One of my favorite islands to visit is Cozumel, Mexico. Located in the Caribbean Sea, it is Mexico’s largest Caribbean Island.

Cozumel is a beautiful tropical island with perfect weather. The sky is a gorgeous shade of blue and the water is crystal clear!

First settled by Mayans, Cozumel has a rich and colorful history which began in the 1st millennium AD. The island was sacred to the Maya Moon Goddess, Ix Chel, and a favorite destination for infertile women.

When the Spanish arrived in 1518, the island was inhabited by over 10,000 Maya. After a smallpox outbreak in 1520 wiped out most of the Mayan population, Cozumel became a hot spot for pirates. Today, Cozumel is a favorite tourist destination and one of the top scuba diving spots in the world.

So why is Cozumel one my favorite island? I love the history of the island. The climate is awesome, the food is delightful and the shopping is fabulous! The people are warm and friendly and time moves at a slower pace.

As we strolled down the main street and I found myself unwinding and enjoying the slower pace of life. We sat in a local restaurant and while gazing at the water my mind wandered.

I normally don’t have time during the day to just sit and think. Why? Because leaders are prone to action. We thrive in the daily chaos of our workplace.

In her book, Multipliers, Liz Wiseman identifies leaders who are “always on” as accidental diminishers. So, like many leaders I’m always on, spending my day going from one activity to the next.

[shareable cite=”Dr. Kim Moore”]The opportunity to slow down and think is a luxury many leaders rarely have.”[/shareable]

John Maxwell reminds leaders about the value of thinking in his book Today Matters. According to Maxwell, “good thinking precedes good results.” Therefore, leaders must develop a daily practice of thinking.

So how does one develop a practice of thinking? Maxwell offers the following six steps to develop this daily habit:

  1. Identify a place to think – set aside a favorite location as your daily thinking spot
  2. Schedule a time daily to think – calendar a block of time every day to think
  3. Find a trigger to generate thinking – identify a process, i.e. music, white noise, favorite pen, favorite smell, to encourage your thinking
  4. Record your thoughts – develop a system to capture your thoughts
  5. Put your thoughts into action – transfer your thoughts into action
  6. Improve your thinking every day – focus your thoughts on how to improve

[callout]Leaders must be intentional in creating time to think.[/callout]

Just like we train our muscles to move, we can train our brains to think critically. Good thinking leads to great thinking. Taking time every day to think, will set the stage for success.

Are you practicing “good” thinking?

Your friend,
Kim

Dr. Kim Moore, your guide to leading with confidence!

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Dr. Kim Moore

About the author

I'm Kim, your Educational Leadership Guide. I equip educational leaders with research-based and experientially learned educational leadership principles and best practices to promote student success.


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