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Thursday, November 05, 2009

10-10-10

My experience at the Chamber of Commerce breakfast yesterday made a big impression on me. I am not speaking of my kickass burn (the blister of which has doubled in size and is quite awe inspiring and hypo that I am I revel in it), but of Suzy Welch's speech. Much of which was based on her new book 10-10-10 which is kind of handbook of self awareness and decision making wherin before making decisions you ask yourself, how will this choice affect me in 10 minutes, 10 months, 10 years? It sounds cheesy I know but as someone who has scoffed that self awareness is for hippies, it made an impact on me.

As part of her speech Suzy had three questions she asked of us, questions that everyone should ask themselves and they were
1) On your 70th birthday what would make you look back on your life and cry with regret?
2) When you are not in the room, what do you want people to say about you.
3) What is something you loved about your childhood and something you hated.

I think these are really thought provoking questions. I shared them with some of my friends last night and was surprised that others were equally introspective about them. Maybe I am not becoming a hippie after all.

The first one really made me think long and hard and I am still not sure I have an answer. But even knowing that as of now I don't have an answer to that question feels like an answer in and of itself. I at some point am going to have to figure out what I really want out of life. Besides a decent blow out and a well made martini.

So I wonder of others out there, do you have immediate answers to those questions? You dont have to share what those answers are but I wonder if other people find those questions difficult to answer!

3 comments:

Joe S said...

Great stuff. Glad you got to see her speak, every time I see her on TV I listen. The 10-10-10 thing is a great framework for decision making.

Anonymous said...

first thing i thought when i read the title: you will get married on october 10th next year. just thought i'd share that ;) and i actually don't have an immediate answer to questions 1 and 3...

Jenny said...

I thought the same thing as Kim! ;)

I am having a hard time answering those questions as well! Whenever I get upset, my mom and husband always say "will this matter in 5 years?" or "will this matter in 5 months?" and it upsets me because it matters at that moment!! But I do know it's a great concept...

P.S. "Besides a decent blow out and a well made martini." HEE!