Image courtesy of Salvatore Vuono at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Waking up in the morning and realizing you’ve reached the day on the calendar when you get to add one to your age tends to make a person think about what they have and have not yet accomplished in their life. Yesterday was that day for me. Combine that with the end of the year when many people think about what they want to change, or do better in the new year and the result is some serious thinking going on within my brain as I drift off into unconsciousness for the night.
If I was being honest, I’ve been pondering my place in this world, what kind of person I am and things I’d like to change in my life for a few weeks as my free time has been spent completely submerged listening to motivational videos on YouTube. My birthday, plus the upcoming start of a new year has certainly amplified my call to action, however.
One video that I’ve been watching frequently is one by Eric Thomas in which he states that he wants to be phenomenal in everything that he does. Then he goes on to describe what being a phenomenal husband and father means to him. It got me thinking about what kind of person I really want to be. It’s made me want to work on becoming that person. As Eric said in the video, you cannot become something you cannot see. I first have to define the kind of person I want to become.
Phenomenal Husband : Eric describes how to him, being a phenomenal husband is ironing his wife’s nurse uniform everyday so she doesn’t have to. A phenomenal husband means being a servant, doing everything he can for his wife. I share this perspective. A phenomenal husband does laundry, dishes, cooks, cleans, and puts his wife on a pedestal treating her like the gift from heaven that she is. A phenomenal husband does all of this without complaint. Love is patient, love is kind, love does not keep score. This is a phenomenal husband, and it is who I want to be.
Phenomenal Father: Eric states that he arranges his entire speaking schedule around his daughter’s basketball games because he doesn’t want his daughter to EVER say her dad put the world first, and her second. After hearing this I apologized to my children for every time I made them feel like I was too busy to see something they wanted to show me, or help them with something. A phenomenal father spends time with his children every day. He takes his son with him to the gym for bonding time over some weight lifting and takes an interest in the video game tournament he entered. A phenomenal father helps his daughter learn how to play guitar. A phenomenal father helps with homework, and has the difficult discussions with his children to prepare them for the tough choices they will have to make in life.
Phenomenal Athlete: A phenomenal athlete to me is one that works tirelessly to be the best runner he can be, working towards qualifying for the Boston Marathon. A phenomenal athlete to me is one that can bench press 300 pounds. This is the athlete I know is hiding inside me.
Phenomenal Software Engineer: A phenomenal software engineer gives his job 100% each day, leading his team to achieve not only the projects given to them, but also to innovate their own projects. A phenomenal technical team leader cares not only for his own career, but fosters his teammates and helps move their careers forward as well.
Phenomenal Financial Leader: You know it had to end up here eventually, right? Vonnie and I found our rhythm having financial discussions every Thursday and Sunday nights. We reconciled our checking account almost every morning over breakfast. Over the last couple of months, this habit has been slipping. For the good of our finances and our family, I need to ensure we get back in this rhythm. A phenomenal financial leader will do this, having the difficult discussions to prevent overspending, and ensuring we are making the right decisions to prepare for the future.
I want to work to become a better person, a better employee, a better father and husband. I want to use the talents that have been given to me, and achieve my full potential. In 2015, I want to be phenomenal. I know what it looks like to me, now I want to become it.
I also want YOU to be phenomenal. As I share my struggles and successes, I want to hear about yours. I want to hear about your big dreams, and how you’re working to achieve them.
What do you say, EOD nation, will become phenomenal with me? What does phenomenal look like to you?
I think it’s a great plan and I love how you have broken them up into categories! BTW I loved that video as well. I have to think more about what each of my own categories means to me, but overall it means about doing things in life despite fear of ____ (insert negative reaction). It means living life to the fullest and having gratitude and not taking people in your life for granted.
I’m giving fear the big middle finger starting right now, Tonya. If I want to accomplish something, I’m gonna take a run at it. Even if I fail, I’m not going to miss out on an opportunity just because I was scared. Thanks for reading!
Happy Birthday Travis! I’m sure you are already phenomenal in many ways, but think there is always room for improvement. 🙂 I often, cook, clean, make it a point to attend all games, concerts etc for my children. They are growing up way to fast. I’ve preached to my children about consistency, not mater why you do always be consistence with you level of effort, school, sports, work etc.
There’s always room for improvement, Brian – that constant need and desire to grow is what makes life interesting! Thanks for stopping by!
Happy Birthday Travis! I LOVE how you have your areas of focus on those specific categories and would consider many of them on my list as well. Like Brian said, there is always room for improvement which is a huge part of why you have goals to work towards in the first place. 🙂 For me, a huge part of it comes down to what I’m teaching (both by doing and not doing) my kids. I want to teach them about what to prioritize & how to prioritize things in life. If I’m not doing that, then how can I expect them to?
Thanks John! Kids learn so much by doing what their parents do, John……which is why if I can be phenomenal, I expect they will be phenomenal as well! Happy New Year!
I think I’ll shoot for achieving “average” first, maybe phenomenal later. 🙂
LOL, Kurt. Screw average….I’m shooting for the stars. 🙂 Good to hear from you!
First on all, I want to say, “Happy Birthday, Travis!”.
But after that, I was really glad to see Kurt’s post, because I was thinking “I don’t want to be phenomenal! It’s too much work.” I, too, will settle for ‘average’, (or ‘good’, or even ‘really good’) at least for now. lol
Thanks, Sassy Mamaw! I don’t do average very well…either I’m going to win big, or I’m crashing and burning. I’m defining what I want to become, and getting myself pointed in the right direction…hopefully I’ll get to where I’m hoping to get!
Yes, I will try to be phenomenal with you! I love cheesy motivational stuff!
There’s no “try” in phenomenal, Holly. 🙂 Let’s get it done!
Great post Travis! I really like this quote -> “A phenomenal husband means being a servant, doing everything he can for his wife.” I think that really defines what a “phenomenal” husband looks like, and doing it all with no expectation of anything in return.
I love it too, DC…..There’s about 90 seconds in that video I linked to that I watch over and over – the beginning being his definition of a phenomenal husband. If husbands thought more in terms of what they should do for their wives, instead of the converse, this world would be much better off. Thanks for your comment!
Great stuff (happy b-day, by the way!). Phenomenal to me equals my basic life mission statement: doing the best with what I have. We’re not all gifted with the same stuff, but I should be striving every day with the gifts that I DO have to be the best I can be. I heard that philosophy a long time ago and it’s stuck with me. On the surface it seems basic, but I see people letting themselves slip all around me all the time. I need to be vigilant and remind myself that I’m always trying to “do my best”….not just “do what’s adequate.”
Thanks for the birthday wishes, Joe! Great perspective – do the best with what you have….because what you have is plenty. I encourage you to go one step further and actually define what would be “your best.” What is phenomenal (or your best) to you? Like the video said, You can’t hit a target you can’t see! Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Love this, Travis.
I have been bathing in self-help videos, podcasts, and books as well– and have been finding that motivational kick that had been missing for the past few months.
As a fellow software engineer, I wanted to call out the beauty of your statement “..but also to innovate their own projects”. It is *so* important that you take time each day to step away from the firefighting and find better ways to things long term. It sounds like you must indeed be a phenomenal software engineer.
Nice work and HAPPY BIRTHDAY my friend.
Good luck with creating a great 2015 and qualifying for that marathon!
Your use of the word “firefighting” made me chuckle, Jefferson, as that’s exactly what it seems like I do most days. But you’re absolutely correct – if we want to grow, we need to make time expand our horizon, as well as those we work with. Only through growth will my team become stronger! Thanks for the well wishes, 2015 is going to be a GREAT year!
Happy birthday, young man : ) I love the way Eric Thomas puts his daughter’s basketball games ahead of “inspiring the world,” and its awesome that you made a point of apologizing to your kids for the times you’ve been too busy. So many tough balances to strike! Is it possible to be phenomenal in all areas? I find I have to prioritize and I think things like, “I’ll aim for phenomenal in this area, but I’ll settle for OK in these other areas for now.” Is that defeatist? Realistic?
I don’t think it’s possible to be phenomenal in everything – you have to pick what the most important things are in your life at that specific point in your life. I may want to sink my time and energy into being a phenomenal (my definition of it anyway) runner now, but 10 years from now I may not feel the same way. Thanks for the birthday wishes!