I find myself asking myself this question often these days and usually in a role specific context. Personally? As good a dad to my son as my father was to me. As a human? Kind and patient with the latter being an ongoing challenge. Be grateful and appreciative of the blessings and good, supportive people in my life and endeavor to be as generous to life as I would like it to be to me! Pay it back, pay it forward in multiples. Pack my own weight and then some.
Globally? Be a good citizen (not 100% sure of the definition but a noble aspiration nonetheless). Bit by bit better every day, helping others along the way. Be a good role model. Give back, mentor when the opportunity arises. Be aware of the impact of my emotional wake, attitudes are contagious, make sure mine is worth catching.
Professionally is where I struggle most (in defining, not doing; I’m a lot further away from being the best human I can be than I would like!), where the devil of leisure whispers in one ear and the angel of duty in the other. I teach at the university, would reading one more book/article help me find a better analogy to make the learning easier? One more review of the course outline? In commerce, I’ve blown past five ’traditional’ retirement mile markers and still go into the office five days week, though admittedly putting in far less than the intense 70 hours a week that was my norm for decades. How can I best help others develop to their fullest potential? What more can I do to ensure that the company culture is productive, positive AND principled? How can I be a better leader to those I am responsible to?
The question seems to have no final answer.
Closing Quotes:
“Excellence does not require perfection.” – Henry James, 1843-1916
“Discourse no more of what a good man should be; but be one.” – Marcus Aurelius, 121-180 AD
“Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, Or what’s a heaven for?” – Robert Browning, 1812–1889
“What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult to each other?” – George Eliot, 1819-1880, Middlemarch
“The goal is not to be perfect by the end. The goal is to be better today.” – Simon Sinek, ‘Start with Why/Leaders Eat Last’
As always, I share what I most want and need to learn. – Nathan S. Collier
Note: Every effort has been made to properly source any 3rd person material. I am, however, a voracious reader. If anyone finds any unattributed material, pls let me know asap and I will be delighted to give credit where credit is due.
“All intelligent thoughts have already been thought; what is necessary is only to try to think them again.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 1749-1832
