Rake the Leaves

I have a small yard.

And that's a bit of an understatement.

And in my yard, along the back property line, is a small crab apple tree next to a giant maple. As deciduous trees do in Ohio each fall, the leaves come down. And what's cool about my little property is that all of my neighbors' giant oaks and maples are positioned just right so that their leaves end up in my little backyard.

Which means more leaves and larger piles.

My kids love this. I used to love this. And while I appreciate the exercise, and totally enjoy leaf fights, whipping leaves toward my kids, and watching my five-year-old bury herself in them...I'm not entirely motivated at the start of each fall to get out there and move them to the curb for collection.

I like to watch them fall with a hot coffee. Not so much the raking.

If I wait too long, they kill the grass beneath.

If I wait too long, it inevitably rains and they get heavy, slimy, and no fun to play with.

If I wait and it snows then the city will stop collection.

But if I make a plan to get out there on that first evening after the leaves have finally begun to pile up, rally the kids to help, and leave enough space to have fun without stress...well, what could be a yard full of scattered leaves for a month turns into a couple of piles along the curb, some family time, a few games, some green grass, great exercise, a clear mind, and a raked yard.

If I just get out there and rake the leaves, one pile at a time, it'll work itself out.

How are you raking your leaves?

Seriously. How are you assessing the projects around you and scheduling time to tackle one project, one batch, or one leaf each morning until you can see the grass before the next fall?

Don't wait. The leaves aren't going anywhere.

What's On Your Mind...Not Mine.

"Stop saying what's on your mind and start asking 'What's on your mind?'"

I was cleaning off my desk early this morning, sort of an end of week ritual to clear my mind for a day of coaching connects, and I stumbled across a scrap of paper with the above quote on it.

I don't remember who said. I don't know if I was reading a book, listening to a podcast, or had just spoken with someone. I can't rightly attribute it to anyone.

But it's a fantastic reminder to shut up and listen, isn't it?

To stop projectile-emoting onto everyone around us, and on the socials...and start humbly-inviting others to speak with us, and where appropriate, into us.

How about you?

Are you so busy speaking your mind that you've forgotten what it means to share life with others, not simply speak and spit your thoughts and feelings at them?

So, who are you going to ask, "What's on your mind?" today? Spouse? Clerk? Teammate? Neighbor? It's a paradigm shift. It changes things.

Don't Let's Start

If you're feeling particularly down and out, you might believe it. You might accept the bottom-of-the-barrel line in the middle of this They Might Be Giants song,

"No one in the world ever gets what they want,

And that is beautiful,

Everybody dies frustrated and sad,

And that is beautiful."

On the hand, while things might not turn out how we dream or imagine, we don't have to die frustrated and sad. More to the point, our creative pursuits don't have to die off in bitterness and despair.

How?

Well, shake off the disappointment then ask yourself:

Q. What should I learn from that experience?

Q. What part of the project or process should I repeat? What worked?

Q. What part of the process or project didn't go so well? Why? Honestly. Why?

Q. What can I do differently next time?

Q. Who should I contact for more knowledge, networking, and nit-picking?

Q. How might I change my work habits? My investments?

Q. When should I dive back in? What do I need to do first to set myself up for success?

Don't, don't, don't let's start. Evaluate. This is the best part!