PATTERNS

Have you ever given any thought to a  pattern?  

With good a pattern homes are built, lives constructed, industries established, countries formed, cars run and software programs are successful.

Good patterns work. On the other hand, an incomplete pattern may mean a dress may not come together, cakes tend to fall, and pool pumps simply don't work.

We live with patterns although they are often referred to as “my routine”.  

There is the morning routine. Wake up, brush teeth, get dressed, and go to work. There is the lunch routine. Stop by the nearest fast food joint, grab lunch and off again. And there is the night routine. Get home, turn on the television to catch the latest terrorists attack, dig into the refrigerator to see what leftovers there are, check Facebook and fall into bed.

Probably not the advantageous pattern to live by, however for many it is simply a mode of life..

I am not the very best in the world, however several years ago I realized that life is what I make of it, so I set out to reshape my patterns.

Mornings are my private time. I intentionally exercise and meditate. Lunches are a more healthy time; most days I pack my lunch from home. And evenings are family time: Ken and I unpack our day and many evenings sit on the patio, no TV.

The book “Start With Why” by Simon Sinek (TedTalk here) helped me to put into perspective my why, my how and finally my what. The book is rich in content and is a very good reminder if we do not purposefully work on our why, our what and the how get in the way.

So why start with why?

For me the answer was not difficult. I love helping people.

I enjoy seeing and being with people when they reach life goals. I love assisting a family in the purchase of their new home; a contractor in a remodel; a business owner in securing an SBA loan. I also love to see children graduate from school after overcoming odds, or babies who are taking a first step or learning to swim in my backyard pool. It jazzes me to see someone be able to solve an escrow problem after we have learned the process together.

What I do does not matter. I simply love helping people and that is my why.

So I would encourage you to look at the patterns you are currently using - are you happy with them? Are you fulfilling your ultimate why in life?  If not change them, figure it out, you can do it. Always start with your why and then work on your what, and your how, not the other way around.

So, what are you reading?

This week Ken and I are in Palmer, Alaska.

So far we have attended the Alaska State Fair, climbed the Butte (a 1.2 mile hike inclusive of 420 steps - 26 flights), eaten at the local pub; rested and read.

Annually during these weeks we simply step away and contemplate what we’ve learned and how we can better serve. It is an adult time out.

We are often asked: "So what are you reading?"

Just before leaving Arizona for Alaska Ken read The Final Frontiersman.  The book is an account of Hemo Korth.   Written by James Campbell, Hemo lives in the Arctic National Wildlife.  For those of you who may wonder Palmer, Alaska is nothing like the wilderness.

Ken loves accounts of real life.  It is fun to share the stories he reads.

On the other hand, my passion is leadership and understanding relationships.  With that in mind I wanted to share some of the books and authors we both have recently learned from.

One of the most interesting arenas we recently become aware of is the study of the mind and human emotions.  How does this work?

Our IQ is developed during our teenage years; however our EQ (Emotional Intelligence) can be cultivated throughout our adult life.  Pick up the book Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves and take the Emotional Intelligence Appraisal.

Another area that has captured my personal attention is happiness.  

There is a little book entitled Happiness:  The Science Behind Your Smile by Daniel Nettle, published by the Oxford University.  It is a real thought provoker.

Two of our favorite authors, Patrick Lencioni and Henry Cloud have also written new books.  Dr. Henry Cloud’s is The Power of the Other and Patrick’s book is a precursor to The Five Dysfunctions of A Team entitled The Ideal Team Player.  Team members need to be humble, hungry and smart.

The next read is very foundational.

It’s called Start with Why, by Simeon Sinek.  This is another Good  to Great read.  For those of you who have not read Jim Collins business classic, read it first!  

However in Start with Why, Sinek argues that if we understand our why we are in business and do not lose focus we can accomplish our what.  When our why becomes fuzzy what simply does not matter.  It is only a matter of time before we become antiquated.

My cousin, Kaye Campbell’s daughter , Susan Kaye Quinn, writes speculative fiction.  She is a former rocket scientist and I want to read her book Open Minds.

So this fall, read, study and acquire wisdom through knowledge.