Self-Renewal
Life is the art of drawing without an eraser
The best part about being able to choose what I do when I start my day is reason enough for me to be running my own business. I don’t have to start the day with emails or being on Zoom before I am fully awake. My notebook reflects that freedom. In between my notes from client meetings are my drawings. This is a freedom that is hard to explain. Why should there be an invisible norm that having fun is prohibited. Doing anything without visible effort is viewed with suspicion. Spontaneity is equal to not being analytical.
I have always found being in a large corporation fascinating and yet very limiting. I got a chance a chance to learn my craft of talent management and learning and working with people. It is also the place I learned the value of dreams. I dreamt of flying. Sometimes God has a way of granting a wish quite literally. My job gave me a chance to fly around the world. That was not the flying I had in mind when I made that wish.
Life is like creating a drawing where every line you make is permanent. You can’t erase mistakes, but you can learn from them and incorporate them into your masterpiece. Just like in art, sometimes the unexpected turns out to be the most meaningful. As I look back on the various chapters of my life
Why do people run out of steam?
I interviewed John Maeda, (who I rate among the top designers in the world) for my podcast. He spoke about John Gardner’s work on Self Renewal. It begins with the question, “Why do some people, even those in responsible positions run out of steam?” They don’t build in time for self-renewal. Continuous self-renewal is crucial for personal and professional growth. It helps individuals avoid stagnation and remain vital throughout their lives.
This happens to most people and it is easy to address
Learning from Life: Life is an ongoing process of learning from successes, failures, and experiences. Embrace challenges as opportunities for growth.
Avoiding Complacency: Complacency and fixed attitudes can lead to stagnation. Stay curious, take risks, and remain open to new experiences.
Optimism and Resilience: A tough-minded optimism and resilience are necessary to face life’s challenges and continue striving for personal growth.
“There’s a myth that learning is for young people. But as the proverb says, ‘It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.’ The middle years are great, great learning years. Even the years past the middle years. I took on a new job after my 77th birthday — and I’m still learning.”
Self renewal for me comes from the times that spent reflecting, listening to music, reading a work of fiction (I must do more of this) and even sleep. That is usually labeled as being lazy. In my world that is called self-renewal.
