Personal Constitution

Probably the most impactful thing I did this week was think through and write up my first personal constitution. This was a good assignment to have after creating our stars and stepping-stones chart. I was able to think on a more granular level about the short-term and long-term goals to help me become who I want to be. This too was an assignment that did not come easy. I spent a lot of time pondering my goals and then the daily tasks that would need to be accomplished in order to reach my goals. It was tough to narrow down the things that would need to be done daily. I finally settled on tasks that I knew that I could accomplish. I think it’s important to stretch ourselves, but we also need to be realistic about our expectations.

Something else that stood out to me from this week’s reading was the article by Clayton M. Christensen. We can get so caught up in our business endeavors that we forget what is really most important in this life, the people. Christensen said that he asked his classes at the end of every semester to answer three questions:

-       How can I be sure that I’ll be happy in my career?

-       How can I be sure that my relationships with my spouse and my family become an enduring source of happiness?

-       How can I be sure I’ll stay out of jail?

I really loved these questions because asking and answering them helps us form our purpose and strategy in this life. Success in all aspects of our lives should intermingle, rather than thinking of success in career and success in family as two different things. I enjoyed what Christensen said as he ended his article, “Don’t worry about the level of individual prominence you have achieved; worry about the individuals you have helped become better people.” Those are words to live by. Ultimately this life is about returning to our Heavenly Father and helping our brothers and sisters do the same, it is about the people.