Eight Years Ago Today...

… after finishing an intense two-day consult in SoCal, I was sitting in my rental car wondering how I was going to summon the energy to get myself and the car back to the airport.

Just then, my son Andrew called. He sensed something in my voice and said, "Whazzup?"

"Andrew, I'm so exhausted, I don't know how I'm going to get on that plane tonight. I've got to take the red-eye to DC, then fly back to San Francisco to give a keynote on Friday."

He paused, then said, "Mom, there's something about you I don't understand. You have your own business. You can do anything you want, and you're not taking advantage of it."

Out of the mouths of 20-somethings.

He didn't stop there, "Why don't you play hooky for a couple days? I'll book you into a local hotel, you can work from there, and then just fly up to San Fran on Friday."

Once again, out of the mouths of 20-somethings.

An hour later, I was nestled in a comfy bed at the Laguna Beach Hotel. I woke up the next morning to the sounds of the surf and the smell of the sea breeze through my open window.

I was about to get up and get to work, when I realized... I didn't have to.

I rolled over, plumped up the pillow, and went back to sleep.

It had been years (decades?) since I had gone back to sleep. (You too?)

Later that morning, I woke up rested, refreshed, raring to go. I decided to explore. I remembered I had my ConZentrate book with me and impulsively threw it in my backpack so I'd have something to read.

I pulled it out at lunch and started reading. Yes, my own book. (Hah! Is this the equivalent of taking your own advice?)

And I re-discovered an exercise in the chapter titled Are You Having the T.I.M.E. of Your Life? T.I.M.E. stands for:

T = Thoughts

I = Interests

M = Moments

E = Energy

The intent of that book wasn't just to teach HOW to focus in different situations; the equally important intent was to ask, "WHAT am I focusing on?"

I developed a 4 Minute quiz to help us clarify whether we're spending our T.I.M.E. on the right things.

As I answered the questions that afternoon in Laguna Beach, two important AHA's emerged.

I was doing lots of things I didn't want to - and not doing lots of things I wanted to do.

And as John Legend says, "The future is already here, and we are already late."

That's one reason I headed out for for a Year by the Water on Oct. 1, 2016. I sailed the Chesapeake Bay, swam with Zach the Dolphin in Florida, attended a photography workshop in Monet's Garden.

People often ask, "What was your favorite place?"

I smile, "It wasn't about the places, it was about the people and the epiphanies."

I had the privilege of interviewing people from around the world, asking. “Are you happy? If so, why? If not, why not?"

The vast majority said they were happy... kind of.

Mostly they were ... busy … and tired.

They rarely had any “free” time to do something where they felt rested, refreshed, refueled.

They were in everyone else's story but their own.

This is particularly timely as I just spoke on this topic last week for the Women's CEO Summit in Wash DC.

Everyone in the audience filled out the 4 Minute Box quiz and then debriefed their answers.

A common theme? How burnt out they were.

Sound like anyone you know?

Socrates said, "An unexamined life is not worth living."

George Lucas said, "I wish there were ten of me, and we could each be doing what we wanted to do."

Once again, sound like anyone you know?

I hope you'll take the time to fill out this quiz. (Link in comments below.)

In fact, I hope you print it out, share it, and discuss it with friends, family members, and your team.

I hope you share important truths - and have an honest discussion about how everyone filled out their quiz so, together, you can plan days that are more in alignment with your VIN - Values. Interests. Needs.

And I hope you start spending more time with - and on - your true priorities, starting today.

After all, when Yogi Berra was asked, “What time is it?" he said, "You mean now?"

Your T.I.M.E. is now.

Hope you'll answer those questions, act on your insights, and share your epiphanies with us.

The more we hear about people who have changed their life for good; the more likely we are to think, "If they can do it, so can I," and the more likely we are to act with AGEncy? and create the quality of life we want, need, and deserve.

Thanks again Andrew for prompting that pattern interrupt which catalyzed that pivot.

I'm so grateful for those life-changing experiences and lessons, and will honor them by continuing to spend my T.I.M.E. on what matters most.

- - -

P.S. If these might be the right words at the right time for someone you know, feel free to share this post and quiz with them.