I was talking to a friend this weekend and was reminded of an old parable I heard years ago…
I stand on top of the mountain and I just kick pebbles … Minute by minute, hour after hour, day in and day out … I simply kick pebbles.
Mostly, those pebbles fly off into nowhere and I watch them skip away … Occasionally those pebbles hit a small stone … Juuuusst right … and that stone slides down the hill.
…
Then, sometimes, those stones collide, on the way down, and their slide becomes a tumble and they smack a ROCK.
And, those ROCKS begin to fall, end over end, gathering speed … and a couple hit a BOULDER … Then … the Boulder shifts… there is a RUMBLE … the EARTH MOVES BENEATH ME …
AND THE ENTIRE LANDSCAPE CHANGES … EVERYTHING LOOKS DIFFERENT … !!!
I stand on top of the mountain and I just kick pebbles … Minute by minute, hour after hour, day in and day out … I simply kick pebbles!
My adult son took me to see a Pixar movie and for a Philly Cheesesteak (in Texas) today for Father's Day.
As a father, having great kids is a double blessing. On one hand, it's nice to be proud of who your kids are and the things they do. On the other hand, it's also nice to feel proud of the small part you played in helping them become who they are.
In addition, this weekend, I spent some time thinking about my father and what a terrific influence he had on so many lives.
My Dad was incredibly loving; yet, he was also incredibly demanding.
For example, after winning the State Championship in the shot put, I watched him run down from the stands. I figured he was coming down to celebrate. Instead, he looked deeply into my eyes and asked whether I was disappointed that I did not throw a personal best that day? I replied: "But Dad, I won." He smiled and recognized that winning was important too … then he reminded me that the other throwers were not the real competition. In life, to be and do your best, the competition is really with yourself; and we both knew I could do better.
My Dad believed in setting high standards. He explained that most people's lives are defined by their minimum standards. Why? Because once those standards get met, it is easy to get distracted by other things and meeting the minimum standards for them as well.
Here is something else worth sharing; it was one of his favorite sayings. "The difference between good and great is infinitesimal." This applies to many things. For example, people who are good take advantage of opportunities; people who are great create them. The point is to set a higher standard and to have a better life.
Well, that should explain a little of the dysfunction … but, if you can't mess up your own kids, whose kids can you mess up?
Perhaps that is why Elon Musk (who is an amazing entrepreneur) sometimes sounds more like a dystopian futurologist (like Ray Bradbury or George Orwell).
Here is a look at some of Musk's predictions. Click the image to see the full infographic.
Cook challenged students to "think different" rather than accept the status quo, and to leave the world better than they found it, by following in the footsteps of leaders like Steve Jobs, Robert F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr.
An excerpt from his speech:
The pace at which progress is possible has accelerated dramatically. Aided by technology, every individual has the tools, potential, and reach to build a better world. That makes this the best time in history to be alive. Whatever you choose to do with your life, wherever your passion takes you, I urge you to take the power you have been given and use it for good. Aspire to leave this world better than you found it.
I didn't always see life as clearly as I do today. But I've learned that the greatest challenge of life is knowing when to break with conventional wisdom. Don't just accept the world you inherit today. Don't just accept the status quo. No big challenge has ever been solved, and no lasting improvement has ever been achieved, unless people dare to try something different. Dare to think different.
I was lucky to learn from someone who believed this deeply—someone who knew that changing the world starts with following a vision, not a path. He was my friend and mentor, Steve Jobs.
Steve's vision was that great ideas come from a restless refusal to accept things as they are, and those principles still guide us at Apple today. We reject the notion that global warming is inevitable—that's why we run Apple on 100 percent renewable energy. We reject the excuse that getting the most out of technology means trading away your right to privacy. So we choose a different path: collecting as little of your data as possible, and being thoughtful and respectful when it's in our care.
I'm currently on the east coast for a family celebration … and a funeral.
Life and death.
Death is often a trigger that sends my thoughts spinning: celebrating life; mourning death; imagining what lies in store for the family; empathizing with the survivors … and even future-pacing to my own death and memorial service.
In daily life, I often remind myself that ‘everything happens for a reason’ – and just because I can't find the gift in a particular situation, doesn't mean it isn't there.
For example, when my Dad died, I came out with a new-found respect for how precious life is. I decided it was time for me to stop thinking about what I do – and spend more time cultivating who I want to be. It also caused me to consider how I would be remembered – versus how I'd choose to be remembered?
Death is often a reminder to make the most of the time given to us.
It was a reflection on my personal struggle with juggling work-life balance. It was about a year that brought my Dad's death, the forced sale of my company by venture capitalists, and a divorce (in that order). Luckily, sometimes, life's darkest days bring the greatest gifts … if you are willing to look for them.
One of my biggest takeaways from that struggle was about the time value of life.
In finance, the "time value of money" refers to the principle that the purchasing power of money varies over time (meaning, money today has more purchasing power than money later). In part, this is because the value of money at a future point in time might be calculated by accounting for other variables (like interest earned, or inflation accrued, etc.).
It occurred to me that a similar calculation applied to life … or living.
The above video is 13 minutes. Hopefully you'll watch; but if not, I've added some of my favorite excerpts below.
Live Like You Only Have a Year Left.
"During the last part of my Dad's life, I think he would have done almost anything for a little more time.
Things that used to be unimportant, or even mildly irritating, took on increased importance. For example, a dinner together became almost a sacred event; a kiss goodnight was truly heartfelt; and saying goodbye meant something … because it could be the last time.
Nevertheless, as a result of that focus, he took more life out of that time.
Shouldn't we do the same thing? Think about it … We are never going to be younger than we are, right now. We are never going to have more time to fix a big mistake. Isn't it likely that the time value of your life, is worth maximizing?"
People Who Are Good Take Advantage of Opportunities. People Who Are Great Create Them.
"When I think back to that year, I spent so much time moving away from pain … that I forgot to move towards opportunity. I feel like I wasted so much time.
My Dad said the difference between good and great is infinitesimal. People who are good take advantage of opportunities … But people who are great create them.
I think what he meant was that when they see the opportunity, they move towards it. They shoot through it.
It is easy to say, "I see that opportunity; but it's not the right time." Or, "I see that opportunity, and I really want to remember it for when this is over." And as much as I want to believe that's true … deep down, I know that it's always a good time to take the right action.
Instead, "life" (the noun) often gets in the way of "living" (the verb).
To Change Your Life, Change Your Perspective.
"When you are 'stuck' … a shift in role, or a shift in perspective, is often all you need to see a new path forward or a new possibility.
Have you ever been stuck playing a role that you knew didn't serve you? Where you knew what the best next step was, from your perspective, but you had a sense that it wasn't the right action? Sometimes it makes sense to step back and ask, 'What role can I play that would get a better result?'"
That is often all it takes to change the game. Other times, what it takes is the decision to play a new game.
That is why I called the talk: The Time Value of a Life Worth Living.
Thanks for letting me share that with you.
I also wrote a three-part blog series on creating the TEDx talk.
Part 1 focuses on my preparation leading up to the event.
Part 2 elaborates on the differences between a normal speech and a TEDx thought. And,
Many companies have flashy mission and vision statements. Fewer have mission or vision statements that truly capture the spirit of the business or inspire proper action.
Likewise, some companies have identified their core values (but fewer have identified the values that truly represent the business and what it aspires to become) … and even fewer have real actionable plans to get where they say they are going.
This is easily fixed!
Cameron Herold is famous for helping entrepreneurs and other organizational leaders translate their "Vivid Vision" into a complete and actionable roadmap for their companies.
The basic idea is that most entrepreneurs have an idea in their mind of what the company will look and feel like in the future (literally, a Vivid Vision), but that employees can't read their mind. The exercise translates those ideas into actionable direction.
Here is a short video of Cameron explaining the process.
It's a fun and useful exercise. Ultimately, you end up with a 4-5 page document. Here is an example of Cameron's Vivid Vision for himself. This can be used internally, for recruiting, and as a way to align with stakeholders.
He just released his fourth book (called "Vivid Vision") – and it goes into more detail on how to align your business around a shared vision of the future. It's terrific … and surprisingly short.
And, if you want help generating or writing your vivid vision … email Jennifer Hudye. She can write it from scratch or take your draft and make it “pop”. Tell her Howard sent you.
Someone asked me what one thing best described or accounted for my success. Here is what I told them.
Success is not about an event or an outcome. It comes from the relentless pursuit of something better … even in the face of failure, competition, or surprises.
It doesn't matter where you are (or how you got there). There is always a best next step. And, if you don't see it, the best next step might be remembering that there is one and shifting your perspective or role until you do.
What do you think? What's your answer to that question?
I stand on top of the mountain and I just kick pebbles … Minute by minute, hour after hour, day in and day out … I simply kick pebbles.
