Finish Strong, Re-charge Intentionally and Begin Boldly
Friday Reflection (No.88)
I may constantly cry that I need more time, but actually time needs more of me. More of our spacious, uninterrupted, timeless time to live out and understand both its extraordinary depths and its incalculable far-off horizons.
-David Whyte
Finishing the year can feel like stuffing a suitcase that is already filled to the brim. We often have more we want to fit in than space allows, which can intensify our tendency to “constantly cry out” for more time. And yet, the end of the year also offers us a unique window to embrace a more expansive view of time, as David Whyte so beautifully articulates in this line from his poetic essay simply entitled “Time.”1
Leadership Principle: Embrace a more expansive view of time, particularly at year end, so you can finish strong, re-charge intentionally, and enter the new year boldly.
For today’s Friday Reflection, I share a holistic view on how to use this arbitrary yet nearly universal inflection point (calendar year end) to finish strong, re-charge intentionally and begin boldly.2
And because it has been on repeat for the last couple weeks, I incorporated a lyric from Kendrick Lamar’s new album, GNX,3 to bring to life each concept.
Finish Strong:
“Got my foot up on the gas, but somebody gotta do it, huh…hurry up and get your muscle up.” (from the track ‘tv off’)
With time as your ally, give one last push on the ONE THING you feel stirred to get done before the year ends. You’ll know it’s the right “one thing” because it solidifies achieving one of this year’s important goals AND it sets the stage for the upcoming year. Aim to be fully present as you take action, feeling time’s supportive presence rather than its pressure.4 Pick the one thing, put your foot on the gas and make it happen.
Re-charge Intentionally:
“Emotional stability…a sound body and tranquility…I deserve it all.” (from the track ‘man in the garden’)
The burdens of leadership can take a toll, and so you need to find ways to re-charge…to gear up for next year’s marathon. Use the CARE model (see below) to help you figure out what you need to re-charge. In addition to nurturing our body and mind, these re-charge moments offer a glimpse into “spacious, uninterrupted, timeless time.”
Begin Boldly:
“Use your heart and not your eyes…if you got time, then I got time…free your thoughts and watch them fly…use your heart and not your eyes.” (from the track ‘heart pt.6’)
Finishing strong and re-charging intentionally give you the energy and confidence to begin the next year boldly. This is also where it can help to consider what Whyte calls time’s “incalculable far off horizons.” Let the wisdom of our cosmic insignificance inspire you to take some bigger swings. From this vantage point, the fears that hold us back from bold action feel smaller, like microbes on a pale blue dot.
Ask yourself: what’s one transformative change you’d pursue if you had full freedom and could subdue fears of failure, something that feels just out of reach, but would redefine how you serve and support the people who depend on you (customers, colleagues, beneficiaries, friends, or family)?
My prescription to begin boldly is to set “goals with soul” and a compelling “annual intent.” Goals with soul are not new year’s resolutions. They are goals that connect to our core motivations (heart not eyes), rely on community support, and aim to create lasting impact. An annual intent involves using a resonant metaphor (e.g., the year of wings) to bring your intention for the year to life. When you veer off course or hit the “Avalanche Moments,” this annual intent can ground you in presence and keep you focused on where “time needs more of you.”
Take Action: Practical and Proven Steps
Finish strong: Review your current goals and commitments, then ask: “Which single action would have the greatest impact if completed before year’s end?” Consider what is both doable and beneficial.
Re-charge intentionally: Schedule specific activities in specific windows of time. This post (Re-charge) and this post (Re-charge 2.0) have more specific ideas and tips on how to do so. Many of us have responsibilities (kids, elderly loved ones, other life commitments) and history that can make the holidays actually more stressful than a “run-of-the mill” week. It is imperative that you ask others to help you carve out this space. You deserve it all, but no one will make this space for you.
Set goals with soul and an annual intent to begin the year boldly. These three posts provide a roadmap for how to do this: Goals with Soul Part 1, Goals with Soul Part 2, and Annual Intent. There are other effective ways to prepare your mind to begin the year boldly. This is just what works for many leaders that I advise and what works for me.
Reflect: Some Questions to Consider
What is the ONE THING that you want to do before the end of the year?
Over the next couple weeks, what do you need to re-charge intentionally? How can you get creative and ask others for help in getting time for what you need?
What is your bold annual intent for next year? What actions in the first month of the year will give you confidence that you are beginning boldly?
If this week’s Friday Reflection was practical or enjoyable (or maybe even both!), please share it with your colleagues and friends.
I often cite his poetry, because two of the throughlines of his work really resonate with me - the power of presence and the insight available by challenging conventional beliefs. The excerpt above is from the poem “Time” from the most recent collection of poetic essays - Consolations 2. If you want to hear a reading of it, you can go to his recent appearance on the Tim Ferris podcast (link here) and listen to it starting from 1h50m into the discussion.
This Friday Reflection is action-packed and contains more links than usual as I’m trying to connect the dots for my readers across several posts. Hopefully this will be a resource you can come back to each year.
This album is FIRE. It was an extra special treat because I had no idea he was going to drop an album this year. A close friend introduced me to Kendrick’s music in one of the most amazing ways possible - I had the chance to go to a very small venue (less than 300 people) and see him live in concert. Since then, I’ve been a huge fan for his lyricism and beats, but also because of my connection of his music with our friendship.
And yes, I am boldly trying to include Kendrick Lamar and David Whyte in one reflection.
This doesn’t mean throwing all other responsibilities to the wind. I just often find there is a littany of things that remain open at the end of the year, so rather than getting many of them partially done…pick one and make it happen.