There are two simple truths in the world of leadership.
First, nearly everything we are doing today in the business world and in our personal lives is a reflection of the decisions and choices we made five to seven years ago. Most of those decisions and choices have been forgotten. They are just water under the bridge. Today, what we experience is the sum of our past decisions and choices.
Second, the decisions and choices we are making today and in particular this summer moving toward this fall will significantly influence the life and work we will be doing five to seven years from now. Our future is a reflection or today’s decisions.
When we grasp that the year 2019 is a reflection of the decisions we made between 2012 - 2014, and that the decisions we make this year will define and influence our life and work in 2024 - 2026, then all of a sudden we need to slow down and be more thoughtful. Our choices need to be less random or rushed. Instead, they need to be filled with clarity of intent and more purpose-driven. We need to be more careful on so many levels.
When I meet with young leaders and explore these two truths with them, most are blown away by the magnitude of this perspective. They get it and they realize how rarely we actually sit down and think before we make decisions that have long term impact. But with support and encouragement, many people can reclaim their ability to do thoughtful decision-making because they recognize that today was once the future, and that tomorrow will one day be today.
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