Readers Read, Writers Write

Readers write.  Writers read, at least that’s my view!

Ken and I are getting ready for our famous “Hubbard Annual August Alaska Scramble”.  And so in preparation for the trip I found my vacation journal (entitled, “Get Your Claws off My Journal” complete with the picture of a black bear).  Immediately I reread the August 2013 entries, I could not help myself.

A question I posed to myself in 2013 was “What do I implement to inhibit me from getting pulled into the NOT IMPORTANT?”

My response:  plan, project, read, study, listen, learn and make the tough calls.

Now almost a year later I found myself reflecting on how this had played out.

One thing I can say for sure 2013/2014 taught me, I’m human.  

Yes, I planned better. I have read many good books just ask Ken.  And I have made some really tough calls.

This past year has also taught me, when I fail, and I do fail “I just pick myself up and get back in the race”.  Setting reasonable expectations has been a big take away.

It’s like that old Frank Sinatra song, (music is healing for the soul):  

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIiUqfxFttM&feature=kp

Last summer one goal Ken and I set was to share our home with children.  Our grandchildren live in Alaska, and it is hard to only get to see them once in a while.  We are lucky; there are children here in Arizona. We are segregate grandparents. 

Last month, Ken took two boys fishing and I had the privilege of teaching a 6 year old how to bake cookies from scratch.  By Sunday afternoon, I was reminded why God gives us children when we are young.  We had wet towels, cookie crumbs, and dirty windows.  We had created watermelon balls, played play dough; sponge painted, and swam three times in a day.  I loved it! 

And guess what? ... The housecleaners had everything back in order by Thursday.

Learning to let go and love life has been huge for me this past year.

Professionally, I’ve seen staff growth.  I love our staff.  Again, some things have worked and some we’re still working on.  We have learned to CANI (Constant and Never-ending Improvement) together.  We’ve implemented systems, increased our customer service, and developed a team growth plan.  Again, collectively we’ve learned to hold on to what works and simply change the rest.

In a nut shell here’s what I’ve learned:  Be intentional. Look at the “big rocks” first.  Bi-annual; monthly; weekly; and daily steps are a must.  Without them I fail to plan and I plan to fail.

So next month, I am off to Alaska with my vacation journal and I’m excited to think, plan, and write the 2014/2015 ideas.  I plan to create even bigger initiatives and steps that will enable me to better understand what’s really important in my personal and professional life.

Do You Dream?

Over the years this blog has talked about leading, listening, planning and being SMART.

Yes we do need short term; and long term goals.  Those goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely.

However we also need to dream?

My husband Ken and I schedule regular dream sessions.  We consider where we were, where we are, and where we want to be. We ask ourselves, what does the future look like?  We consider our family, our careers, our retirement, travel, even our personal development?  We dream large!!! We dream about our family legacy.

Maybe we plan a trip to the mountains - Ken is a fisherman as well as an avid hunter.  The coast is a great dreaming spot; there’s always a walk along the beach to remind us how big this world is.  And then there are times we simply stay home and unplug from the world, you know hot tub and or the swimming pool.  Although these are special times for our relationship together, our hidden purpose is to dream. 

Last weekend we flew to Alaska and celebrated the start of a dream launch. Then, on the airplane home we considered some new dreams. 

Together we’ve learned life changes, some windows open and some doors close. However when we fail to dream our relationship suffers. Life seems to loose some its’ mystery.

Ken and I are not the same people we were 43 years ago, and a good part of that is because we dream.  I recently learned that only a small percentage of people continue to change and grow after they graduate from school, they simply go on auto pilot.  That seems like such a loss.

So, how do we dream?

Independently and as a couple we’ll ask: the “what” questions.  Questions like, “What do we want?  What behavior do we need to get there? What will the end look like?”

Then there is the “who” questions.  Who would benefit?  From whom do we need help? Who needs to change thinking?”

And then there are the “how” questions? 

You get the idea.  Dreaming is asking the who, what, when, where, and how questions

Dreaming people do not simply wish they also plan, they consider the facts, gain impressions, and understand it’s going to take time. 

So back to the beginning question, do you dream?  Our hope is that you do and some day you will accomplish all those big dreams for yourself.

Oh by the way, if you’d like either of us to help, just let us know.  chubbard@azgat.com We’d love to support your dreams.