Show Me Your Calendar, I’ll Tell You What’s Important

Seven years ago, I was uncomfortably stuck making fear‐based decisions, not sleeping, feeling anxious, stressed and unhappy. I was the president and CEO of a professional services firm that was growing and bringing in big revenue numbers. Everything should have been great, but personally, I was struggling.

I was miserable, but I couldn’t imagine living another way. I thought I had no choice but to stay where I was, doing what I had always done. Everyone else was telling me that this was major success, but I kept thinking, is there something more?

I was overwhelmed with too many responsibilities and not enough time for myself and doing the things I loved — vision, strategy, execution, culture and connecting with employees and customers. I felt perpetually behind, wondering how others managed life’s demands. I craved inner peace. I wanted to take the time to balance health, well-being and achievement, but I didn’t know where to start.

Then the company I worked for went up for sale, and I experienced a Harajuku Moment. This phrase, coined by author Malcolm Gladwell, refers to a time when something nice to do becomes something necessary to do. Before the company went up for sale, I thought it would be nice to leave. Now it was necessary. It was my time. After 20 years of growing a business, I was now taking the leap of my life. It was the change I was starving for, and it was scary.

I struck out on my own. I failed, fell down and jettisoned suitcases full of old stories, thoughts and beliefs that were holding me back from letting my light shine. I asked for help from others who were ahead of me on this road less traveled. I dug myself into the trenches and did the hard work. I succeeded. I created the life and business I love. Now I teach others how to get there in a quick, straightforward way. My calendar reflects what is important to me.

Executives want to spend their time focused on doing what energizes them and allows them to fulfill their highest potential — charting the course and direction of their business, defining company culture and visioning for the business to survive and thrive.They also want to spend their time on what matters — family, work, play, health, community. They want to balance health, well-being and achievement.

Instead they find themselves working IN the business instead of ON the business. They get pulled into time use that does not match their values or what they enjoy.

• Their health and relationships suffer
• They make compromises that erode self-trust
• They miss out on important moments in life
• They feel isolated and not in control of their time

Every C-suite person knows the benefits of doing strategic planning for their business. Why don’t they do this for themselves? Because they are too busy to figure out when, where and how to go about it.

Executives succeed at balancing health, well-being and achievement when they have:

1. A simple process that allows them to just show up, have space to think, receive guidance and support, and walk away with a plan of action.
2. A guide to facilitate their process and take care of everything so they can focus on discovering what is theirs to do.

The following method gives busy executives a plug-and-play process to gain clarity and direction, achieve goals faster and easier and enjoy life.

It combines strategy, execution and mindfulness, and is based on four critical books (including one of my own), my 25 years of growing a successful business and mindfulness-based leadership practices:

“Often he who does too much does too little.”
— Italian Proverb