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Each episode is hosted by Ray Sanders, an award-winning journalist with more than 30 years of experience in both print and broadcast media.
As a CEO, he has grown multi-million-dollar organizations, led an award-winning financial institution, served in a nonpartisan role with the United States Senate and pioneered international efforts to bring clean water to remote regions of the world.
Sanders is the founder of Coaching Leaders an executive coaching and business consulting firm that provides CEO’s with valuable input from a team of seasoned business leaders who have served at the highest level within successful multimillion-dollar organizations.
The Ray Sanders Leadership Podcast unpacks inspiring insights from inspiring people.
Audiences discover:
Powerful life-changing stories.
How to overcome adversity.
Ways to live a life full of meaning and purpose.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them.
What makes a purpose-driven business unique, different and successful?
What makes life at work fun, significant and satisfying?
What industry tips and tricks do listeners need to be aware of?
How cause-minded companies give back through Edify Leaders and other great causes?
SPECIAL OFFERS AND PROMOTIONS for Ray Sanders Leadership Podcast listeners.
To book your interview on Ray Sanders Leadership Podcast simply contact us at ray@raysanders.com
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VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT www.raysanders.com
Welcome to the Ray Sanders Leadership Podcast. I'm Ray Sanders, and I think you're going to like today's show. I've got a few probing questions for you today. Here's the first one. Are you busy?
Ray:Is your plate full? Are you struggling to keep your head above water? Are you exhausted, stressed, and overwhelmed? Well, guess what? You're not alone.
Ray:There are thousands of people just like you who are doing all they can to make ends meet. Is the answer working harder? Is the answer working longer? Sacrificing more to gain just a little? Well, keep listening.
Ray:On today's podcast, I'm going to challenge your thinking. If we aren't careful, a season can become a last. Hello, everyone. I'm Ray Sanders, and you're listening to the Ray Sanders Leadership Podcast. You made it.
Ray:Thanks for stopping by. I have realized there's plenty of things you could be doing right now, so having you come along for the ride is sure awesome for me, that's for sure. Something tells me you might be listening in your car, or maybe you're out for a walk, or maybe you're working out somewhere, or maybe you're just hanging out around the house and you decided, hey, why not give Sanders a listen to today? Well, wherever you are, I bet you've been busy. You know, busyness has become an epidemic in our society, especially here in the western world.
Ray:You know, I've had the opportunity to travel around the world, and there just seems to be some cultures who just aren't buying into this busy epidemic. But here in the west, for some reason, we think the more we have to do, the better it is. I don't quite understand it, but technology and new techniques were supposed to free us up and make our schedules more easy, more doable. But somehow, we keep filling up every minute of every day. We become like busy bees flying around a beehive.
Ray:Have you ever been to a beehive and noticed how whether it's bumblebees or wasp or anything like that? There's just a lot of activity. Everything's swirling around. There's a lot going on. Well, there's no wonder we're exhausted and we feel overwhelmed.
Ray:We aren't just burning the midnight oil, we're burning the candle from both ends while we're holding a flashlight. What if I told you you have to rest to be your best? Oh, I hear you. I hear you. Rest.
Ray:What are you thinking? What's that? Rest. Or what if I said this? You have to slow down to speed up.
Ray:Slow down? Are you kidding me? I'm way too busy. I'm far too busy for that. You have no idea what my schedule is.
Ray:You have no idea the pressure I'm under. You haven't seen my financials. There's no way I'm slowing down. I got to get a red bull. I've got to get some caffeine.
Ray:I got to get an energy drink. I'm burning the midnight oil and I'm lighting that candle on both ends. You know what? If we aren't careful, a season in life can become a lifestyle. Here are some hints that what you're calling a lifestyle or what you're calling a season, not a lifestyle.
Ray:What you're calling a season in life may very well becoming a way of life. You start hearing yourself saying things like this, or people that love you or close to you hear you start to say things like this. When things slow down, I'm going to blank. Oh, that's on my to do list. That's my plan.
Ray:Or how about this one? One of these days, I'm going to get to that, or it's just for a little while, just for a little while longer. Just one more time. It's only temporary. You know?
Ray:It is what it is. Just a little longer and I will. I'm almost finished. I promised. I'm almost finished.
Ray:It's going to get better. I promise. Having served thousands of leaders for more than 30 years, more than once, I've seen a well intended leader sacrifice his family, his friends, and his health, all in the name of just a little more time at work, just a little more. But here's the truth. 20 years from now, the only people who will remember that you worked late are your kids and those you love the most.
Ray:It's just not worth it. We're paying way too much to get ahead. We can't make it up. We can't make up for the lost time with our family and friends. There will always be more work to do.
Ray:There won't always be opportunities to be present with the ones you love. Some memories never get made because the season in life becomes a lifestyle. You know, there was a time when I was a busy executive, a young executive, had 6 kids at home, really trying to make it all happen and making it all work. It was back in the days when I carried a BlackBerry. You know what that is?
Ray:Some of you will. But I had my BlackBerry at my side most of the time, and much like it is today, it's with me all the time. I never will forget, one of my boys was playing in a big baseball game, and I was running late and I was hurrying. And I knew if I got there at the just right time, I'd be able to make it into the ballpark and see the opening of the game. Well, I had good intentions.
Ray:Good intentions. I was on the phone trying to wrap up a call, and I just had a little bit more. If I could just get this called in, just 30 more seconds. So what did I do? I was at the ballpark.
Ray:I was in the parking lot. I sat there. I tried to wrap up the call. 30 seconds became 1 minute. And as I begin to walk into the ballpark, I hear the crowd roar.
Ray:Wow. What did I miss? I go through the the ticket through the gate. I walk in. All the parents, my wife, and my other kids are going, did you see it?
Ray:Did you see it? Did you see it, dad? He just hit a home run. He just hit a home run. I missed it.
Ray:That little bit of extra that little bit of extra work kept me from gaining a memory that I would have had for a lifetime. Oh, I have a memory, but it's not the memory I want. Can you relate? You see, we tend to sacrifice family and friends and even our own health just for a little bit more. A little bit more is all we think it'll cost us, but it really doesn't.
Ray:If we aren't careful, someday never comes, and a season never changes. It becomes a lifestyle. The horse has to come off the track. It has to get its oats and has to bed down. Otherwise, he will die from pure exhaustion.
Ray:You and I aren't any different. You have to rest to be your best. You really do have to slow down in order to spend in order to speed up. There will always be more work to do. So what do you think?
Ray:Let's decide right now to set a time every day to step away from work. Maybe you're at work. Maybe you set an alarm clock. Maybe you're working on your way home, and there's a certain indicator on the way home that indicates to you you went past like for me, I I go past a lighthouse on my way home from work. That lighthouse has been a reminder me that I need to shift gears.
Ray:I need to begin getting ready to be present with my family. It's time for no more excuses. Let's make time for what really matters. Let's quit sacrificing family, friends, and our health, and start making time to be fully present with those we love. Let's make sure that what was supposed to be a season doesn't become a lifestyle.
Ray:When we do, the seasons of life are certain to change. Hey. Thanks for stopping by, and thanks for letting me challenge you a little bit. I hope it didn't hurt too bad, but it is a challenge. If we're not careful, the season you're in could become a way of life.
Ray:It could become a lifestyle. If you like what you heard today, I hope you'll subscribe and tell a friend. And don't miss the resources page at ray sanders.com. You'll discover several fun online assessments and downloadable tools that will make things better in life and work. Well, that's gonna do it for today's podcast.
Ray:Don't forget, we're in your corner for life and work.