Sprayed by the Pool Vacuum

Sprayed by the pool vacuum - the ArchitectCEO Daily update.

Hey architect nation! Today's parable is: sprayed by the pool vacuum.

So the other day I was walking out by the pool in my backyard.

The pool has an automatic vacuum that cleans up debris that falls into the pool.

On the end of this vacuum is a hose that sweeps back and forth across the bottom of the pool to stir up debris so the vacuum and pool filer can clean the water and keep the pool sparkling blue.

Well, it was a beautiful, cool morning here in central California, and as I walked by the edge of the pool, the hose on the end of the vacuum comes out of the water and sprays me from head to toe!

My first reaction was to get pissed and throw a couple of mental expletives.

Then I realized the truth of the situation.

Here I was in a free, democratic country with a full belly and clothes on my back.

I have a pool and live in California.

I remembered that I can control some things, I can influence some things, and I have absolutely no control over most things.

The only things I can control are the things inside of me - my thoughts, feelings, emotions and actions.

As I stood there on the side of the pool, I felt gratitude for this lesson that the pool vacuum had given me.

This is similar to life.

Often it feels like we are just going along enjoying a beautiful day when, whamo! Something comes out of left field and knocks us down.

At that point, the only thing we can do is choose how we react to that situation.

It's the same in the game of running an architecture firm.

All you can control is the actions you take in your firm, not the result.

If you want to learn what actions you need to take to build your DREAM Practice, register for my next free online presentation on 3 Keys to Design Your Perfect Job, Your Perfect Clients and Your Perfect Firm: http://architectresources.org/8in2

Carpe diem.

Enoch Bartlett Sears