Nothing is Quieter than Hair Turning Gray
When I was younger, I had my whole life ahead of me. Anything was possible. In fact, when I graduated from high school, my dad said, “Son, you need to go out and get a job right now, while you still know everything.”
In a way, he was right. I have never felt more on my game, more in control of my destiny and more unstoppable than I did when I was 18. If you’ve lived more than 18 years – or have an unusual sense of humility – you know that life isn’t linear, victories have to be earned and set-backs are inevitable. And you know that learning opportunities are everywhere, every day, if you just look for them.
The longer I live and the more I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t know and how much more I need to learn. Along the winding path that is my leadership journey, I’ve embraced the concept of “life-long learning” taught by my mentor, John Maxwell. The most dynamic, engaged and successful people I know have done the same. Committing to a lifetime of learning by investing time and money in your leadership growth is one of the best investments you’ll ever make.
I encourage you to start today because I’ve also found that time passes quickly, whether we take the time to learn and grow or not. One day I was just out of college and then, it seems, a short time later I have gray in my hair and crow’s feet around my eyes.
Time is a ninja. It comes for you silently but it comes for you and it never loses focus. Nothing is quieter than hair turning gray.
Some will take that as an excuse to shift into neutral and coast to retirement or even beyond – to that “big train station in the sky.” Others will recognize that the past does not exist. Only today is real and you really do have your whole life ahead of you.
What you do with the 24 hours you have today and every day to come will make all the difference in where you are in a year and in five years. Those daily investments ultimately will determine your legacy – what you leave behind of value for others.
So take the time to determine what really matters to you and invest your time and money there. I think C.S. Lewis had it right, “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”
When I was younger, I had my whole life ahead of me – and I still do.
So do you.
About the Author
Karl J. Newman is a Featured writer for the John Maxwell Team Blog.
He is an executive leader and influential communicator who develops effective solutions to business and organizational challenges.
As President & CEO of several successful companies, he has real-world experience doing what he teaches.
Karl brings you far more than theory and concepts.
He brings you customized real-world solutions you can turn into results – both in your own life and across your organization.
Contact Karl at http://www.johncmaxwellgroup.com/karlnewman/