Chapter 2 Listening to My Heart

Introduction

I am excited to get into this chapter. It was about going deeper in my quest to lead from the heart. We will look at this chapter’s reflection questions, and I will provide you with my answers as I continue to build and learn more by going deeper and discovering what truly is in my heart.

The reflection questions are taken directly from the book Leaders Look Within- Chapter 2

Reflection #1 – What drives you today? Is this drive heart-driven or mind-driven?

Today, I am much more intentional about what drives me. I love being with family and people at work. I want to bring my “A” game every day, and it starts with my routine each day. I get up, and I get out and get active, outside or at the gym, and I reflect on a particular verse, and I pray for family, coworkers, our church, and our world.

Today, this drive comes from the heart, but it took me a while to get there. I used to spend hours and hours of time processing data and information and looking for answers online or on social media. ?Today, I want to see and understand people. ?I want to grow in awareness of myself and others and live life to the fullest by being in the moment. ?

It has been a huge transformation in how I live, and it started when I wanted to be more heart-driven rather than mind-driven.? Being heart-driven makes me much more intentional about living a life of gratitude.

Reflection #2 – Are you driving so hard it is driving you to bad behaviors: lack of sleep, too much pop or other beverages, constant time on your phone?

I was driving so hard that I thought 4 or 5 hours was good enough and that I really did not need sleep. Caffeine was my drug, and the internet and iPhone were the places I was spending much of my time. I would work out at times to stay active, but I did it more as a checkbox item. I was driving so hard that any little question was making me highly triggered and super reactive. I thought the only way to move up was to go hard and all in. I had this mentality in my career and at home, and eventually, it would catch up with me.

Reflection #3 – Is something missing in your life?

?In my life, I was in the day-to-day so much that I kept checking boxes as part of my day. I thought in my head I was accomplishing a lot, but something was missing. For me, it was “why”. I thought I had a why, working hard to provide for my family but that was what I was doing.? I achieved goals and saw success, but it wasn’t til I really understood why I was doing these things that I really found peace and purpose.? Finding my why was the missing piece. It was the

Chapter 2 – Highlight – ?The Data Experience

“All of this drive for metrics was literally accelerating the way that I was thinking, and I began putting a lot of pressure on myself because I saw success in larger numbers. ‘Because of this, I wanted people to change at the rate I was seeing change. “ p. 15

This drive was literally making my heart race, preventing me from getting deep sleep and was keeping me in front of a computer screen with caffeine and food. It was also making me very reactive to my coworkers, family and friends.? ?I was also putting tremendous pressure on myself and was starting to do a lot more negative self-talk.

?Chapter 2 - Summary

In this chapter, I talk about how I was being consumed with information and data and the toll it was taking on my mind and body. I was quickly starting to go down a path of unhealthy living that was taking me down with it.? Not a good way to live. ?

If you want to learn more, please check out more information about the book at https://ceoofyourheart.com.?