Happy Monday. I hope your new week is beginning with the same sort of glorious weather that’s greeting us in beautiful Colorado. This week’s word-of-the-week is …
WAIT
We live in a culture of urgency. It’s all about pressure and hurry, get-it-done, checking stuff off the list as quickly and efficiently as possible. If it’s not screaming for attention it gets pushed to the back burner in favor of something more pressing.
The tyranny of urgent leads to a focus on short-term results. It forces us to make choices without sufficient consideration and consultation. Urgent promotes the lie that any action is better than inaction. Urgent tells us to do something, even if it’s wrong.
I’m thinking that “urgent” is usually a bad reason for a decision. Unless it involves blood loss or some other life-and-death issue, most things that are really important are important enough to wait.
Wait is different than procrastinate. Wait doesn’t mean deny or ignore or put off. Wait means taking the necessary time to make a considered, long-term decision that supports our core values. Wait means making certain that we can commit to a course of action even when it might be difficult.
In our rush-rush culture, we often substitute urgent for important, but they’re usually very different. Few issues are truly urgent AND important.
Don’t allow the tyranny of urgent to force a bad or unconsidered choice. As we begin a new week, try to keep in mind the distinction between urgent and important. If an issue is really important, it might be important enough to wait.
What’s an “urgent” issue that’s pressing you for a decision? Is it important enough to wait?
Since it’s Monday, regular readers know that means it’s the day I gently remind (or harass) you to help bring others into the circle by spreading the word.
Today’s suggestion: Think of one or two people who might appreciate what we’re discussing here. Send them the link along with your personal recommendation that they consider becoming part of our community.
Thanks for your help in spreading the word.