The Challenge Of Not Stopping When You Are Done

This morning on Seth Godin’s Blog (which I love), he wrote about accepted tradition of just finishing the tasks and assignments given to us and then being done. That is a respectable thing because at least you completed your tasks, but “it is at this point that we draw the line between workers and entrepreneurs, between people who work in marketing and marketers.”

He goes on to say that the challenge is then to ask yourself what is next and what to do now.

I like this concept. This is what I try to do. I’d like to be better at it, but I hope I don’t get burned out and stop trying.

This reminds me of a story I heard about President Abraham Lincoln. I’ll have to paraphrase the story and quote as I don’t have it verbatim.

As President Lincoln was nearing the end of his term as Illinois Governer, he was having a hard time of depression. His best friend had just moved far away and he wasn’t sure where to go with his life next. Family and friends worried so much about his depression that they removed all razors and knifes from around him in fear that he would commit suicide. In a letter, he responded to these fears from his family regarding suicide.

He countered, “I would just assume die, but I have done nothing yet to be remembered by.”

I’d say he did pretty good in his life after that point. As you know, he became President of THe United States and led us thru a Civil War. And now, there are more books written about Abraham Lincoln than there are about any other President. (Including George Washington.)

I’m glad Abraham Lincoln asked, “What’s next? What now?”