Success and Time in the Wilderness

Good Morning!

I bet that you didn't even notice that I stopped posting Weekend Updates for a while!

I didn't stop because I lost interest or didn't have things to write about...

Much to the contrary!

I have much to write about...it is my passion to share thoughts and observations that will help people become more successful...

It is all about "...making meaningful and significant positive differences in the lives of individuals and the performance of organizations..."

My mission!

It is so embedded in my being that many times during the day...I find myself saying it to someone!

It has become my standard of performance!

When I set about doing something...I actually take time to see if what I am doing aligns with that mission!

It may sound a little crazy...but I realize how important it is to craft your mission and then act consistently on it!

****************************************
My Personal Epiphany

Not long ago...I noticed that I was writing the same things (same topics) over and over...

I felt like a parent of children who were not listening!

It was frustrating...

I was sending messages and lessons and not receiving any feedback...

I didn't know if what I was writing about was making a difference...OR NOT!

Was I adding value to the world around me...or wasting peoples' time?

I had to assess my efforts!

Could they be better spent on other things?

I decided to stop and walk in the proverbial wilderness and look at my efforts from an outside view...

Perhaps that will allow me to assess the value in an unbiased fashion...

You know how difficult to see reality?

Especially when you are stuck in the middle!

***************************************
The Wilderness Experience

Although I do not believe that what I do counts as earth shattering...

I act to make a difference!

Yet there are many things that can be learned and leveraged into even the most menial efforts...

One day I realized that many of the great missions began with time in the wilderness!

Perhaps the wilderness time was an essential component of a mission's effectiveness...

I wanted to spend some time in the wilderness...and see what value it really adds to an effort!

***************************************
The Wilderness Experience as an input to an Effort

What is the wilderness?

In a VERY general sense...it is a separation from the comforts, safety and habits...

It is leaving life behind and walking into unknown territory...

It is usually a lonely experience...

It is a reduction of life to the critical needs...

Are you getting the picture?

Why do it?

When I look at it from the reductionist perspective...it provides an external (inward looking) view of  those things temporarily left behind...

***************************************
My Wilderness

On the day of "my wilderness" I decided that I needed to stop blogging...but not thinking!

I needed to step away from my blogs and and see....

1 - If anyone notices...

2 - Anyone who notices...care enough to ask "Why they stopped?"

3 - For those who asked "Why?" Find out what they are still looking for!

The sad thing was...from my perspective...no one noticed...so the next two questions were never asked!

***************************************
The Wilderness Decision

It is funny...those who enter the wilderness go there with questions...

When they come out...they have direction!

So while I was in the wilderness...what did I have to look for?

Answers to my question?

After some time in the wilderness...I realized that I didn't have to look outward to my readers...

But inward!

I needed to look into my heart!

I needed to evaluate my intent...

I needed to evaluate my mission and purpose...

I needed to know that my writing was part of my purpose and a part of the bigger picture...

It didn't matter what "they" thought...

What matters is what I knew...

What matters is that I believed that it matters...

That is what puts substance into a mission...

***************************************
The Mission Continues

I went into the wilderness with questions...

and exited it with determination!

It is what I am supposed to be doing...

The Blogs will continue!

There is a lesson to be learned in this relative to our pursuit of success...

No matter how clearly one sees their mission and goals...it pays to go into the wilderness and take time to look inward!

It is not what others think of what you are doing...

Determination comes from the inside and not the outside...

The wilderness is that first phase in every "effort of meaning" that provides the clarity of heart that makes it worth the effort when there is seemingly no value coming back...

Perhaps it is time to spend some time in the wilderness!

Pura Vida!