It’s Wisconsin!
Recently, I had the absolute delight of listening to my sweet nephew Nolan (aged 8) describe his great love affair with summer camp.
Apparently, life at camp is glorious! His mommy doesn’t really let him eat junk food at home, but camp? Camp is a wonderland.
Hot dogs.
Corn dogs.
Mac and cheese.
Burgers.
And. Every. Meal. Comes. With. Dessert. (His sweet little eyes as he shared this gem!!)
Donuts for breakfast. <<Insert wistful happy sigh>>. You should have seen the look in his eyes as he described this magical future awaiting him.
Trying to inject just a tinge of auntie wisdom, I gently remarked that if he was going to camp for a whole week, he might want to locate a vegetable or two so his tummy didn’t hurt (though... apparently he needs to stay away from bagged salad... I digress...!)
Without missing a beat, with eyes sparkling and joy radiating from every inch of his little body, he exclaimed:
“Auntie… there are no vegetables. It’s... WISCONSIN!”
To Nolan, Wisconsin exists as a mythical land reserved exclusively for special treats. And honestly, I’ve been laughing about that ever since. Because I wonder how many times I’ve told myself some version of “It’s Wisconsin.” Not just with food. But with life... how many times have I let the little voice say...
"I’m traveling."
"It’s been a long day."
"I’ve earned this."
"Normal rules don’t apply on the road."
"I’ll get back on track with my routines and rituals next week..."
Life on the road has a funny way of making exceptions feel reasonable.
Airport meals.
Late nights.
Skipped workouts or meditations.
Too little sleep.
One more cookie or coffee.
One less walk.
One fewer writing session...
And before long, the exception starts to become the routine. As leaders, we often talk about accountability as though it’s something other people provide for us. But perhaps the most important accountability is the kind we practice when nobody’s watching...When we’re away from our own kitchens...Away from our familiar routines...Away from the structures that we've built that usually support us...
And maybe the goal isn’t perfection. Maybe it’s simply remembering that just because we’re "in Wisconsin" doesn’t mean vegetables cease to exist!! 🤣
We can enjoy the proverbial 'donuts' of difference on the road. And still care for tomorrow’s version of ourselves. After all, leadership is about making choices today that honor who we want to be tomorrow.
And... I mean..., I have it on good authority that somewhere in Wisconsin…there might actually be a carrot!!! Though I’m not sure Nolan believes me. And honestly? I’m not sure I want to ruin the magic.
#leadershiplessons #lifeontheroad #lisakjellstrom