This is not really a technical discussion about security or VOIP or networks, like my usual blog posts. It’s really a short admonition about finding balance, and the importance of knowing what is truly of value. It’s a holiday story of sorts.
The Elephant is that one thing that is most important to you and for you, and against which all other things are just small problems. I believe that we each need to find our Elephants. There are Elephants at work and Elephants in our personal lives. The Elephant represents the core essential thing that we are responsible for or that is truly most valuable to us. Certainly, there are many problems that are important and that must be addressed. However, I have found that often, working in a high stress, high pressure environment, that no matter how many hours I worked, there were always more problems. I could, in fact, work round the clock, and there would always be a problem still out there that needed fixing. In doing so, at times I lost sight of my Elephant.
The other day my wife told me that her father, who is now in his 7’s, is not able to walk around Walmart without having chest pains and shortness of breath, and that he was not interested in going to the doctor about it. We spoke a bit about whether she should make plans in the near future to fly to Arizona and see her father. She wanted very much to do so, but was concerned because of all the end-of-the-year accounting work that she had. My advice to her was to make time, because time with her father might not be something she can get back later. I told her that I felt that this was an Elephant that she should make time for.
I have spoken to many people, who in their efforts to render service, or do a good job, were being ground to pieces. And so I would give them my ‘You need to find our Elephant’ talk.
This year in particular, there are a great many people who are under a great deal of stress. If you are not working, it’s stressful. If you are working, there can be a great number of demands being placed upon you. I wish you all the very best in both your work and your families this holiday season and that you can find your Elephant, that thing which is most important and essential, both at home and at work. If you do so, I believe you will be rewarded both personally and professionally.
