Good Leaders: What are your aspirations today?

We all have aspirations. Big and small, near and long-term. The most common definition of “aspiration” is: a strong desire, longing, aim or ambition. Aspirations fuel our growth! 

March holds so much promise

Most midwesterners get fired up about the idea of “Florida in March.” My colleague Erin and her husband Mike are taking their pre-school daughter Sally on her first spring break vacation to visit her “nana and papa.”  She doesn’t know it yet, but her four-year-old adventure to Florida will fuel her aspirations to explore the world!

My mother is 78 and celebrating two years of living in “the city.” For her, Minnesota is better than Florida! She relocated from Spirit Lake, Iowa, to St. Paul, with aspirations of being more involved in the lives of her grandchildren. She is feeling young and growing by embracing the smorgasbord of culture in the Twin Cities.

What are your aspirations?

First trip to Florida with your daughter? Stop smoking? Lose 20 pounds? Buy a new house? Build your own business? Write a book? Run a 10k? Get a new job?

When we get out of bed with a strong desire, longing, aim or ambition, we are much more willing to push ourselves out of the mundane. We are more willing to create honest insight about ourselves. We are more open to the helpful observations of others. We are more willing to set stretch goals, and we are more willing to find the courage to step up to new challenges. 

My aspirations?

Today the demolition begins on our new learning suite in Edina, Minnesota. The centerpiece is our “Inspiration Room” where we will facilitate Insight Days for individual leaders and Lead Smart sessions for groups and teams with high aspirations. The investment and commitment is pushing us out of our comfort zone. In three weeks, I will be 52 years old – but our mission of spreading goodness through leadership and business is making me feel young. That’s what aspirations do for middle-aged men like me.

What’s fueling the growth in you?

Good leaders cultivate the aspirations within themselves to fuel their own growth. And they find purpose and satisfaction in helping the people around them achieve their aspirations as well.

Please share with me: What are your aspirations today?