Hi meaningful leader,
I’m so happy to see you here, like big smile happy. Every weekend, as I prepare to write the weekly article for this blog, I like to think of different situations you are or may be encountering in the near future and then I put together content that can be useful for you and easy to apply. I hope this is not the exemption.
During my coaching session this week (yes, coaches have coaches), my coach and I discussed a super important aspect of our lives that sometimes we tend to overlook, and that’s our hobbies. As we set out to achieve ambitious goals and create new benchmarks, we try to maximize our time and concentrate on getting more done. However, our hobbies not only allow us to rest and relax, but more importantly, they help us to fuel our creative outlets and open up our imagination.
Why is this important? Great question! Let me try and illustrate what I mean:
Since I was a little girl, I’ve always had an inclination for the artistic and creative type of things in life. Dance was one of my biggest creative outlets, as was writing and daydreaming. I was able to imagine and create choreographies, write about adventures and imagine incredible places. So naturally, for me the world of business was perceived as a boxed-in, super structured, suit-and-tie kind of environment and therefore, was completely unappealing.
My journey in business started with my love for aviation, and the curiosity the operations aspect of it, sparked in me. Learning how things worked was what reeled me in and then I discovered I had a knack for the business side, it just came natural to me. That’s when I discovered that leadership required us to embrace our creativity.
You see, as leaders we are always creating something. We create opportunities, we create a vision, we create solutions, and creativity is a requirement for high performance and dedicating time to enjoy our hobbies, allows for that creativity to flow freely.
My biggest hobbies right now are gardening and calligraphy. Both create beautiful results and required dedication, consistency, and patience. Three habits which are critical in building meaningful leadership.
In neither the process can be rushed, all you can do is put in the time and see the improvements and growth flourish daily, through pure consistency. How awesome is that? The crazy thing is that between my job, the book and the coaching practice I’m building, I had put both in the back burner but realized that in doing so, my creativity and appreciation for the creative process was drying down. I had started to feel burnt and overwhelmed.
To be happy, successful, and productive, operate out of your imagination, your dreams, and your vision
Ed Mylett
Please share in the comments about your hobbits and favorite creative outlets. Nothing is random or not worth noting. Set some time apart to do the things you enjoy. Allow your mind to disconnect from your daily responsibilities and worries and allow your creativity to run freely. We have the choice to either box ourselves in and just go through the motions, or create a life we actually enjoy living. Same as when we were children, our hobbies and daydreaming can help us achieve more, while helping us in building our resilience.
I hope you found value here today. If so, please subscribe and share this blog with other leaders; you can help me spread this content.
Have an amazing rest of the week and God bless!
Maria
