STOP PRESSING THE SNOOZE BUTTON

“FELIPE, DAVID, IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP!” – a harsh, almost screaming voice came from the hallway every morning. It was 1988, I was 12 years old, and I was a foreign student in the US. David slept in the bottom bunk.

As a matter of fact, I could hear when Mr. Hill opened his bedroom door and before he said anything, I was awake, ready to get up and get ready for school.

Somewhere between 1988 and today, I discovered the “snooze” button and learned to totally enjoy those last 5 minutes before really waking up.

WAKE UP – COVID-19 IS HERE!

I first heard about Coronavirus through a Meme, I didn’t even laugh because I had no clue on what they were talking about. Looking at it today, it is a little funny.

I ignored it, I pressed the “snooze” button and moved on.

Later I heard that some people were dying in China. Too far away “snooze”

A couple of weeks later, America announced some cases, and that it might spread to México. “snooze” We can keep doing the same things we have always done.

Here is where the big news came in: Everybody must stay at home because it is too dangerous to be outside! This felt like FELIPE, DAVID, TIME TO WAKE UP!!!

Immediately I told my wife: our children are not going to school until this is over! This was one week before the authorities made it official.

However, some people kept pressing the Snooze button, like my dad, who is 73 years old and kept going out into public places for a couple of weeks. He still has a hard time adjusting to stay home. Like him, so many people are ignoring the safety instructions.

IT′S NOT ABOUT WAKING UP, IT’S ABOUT CREATING A NEW PERSPECTIVE!!!

It feels like, for so long, so many people have been running on default mode: get up, get dressed, go to work, maybe exercise a little, come back home, have dinner and go to bed, day after day, chasing fortune, recognition, fame, followers, likes, etc.

I am not suggesting that working hard for a goal is wrong, however, so many people sacrifice their family to achieve those goals, moreover most people have totally stopped cultivating their spirituality. In other words, when the material/fame goals become the “life purpose” they are very far from bringing happiness. Under the argument that “you can’t have all you want” they end up sacrificing what really makes them happy. But you know what, you can have everything you want, the trick is to not leave out your spiritual, family, professional or ‘self’ goals.

Now that maybe you have the time to look inside and remember what is most important for you, it is highly possible that you will prioritize your interests, needs and satisfactions in a different order.

Some people didn’t press the snooze button at all, for some of us it took a week or two, for some will take a bit longer, and some will go back and try to live as if nothing happened.

Which one are you?

HUMAN DIMENSIONS IN YOUR OWN PERSPECTIVE.

Spiritually: To have a close and loving relationship with our creator, which bring us to understand that we are all connected. We are all part of an immense universe, governed by a higher intelligence that does not exist or work randomly. Acknowledge that looking inside is at least as important as looking outside. Ask yourself

• How do I cultivate my spirit, my soul?
•  How do I connect with others spiritually? Would that make me treat them different?
• How can I flow with the universe and serve it?
• What kind of leader do I want to be?
• If you believe in God, how can I cultivate my relationship with Him?
• If you don’t believe in God, how can I cultivate my relationship with the universe, nature or whatever explanation that helps you find meaning to your life.

Family: when we get married and promise to love, respect and honor each other “until death do us part”, we really mean it. To transcend through our family, leaving a legacy through our children and loved ones is part of our nature. Too often, difficulties, disagreements or misunderstandings tend to make us forget that goal. Ask your self.

• Am I really honoring my promise?
• What legacy am I leaving for my children?
• How can I transcend through my family?
• Have I integrated spirituality to my family?
• How can I cultivate my relationship with my family members?

Professional: career growth comes from learning to add value. That’s the difference from a CEO to a manager or bricklayer. Adding value, is not adding working hours. People that climb in companies are those that understand how to add more value than what their position is expected to. In doing that, satisfaction in your work has a significant growth and probably your income grows too. It also works for entrepreneurs. Ask yourself

·        Am I adding more value than I am expected?

·        Is it really worth it to put in over 60 hours a week?

·        Am I sacrificing my family and spirit for the work? Is it worth it?

·        Do I see people as means or as ends?

·        How can I cultivate my relationship at work?

·        What can I do to add more value and what kind of leadership will it take?

Self: to have the mental and physical capacity to fulfill all the spiritual, family and professional expectations. Mentally, our capacity to learn lasts our entire life. Cultivating knowledge is optional and it depends on your long term goals (if you have any). Physically, if you eat healthy, you don’t need to diet, and exercising can start at 15 minutes a day. Ask your self

·        Am I taking good care of my body and mind?

·        Is my body ready for the challenges that my long-term goals need?

·        Am I aware of my strengths and weaknesses?

·        Am I aware of my emotions and how the influence my leadership and decisions?

·        What are my aspirations, my long term and transcendent goals?

·        What do I need to learn to add more value, have a greater family and cultivate spiritually?

ONCE YOU STOP PRESSING THE SNOOZE BUTTON

What is happening in our world is catastrophic in so many ways, but it is also an opportunity to shift and reset. Here are four simple steps.

 ONE

Ask your heart what is most important for you. Not what society, family or tradition say it is important, what YOU think is most important.

I want to share with you an old video where Stephen Covey gives a perfect example of rearranging priorities https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyL93MlR_I0

TWO

Remember the African Proverb “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

Get your Stakeholders involved: Talk to your spouse, children and parents, talk to your boss, coworkers and employees, and most of all, talk to your priest, pastor, Shaman or spiritual guide.

Find out what their expectations are align them to your vision.

TREE

Write down an action plan to help you get there and share it with as many people as you can.

If you don’t write it down, you’ll probably forget it.

If you write it down and put it in your drawer, there are no consequences of not going through. But when you share it, you are compromised with yourself and your stakeholders.

FOUR

Experiment new ways to lead your life. If it doesn’t work, plan again and experiment again.

If it works, practice it until it becomes part of you.

STOP PRESSING THE SNOOZE,

START NOW!

 Lee el artículo en Espa?ol https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/deja-de-presionar-el-bot%25C3%25B3n-snooze-felipe-moreira

Felipe Moreira is a Certified EQ-i 2.0 coach, HeartMath Certified Trainer. He has a Leadership Transformation Program that works individually and as workshops. He's mentored people of different ages and backgrounds, from new graduates to General Directors,

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