As we embark on 2025, there is of course talk of resolutions and goals. Such planning tools are great, but I propose that we have to identify what matters most before settling on them. I was recently introduced to a book called The Big Five for Life that helps us do just that. I can’t believe I hadn’t heard of and read this book long before now because it is SO in line with my philosophy on life and leadership.
Told in parable form through the eyes of his friend and mentee Joe, the book features Thomas, the founder of 14 very successful companies, and what has made his leadership so effective. In a nutshell, it is his relentless pursuit of honoring his personal Purpose For Existing, aka “PFE” (the WHY) as defined by his Big Five for Life (the WHAT that guides the HOW).
What are The Big Five for Life?
The idea was inspired by the big five African safari animals: lions, leopards, elephants, buffalos, and rhinos. The success of a safari is typically judged by how many are spotted. Similarly, you can judge the success of your life by how many of your Big Five that you achieved. These are my Big Five:
- Adventure: Maintain the freedom and flexibility to travel globally to places that teach and inspire me or challenge me physically. Also, turn daily life events into opportunities for other kinds of exploration to keep life interesting.
- Relationships: Nurture and treasure relationships with family, friends, and colleagues who mean the most to me. Also, attract my next/last life partner.
- Serving others: Do work that I love – coaching people and teams through transformation. Also, actively engage with causes that resonate with me.
- Continuous learning: Always have an open mind and pursue opportunities to learn, grow, and develop into the best version of myself.
- Self-care: Take care of myself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually in service of wellness and being capable of doing activities I love.
My favorite concept in the book is that of a “Museum Day Morning.”
Thomas and Joe meet randomly on the platform of a Chicago El stop, and Thomas asks Joe, “Is it a museum day morning?” Having no idea what that meant, Joe asked for clarification. Imagine a museum of your life that you and others will visit as you die and that it’s perfectly allocated by what you actually did during your time on earth. For example, if you spent 5% of your life playing tennis or golf, then 5% of the museum would be dedicated to that. If you spent 50% of your life in a job you hated, there would of course be a very large wing dedicated to that (what a pity!).
In other words, Thomas was prompting Joe to contemplate whether his day would be reflection of what he wants to see in his museum. One of my personal mottos is “live and lead with no regrets.” The concept of a “Museum Day Morning” is a tangible way to consider every day if you will be working toward your Big Five For Life, even in small ways. This surely puts shopping in perspective for me; I’m not sure I want a wing dedicated to purses, clothes, and shoes, lol.
As I write this, here’s my reflection on today: I will do coaching calls with clients for a job I love (serving others), take a Spanish lesson (continuous learning), go to yoga (self-care), and grocery shop (necessity, but part of self-care because I will buy healthy food). And on Saturday, I’m going rock climbing (adventure). I’m feeling really good about my Museum Morning status today!
What are your Big Five for Life and is today a museum morning??