Have you ever felt as if you were sleepwalking through life? I have! There were days when I felt like I was operating on autopilot. I’d wake up and follow my usual morning routine. Before I know it, I was out the door on my way to work.
When I arrived at my office, I wondered how I got there. I attended several meetings, wrote and responded to emails. Before I knew it, it was time to wrap up and head home. As I drove home, my brain was on autopilot; the next thing I knew, I was pulling into my garage.
We’ve all had days like I just described. How can I be so confident in that statement? Because according to brain research, our brains takes in 11 million pieces of information per second. However, our brain is only consciously aware of about 40-50 bites of information.
Research by Daniel Kahneman indicates 95% of our thinking is intuition and instinct, which is a fast and unconscious way our brain functions to keep us safe and moving forward. To help with the process, our brain organizes information into patterns, and it automatically follows the pattern unless it is disrupted.
So, on those days when we are not sure how we got home, just thank your brain for following the pattern you established. While it may be okay to move through your day on autopilot sometimes, is it okay to move through your life on autopilot? Absolutely no!
John Kotter observed, “Most people don’t lead their own lives – they accept their lives.” Each of us has been created by our creator for a specific purpose. Therefore, if we want to live a life of significance and fulfill our purpose, we must intentionally lead our lives!
When we lead a life of significance, we become the author of our life story. According to John Maxwell, “Everyone’s life is a story. You determine how great your story is.”
So, what do you want your life to say? Maxwell offers us four steps to help us write our story.
- Decide you want to make a difference
- Do something that makes a difference
- With people who make a difference
- At a time that makes a difference
You are the author of your life story! Make a choice today to lead your life instead of accepting your life.
“Learning to be intentional has the power to create positive change in the world around you and to help you live a great story of significance.”
– John Maxwell
Are you writing your story with intention?
#YourLeadershipGuide
Kim
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“Accept my life” not lead. I have never given that any consideration.
That is a big WOW.