What You're Missing By Constantly Running
Too much too quickly can be overwhelming
“Beware the barrenness of a busy life.”
— Socrates
The span of the last ten days in my household has been a whirlwind, and I’m just catching my breath.
We had a first communion, two birthdays, and a high school graduation. Doctors advise avoiding that much cake intake in such a short period of time.
As we completed each event, we were immediately prepping for the next; only now do I find I have a chance to reflect on each of them. One incident during that span made me realize something important about leadership.
As the graduates exited the auditorium, my son and a group of his friends lit their celebratory cigars (evidently this is a tradition at their school). My son is a very sociable sort, so as he puffed on his cigar, he flitted from group to group to pose for photos.
When he was with us, I warned him to take it easy on the cigar — if you smoke it too quickly, it can affect you. He poo-pooed the notion with that all-knowing attitude that only a graduating high school senior can muster.
By the time he finished with his photos some 20 minutes later, his cigar was down to a stub. And he was down too, sitting on a ledge near the edge of the plaza, leaning over and trying to keep the world from slipping out from beneath him.
The lesson for the day: cigars are meant to be savored rather than quickly consumed.
And so it goes with major accomplishments. We need time to enjoy them afterward as well as in the moment. We need time to reflect.
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