Do you set aside time to think, to ponder, every day?
If so, where do you do your best thinking? At your desk? On a quiet walk? At the gym? While you sleep? If you’re an extrovert, perhaps you talk it out with a confidant or peer. For my daughter, Alejandra, it’s in her bedroom with the door closed. For me, it is on the bike. Wherever or however you do it, are you doing enough of it? You may be asking yourself, “How much is enough?” Great question! In our action-oriented business culture, “too much” thinking is often frowned upon. It looks indecisive, slow, or disengaged. By the same token, “analysis paralysis” is quite real and has led to many squandered opportunities. So, it is important to separate decision-making from pondering.
The decision-making is about defining an issue, collecting and weighing facts, and determining a specific course of action. Pondering, on the other hand, is about possibility, about looking at the “what ifs…” of situations, and about creating a long-term impact on yourself and others.
I encourage you to think about where you do your best thinking, deciding, or pondering, and then make sure you set aside time in that special place to do more of it.
How much time is enough? You decide.
Be prudent.
