THRIVE! Talkin'!

Don't just read the newsletter, live it!
Jump into the THRIVE! forum and get set for success!

Schnell Game

Last week, a brief visit to Germany afforded me the opportunity to enjoy everyday experiences in a new way and to learn a thing or two about success along the way. I was excited about the trip, because a) I hadn't been to Munich in several years and b) I love David Hasselhoff. My adventure started simply enough. After meeting my German counterpart for breakfast, we walked from the hotel to a local car rental company. We had made arrangements to hire a car for the day. When we entered the garage, I was delighted to see a Mercedes awaiting us. (I realize now that's a bit like renting a car in Detroit and exclaiming, "Yippee! A Ford!", but whatever.) We set off to tour the countryside and enjoy the sunny day.

Before I continue, I should probably take a second to explain something for those of you who don't know me very well: I have a problem. (No, not the Hasselhoff thing - I hear that happens to a lot of guys.) I'm a guy who doesn't know how to stop and enjoy life. I'm very driven and I can be myopically focused on achievement.

Take for example, the fact that on a business trip, I'm more likely to order room service from my crappy hotel than to adventure out into the city. I often put my head down and plow through work. Before long an entire week will pass before I stop and ask myself, "What just happened?"

Does this seem familiar to you at all? If you're like most people, it may. Many of us don't take full advantage of the opportunities we encounter in our daily lives. We work and press to achieve our goals, but many times we forget to live life along the way. If we behave like this for too long, we run the risk of burning out. This type of frenetic activity can have a negative impact on our health, mental attitude, and ultimately may hurt our chances of success.

I'm happy to report that on this trip, I made a conscious effort to change my heads-down routine. I took the opportunity to embrace the local culture and slow down long enough to enjoy my time in Deutschland. In doing so, I was rewarded with two very different experiences, and an important life lesson.

My first experience: I had a cup of coffee. We stopped in Regensburg, and after a few minutes of walking through the Altstadt (Old City), we spied a cafe on the plaza. I sat in the sun, taking in the culture and the European feel of my surroundings. I sipped at my cappuccino, savoring the delicious drink. I enjoyed learning more about my colleague and just relaxing. The whole scene took no more than 15 minutes, but I was careful to contrast this with the 15 seconds I ususally give myself to gulp down a cup of stale coffee in a styrofoam cup back home.

My second experience: I got in the car and returned home. Again, seems like no big deal, right? Ah, but in Germany, a sleepy drive is tough to come by. While I had been relaxing in a cafe a few hours earlier, I now found myself zipping along the Autobahn. While there are more posted limits than there used to be, there's still plenty of opportunity to open it up on the Autobahn. At one point, I looked over to notice that the needle was pegged at 220 kilometers per hour. If my math serves me (which it rarely does) that's a whopping 136 miles per hour! At one point I thought I might spritz my lederhosen, but I loved that heart-pounding thrill.

In looking back, I think the reason I so thoroughly enjoyed both experiences was the fact that they were so different. One pace was laid back and one was breakneck. If you're going to make sustainable progress toward your goals, you have to know when to give it some gas and when to slow things down. You have to pace yourself if you aim for long term success. You have to balance a sense of urgency with a calm abiding that allows you to recuperate. If you get the balance wrong, you either won't make steady progress or you'll burn up on re-entry.

I was happy to return to my birthplace, and I'm glad that I learned a bonus lesson along the way. I'm also thankful that I had a makeshift tour guide to show me the local culture. (Even if he did refuse to take me by David Hasselhoff's house.) Even on my flight home the next day, I marveled that I was both rested and invigorated.

I had fully immersed myself in two very different experiences, and I had emerged with a new appreciation for controlling my pace throughout my goal pursuits. Unfortunately, I also learned that success comes at a price when I got the dry cleaning bill for my lederhosen.

Coaching Quickie: Schnell Game

Check back next week for results!

Last Week's Results

Coaching Quickie: Stand Out
How would you describe your potential in life?

(30%) Limitless - like the stars in the night sky.
(20%) Expanding - the more I learn about myself and the world around me.
(40%) Frustrating - since I can't see how to get there from here.
(10%) Hidden - like a well-buried treasure.