I’ve  learned, I can’t do everything. In fact, I’ve learned that if I don’t do some things, I can’t do anything.

It probably became a reality for me when my two boys were busy with sports, school, and church activities. I grew up without a father, so I wanted to be there for everything they did. I was successful for the most part, but that meant balancing their plans with running a business, serving on the city council, as well as dozens of appointed boards because of my elected position. I was in over my head.

That’s when I learned that if I want to be successful, I had to get better personally and privately, so I could achieve more publicly. It was then that running switched from being a fun pastime to a necessary part of my week. I needed and craved the downtime. It was then that I had to get up early to make sure I had that days quiet time. It was then that I became diligent in scheduling my week.

I scheduled everything too. I scheduled time with my wife, time with the boys, time with myself. Everything I did went on a calendar. To some it seemed overkill. I’ll be honest, I’m not a detail person, so even to me it was tedious being that intense with my schedule. But, I learned it was life-giving.

When I took control of my personal life, everything else fell into place. I had more time to do what I needed and wanted to do, and the time I had, was more productive.

Even today, while I’m an empty-nester and have more flexibility with my schedule, I am still a huge scheduler of my time. I protect my calendar to make sure I’m doing what I need to do to keep myself functioning at a healthy and productive pace.

My advice to younger leaders when I have occasion to talk with them always starts here. Take care of yourself, so you can take care of others.

[ THE ART OF SELF-LEADERSHIP HOMEPAGE ]