Thinking For A Change is a great book by one of my favorite leadership authors, John Maxwell. The title of the book alone makes a couple of points:
- most people do not really spend time to think, and they should do so for a change, and
- if an individual desires change in his/her life, then it must start by making a conscious effort and thinking up a plan.
Surely, you’ve heard someone contemplate,
How did I get here? This was definitely not part of the plan.
Unfortunately, most of us have said or thought this at some point in our lives, because life tends to throw surprises our way, and often times, we get distracted with them. Thus, it is crucial to examine and evaluate the direction we’re heading on a regular basis.
Personally, I try to “think” for an hour each couple of weeks. Here is what I do:
- Find a quiet spot, relax, and clear my mind
- Start thinking about my experiences, my dreams, my plans, etc
- Identify obstacles that get in the way, things I struggle with, etc.
- Generate solutions, ways around obstacles, and come up with specific action steps.
- I make sure I have a notepad to jot down some notes.
With a hundred other things on the to-do list, it may be difficult to regularly dedicate time to “think”. However, this rapid pace of life is exactly why it is crucial to slow down and make sure you’re still heading in the path you desire for yourself.
Try it… you will be amazed by how enjoyable and rewarding thinking can be. As it becomes a habit, you will start craving and looking forward to your thinking time.