Last week, in Part I of the Steps to Effectiveness, we addressed the need to be a life-long learner.
We are all working hard to be more effective in the roles we play in the home, at work, and in the community. There is an ever-present need to improve our game in order to be our best for those we care about most in a world that is no longer simple and predictable.
As we continue on our journey to build and strengthen our character, it is critical that we understand the basic steps to being more effective in the roles we play and maintain some degree of momentum in order to make progress towards reaching our goals.
In Part II of the Steps to Effectiveness, we will address the need to be a life-long relationship builder.
Life is meant to be lived in relationship with others. Scientific evidence demonstrates that we become unhealthy when we are all alone. Practical evidence in our own lives demonstrates that when we complete a career journey or some major milestone of life, we remember the people, not the product or the tangible items or even the money. We remember the people that impacted our journey.
The challenge for all of us is that relationships with real people are not easy. The old saying, “Can’t live with them and can’t live without them” is often the emotional reality faced in many relationships. Things in life that are important are rarely easy and building healthy relationships is on the top of the “difficult list.” Building healthy relationships with others takes intentional effort over the long haul. The reality for many is that often our most challenging life-long relationships are those within our own home.
We hear quite often today about the search for our own personal happiness. Gandhi made a valuable point when he said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” Serving others is the foundation for healthy relationships and Gandhi was also making a point that being a life-long relationship builder is the surest pathway to find peace and joy within oneself.
Given the growing complexity of the world around us, we need to be life-long relationship builders in order to build a community that can support each other in reaching our full potential. We see clearly the opportunity and the possibility more than obstacles when we can count on each other.
As we apply effort and a steady commitment to becoming a life-long relationship builder, we will build and strengthen our character and Character Creates Opportunity to be more effective in the important roles we play at home, work, and in the community.
To summarize Part I and Part II, being a life-long learner and a life-long relationship builder are the two pillars of a fulfilling life. Keep moving forward on both.
