Every year, about this time, as the new year rushes upon us, I am prompted to pull out a poem I saved a number of years ago titled "How Do You Live Your Dash?" by Linda Ellis.
The poem is about a symbol that appears on most every gravestone defining the period of time a person spent on this earth (1938 - 2010), for example. That period represents the time Don Meredith, who died recently had spent here, on earth. The numbers are not near as important as what the symbol between them, the dash, represents.
That little symbol embodies all the years he had to do good/bad, excel/fail or just "hangout." Each time I consider the "dash" I am reminded not to waste it.
I believe that much is served by humans spending time in reflection about the past and speculation about the future. But there is nothing better than to devote the present to "advancing the envelope," just a little bit everyday. How we use our 'Daily Dashtime" is the most important thing we do everyday. Reflecting on the past or speculating on the future is Okay, but living your dash today the most meaningful and powerful way to impact the future.
Dashtime is somewhat like manna that God provided the Isrealites in the wilderness. If you will recall, God told the them that manna would sustain them but they must gather and eat it everyday. They could not save it up for tomorrow, because it would spoil, unless it was the day before the sabbath and then they could gather extra for the sabbath Well, Dashtime is almost like that, it must be used, productively, today because we do not know what the future holds. Many a life has been sacrificed, opportunity missed, or victory lost because we waited until tomorrow to use our Dashtime.
It is good for me to be reminded that I must pay attention to the present. Do something today to make the world better than you found it when you woke this morning. It matters not how little that something is, if you do something positive everyday, the value accumulates.
So, consider your Dashtime today and everyday. It is a little like paying forward. Thank you Linda Ellis!
Stephen J. Blakesley, Managing Patner, GMS Talent L P ( http://www.gmstalent.com ) is an author and a speaker. His two, most recent books, "The Target-The Secret to Superior Performance" and Strategic Hiring - Tomorrow's Benefits today ( one of the top 50 business books of 2006 according to Business Book Review ) are top resources for business owners, mangers and C-Level executives. Stephen also hosts a radio show on Blog Talk Radio every week on Tuesday @ 5:30 CDT. To join us: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/sjb340 Ask us about our Superior Performance Events: sjb@gmstalent.com.
