Utah: What Are Your Five Bullet Points?

There's been a lot of harumphing and outrage in the country lately because some one asked people to list five things they have done this week in the workplace. Now, before you angrily click off, and report me as a menace to society to my management, let me quickly assure you this is no homage to Elon Musk.

By in large, I really don't care about your workplace accomplishments and habits. I think that we, as a society, place too much value on the jobs we do and the employment we have, even to defining ourselves by the jobs we have, for example in my case, I'm a broadcaster, or even worse, a disc jockey (excuse me while I shudder at that, as it has been years since I've 'spun the platters').

Yes, occasionally there is value in reporting to your workplace leaders your contributions, but, again, I'm not all that interested in that question.

However, there is one question that I think all of us here in Utah would benefit by asking. That question would be “what five things did I do this week to be closer to the person I strive to be?”

I think I just felt the world stop spinning for a second.

The difficulty in this question is that you are both interviewer and interviewee. And answering to ourselves in a truthful way can sometime be brutal.

It may be best summed up in a poem I heard years ago from writer Peter Dale Wimbrow, Sr. It's called The Man In The Glass. The last stanza is worth including here.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years
And get pats on the back as you pass
But your final reward will be heartache and tears
If you’ve cheated the man in the glass.

It is a tough question to ask, and even harder to answer. In the hustle of daily life, it is easy to move from one task to the next without pausing to assess personal growth. Self-reflection is a vital practice that encourages mindfulness, self-improvement, and accountability. Life can be overwhelming with endless responsibilities, but taking time to identify five meaningful actions prevents stagnation.
I think it's worth it. And please understand, I'm as flawed as an individual can be, and with a seemingly endless list of things I'm trying to improve in myself (with a few suggestions from close family and friends), I am hard pressed sometimes to come up with five things I've done in a week to be closer to that person I aspire to be.

But the reflection is worth it. Self-reflection is a powerful tool for growth. Asking, “what five things have I done this week to be closer to the person I aspire to be,” encourages continuous improvement, accountability, and motivation, ensuring that each week is a step toward becoming a better version of oneself.

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And, Utah? Don't worry about Elon.