There is so much I would like to accomplish. I mean this on an annual, weekly, daily, and hourly basis. There are so many things I’d like to focus on. So many things I would like to create. So many tasks that beg for attention. No matter how hard I work I would never be able to complete all of them. Whoever said there are infinitely more good ideas than there is time to execute them was 100% spot on.

Something I have been focusing on this year is keeping my focus on the essential. This sounds so simple in theory and is painfully difficult in practice. There are so many levels of challenges to follow through on this. First I have to identify what is the most essential. Often this is the first place I’ll get myself in trouble. If I don’t take the time and energy to determine what is most important first it is over before it started. Then there’s the hurdle of having to say no to the good to have time to say yes to the essential. Sticking to the plan instead of making exception after exception is critical. Finally, there has to be 100% focus in the right direction followed by a shift into the next essential task.

Focus on the essential? So easy to say, so difficult to do. Today I’m grateful for the opportunity to be tested on this. I was mostly successful today. The places in which I stumbled were excellent opportunities to learn.

Tonight I had the opportunity to coach one of the boys on something which could be a huge life skill for them if they choose to work on it. I struggle as it sometimes would be so easy to helicopter parent in some moments. I know that is not the right thing to do and I need to coach them on how to work through difficult things instead of just fixing them myself for them. With that in mind it was difficult to focus on helping them see how they could move towards a resolution on their own instead of just trying to fix it. What’s funny is that while I so badly wanted to fix it for them I was also reminded of so many wonderful life lessons my parents helped me to learn on my own as well. I’m grateful for the life lessons they are getting at relatively early ages, even when it pushes me out of my comfort zone a bit as a dad.

Thanks!!!