An Existential Impact Crisis

I turn 45 in a few months, and frankly, it feels like a weird juncture in my life.

• My children are still small enough that I feel mostly young, but I'm old enough to know they'll be out of the house before I'm ready.

• I've been reading 4,000 Weeks, a recommendation from Mike Bensi, which reminds us that we're limited beings that won't ever possibly accomplish everything we want to do in our lives.

• The world of ESG has blown wide open in the last six months, and there's more opportunity than I could have dreamed. I want to do it all but know that's impossible.

This may be an existential impact crisis. Or it might just be the midpoint in our year when it feels like summer vacations put a halt to the ambitious plans we created mere months ago.  Or it might just be May in Indianapolis - where it seems like the the whole world wants to be at the Motor Speedway instead of writing emails. 

So as progress slows, how can we avoid an existential crisis when it comes to creating impact?  Four themes I've been hearing lately:

• Refocus on the broader vision for impact within your organization - what are we doing, and why?

• Realize that things are going to be moving more slowly than you want. Work towards consistent effort, bring on support networks (either partners or more team members)

• Pull out your metrics and look at what you've done so far. Give yourself credit/ a kick in the pants if necessary.

• Allow time for space and innovation. Sometimes the best ideas come out of the blue when we allow them time to percolate.

But building an impactful business is a marathon, not a sprint.  

Hope to you at the track.