Lift Your Horizon

Focus.  Find meaning.  Step forward.

It is tough these days finding focus, meaning and moving forward at work. Things are winding down and yet we have a job to do … for those left behind.

I write a blog titled, WeMoveTogether.  Truth be told … No We anymore.  We Move not at all.  We struggle to stay Together.

It all will pass and eventually we all will move on.  I will find a new We to lead. Damn, we will create and Move, and always, always succeed Together.

I find myself adrift at times.  Today, was one of those days. With this mindset, I read an article titled, A Simple Ritual For Harried Managers (and Popes). The author, Chris Lowney was a former Jesuit seminarian and later became a Managing Director of JP Morgan & Co.

With my High School Jesuit education in mind, I was eager to read his advice. Indeed, wise words and advice … touching on a 450 year old tradition, the power of the Examen.

The Examen is a daily ritual developed by St. Ignatius.  WIth this process we pause and “examine” our day.  The recommendation is twice a day.  Time to slow the noise or push aside the unwelcome quiet.

There are three steps in the process and it need not take more that several minutes to complete:

1. Remind yourself of why your are grateful as a human being.
2. Lift your horizon and think of an important personal objective, or your deeper sense of purpose.
3. Mentally review the last few hours and extract some insight that may shed light on your next few hours or into the next day.

Perform these steps at mid-day and as your day closes. You are in good company, through Chris Lowney’s writing, business people are discovering this practice followed by Jesuits for hundreds of years, including the new Pope.

I am in search of focus and the Examen is now part of my daily ritual.  I add to it two other rituals, one old and one new.  I will write of these rituals in due time along with a report on how my Examen is progressing.

For now …

1. I am grateful for my courage to write this post and give voice to my thoughts.
   
2. I focus on those I still lead, we will find a path. I do not forget those who moved on.
3. Tomorrow, I will add light to the dark.   I will examen anew.

WeMoveTogether