Monday Morning Match is a simple post – maybe a quote, inspirational story or idea – intended to spark some motivation inside each of you so your week gets off to a fantastic start on Monday morning.
Where do you do your best thinking? Where do the dreams and visions for your life and your business seem to percolate the best? Is there a certain place or time that comes to mind where some of your best ideas have occurred?
Back to School
This past weekend I helped move my daughter Riley into her new apartment in Columbia, South Carolina where she is set to begin her junior year at The University of South Carolina. We chose to drive through Kentucky and Tennessee on the way down, even though it’s about an hour longer because the last time Riley made the commute a few weeks ago using the preferred (and shorter) Eastern route (passing through West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina, it took her almost two hours longer due to construction and traffic. I was leading the way in my car partially filled with supplies and Riley followed me in her car, filled with most her needs for the next year.
The drive down was uneventful (just the way you like it to be) with light traffic and minimal slowdowns. There weren’t many orange barrels, lane closures, or over-zealous highway patrolmen looking for speeders between Columbus and Columbia. We arrived at her new apartment and had the car unloaded in just two trips and got her room all squared away in a matter of hours.
On my solitary drive home to Ohio, I took the usual route up I-77 through the Carolinas, the mountains of Virginia, the turnpike of West Virginia and the rolling hills and cornfields of Southern Ohio. With no one else to worry about when it came to pit stops and snack breaks, I made it home in a quick 8 hours.
Windshield Time
As a drove along the interstates and rural routes, I took in the views of the blue skies, watched livestock graze in the neighboring fields, saw hawks and ravens and vultures riding the thermal currents high above the passing cars, and would occasionally wonder where everyone else was going to or coming from. I passed truckers delivering their payload and busloads full of passengers heading somewhere like a church retreat or sporting event. There were probably fellow parents delivering kids to college, people heading back from attending a weekend wedding, or someone heading home after saying goodbye to a loved one at a funeral.
I had close to 18 hours of “windshield time” – just me driving and my thoughts were riding shotgun. I listened to lots of podcasts – some that made me think about my business, some that made me ponder my overall life, and some that just entertained me the way a talkative buddy might join you on a road trip and tell stories the entire way. There were friends, acquaintances, and clients that would randomly pop into my mind as I sped along so I gave them a call, left them a message or added something to my “to-do list” to follow up on once I returned home. I had some time to think about the future and flashed back a lot on the past, all while making sure to stay focused on the present, often checking the rearview mirror to be sure Riley was still just a few car lengths behind.
As I shake off the “road rust” and get ready for my week ahead, I am thankful for the time alone in the car. I look forward to my next opportunity to have some windshield time although it might not happen the next time I’m driving. It could happen on my morning walk, or while waiting in the queue at Starbucks. It could happen as a silently hit practice shots on the driving range or putting green or when I’m exercising on the treadmill at the gym. It could be when I’m being purposeful about my plans or it might happen the next time I’m meditating and trying to clear my mind of thoughts. The good news is, when it happens next, it probably means there’s something about to happen. Where does your mind snap into action? Does your mind work best in the shower or when you’re falling asleep at night? When your gardening or doing the dishes or when you’re mindlessly scrolling through social media?
As you head out into the week, check your rearview mirror to see what is behind you but then quickly shift your view (and attention) to your big clear windshield. There are a whole lot of opportunities for you to start building relationships, solving problems and having fun on the horizon.
Buckle up for safety and then turn up the radio, roll down the windows and enjoy the ride.