Call it a personality issue. After all, I am an EFTJ.... a Pioneer in the 5 voices Model -- a D on the DISC, and an 8 on the Enneagram. I build. I conquer.. I get things done. I make things happen. I am passionate about stuff and I am willing to do whatever it takes.
I guess you could call me a Go-Getter. I have this awfully strange personality where I cannot stop myself. But lately I'm wondering if maybe I should make a few changes.
I'm pushing 60 (ok, so I'm only 57 but if you are 57 you may know that being 57 seems an awful lot closer to 60 than being 56). You'd think that I could give myself a break and stop trying to improve myself and be better now that I have reached this age. But if my mom, at 91, continues to talk about asking God to make her a better person, I should probably recognize that growth is a lifetime journey.
We worked through a book together at work last month called the "Go-Giver." It's a business fable -- written in Lencioni style -- and it has one premise summed up in it's title. If you really want to be successful, focus on what you can give them rather than on what you can get. While I'm a little disturbed that the reward in the book is financial success, because that seems a little manipulative, don't you think? (Give to others so you can get back way more. Odd.
Here are the principles in the book:
The Go-Giver Success Principles
The Law of Value Your true worth and impact is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment. The Law of Reward Your impact and income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them. The Law of Influence Your influence is determined by how abundantly you place other people’s interests first. The Law of Authenticity The most valuable gift you have to offer is your authentic self. The Law of Receptivity The key to effective giving is to stay open to receiving.
After reading the book, I feel like I need to make some subtle changes to how I do things. I have to confess that I have watched a LOT of Netflix since we were quarantined in March. I never have been one to watch TV .... like never did until we moved to Virginia (always worked way more than 50 hours a week before coming here). Now that we have less children to worry about and I work reasonable hours, I have free time.
I have spent a great deal of time with CarePortal requests as a volunteer -- and that has been rewarding, but now I am maintaining several complex relationships and feel like I shouldn't add to that.
And yet I want to focus on giving more than I take. I often head into a conversation with an idea of what I think someone else needs when really I need to listen and discover what I need to give to them.
All of that to say this.... I created this website so that there would be a place where people could schedule time with me. The gift of time is huge and I would love to spend some of my free time connecting with others. The agenda is there's. I did this for the first time yesterday and the conversation wasn't quite like I expected -- but I enjoyed it and hope that the other person did as well.
So -- why not schedule a call with me? The agenda is yours! Just click here.
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