Heads-up Leadership

I once rode a bike into a parked car.

It’s true.

Distracted by a problem with my pedals, I rode directly into the back of a parked car. I flew over the handlebars and crashed into the back window. I then rolled off of the trunk and landed in the grass adjacent to the vehicle.

My system rebooted. I began to process what happened, assess my injuries, and wipe the blood from my face.

The car was fine, but my body and ego were damaged. (Yes, a few of my neighbors saw it happen.)

I pushed my bike about a block and a half back to my house and nursed my wounds.

The distraction of the pedals caused me to miss a large object right in front of me. I learned a lesson that day about distraction.

Sadly, the lesson did not end there.

Three years later, I was sitting in my dentist’s chair when he asked, “How long has your jaw been popping?”

I responded, “What are you talking about?”

He asked me to open my mouth wide. I complied and my jaw popped – loudly.

How the heck did I miss that?

We quickly traced the popping jaw back to that same bike crash.

When the bike accident occurred, the blood and my embarrassment distracted me from fully assessing my injuries. In the subsequent days, the pain subsided and the demands of work and life distracted me from rehabbing a sore jaw. Eventually, I adjusted how I positioned my mouth to avoid the problem.

These distractions caused me to fail to notice a problem that was literally right under my nose. Or, to state it more accurately, I allowed the distractions to keep me from noticing a parked car and a popping jaw.

I bet you have distractions in your life that are keeping you from doing what truly matters most. We have created a tool and a video to help you to address them. I encourage you to invest 10-15 minutes in yourself by watching the video and filling out the tool.

Considering what matters most to you, identifying distractions that are getting in your way, and determining specific steps you can take to handle those distractions will serve you well today and into the future.

Additionally, I invite you to listen to my interview with Kory Kogon. She is the author of the bestselling book, The 5 Choices: The Path to Extraordinary Productivity. Kory joined me on the Leadership Lab podcast to discuss five choices that can change everything when it comes to accomplishing your top priorities. Her insights and suggestions will go a long way in helping you to avoid distractions and to put your energy toward what truly matters most.

Make it a great day!

Patrick

Photo by Scott Umstattd on Unsplash