I was struck by a quote I read a few weeks ago by Dr. John Piper:
What Does It Mean To Be an Aimless Leader
“Aimlessness is akin to lifelessness. Dead leaves in the backyard may move around more than anything else — more than the dog, more than the children. The wind blows this way, they go this way. The wind blows that way, they go that way. They tumble, they bounce, they skip, they press against a fence, but they have no aim whatsoever. They are full of motion and empty of life.”
If I’m honest, I’ve felt that way at times. There’s a good chance you have too. Really busy, yet aimless. Wandering through life and wondering if what we are doing really does add up to anything, or worse yet fully recognizing we are chasing after things that in the end add very little to the legacy we want to leave behind.
Why You Don’t Want To Be an Aimless Leader
I feel that way for a reason. You feel that way for a reason. We were created to do things on purpose. Aimlessness isn’t really in our DNA and when we succumb to it, it begins to suck the life out of us.
When you get up in the morning and you face the day, what do you say to yourself about your hopes for the day?
When you look from the beginning of the day to the end of the day, what do you want to happen because you have lived?
Be as clear as you can while answering those questions. I want you to be able to answer them on a big-picture level as well as on a very specific level for the day.
There’s an old shooting adage that says, “Aim small, miss small.” It’s the opposite of being aimless. It’s shooting at a specific, small object, knowing that if you miss, it won’t be by much. In the day-to-day, it’s being as purposeful as possible.
My wife and I went on a weekend trip to Chattanooga, TN, not too long ago. We had a blast. Even though it was a vacation for us, we had a clear purpose — we wanted to connect with each other and revitalize our relationship. The point of that example is to show that whether you are headed to work or to the beach, you don’t have to be an aimless leader.
Today, remember….Aim small, miss small.
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Justin Harris is the COO of Wildsparq leader development and FireSeeds recruiting, located in Birmingham, AL. He is committed to helping companies and organizations enhance culture and multiply leaders. You can contact Justin directly at justin@fireseeds.com.