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Spaghetti! Where's the Can?
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
As a child of the 60's, I grew up in the era of "Leave it to Beaver." Since McDonald's and other fast-food restaurants were still in their infant stages, it was very seldom that good ole' Mom would catch a break and not have to cook the evening meal. When it came to convenience foods, my most vivid memories included opening cans of Wolf Brand Chili, Vienna Sausages and my favorite of all, Chef Boyardee Spaghetti! Just open the can, heat it up for a few minutes and dig in--yum, yum!
One day, when I was probably 6 or 7 years old, I was staying with a friend of mine whose mom decided to cook spaghetti for us. As I was anxiously awaiting the announcement that it was time to eat, I quickly surveyed her kitchen and noticed that she had two pots on the stove, instead of one. Then I saw her holding what looked like straw and breaking it over the pot of boiling water. "What's that," I inquisitively asked. "Spaghetti," she replied. I was perplexed. Then I quickly responded, "Where's the can?" After she picked herself up off of the floor from laughing, she educated me on the fact that real spaghetti didn't come out of a can! (Obviously, I'm not Italian!)
My spaghetti story is an example of how easy it is to become "pigeonholed" by being too focused on simply living in your corner of the world. Often times, we can expand our own horizons by simply asking some questions. I once read a Chinese proverb that said, "He who asks is a fool for five minutes, but he who does not ask is a fool forever."
One of my favorite authors is John C. Maxwell. In his book, "Leadership Gold," he discusses several questions that are good to ask yourself periodically to help stay on track and grow as a person.
Am I Investing in Myself?--This is a Personal Growth Question.
Often times, we fail to fill ourselves up enough to be able to give much to others. You cannot give what you do not have. Invest in yourself and pass it on to others.
Am I Genuinely Interested in Others?--This is a Motive Question.
If you build relationships with people, learn their hopes and dreams and focus on helping them to reach their potential, it will help you to reach your potential.
Am I Doing What I Love and Loving What I Do?--This is a Passion Question.
Passion for what you do is at the core of your success and fulfillment. Passion will fuel you and give you energy when others around you grow tired. Passion will help you come up with answers when others cease to have creative ideas. Passion will give you strength. Passion is contagious!
Am I Investing My Time with the Right People?--This is a Relationship Question.
People can usually trace their successes and failures to the relationships in their lives.
- When I'm with the wrong people asking the wrong questions, I am wasting my time.
- When I'm with the right people asking the wrong questions, I am wasting their time.
- When I'm with the wrong people asking the right questions, I am spending time.
- When I'm with the right people asking the right questions, I am investing my time.
Am I Staying in My Strength Zone?--This is an Effectiveness Question.
Henry Ford remarked, "The question, 'Who ought to be the boss?' is like asking, 'Who ought to be the tenor in the quartet?' Obviously, the man who can sing tenor." Effective people build on strengths their own strengths, the strengths of others and on their strengths in the situation, that is, on what they can do. They do not build on weaknesses. Know what you do well and go for it!
Am I Taking Care of Today?--This is a Success Question.
If you focus on today and do what it requires, then you are preparing for tomorrow. If you do not take care of today, then tomorrow you will be fixing today's mistakes.
Am I Pleasing God?--This is a Faith Question.
"What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?" (Matthew 16:26) What good would my life be if what I was doing didn't please God?
If you don't ask questions, you won't get answers. I learned that when I found out there was more than one way to eat spaghetti, and that the real stuff was much better than what came out of a can! You'll be amazed at what you can learn just by asking the right question.