinking about them, and stop the busyness of our days, robbing us of meaningful progress.
Have a fantastic week