Jan 04

New Year Faith, Performance, and Persistence

Here we are again at the beginning of the annual time circle. Today starts the first full week of work of a new year. All day I’ve been thinking about what I would offer you.

You have already heard me say I don’t care about New Year’s Resolutions anymore until they are backed up by a true plan of action complete with specific and measurable, motivating, attainable, relevant, and trackable goals (the ubiquitous SMART model.) That remains true. Resolutions without plans are like the wishes a girl makes that she get a pony for her birthday or, a boy wishes his sister would turn into a bug. Nay; for adult dreams to become real they need adult plans of action.

That’s what I intended to write about. But, I would rather offer you a poem of encouragement, and realization about the mystery and magnificence of saying the unsayable, and attempting the BIG hairy outrageous goal you have in mind, so that you persist in your efforts to achieve whatever you dreamed about, resolved, or maturely planned to do, one faithful step at a time.

For all the left-brain thinkers out there, poetry is a great way to open up your creative, non-linear side of both your brain and your spirit. For you right brainers, it may be a gentle reminder to operationalize your creative impulses and insights and stay the course of action even when it appears you are making no progress.

Even with a plan there is no guarantee of success. But, the real deal is to be fully engaged in the process of creating something meaningful - THAT is what life is about. THAT is what business is about (all oversqualked platitudes about results, results, results notwithstanding.) If your plan is something BIG, out of the prevailing view in your circle of friends, family, or coworkers, I hope you appreciate the images in this poem. Enjoy. When I read it, I feel alive and courageous. I hope you enjoy it.

My friend, Bridget Hanley, wrote it. You can read more of her lovely poetry at www.BridgetHanley.com.

Poet Landing [at New Year]
Now that so much of the world is crumbling
And rumbling with change, many of us
May find ourselves more than surprised
By what we say. We may become like fire
Or water with a mouth, may want to express
A love that will likely be misinterpreted,
May find our words going unnoticed
With no seeming place to land
Even as they seep into open, invisible cracks and hasten
The crumbling, drawn into the unknown,
And give birth to what is new.