Question: Why do I get so excited about a trip or project that I can’t sleep?
When I was in the newspaper business, I had the privilege of living in many states across the country. One of them was Kentucky. That’s where I learned the term “journey proud”. Those who lived there explained that this term meant you just couldn’t sleep in anticipation of a trip you were going to take the next day.I’ve always liked that term and sometimes have found myself getting “journey proud” about some of the client projects I do as an executive coach and corporate trainer.That's what happened to me last night. I went to be early enough, but woke up at 2:30 and couldn't go back to sleep. I didn’t have a trip planned, but I was working on some exciting projects that were so cool, I couldn’t wait to get them started. I realized I was just “journey proud”.When I went out for my run later this morning, I couldn't stop smiling during most of my run. Even after only four hours of sleep, there was something that made me very happy. Yes, I was a bit euphoric about my projects, but I think I was also proud of myself for not skipping one of the most important parts of my day-- my morning exercise routine. I was giving myself a mental pat on the back. Here are a few questions you might want to ask yourself.Think about the famous people who have accomplished great things by striking while the iron’s hot (or getting their mind moving, even if it was late at night or in the wee hours of the morning).1. Do you occasionally get “journey proud” about your work?2. What are the things that you just can't wait to get to work and get started?3. Do you feel a real sense of accomplishment when you get the results you were looking for?4. If you don’t have these feelings, are you in the right position at your organization (or in the right organization)?5. Do you need to have a good self-talk and create a more positive outlook on life?Footnote: I was so “journey proud” about doing this blog today that I recorded it while I was running. And a big shout out to whoever was journey proud and got up in the middle of the night to invent the app that changed my speech to text while I was running.
