It was a sunny day in June. I was getting into a canoe with one of my friends for a day of fun on Sugar Creek. The water looked refreshing. We headed down stream until we came to a halt. Our canoe was hitting the bottom of the creek. We could hear pebbles and sand grinding on the bottom of the aluminum canoe as we tried to inch it forward. We got out of the canoe and dragged it past the low spot. Unfortunately it had been a dry spring. By the end of the trip we felt like we had carried our canoe more than actually paddling in it!
In leadership, we often face our rivers and our wells. The most enjoyable times in leadership, and in life, can be when we are living in a flow. It is when we can use the power of the water to get to our destination, instead of striving in our own effort.
Defining the River and the Well
Have you ever had a moment when you did a great job at something and it seemed to take no effort at all? In fact, you may not have thought much of it because it came so naturally, but others seemed to really appreciate what you did. This is your river. You are living and using your natural talents and strengths.
When you are using your strengths, it is similar to gliding on a river that is flowing with water. Recently I was speaking with a client who is strong in problem solving. He was describing how he gathered a team together to define the root issue of a problem and then progress to a solution. As he spoke I could hear how much he enjoyed doing this and also the excitement of how productive his leadership was for solving this problem. He was flowing in his river. When do you flow in your river?
Have you ever felt a time when you were truly rested and at peace? This doesn’t mean that life is going smoothly and you have no problems. You may be facing a challenge. In fact, leaders are often always facing a new challenge. But no matter the circumstance or people around you, you still felt at peace? This is your well.
Your well comes from the center of your being. It is the place where your identity and beliefs lie. It is a place of integrity or wholeness. Yesterday, I spoke with a woman who had been through many challenges in her life. But I could see a sense of strength in her face when she said that even times that seemed negative, eventually turned out for good. She knew how to be centered in her well.
Maintaining Your River and Well
The river of your natural strengths can always be flowing. However, you can choose to step into or out of your river. If you choose to be involved in activities that don’t match your strengths, then you will often feel like you are striving. You will feel like you are dragging your canoe on the ground. Only you can make choices to be authentic to your talents and strengths. How are you positioning yourself so that most of your time in spent in the river of your strengths?
The well is what keeps us centered and grounded. We can even be in the flow of the river of our strengths and go astray. The well keeps our integrity maintained. Our well can become depleted from low water tables of burnout.
Burnout can occur when we are pulling out of our well or not inputting into our well. We pull water out of our well sometimes when we are not staying in the river of our strengths. We may choose to do an activity that is connected to a weakness and we have to strive to make this happen. Striving will deplete our well. We also burnout our well when we don’t supply it with fresh water. Maintenance of our well can include reflection, meditation, enjoying nature, music, art, exercise, trusted relationships supporting you or … what would you add? How this looks is unique to the person, but the outcome is that the person’s well becomes centered through mental, emotional, social, physical and spiritual input.
What does your river look like? You can’t find it by comparing yourself to others. It will be unique to you. Are you flowing in your river? Is your well full or empty right now? How are you maintaining your well?