Less of the ME, more of the WE.

As a teacher of any sort, it's easy to get caught up in your lesson plan, your impact, your personal contribution to the cause. That'll fuel you for a while. It may even earn you accolades and acclaim. At some point in all of this focus on the singular, you discover you are still alone. You're teaching your method to yourself instead of the students or souls you set out to guide. To create a true legacy in your lifetime, focus less on the ME, more on the WE.

One human can only do so much. You're limited to silly constraints like the 1080 minutes in an 18-hour day, and to being in one place at one time. When you take on a mission greater than what you can do by your self and your life time, you've got to tap into the rest of humanity to make it happen. The more friends you have, the bigger your community is, the more people there are to support you in whatever way they can. (Remember, sometimes someone who knows how to act is just as important as one who knows how to not act.) With a tribe's knowledge base and worldview to draw from, a lot can happen in a little amount of time.  

The next time you have a conversation, see what you can do to support that other being living their dreams. You might be surprised how furthering their dreams furthers yours.

Your Time Savings Account

Wealth is not how much you spend, it's how much you keep. Often we hear people express this when talking of money. I've come to understand, in these past weeks leading up to and including my wedding, that it applies to time as well.

To become rich in money, pay yourself first. That's the secret of every financial book ever written. When you get paid for something, put a percentage in a savings account you do not touch. When you discover time free from work in your planner, schedule yourself first. Focusing on completing that extra degree? Book time to study. Have a goal to be closer to your family? Meet them for a walk, a Google Hangout, an AcroYoga or cooking class. This way, your time is yours; it doesn't get eroded by television or random internet trolling. (Remember when it was called surfing?) These things are at best an illusion of good use of your time at worst an incredibly addictive drug.

When you take time back for yourself, you quickly realize how valuable it truly is. Are you spending it doing what you love, with the people whom you love?