I don’t have an update to make — I still believe my original thoughts (posted below, original). In fact, given what I’ve experienced, I believe more than what we do is not about us, it’s those we seek to serve. Be the change you want to see in the world. Then, let others take your torch and spread your vision; this is a legacy.  Being proud of yourself requires you to see the impact of your work. To do this, you are required to think about how you’d like the world to change after you’re gone; this is deep.In my life, I’ve struggled to see my impact on the people I’ve touched. I never felt the need to think so deeply about my actions; I was wrong. I did not accept compliments, appreciation, and other forms of recognition well. As a result, I never truly felt fulfilled, happy, in my work, and my life. I changed my life.  As a leader, I was encouraged to rethink my role in the lives that were in my charge; I needed a new perspective.  - I accepted the responsibility I had to lead and support the humans in my care.- I created a vision of the world I wanted to create. I also communicated that vision to the team.- I did my best to act with intention. I shared what I was going to do and why before I did. Finally,- I allowed those I care about to support me, tell me I am wrong, and share the journey with me.Admittedly, I felt uncomfortable when asked about what my legacy would be in my last role. I still feel uneasy when asked. But my mind changed when I realized that it’s not about me.  Legacy is not about you. It’s about the people you support. It’s about bringing these people around something bigger than themselves. It’s about being the one to carry the torch. It’s about being comfortable to hand the torch to someone else when the time is right. Legacy is the culture we create for the people we love, care and support. Leave a legacy.

How many more new and wonderful things could you be doing but are not because you are focusing on something that doesn’t matter?“In one corner of the parking garage near my office, car satellite radio doesn’t work.This is clearly broken, but it’s also not a problem. Certainly not a problem worth anyone’s attention when there are so many other problems to be addressed.Problems, by definition, can be fixed. But they might not be worth the focus and effort.Letting these go is important, because it frees us up to work on the things that most people don’t think are problems that are worth fixing.” - Broken (and not worth fixing) by Seth GodinWhat opportunities do you miss out on because of your perfectionism?

BucksDucksCoyotePeopleDogsTypes of grassesTreesBushesBerries (edible)Berries (inedible)Cracked black walnut shellsWhole black walnuts (they have green shells)Whole acornsAcorn topsLeavesMarshRiverPondsBirdsScatCarcassesCloudsSunAtmosphereAssorted bushesYoung humansOlder humansHandsFeetWhat’s right in front of youWhat you noticeLots to see when you stop and notice.

Magic or super developed craft? They can be the same.

A few days ago I moved past one constraint and found another. There will always be a boss, a barrier, an edge — a constraint. As Churchill said, the key is to “move from one to the other with no loss of enthusiasm.” Happy Monday

You can’t always have the right word for the right occasion. The weird thing about words is that they one word can carry so many meanings. The tone, the pitch, the context, the phonation, and so many other factors can change the meaning of a word. It’s a paradox to me that we ever truly comprehend communication from people who use the same words we do. How much is really understood? And how much grace could we extend to our communication partners that we’re not?I’m certain that nothing is certain.

I dare you to invest 5 minutes to consider 5 unbelievable things today. A simple way is a formula.What if I {Thing 1} AND {Thing 2} were combined? The more nonsensical the better.There’s a kind of therapy in embracing the absurd and nonsensical even just for 5 minutes.If you have challenges thinking of your {Thing 1} and {Thing 2}, then determine if it’s possible that you’re taking things a bit too seriously.

There are times when the constraints life throws at you seem overwhelming or impossible to manage. In that instance, is it the constraint itself, the perception of it, or something else? The constraint itself can be embraced. You can choose to love that it’s there, make it your friend, and work with it. If it’s your perception of the constraint, then go somewhere for new perspective. See the constraint from a different vantage point. How does it look different? If it’s something else, perhaps it’s not the constraint at all. Now you get to invite yourself to explore and discover the true challenge before you.

Dr. Sacks continues writing about a patient he calls Mr. MacGregor. Mr. MacGregor lives in Parkinson’s disease. He walks with a tilt. And, he was unaware of that tilt until he met Dr. Sacks. Upon learning of his tilt walk, MacGregor did what any person would do — he stopped and tried to figure out the problem. He ended up learning that there’s an internal “spirit level” in his head that he can’t use — a level is used to align things. To combat his inability to use his inner level, he created glasses which had a level (of sorts) attached. The glasses, while bulky, allowed MacGregor to walk upright and orientate himself. I marvel at how beautiful MacGregor embraced the constraint.“‘So that’s it, is it?’ Asked Mr. MacGregor. ‘I can’t use the spirit level inside my head. I can’t use my ears, but I can use my eyes.’ Quizzically, experimentally, he titled his head to one side: ‘Things look the same now — the world doesn’t tilt.” However, the mirror would prove impractical. Who walks around surrounded by mirrors? “I’ve got it! I don’t need a mirror - I just need a level. I can’t use the spirit levels inside my head, but why couldn’t I use levels outside my head — levels I could see, I could use with my eyes?… Then, with the help of our optometrist and workshop, we made a clip extending two nose-lengths forward from the bridge of the spectacles, with a miniature horizontal level fixed to each side… In a couple of weeks we had a complete prototype… This worked.” - Oliver Sacks, “The Man Who Mistook His Wife for A Hat” [abridged for clarity and brevity] Apparently the glasses were the talk of the town. Embrace your constraints.

In “The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat: And Other Clinical Tales”, Oliver Sacks writes:“A ‘phantom’, in the sense that neurologists use, is a persistent image or memory of part of the body, usually a limb, for months or years after its loss.All amputees, and all who work with them, know that a phantom limb is essential if an artificial limb is to be used. Dr. Michael Kremer writes: ‘It’s value to the amputee is enormous. I am quite certain that no amputee with an artificial limb can walk on it satisfactorily until the body-image, in other words the phantom, is incorporated into it.’” In this example, the lack of the limb is the constraint. The phantom limb could be seen as a curse to the amputee; however, that curse becomes a strength. The amputee can maximize the utility of the artificial limb if the phantom limb is present.