Everyone has a story to tell. We are the product of not only the stories we tell but also the stories we hear. The act of telling our story can, in itself, bring healing simply because there is a healing power in story. Through story, we connect our lives with those around us and we become characters in their stories. What character do you play in the stories you tell?
I will be the first to admit that I have given Lisa a lot to worry about over the years; after all, I was a self-employed contractor most of our married lives. You would think that she would be used to a bit of uncertainty by now. After all, it was she that left me home alone for the week. This morning, Lisa, our son and oldest daughter went on a vacation without me. Yes, it’s better that way. Still, I can see the worry in her eyes! Will he be okay? What will he do if…?
Even my wife Lisa is into the game. Thankfully, not to the levels of obsession that my son and his friends are exhibiting. At our house, the daily quest for Charlizard, Squirtle and Metapod, and the rest, is topic of many a conversation. If you have no idea what I am talking about, you are in good company because neither do I. In case you haven’t heard, Pokémon Go is all the rage, a game where you “collect” characters and battle someone else’s characters through your smart phone. I am sure there is more to the game, but that is all I know for certain and my son is not here to explain it to me. Much to the chagrin of the millions around the world playing at any given time, these characters, heroes and villains alike, are not real. They are counterfeit.
How does that old adage go, the spirit is willing…? But an unrelenting spirit can bring a host of problems of its own. At times, I forget that there are certain realities that I should take into consideration before I tackle a home improvement project; such as the fact I am in my mid-50’s and that I am an accountant, have been for more than a decade, and that I am no longer in construction.
This week, we will not be delving into the applicability of Maslow, Krauthammer, Harold or the mice and little people. If you have been reading my posts these past few weeks, you may have noticed that I have rediscovered a long forgotten passion, one that I have neglected for far too long, one that I would not have dared to share but for my Parkinson’s. I will let you in on a little secret; when I start writing my post each week, I have no idea where my thought process will take me. Typically, I have a glass of wine and start typing random, rambling thoughts. I tried scotch but it didn’t work as well for a lot of reasons that you can figure out for yourself. This writing for an audience is still new for me and I am delighted that you find this content interesting. My goal each week is to leave you with a thought, or a message, that you can strive for an extraordinary life. You see, each day I have to remind myself of the same; I have to decide not to let my disease define me, describe me or deny me of what I really want. I might as well include you in on the discussion.
No, a BHAG is not the sound someone makes after a sneeze. It is not something that inflates out of the steering wheel of a BMW after an impact. It is an acronym for Big Hairy Audacious Goal. These are goals that are visionary, long-term in nature and are emotionally compelling. Yes, a BHAG is a good thing and everyone should have at least one; they drive passions, releasing energy and creativity in ways that few other things can.
I was first made aware of these as a strategic planning tool while at Notre Dame studying Strategic Management. I thought of so many ways that I could apply them into my personal goals that I created a folder on my computer to save my BHAGs for when I had time to…you get the point. It will be twelve years this year since I graduated and I have done little more that move these files from one computer to the next after each hardware upgrade. Recently, I opened the folder on my computer that housed my BHAGs and found that most of them were either related to something that I no longer found to be relevant or were too abstract to be actionable. For example, 12 years ago one of my goals was to create a platform by which medical records could be digitized and shared between health care providers and patients. At the time, a colleague of mine and I saw it as a pressing need in the medical community, now its common place. You could say that I fell asleep on that one and that business plan can safely be deleted.