From
the Bottom of the Bucket
Learn to Bend, Before You Break
“Just Keep Swimming” – Dori, the Regal Blue Tang "Finding Nemo/Finding Dori"
I write this month's post with a sense of stability that has eluded me over my six month health ordeals. I want to return to the theme of change and how to adapt The System, so it will continue to provide a foundational structure for dealing with adjustments that must be made to maintain perspective through the process of change.
Let's start with a review. There are several key components to The System. They are: Roles, Realms, Activities, and Vigor. If you need to review these factors, go to the archives listed at the bottom of this blog. They are the first posts.
Prior to my retirement this is how my Realms and Roles looked:
I want to point out the three Themes that provide the context for the Realms (Private, Professional, and Personal) as well as the Roles contained in each Realm. They were; Passion, Priorities, and Persistence. These themes have evolved to a new dimension since the adjustments brought on by my health and professional status changes required so.
Since my retirement, my Professional Realm has "downsized" and my updated model looks like this:
Note the Realms have shifted to: Private, Personal, and Public. Their composition has shifted as well (40%-40%-20%). As I said several months ago, after six months of research and retrospection, my Themes have changed to: Growth, Giving, and Gratitude. What are the implications for these updates?
First, I think we all would agree that life is a dynamic process. Internal and external influences are constantly shifting our attention from our intended course, assuming you are intentional about your course. It is your responses to these sways that forms your path and character. Stephen Covey calls this "true north", meaning your Activities are in alignment with your Mission Statement, which serves as the foundation to your Themes.
It is the existence of a well thought out structure that will prop you up when life pushes you off course. Like a hiker who must use a compass to set his or her direction, your Themes become the guiding lights as you find your way to get back on course. No Activity should be undertake unless it supports your Themes. This avoids wasting resources and restores the confidence necessary to regain your sense of direction and "keep on swimming".
Just as life is dynamic, so is The System. Each day, Life will bend your Roles and you must learn the skill of accommodating these stresses without giving up your ideals. They must be reviewed as you travel across life's journey, to decide if they are still relevant or need some adjustments. Next month I will discuss how choosing your Activities puts these theories into action.
Bob
Bob
