What is Repeatable?

Jon Acuff is a writer and speaker and the author of Quitter: Closing the Gap Between Your Day Job & Your Dream Job. He was recently interviewed by Chris LoCurto.

When we moved to Nashville, we had the chance to move into this one neighborhood that we really liked and our kids could walk to school and we thought it was amazing. And some of the houses weren't as big, as new or as nice as some of the other ones that were available, but we realized when our kids are in their 30's they're not going to tell as story like "When we were growing up we had the most ample closet space." they're going to say "When we were growing up we got to walk to school." And so one of our principles is "What's the story decision?" We're writing the lore of our kids’ childhoods right now. What are the stories we want to help them write? And walking to school is one of them. And so, for us, that becomes a filter. You go “What is this story going to tell?” And so, for me, realizing things like that, and also realizing what can you repeat and what can’t you repeat? There’s opportunities I say no to right now because I am a dad and a husband and I want to be present. And I know in 12 years from now and the kids are maybe in college and have left the house, I can say yes to more things. But hopefully if those opportunities are still available, I know which one I can repeat. I’ll always hopefully be able to say yes to speaking engagements. I’ll never be able to repeat my kids’ childhood.

What is the story decision?

What decisions are repeatable?

These are two simple ideas which can quickly change your perspective on a decision.  When a decision impacts your family, taking a moment to ask these two questions could shift that answer. 

For me this week it was whether to take a few hours off from work to walk my son to his first day of school.   I'd already come to the decision before hearing this interview, but it gave focus to the feeling I knew was right.  I would never see his first day of kindergarten again, this is not a repeatable moment. 

Hear the full interview at Chirs LoCurto's blog

Jon Acuff's blog