Pit Stops

1 July 2018

More than ever, I am beginning to understand how it is imperative for leaders to take time away for thinking & reflection about where we are & where one is headed.

Even though intuitively we know this would be good & beneficial for us personally, these times rarely make it onto our calendars. In order to maintain emotional health & some semblance of spiritual health, one has to make time for personal getaway, escape or simply head for the hills.

If you have ever watched the Indy 500, you know no one wins the race without making pit stops. Pit stops allow the tyres to be changed, adjustments to be made, & the tank to be refuelled. In business today we have to learn how to take personal pit stops so we can consider where we are headed what mid race adjustments need to be made.

Leaders who stay emotionally & spiritually healthy long term are those who learn this as a rhythm of advance & retreat. There are times when we are focused on the mission & vision & taking on the next hill. But you cannot stay on the front lines forever, you have to rest & regroup.

For me, times of personal retreat have had two powerful benefits:

1. Replenishing my soul.
2. Re-calibrating my perspective. 

Solitude invites perspective into my life. The goal of solitude is not so much to unplug from my crazy world as it is to change frequencies so I can listen.  “Solitude does not give us the power to win the rat race, but to ignore it altogether” said former paster Richard J Foster.

So, how about it?  Pull up your calendar right now & schedule a twenty-four-hour personal escape. 

The world will manage without you, you will be healthier for it and in the long run your business in better shape.

Kenn Butler