Reflect and Go: Learning the Art of "Rowing Your Boat"
Have you ever been in a rowboat? It’s interesting isn't it? You know where you are going by looking at where you have been. The rower has their back facing the destination but can move towards the future without fear because they can see what they’ve overcome.
Earlier this year, Meg was working on one of her Behold Collective Studies. While studying the Hebrew language in the book of Jeremiah, this analogy came to life. The Hebrew language doesn’t have a concept of the future. They viewed the future as if they were a person in a rowboat. The rower cannot see what’s behind them, aka, their destination or future. What the rower can see, is the past and present.
In the case of the Hebrew people, when looking at their past and present, they could see the faithfulness of their God. Therefore, because they trusted the faithfulness of their God, they could row into the future with no worry or fear.
The first time she shared the passage in Scripture with me, I wanted to argue a bit. You see – I like to think that where I have been doesn’t determine where I will go. There is some truth to that, but I was missing the point. I can look back on where I’ve been and find hope in where I’m going.
We’ve been through the ringer a few times in life; we had highs and lows, and, yet, we are still rowing. I’m not willing to say I'm living with no worry or fear, but I do try! I don’t know where Titus (my oldest son) is going to college, I don’t know what 2024 will look like for Insight with a changing market – there are things I may or may not worry about. But I can look to where we were and be confident in where we will end up.
We are now in December of 2023. Before plowing ahead to 2024, take some time to reflect on 2023. Review your personal purpose, 2023 goals, and personal values.
What did you mourn?
What do you need to celebrate?
Are you proud of who you are today? How come?
Explain how your personal purpose came to life in 2023?
Are you loving life at work? Journal your thoughts.
Are you loving life at home? Journal your thoughts.
What are you most looking forward to in 2024 at work?
What are you most looking forward to in 2024 at home?
What adjustments are you going to make to your decision making to ensure what you are looking forward to comes to life?
Our purpose at Insight Leadership Group is to help leaders love life at work and love life at home. We know that when you love life in the most important areas of life – success at work tends to follow. Let’s worry less about if we will get to where we want to go and focus more on rowing well today. That’s what will get us to where we need to go.
