I have a routine.
I think we all have a routine to one extent or another.
Things we do.
Just automatically, almost without even thinking about it.
I think that for most of us, whether we even think about it, our routine is important to us. It is what we do, and the reason why we do it is simply because for one reason or another, at one time or another in our life, the things we do in our routine have become part of our routine because they are things we need, and things that are important to us. If these things were not important to us, we would not do them every day. Right?
This morning, I was in the middle of my morning routine:
- Get up.
- Boot up my computer.
- Check my e-mail to see if anything important came in overnight.
- Check a series of websites that publish information on topics that I care about.
Taking Stock
Hold on.
Scratch that #4 above.
As I was checking my “regular websites” this morning, I realized that much of this stuff was not important to me anymore. Some of the stuff, to be honest, I really don’t care much about anymore. Why am I spending time checking about stuff that I really don’t care about.
After the realization, I sat there thinking.
What is important to me these days? I’ve changed a lot, and it is different things that are important to me than what it used to be. But, what things really are important to me now?
Honestly, I was not sure anymore. Oh, of course things like my family and friends are important to me. That’s not what I’m talking about, those things are a given. I’m talking about my interests, things that I care enough about to spend some time every day keeping up with the topic. That sort of thing.
Jimmy Buffett
As I sat there thinking over what is important in my life, the words to a song that I like came to me. The song is called “Distantly in Love” by Jimmy Buffett. The first verse of the song seemed to fit my feelings this morning:
Pay phones all were ringing as the crowd went roarin’ by
Lovely dancers swaying to an island lullaby
Beside the southern ocean taking stock of what’s to be
Writing you this letter that you’ll probably never see
It’s the third line that fit my feeling today – “Beside the southern ocean taking stock of what’s to be.”
Yes, I realized that it’s time for me to take stock of my feelings and interests today, and to revise my routine to something more current.
One of the parts of my routine that really is of little interest to me these days, but used to be, is an interest in US Politics. I used to be a real political junkie. These days, I don’t even live in the USA any more, so why do I even care? Fact is, I don’t care too much any more, but I still check the political news religiously every day. Why? I need to cut that off, and spend that time on something that is more relevant to my life that I am living today. I need to take stock of what’s to be in my life, and modify my routine to fit what I discover when I take stock.
The fact is, as I think this over, we all need to take stock from time to time and unclutter our lives of things that really don’t mean much to us any longer.
Just like what Jimmy Buffett says in the song… I want to go sit next to the southern ocean and take stock of what’s to be. I think I’ll do it today.
What about you?
You hit the nail on the head with this one, Bob. Especially about the politics. So many of my foreigner acquaintances and I just are not very much at ease with each other because they are so intensely interested in politics … as if either they or I made much difference.
Let's suppose you have a goal to earn $40,000 a year from a new business venture. Well, if you work a normal 40 hour work week, that's about $20 an hour that you time on that venture is worth.
So is reading about "Who might run" in 2012, or what some commentator has to say about who might not run in 2012, etc., etc, worth $20 or more out of you pocket every morning? I don't think so.
Is the question of "Why Scotty won American Idol" really worth $10 or $20 or your time today?
I can already tell everyone who will run in 2012. And you can bet money I am right.
The candidates that their respective parties put on the ticket at their national conventions, that's who will be on the ballot … you, me and the Drudge Report, MSNBC, Fox News and the local lamp post have virtually no control over that issue at all.
And so many thing can change between now and then. There's 531 days between now and November 8th, 2012, when the US chooses our next president. Assuming you take election day off, that's about $10,600 that spending just an hour a day on politics will cost you. Is it really worth that much?
How many dollars can you make in your business between now and then, that's what is important.
The most common complaint I hear from people I try to help (and I fall in the trap from time to time myself) is "I don't have time".
Well, the truth of the matter is, we all do have time (one of the few things we all have exactly the same amount of, actually) … but how we choose to spend that time is what makes a difference in success or failure.
Not long ago a fellow asked my help on a critical immigration issue back in the US. His mom was in grave danger of going to immigrant jail and then being deported. After we went over the actions he could take to fix the problem, he replied back, "I'm a college student right now, I just don't have the time to help my mom."
Wow! The amount of 'disposable' time a college student has available is staggering in comparisons to what s/he has in later life, most likely. Also, unlike business deals or plain old work hours, college classes, homework and such are very much under the control of the student, not an outside agency. I hope he remembers our conversation later in life, and I hope his mom doesn't go to jail in the meantime.
Take stock of how we are spending our time … that's good advice.
Hi Dave- In your comment, the thing that really struck me was about the college student who needed help for his Mom. In the end, it is your family that is important. Family is more important than college, it's more important than American Idol or more important than who is President, let alone who runs for President. This young man does not yet realize that his Mom is the more important issue, and he is going to drop the ball. When we take stock of our lives, and how we use our time… the fellow will never regret taking some time away from school if needed to help his mom. But, in 30 or 40 years, even if he is a successful doctor or attorney, or heck, if he is the President of the United States… if it meant that his mother ended up in jail… he will regret not taking the time to help his mom. That's my feeling anyway.
Yep. That comment affected me for days after … still does, actually. How can school be more important than family? Oh well ….
The comment just doesn't seem logical…