There is an old saying that wood warms you thrice – first while gathering; next while stacking and splitting; and finally when burning. Having heated a home in my past with wood, I truly understand this and the work affords the mind time to process issues, plan for the future or solve the problems of my business.
What I like about the wood analogy besides the great fire I can have in my office, and yes, that is my office fireplace and of course there is a fire extinguisher next to it. To get to this lovely fire, planning had to happen and in the current weather, a small path has to be shoveled to the wood pile which is located under a fir tree to keep the snow at a minimum. Planning, that is what it takes to have a warm office and that is the best plan for a business to be successful, planning.
In our businesses, we are leaders even if our team is small. Steven Covey put it best with his 7th habit – Sharpen the Saw – a process of keeping our mind-body-heart-soul healthy. Being the leader means we need to always be warming the business or planning months ahead for the next season or cycle. This happens as we make space to think about the future of our business. Remember, a dreamer is the one that gets the dreams! Planning is like dreaming with a purpose.
