Daryl Wood's Blog

Have you ever woke up in the night or out of an afternoon nap and wondered where you are? It can happen when you have been in a very deep sleep or riding a wild dream. And it can happen, as I’m realizing, when you are wide awake.

Before me lies the most magnificent buffet of opportunities. Everywhere I look I am seeing rich relationships, powerful learning and cool experiences. Who wouldn’t want to taste it all? Who wouldn’t dive in and worry about the consequences later? Well, lots of people I’m thinking. I’m just not one of them.

The difficulty for me is that at some point all these wonderful choices can easily morph into a big soup of distraction. Ultimately I don’t get done the things I really want to do or the things that really matter to me or, and this one feels icky, the things that I have committed to doing.

We all know what happens when you take your eye off the ball. You miss your mark. Today, on the crest of another strong wave of excitement I saw how clearly I am headed for disappointment. Engaged with two amazing women in conversation on two unrelated topics got my adrenaline pumping. For a moment, I saw what was possible and I jumped on board. Then I found myself sitting still waiting for an appointment and as I caught my breath I ran smack into reality.

I had no idea where I was or where I was going. Something had to give. I made what felt like a painful decision to say no to both projects. In the end it feels good to step back and give myself the time and space to handle the other things I am involved with. They matter. And with Olympian focus I’m doing what matters and settling where I am.