Purpose

I just read "Heroic Leadership: Best Practices From A 450 Year Old Company That Changed The World" by Chris Lowney.

He is a former Jesuit priest turned corporate investment banker. He describes Jesuit practices of how to become a better leader and one of the practices is to meditate for 5 minutes three times a day.

I wish to record the meat of my meditations...to keep me focused and moving forward.

The first focus is that divine love pours out into the world without end. It is not a limited quantity. This means knowing I and everyone around me is a "loved person of unique dignity and potential...". I don't have to respect the person but I do need to respect their divine spirit.

The next focus is to meditate on my key personal goals. Career, Relationships, Financial, Home.

The next focus is to take stock of my actions thus far in the day to see if they helped me reach my long term goals or moved me in the opposite direction. In the words of Al-Anon or AA, take a "fearless moral inventory" twice a day based on my actions. And if they were in the opposite direction to ask for divine help in moving me in the right direction.

The final focus is a "restless drive to imagine a greater project, or a better way of accomplishing the current problems". It also touches on motivation. What goals motivate you that you would go beyond 100% effort to achieve them. That idea of athletes going beyond what they thought possible to achieve the impossible.

So the meditations are:

-Key goals
-Divine Love
-Fearless moral inventory
-Motivation

Sunday, April 24, 2011

24 April 2011

LOVE:

I was posting to a high school classmate's Facebook page today and wished her a happy birthday and told her she looked fabulous, which she does! But I realized something. When I am connected with the divine and know that I am loved by them, I am able to be so much freer with my love and appreciation of others. I don't have to hoard what I have because I am afraid it is not going to be enough to sustain me. I know beyond a doubt that there is more where that came from. And even the concept that I get more love in my life when I give more out doesn't matter, that concept isn't motivating to me. The knowledge that I have enough to last a lifetime and beyond and giving love to others is a special gift only I can give makes me very, very happy! I am so very grateful that I am secure in the knowledge of the divine's love of me!

GOAL:

I am employed full time based out of New Orleans working in the oil and gas sector helping to save lives by engineering safer systems, through reliability engineering! With a supportive boss and an environment which promotes continual learning.

I spent some time yesterday working on this, thinking about this. Knowing that I am making a difference today right now even if it can't be seen or felt yet, I know that I am making a difference. Keeping my eyes on the prize is such an obvious cliche, but it makes all the little decisions so much easier. I think as I get into my summer research project I will be able to refine this goal a bit. But currently the task in front of me is to write a proposal to allow me to go offshore to visit several drilling rigs and production platforms and hopefully be exposed to the training the operators and maintainers of these systems receive. That will help so very much!

INVENTORY:

My inventory. I have never thought of my comments about others negative or positive as hurtful, or harmful, but I am thinking I need to pay attention, and see if I am doing any harm there. I don't believe I am, I believe I am simply expressing my opinion, but I have never looked at this. This is my inventory task, to see if this habit is preventing me from reaching my goals. I ate very well yesterday, had too many carbs, but I was with friends who were cooking for me, so I was a bit limited on my options and I didn't want to offend them! Besides it was all good homemade Iranian food! YUM!

MOTIVATION:

I struggle every day with this section. How to keep motivated to go above and beyond what is requested and provide something special. I don't know why this is such a challenge for me, but it really is. I am thinking I need to finish reading the book and focus on this part of the book so I can get a better handle on it. Ok, goal for today, get some reading done in the book!
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