Mule

Our work life is easy to measure.  There's a plan and you can break it into steps. Did you meet your quota? Are numbers going up that should go up and numbers going down that should go down? Put that in an equation and out pops an answer to the question, "Am I getting to where I want to go?" Reassess, adjust, and off you go.  You are not where you want to be and the actions to get there can be planned out and measured. We, as people, have a whole side of life that is not measurable.  And it's the important part. Are you as thoughtful as you should be? (thoughtful= doing something for someone before it's asked or necessary). Generous? Kind? Caring? When you say you're going to do something do you do it?Patient? Supportive? Forgiving? Selfless? This are the important things - it's work that benefits others more than ourselves- and we are horrible at all of it but leave it up to the passing of time. The career part of life is usually about "me" and is measurable. That's not inherently bad of course. But because it is measurable it is so much easier to focus on. When we can add 10+12= 22 and get a clear answer that's instantly satisfying. If it doesn't add up we know we are short and make a new plan. But we treat the un-measureable side of life as innate. Currently you are who you are, and random qualities will progress and digress as your life sees fit. We leave personal growth up to random chance. And if we do set out to improve it's self improvement. We stare at the lint in our navels wondering about how to get less linty, a better six pack, or more decisive. We look at ourselves, think about ourselves, analyze ourselves, and the make a plan for self-improvement. The problem is this:  this is not about us. I know for myself, as much as I love this work, if someone was to call me the most thoughtful person they know, or the person who always does what he says he would do, it would mean much more than if I made the best or coolest instruments.  I imagine you feel the same. Make a plan to improve the un-measureables.