Some of you may recall this song lyric. The song, originally sung by Diana Ross I believe, started with “Do you know where you’re going to? Do you like the things that life is showing you?” One of the consistent messages that we hear from the leaders who speak in the program is the importance of taking time to reflect.

Leaders recognize that it’s too easy to get caught in the undercurrent of daily life. Many of the leaders have shared stories of a time in their career where they realized that things were not going as they had planned. While the circumstances were unique, the recurring theme was, “I picked my head up, took a good look around, and thought, ‘Wow. How did I get to this place, and what do I do now?’” Through that experience, they each learned to create periodic check-in’s with themselves. The tactics that each leader employs differ – some journal, some schedule regular appointments onto their calendar, others take time away – but the purpose of the exercise is the same. By carving out time to reflect, a leader is able to re-center themselves in what’s most important to them, objectively assess what’s happening around them, and make grounded decisions that keep them moving in the direction of their vision.