By Carl Nichols

I like to read, and I often come across quotes that absolutely impact my paradigm. A few years ago, in preparation for a teaching I came across this quote:

“time in erodes awareness of”

Building margin into my schedule has been a process for me as well as something that I have to constantly keep a pulse on. This simple quote has helped me in so many ways, and it minimizes the times that I have to say “I didn’t see that coming.” Here are just a few takeaways…

• The longer I am in certain routines, the less aware I am of bad habits that I have developed. I am surprised at how quickly I can drift off course.

• I must listen to people I trust and allow them to speak honestly into my life. This includes my staff, family, and mentors.

• I have to create a score card. In business we call it “clarifying the win.” In my family, it centers around our family covenant that includes our values. At the end of the day, I must have a score card that helps me determine whether I am winning or losing in areas of my life. This helps me focus and builds margin.

• I must learn to say “no” more often. This is so tough because culture says that we can “squeeze it in” to our already busy lives. Thinking counter culturally will require you to say no more often than you say yes. Be prepared to hurt a few people’s feelings along the way, but in the long run you will be healthier in every area of your life.

• I must remember the basics. What got me where I am today will not necessarily take me where I want to be tomorrow, but many of the principles are timeless. For me personally this involves things like scheduled nights with my family and quiet time with God. As it relates to leadership, a couple of timeless principles include minimizing my direct people reports, limiting access to my personal time, and keeping a rigid schedule.

Question: What are some common things people don’t see coming because their time in has eroded their awareness of?