What are you doing to fulfill that need?
Simply being a good person, having a good life, a good job, raising good kids is not going to help.
Are you moving from...
Don't settle for good.
Pursue great.
Consider impacted schools, jobs, and opportunities. The competition can be overwhelming. I'm sure you know students who've had stellar transcripts and resumes and still didn't get into the schools of their choice. The same goes for adults applying for limited, highly desirable jobs.
There's a lot of competition, stress, frustration, disappointment, and even disillusionment when we get caught up in the conformity of limited societal opportunities. Moving from good to great not only helps us avoid the rat race but fortifies us for the uncertainty of changing markets and societal needs. Consistently improving our discipline, creativity, and productivity empowers us to see, adapt and take advantage of opportunities outside of what 'everyone' else is going after.
Jim Collins, in his book Good to Great, (summary) has identified what he has termed the level 5 leader. In addition to the qualities of the good, they have 2 virtues that distinguish them. And if we can cultivate these elements in ourselves and others, just think what it'll do for our families, organizations and communities!
What are these 2 qualities?
HUMILITY AND WILL.
It's operating with a purity of bigger-than-self purpose and fierce resolve to achieve that purpose. It's aligning and committing to a cause that treasures individuals yet scalable to bring benefit to many others. This level of presence and performance doesn't come naturally. It's not a microwave process. It's a process that embraces patience, perseverance, and pain to mortify insecurity and raise up true love.
Meekness (not weakness) and resolve working together, create disciplines to make consistent effort to move from good to great. The key discipline is staying true to what Jim Collins calls the Hedgehog concept, i.e. the intersection of what one can be the best at, is passionate about, and drives their economic engine.
How might we translate this into parenting?
- What can we be the best at? Connecting with our kids' hearts (just being mom and dad make us the best candidate by default)
- What are we passionate about? Our kids thriving!
- Spend time, energy and resources to develop ourselves mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. (we are the engine: self improvement increases our capacities and abilities to do the first 2.)
What will be the intersection of these 3? Centering on growth. Prioritizing and organizing ourselves to abide in this intersection fosters humility and will.
Why?
Because effectively engaging our hearts and that of others requires consistent choices with sober awareness, vulnerability, and courageous resolve. All the essential elements of humility. When we grow in these dynamics, we are living soulfully to perpetually think and act as people who care deeply about what matters most—people's hearts and souls.
So what will the intersection look like for you? Connecting with your kids' hearts. Cultivating emotionally healthy spirituality. Personal development. This means knowing yourself and your children, and slowing down enough to see opportunities and be intentional with them.
Good companies became great when they were disciplined to stay in the Hedgehog zone over years. We as parents can go from good to great when our commitment and discipline transform the direction and destiny of our family.