Today, I had a client cancel an appointment one hour before we were scheduled. I was in the middle of another meeting when he called so by the time I checked my voicemail, and heard of his change in plans, it was only a couple minutes before he was due to arrive. Bummer.
Bummer. AND, the gift of time. I had a choice to make. I chose to take this gift and ride. I took a short 1 hour 15 minute ride on the rain soaked streets of Powell and the neighboring countryside. It was about 47 degrees and the wind was blowing around 10 mph from the northeast.
Fifteen minutes in, I noticed a group of middle schoolers running in a group and remembered that school, in the district, was not in session today. These kids had been given the gift too. They chose to run. I waved and they smiled. They looked happy.
As I crossed over Home Road and headed further into the country, I noticed another middle schooler. He had a Liberty blue sweatshirt on and his Lacrosse stick in hand. He was standing in his yard about 15 feet from the side of his farm house. He was throwing the ball rapidly against his brick house and catching it just as quickly on the return, doing his little stick twirl, and repeating. He didn’t even notice me as I passed by. He was lost in his work.
I smiled and thought to myself how cool it is to see what people do when they are given the gift of time. And, sadly, how few adults do what comes so naturally when we’re young.
The runners were mastering their current craft.
The Lacrosse player was mastering his.
What are you doing when given the gift the time?
What are you doing to combat the anxiety that so many sense when they have the “gift” of time?
What do you notice when you slow down and reflect?
When was the last time you pushed yourself physically beyond your comfort zone?
When was the last time you pushed yourself outside of your comfort zone with your work?
Tell me more…
BUILT TO LEAD 
I loved this one.
We don’t view worry and anxiety as choices, but they are.
AND they are PASSIVE. They are what we can’t help but do when we don’t ACTIVELY set our minds on something we intentionally CHOOSE.
One leads to slow death. The other is the road to life.
Many DON’T choose because they don’t know who they are anymore — i.e. what they believe in, what gives them energy, and what they love to do. Discovering the answers to these questions is the beginning of every Builder’s Journey.
And together we improve.