Every once in a while you just need to re-set yourself.  Some things are stale, the problem at work is not being addressed, the market for your services seems saturated, the product dev cycle is slow, etc.

For me that means time to do two things; reading and thinking.

READING:

I do not mean reading the onslaught of e-mails or industry press…I mean read some leisure books and  read some blogs of favorite writers.  Get re-invigorated about something or get absorbed by a good piece of fiction.  Take a trip; flights and sunrises in different settings always help me think BIG.

Re-read your own blog posts, read through your old notebooks (digital or other).  See what successes you have had.  See what issues you gave up on.  Re-visit that which excited you a year ago, is there something still there?  Or were you wise to move on?  Is now the time?

THINKING:

We all think every day.  What to have for breakfast?  Answering mundane e-mail questions.  How can I close that sale?

What I mean is think BIG.  What issues are out there waiting to be solved?  Can I be a part of any of those solutions?  Global issues like healthcare delivery, national issues such as tax reform, local issues such as deciding to become involved with the kid’s school committees.  Can I have a positive impact on the issue and if so, do I have the time to make it happen?

Take time to think and visualize what, where and why your life will be in 10 years.  Am I on track to move to that mountain town or beach community once the kids hit college?  What can I do to be a better xxxxx? (whatever your XXX may be)

Or maybe just write and post a blog about the steps I like to take to re-invigorate myself.  Like I seem to have just done.  Time to get back after it.