The Blank Calendar

Some people’s goal is to have nothing in their calendar.

That’s pretty much the story of retirement, and for some people that can also be scary.

What I find appealing is the ability to look at a blank day, and make it my own.

But what happens when you look at a blank calendar?

What happens to your self importance?

What happens to your sense of contribution?

What happens to the purpose in your life?

The dent you’re going to make in the world?

What happens when you no longer become a doer?

What happens when you can outsource everything that needs to get done, and still make enough money to live a comfortable life?

What do you do with your time?

I personally have many unfinished projects as a result of hearing at some point in the past that a CEO starts many things, but doesn’t finish many of them. This was a bad comment, by someone who was misguided.

I don’t disagree with starting something, iterating and improving, realizing your great idea isn’t so great, and moving on to something better. Sometimes you have to cut your losses and move on.

But let’s say you’ve exited your business, or retired, or moved on from something and you’ve got a bit of a blank calendar.

What do you do as someone who wants to contribute with all that free time?

You plan on how to get to the next level.

You work on your delayed gratification muscle, and do something today that will make tomorrow easier.

You take that 5 year, 3 year, 1 year plan and add the necessary steps today to make it happen then.

So enjoy that blank calendar, then fill it with something worthwhile.

That’s what you do.