The Fall Equinox Challenge
Tom Suddes | September 22, 2008
Today at 11:24 Eastern Daylight Time, ‘daylight’ and ‘darkness’ were in PERFECT BALANCE. It’s the Fall Equinox, and it gives me a wonderful opportunity to challenge all of you to SEEK BALANCE.
As a follow-up to the challenges in the last few weeks, I want to challenge YOU (PERSONAL LIFE) and YOUR ORGANIZATION.
BALANCE in your organization might be best presented around the concept of BOTH/AND (vs. either/or).
“The test of first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold TWO OPPOSING IDEAS in mind at the same time… and still retain the ability to function.”
F. Scott Fitzgerald
The goal is to balance the Yin & Yang (the Chinese concept of total opposites coming together to create perfect balance) of organizational development, growth and impact. In an ideal organization, with an elite team, there is the combination (Both/And) of left brain and right brain to achieve great success.
Tom Peters says, “The ‘SOFT STUFF’ is always the ‘HARD STUFF’.”
Zig Ziglar, master motivator, says, “People buy on EMOTION and justify with LOGIC.”
With that in mind, here are some left brain/right brain BALANCE ideas:
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LEFT BRAIN |
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RIGHT BRAIN |
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LOGIC HEAD MANAGE TANGIBLE RATIONAL MIND SHARE EYES VISIBLE STATS NUMBERS HARD SCIENCE OBJECTIVE FOCUS REALITY METHODOLOGY TOOLS MECHANISM PROCESS FAILURE WHAT |
& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & |
MAGIC HEART LEAD INTANGIBLE EMOTIONAL HEART SHARE EARS INVISIBLE STORIES GUT SOFT ART SUBJECTIVE VISION ASPIRATION DELIVERY TRAINING OUTCOMES ACHIEVEMENT SUCCESS WHY |
Regarding your personal life, seeking and finding BALANCE is obviously a major challenge for every one of us.
Zig says “TRUE SUCCESS requires BALANCE. (SUCCESS) is only real if it encompasses physical, mental, spiritual relationships, career and finances.”
I’m going to push a little bit here. The idea that you can’t have reasonable “BALANCE” in your life is an absolute CROCK. After all, it is your life.
It’s not just about work and your career. (It’s why we so often hear the term “GET A LIFE”).
Michael Gelb is one of my favorite authors and thinkers. In MORE BALLS THAN HANDS, he uses the juggling metaphor to help solve this issue of stress, time pressure, and desperate ways to make changes in our lives that will help find balance.
In my own writings, I use the idea of ‘LIFE ROCKS’ as a concept with a double meaning. Yes, Life should ROCK! There are also six LIFE ROCKS that need to be juggled and balanced:
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CAREER | |
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GROWTH |
Here’s the challenge. We are all ‘TERMINAL’. I’ve been around a ton of “workaholics” and supposedly “successful” business people who believe in the impossibility of BALANCING life, family, business and career. They’re all going to die.
When you talk to old people like me, they will tell you that ‘quality time’ vs. ‘actual time’ is just a cop out. That your children will never be this age again. That your parents will eventually be gone. That your brothers and sisters will be spread around the country. That your email box will never empty nor will you ever run out of “stuff” to do.
BALANCE, like so many other things, is a function of PRIORITIES.
MAKE A LIFE… NOT A LIVING.
6 Comments So Far
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Robert Price - September 22nd, 2008 3:55 pm
Thank you for these thoughts on balance.
One of the things I think alot about is perspective. I am privilaged to work with elders in a continuing care retirement community. They help me to have perspective almost every day. They have lost so much in their lives, and struggle almost every day with trying to maintain control, and yet they maintain a sense of legacy and of meaning, of purpose and place.
Those that I admirethe most have come to terms with the balance in their lives. Their lives remain full thorugh family and friends, through service to others, and through involvement in the community. They have, and continue to make a real difference in the world in which they live.
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Nancy Michalko - September 22nd, 2008 7:37 pm
Tom,
The really neat thing is that you don’t just teach this you live it! My life is definitely better having met and worked with you. I will never forget walking around your gorgeous farm thinking that I was completely out of balance. You inspired me to get take a hard look and live and work in harmony.
It took a little while but thanks to you I have a fully integrated life. I am sitting here with my daughter at the kitchen counter- working from a lap top, coaching her with homework and fixing dinner. While that multi-tasking sounds nuts to many- to me its the life I dreamed of.
Thanks for the reminder in today’s message. Life is balance is good!
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admin_fi - September 23rd, 2008 2:30 pm
Robert,
Great point about keeping perspective… especially when working with elders. Many have great life wisdom; and many are also sages, as they term them within the Jewish community.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Tom Suddes
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admin_fi - September 23rd, 2008 2:31 pm
Nancy,
Thanks for your thoughts. I missed talking and working with you. You have always had your life pretty much in control and balance. Not sure I added anything to that except gentle reminders about priorities.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Tom Suddes
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Sarah Cherne - September 23rd, 2008 5:33 pm
Tom,
You are such an inspiration. Thank you for having the courage to say it like it needs to be! Another thought is that we are all here to serve something, be it ourselves (most of America) or more importantly and significantly each other. Another life rock/thought…..I have never seen a hearse with a luggage rack! We need to show people how to engage and give of the three “T’s”, Time, Talent and Treasure! There’s some balance for you!!
Sarah
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Lisa Komp - September 30th, 2008 2:41 pm
Hi Tom,
Great message about balance! You always tell it how it is and challenge us to become better people. Even after 15 years, you continue to inspire me. I still get out your articles or go to the web site when I need inspiration, balance, or (most often) help with whatever For Impact organization I’m working with at the time.
Balance is more of an issue than ever these days… We had baby #3 last year (a girl)! Still keeping my hand in the business — initiated an annual fund at our parish school. (They love it! No more selling wrapping paper!!!!) Had a meeting with our principal at Bob Evans and thought of you and many, many notes jotted on placemats.
Thanks for all your wisdom and your generosity in sharing it with all the rest of us!! You make such an impact in so very many lives!
Lisa Komp
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