Ancient Wisdom Forums

Value.  Worth.  Importance. Significance.  These concepts and desires live very near the heart of what inspires and motivates each of us to work, to strive, to grow, and to excel.  As individuals and as organizations, we engage obsessively in the effort to succeed and to quantify our success, to advance and to measure our progress. The swaggering conqueror and worried survivor are alike in their persistent need to know how they are doing, whether that news be favorable or not.

The idea that value might be earned — ought to be, must be earned — is evident in the most ancient stories of mankind.  The very notion that life itself may or may not be fair and just hinges in many ways on the question of whether worthy actions are followed by favorable results, and ignoble deeds met by pain and loss.  We universally want our efforts to be rewarded with everything we deserve… except of course for when we don’t.

I have spent the bulk of my career — as a mathematician, a military officer, a computer programmer, a systems analyst, a business owner, and yes, even a small town preacher (that’s a story for another day) — intently engaged in helping organizations evaluate their performance, gauge their progress, and forecast their profitability  (financially or otherwise).  I am, without a doubt, a huge fan of performance measurement, and a firm believer in systematic, fact-based assessments of what is — or is not — being accomplished.  My favorite childhood memories involve canoeing with my father and older brother, and I learned early the difficulty of padding upstream, as well as the deep frustration of padding in circles, when we weren’t working and communicating well with each other.

My hope for you and your business, team, or organization is that all of your efforts are productive, that all your investments bring healthy returns, and that the things which you value most come to you, in accordance with all that you have sacrificed to gain them.

With deep gratitude to Judith for providing this valuable platform, I look forward to sharing with you a few things I have learned along the trail, things that helped me, as well as things that have gotten in the way. Please feel free to share your stories as well, or ask questions, or challenge my conclusions. We all learn and grow from the exchange.

May all that you do bring lasting value to you and to those you care for.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” — Matthew 6:19-21

Grace and Peace,

Tom