Thinking.

Ah, thinking. It is a simple act of generating and processing one’s thoughts. It can be a creative process. It can be an analytical process. It may require solitude. Or, perhaps, sometimes it is more fruitful as a group activity. Regardless of the process, it is the act of being contemplative that allows us to grow, develop, and ultimately move closer to achieving our goals.

The majority of my professional life is spent coming up with unique concepts around dreaming and creating an amazing life. I’m always thinking about what I can provide the world and how my unique circumstances can teach others how to be amazing. Bottom line is I need time to think, and if you were to look at my routine I might look like a bum.

I completely get why you would think you would look at me and say to yourself, “See that man there? Now, that’s a bum if I have ever seen one.” Afterall, I take many trips with my friends where all we do is hang out and have drinks. I know it sounds as if we just a bunch of guys wasting time, but there is so much more to it than that. Yeah, we are hanging out. Yeah, we are talking. Goodness, we might be loud. We might even say some really silly stuff, but somewhere in these conversations we are sharing and that’s right... thinking.

Most days my thinking is pretty much a solitary affair. Here’s the pattern. More often than not during the morning, in between taking emails and communicating with my team, I watch Colin Cowherd, to whom I am totally addicted. I also watch a couple of sports’ shows, dramas, and sitcoms in the evening. However, during these times the wheels are turning. I place the concepts that are discussed in my mental database for later use.   Sometimes they may even be the initial source of a topic for my teachings.

You know, thinking isn’t always about being creative. Sure, it’s obvious that we need to think in order to be creative, but we also need to think as a means by which to establish a path to achieve our goals. During these times we may just sit back and ponder where we are, where we have been, and where we are going.

This reflective thinking is as beneficial, as it is necessary. Take Tania Yuki as an example. She is not just reflective, but she is also intentional about making sure that she has time in her day for reflection. In an interview with, Your Business, on MSNBC she said that she schedules 90 minutes of what she calls “buffer time” in 30 minute increments every day. During this time, she just reflects on meetings, conversations, and next steps.

Although my time to reflect is not nearly as structured as Yuki’s, I do take the time to really just think about what I am doing. Of course, my reflecting extends far beyond the present. I also think about my future. I think about where I am going. I think about the best path to get me to my goals. There is just not enough room in this blog to list all of things that I reflect upon. Just know that I believe that reflecting is essential to the process of reaching your goals, and I spend a significant amount of time reflecting.

And so now I ask, “Are you taking time to think?” I mean are you taking the time to really be creative? Are you looking for and internalizing sources of inspiration? Are you reflecting?

I really hope you are. It just may be the difference between whether or not you reach your goals.