When do you feel most alive?

I attended a vibrant event this week with a truly inspirational group of people. It’s rare to find a company that has been built on seeing nothing but possibility. Usually networking drains me, this gathering gave me a lot to think about. (Note, the company is PILOT and you should probably check them out if you want your people to feel more powerful at work.)

On the dinner table were cards with discussion prompts. My card said, “If you could survey your team, what’s the first question you would ask?” My question came to me immediately:

When do you feel most alive?

The answers around the table ranged from coaching to travel, from meaningful conversation to being a catalyst for others’ growth.

I asked my family the same question. Art, being in nature, dancing, being with animals, discovering something for ourselves through the stories of others.

While the answers varied, the way people answered was the same. A sort of wistful tone, with a bit of distance. A hint of longing and a subtle recognition that doing more of their thing was just slightly out of reach.

We have it all wrong. The late Stephen Covey taught us this invaluable lesson with rocks, pebbles and sand.

As always, I’ll go first. I feel most alive when…

• I am in a deep conversation with someone where we feed off each other’s energy and ideas.

• I am fully present with one of my kids in unexpected, rarely planned moments.

• I am still.

• I witness someone else truly in their zone. (Recent trip to see &Juliet on Broadway with my sister really brought this home!)

I’m challenging you to think about your big rocks, when you feel most alive and schedule them into your week. Not as YET another thing to do, but as a replacement for something that just doesn’t give you life.

I’d love to hear from you.