As I was racing to turn in my copy for next week’s social media & email marketing campaign and getting the last approvals to my book editor, I found myself at a crossroads and wondering: are these activities going to help me to achieve peace of mind? Even I, who have the best laid out plans, question sometimes if the outcome will result from this effort.
Tell me, are your efforts helping you to achieve “peace of mind?”
It’s important for you as a leader to ponder this and see, feel or know what it is and are you doing the purposeful work to help yourself and the team you lead to achieve “peace of mind.”
Since “peace of mind” is deeply personal, let me show you what it looks like to me and perhaps in my personal experiences, you can reflect inwards and realize moments when you’ve realized “peace of mind.”
I’ve shared with you many times before through The CEO’s Compass, that in business, we seek true North where everything is running with precision such that you can step back and know your leadership has left a legacy.
Your legacy is not in the numbers. People will remember you for how you made them feel, all moving forward toward a common outcome that exceeds individual results.
Here are a few examples of my own “peace of mind” moments:
- Experiencing moments of uncertainty, but having clarity to know they will find a way: The day I dropped my eldest son off at college, I was saddened when I looked at him looking left and right for someone to connect with as we left him in front of his dormitory. He looked lost, but it was a few months back when we were touring the university that he walked into the community service office and immediately made friends. At the core, my son is a service-oriented individual and connector. I knew he had the skills to connect with people and gave me peace of mind he would find a way and leave a lasting impact on the lives of many. So with that vision in my mind and as we departed his school, I knew in my heart that the momentary vision of uncertainty I saw in my son was just that and I knew that he had all the skills he needed to be successful at school and beyond. That was peace of mind.
- Knowing right from wrong and why: When my middle son was home from college, we went out and enjoyed a few hours of quality time together. When he started sharing his disappointment in the decisions some of his friends made and how they differed from his value system. In that moment I knew my job was done; or at least for a while. While growing up, he challenged us and always marched to his own beat. Little did I know this was strength of character in the making; only needing to be sharpened with life experiences. The maturity of his self-reflection of his choices and the intersection of differences he noticed in others and formulating his own belief system gave me great joy. He had grown up and knew right from wrong and why it was so; showing me his individualism and the ability to make up his own mind vs. the influence of others. That was peace of mind.
- Understanding emotional response and the impact on others: My youngest and only daughter periodically showed emotional outbursts and frustration, but who hasn’t from time to time? Yet, these emotional outburst were followed by a brief moment of reflection and then “Mom, I’m sorry I acted that way.” She later shared what was her point of frustration, why she acted the way she did and was sincerely apologetic for the impact it may have had on me. For that, tears of joy came as I saw this young woman having the courage to express her emotion and the maturity to understand her impact on the world. That was peace of mind.
Do any of these experiences resonate with you?
They can be seen in your children, nieces / nephews or even the people you lead at work. While people can develop these essential skills on their own, when you as a leader can mold individuals in your care and help them to make a greater impact on society it leaves a legacy.
Your role is to steer the ship towards true North (Peace of Mind) which can only be achieved if you keep a watchful eye on all the compass points:
- Purpose
- Performance
- Past
- Pride
- People
- Process
- Platform
- Peace of Mind
This mindset requires bravery on your part, because most experts will speak to you in terms such as profitability, market share, differentiating business model as a testament to your leadership accomplishments. Unfortunately, they are devoid of human impact and leaving a legacy.
The outcome of what you do should be an emotional & physical experience knowing you have sustainability made a difference in the lives of individuals, teams and ultimately customer / client experiences.
Most take the popular road, claim success for achieving a result, but remain forgotten memories for most. You, however, have the insight to seek a road less traveled and achieve Peace of Mind for a lasting impact. The CEO’s Compass – Your Guide to Get Back on Track is that resource that following the road less traveled and will yield rewards that only the others dream of having.
As I finish writing this article on a balcony in Zurich Switzerland where I have the good fortune of a loving husband who sent me to Europe to see my children, I pause and reflect on my journey.
My eldest son and his wife are here for 3 years while she enjoys an amazing post-doctorate assignment and he is interviewing for multinational companies to leave his impact on the world. My middle son is in the military in Germany; ascending a career founded in the principle of protecting the rights and freedom of others. He will join us in Switzerland later this week to celebrate his birthday. While we are enjoying a rich culture with family, my husband will return my daughter to college to continue her studies in Architecture. Her purpose is to create environments for people to live in beautiful urban communities built on a foundation of culture and creativity. I’m so proud of all my children and as a parent; I have Peace of Mind.
If you liked this article and would like more resources like this, The CEO’s Compass is coming out later this month and you can be the first to be notified to order your copy.
As always, I offer you The Drop in CEO Podcast as a resource to receive insights and inspiration from industry leaders who have found Peace of Mind while doing purposeful work; and you can too!
Resources
Good reads
Eat that Frog by Brian Tracy a gentle reminder that time is our most precious commodity and to make the best use of it. I am forever in pursuit of being more efficient and doing the most valuable work I should be doing within my zone of genius and you should too.
Good music
Woods of Chaos by Rob Costlow is a mischievous piece of curiosity and inspiration that I was listening to as I finished this article.
Good people
Maulik Parekh on The Drop in CEO Podcast said something so profound. People say thank god it’s Friday. They don’t say thank god it’s Monday. Why is that? Because so many people are not happy with the work they do. However, in the Gig economy, more and more people are moving towards freelance work. This should be sending a strong signal to those who employ others, they need to evolve the value they provide to their employees; else the will have a hard time filling roles needed to sustain their business.