From Doer to Thinker
As I sit down to write this, I ponder what I am hoping to accomplish. I like to write and want to get better at it. So, I am beginning with following other’s advice and writing 500 words a day.
As I begin to think about what to write, Tony Robbins’ words ring in my head. “Most people fail in life because they major in minor things.” I don’t consider myself a failure, but I have to admit to being a jack of all trades while mastering none.
Reflecting on that thought, I begin to consider all the self-help and personal growth books I have read. While I would like to think I have grown, the progress doesn’t appear to be as great as it is in my mind. Reality doesn’t seem to match my perception. I feel like I am stuck in the self-help loop of jumping from one concept to the next without making real progress.
Yet, the more I read realize there are a few core principles that matter. If one can master those principles, success, no matter how you define it, will follow.
As I sit reflecting on my current position in life, I find myself in another transition phase. I am in the fourth or fifth iteration of my career, finding myself in new and unfamiliar territory. It is a chance to re-define myself and discover new things.
My goal in writing this is to document my journey from doer to thinker. I have always been an idea guy, working on the visions in my head. I’m great at starting things but often struggle to finish. I struggle as there is always something new and shiny to grab my attention and take me down another path.
This constant shifting of focus frustrates me and makes me feel uncommitted. While that may be true to a certain extent, I have come to realize it isn’t the case. I am committed to making things better and striving for more. But, I am not always playing to my strengths. My strengths lie in seeing the bigger picture and finding ways to push boundaries. My weakness lies in focusing on a single thing and following it to completion.
Realizing my strength and weakness, I am now looking for ways to apply this new knowledge to my new career. My career has multi-disciplined, never focusing on one area. In this new phase of my career, I enter the world of politics as a County Commissioner.
I entered the world of politics because we need good people to step up and serve. I realize I am making certain assumptions about myself, but I am level-headed, even-tempered, and willing to listen to others. I also feel like my life’s path has given me a unique skill set to apply to the job. I welcome the opportunity to make a difference in my community.
As I begin the transition, I realize I must transition from a doer to a thinker. My big picture thinking and willingness to listen to others are valuable skills. But, I mush hone and develop them more than ever before. I also have to refine my leadership and communication skills. I have to do this as I learn to lead and communicate with employees and constituents.
One of the things I struggle with is the opportunity to see daily progress. Growing up, I built a lot of fences around our rural property. I enjoyed being able to see the daily progress and the completion of a section.
Now, I don’t get the opportunity to see the daily progress as I must leave that up to others. My job has become periodic check-ins and directional tweaks. I have to learn to appreciate that aspect of building fences. That is a challenge.
So I welcome you to join me on this journey. I welcome suggestions and advice as I put myself out there and share my experiences. I will be as real as possible, sharing both successes and failures. Everyone likes to read about successes, but failure is where real learning takes place.
I won’t offer recipes for success. Instead, I offer introspection and thoughts about things I find interesting. Through this process of being real, I want to discover the real me and find success in ways I never dreamed of. I hope you’ll join me on the journey so we can learn and grow together.
