“Time is the most valuable coin in your life. You and you alone will determine how that coin will be spent. Be careful that you do not let other people spend it for you.” -Carl Sandburg

Every human has a finite amount of time. How will you spend it?

Most people spend their “coin” of time on the expectations of others. We make things urgent, which are not, and do “busy work,” never getting meaningful results in your life, leadership, and art.

How can we break the curse?

Try this simple framework for managing your tasks, responsibilities, and time:

1. Give the task a number of importance:

Is this a 10 and urgent?

Is it a 1, and can be done next year?

2. Give the task a timestamp and/or deadline:

Does this need to be completed by tomorrow, the end of the week, next month, or next year?

Make a deadline.

3. Tell your tasks where to live, and a why:

Now, you’re going to examine the urgency of these tasks. The ones needing immediate attention give them a place to live.

Talk to them:

*My task will get my attention on: {deadline}

*You will get my attention on this date because: {my why?}

Pay attention to your why because it reveals importance of the task, or maybe it’s not upon further reflection.

It also gives you a renewed motivation to do the task.

Example: My book project will get 500 words added by Friday. Why? I’ve always wanted to write a book, and help people with my ideas.

Example: My taxes will be paid by April 15th. Why? It’s only January, I don’t have the money, and it’s not urgent.

Talking about your tasks, responsibilities, and work can become a superpower. A powerful tool for relieving stress, worry, and living an intentional and purposeful life on your terms.

Not the dreams and expectations of others.

Try it and let me know how it goes?

-Ryan

I’ve taken part in dozens of funerals. Attending services for close friends and family members. I’ve given eulogies and said prayers. Today we buried my step-grandfather.

I’m not sure what it is about funerals, but I never leave the same. I find myself reflecting on this one precious life. I wonder if my life is all it could be. What would my kids say about me if I died tomorrow, or next year?

When I listen to the pastors, priests, or family members speak of their loved ones with glowing memories. I wonder what my closest friends or wife would say about my five minutes on earth?

Driving home from the funeral reminded me of David Brooks book, _The Road to Character._ In fact, I think about this idea he crafted every time I leave a funeral. He introduced a thought-provoking concept:

Resume Virtues vs. Eulogy Virtues

Resume virtues are the skills and achievements you list on your resume — those experiences you feel make you hirable. Those accomplishments, educational milestones, and career successes we believe validate our existence.

Eulogy virtues are the qualities people speak about at your funeral—your kindness, humor, humility, bravery, and ability to inspire others. I loved hearing one of the grandkids talk about the leadership of our step-grandfather during the Korean War. Later in his work in aviation. These virtues shape your character and define the legacy you leave behind.

Typically, these virtues are remembered long after the resume virtues fade into oblivion.

Brooks suggests modern culture has an unhealthy emphasis on resume virtues at the expense of eulogy virtues. From a young age, we’re encouraged to focus on building successful careers, hustle, grind, chase accolades, and “win” in life.

Yet, when people reflect on their lives, it’s the eulogy virtues that often hold the most significance. I can attest to this today going to my grandfather’s funeral. People spoke of presence, and teaching them how to hook a fish, and hunt a deer. The times grandma and grandpa sang song during family gatherings.

These eulogy traits are often the unseen stuff. The interactions with family and community and church. The quiet ways they served their families and community. Like grandpa getting a second job to put the kids through Catholic school. These eulogy traits answer deeper questions about who we were as individuals, how we treated others, and what kind of impact we made on the world.

So, driving home, I thought about eulogy traits. What impact do I want to leave behind? Is it awards, and milestones, and accolades on a resume?

Or, things like courage, presence, love, and humility?

I pray for the latter.

In the speaking world, an abstract summarizes who you are, what you speak on, and how you can help your audience.

These summaries help event planners hire speakers based on the needs of the event, workshop, or seminar.

**The grounding question being: **

How can this person help our organization solve a problem, inspire us, educate us, and/or build morale for our company, association, or community?

We all have an abstract. Everyone brings experiences, gifts, skills, and art to the world. We all solve problems of various kinds.

I wonder if we should all write an abstract? You don’t need to be a speaker to do this.

Do you know why you’re here, what you do, and the art you make to help the world?

Do it, write a one-page abstract.

Answer these questions:

1. Who am I? What am I here for?
2. What expertise, skills, gifts, and art do I bring to the world?
3. What problems can/have I solved in the past? What problems do I hope to solve in the future?
4. How can I help others today?