Here’s how to make the most of it.
?? Michael Bungay Stanier
Author of *The Coaching Habit* (1 million+ sold), *How to Work with (Almost) Anyone* & more ? I help people unlock greatness: theirs and others' ? #1 thought leader on coaching ?Top rated keynote speaker ? Rhodes Scholar
The following is an excerpt from my free weekly newsletter The Works . Each edition shares an insight, tool or story that will help you be a force for change, written by me, MBS - recognized as the #1 thought leader on #coaching in the world. Subscribe to get the full impact delivered straight to your inbox.
You’ve got time
I’ve been away teaching for a week at the Modern Elder Academy, a movement for people in mid-life to realize that this isn’t the end but just the beginning of good things.
I was a student as well as a teacher. One thing I learned was that 54 works as the midpoint of your adult life. 36 years ago you were 18 and starting the whole adulting thing; in 36 years time you’ll be 90 and close to being done with the whole game.
The campus is in Baja California, which confusingly is not in California at all, but is a state of Mexico. It’s the top part of that long peninsula that stretched down the west coast like a pinkie finger. That landscape is sparse. Shrub, cacti, hills, and long, beautiful, desolate, beaches. Most evenings I went for a walk on the beach, and became fascinated with taking photos of the surf and the stars. I love that there’s light billions of years old present with the transience of a wave forming and dissolving.?
I’ve got time. You do too.
In between the waves and the stars there were 16 “modern elders” figuring out what to do with their one wild and precious life . And because you teach what you need to learn, I was there doing exactly the same.
The details of who decided to do what don’t matter so much.
What really matters is that, if you want it, there’s adventure ahead,
In my time I’ve called it many things: Great Work; a Worthy Goal; Something that Matters;? A Next Big Thing. (I’ll probably come up with some other labels before I’m done.)
No matter which one rings most true to you, they all have at their heart: thrilling (lights you up), important (adds to the world), and daunting (takes you to your edge).
When you say Yes to adventure, you somehow get a different grip on time. You speed up out of the doldrums. You slow down the frantic-ness of life.
Time and purpose become aligned.
Know that you’ve got time.
What's at the heart of this for you?
Keep it up sir!
ICF-Accredited Coach Trainer | ???? ??????
4 个月In the grand scheme of things, we've got time. Such a powerful concept.
Advisor to cities, institutions on "net-zero energy" investments.
4 个月Michael, I would enjoy a chat someday about your enlightening work. ?John
Retreattravel - Your creative partner for planning your events & retreats. Regain your inner peace with our consulting. Founder Glow - center for higher & sensory perception | Coaching
4 个月Michael, so what a post.. drifty, reminiscent and the content on 54.. next year its my turn.. Big Thank you.. ????
Real Estate Agent | Social Selling Specialist | Living in Brisbane Business Networking | Speaker
4 个月Distinguishing between what's urgent and what's important is crucial for strategic focus. I've found that urgency often shouts louder than importance, yet the quiet pull of important tasks typically drives long-term success. Curious to hear, Michael, how do you suggest individuals recalibrate their priorities when urgency seems to dominate their attention? #PriorityManagement #LeadershipDevelopment