Starting 2717

This is going to sound a little cliche, but I don't feel like I found Project 2717, I feel like it found me. There was sort of a collision of events in my life and the lives of my friends that became the springboard that form this accountability program. Don't think coincidence, think God.

Blue Cross had provided me a professional coach, Milt. I wasn't sure what to expect. I feared I would either get an all business, all numbers pencil pusher or an overly feely, beat your drum in the woods guys. Milt was neither. He was perhaps the wisest person I have interacted with at work. I developed a quick connection to him. In the first session we had talked not just about work, but about applying these same things to church and family. It was clear that this was not just his job, but a ministry. In the few session we had together I learned about my weaknesses and shifted my approach when dealing with people and developed a desire to help people in the way Milt had helped me.

It was amazing how just having that second set of eyes, helped me focus and could direct me to solve my own problems, rather then being the answer guy. Real accountability, holding me to my own standards.

I arrived a little early for my haircut, and I was glad, because it gave me a chance to talk to m friend James about the successes I was experiencing with Milt's help and talk to him a little about his own success. My eyes were looking at the party store beside the hair salon, but my mind was on the events that had impacted him. He has had some significant health improvement over the last couple years. But the catalyst was one small thing. His company changed where they needed to park, adding a long walk to and from the lot at work. He hated it at first, but knew there was nothing he could do about it, So, he adjusted his attitude. As the walk got to be easier, it cascaded into other life improvements and that single event cascaded into many other successes.

The small things Milt was teaching me gave me success that grew into other successes. The small change James had to endure became a group of successes. Success begat success.

The third part of the puzzle was my friend Steve. I was pained by him, for him. In the time I had known him, he was at the lowest point I had ever seen him at. He was depressed, didn't feel very successful at work or in his marriage or at church. It seemed there was nothing in his life was going well. I felt bad enough for him, I talked to my wife and other friends about it.

I had one of these conversations with James. Probably in the way to or from work. I think I suggested to him I wanted to coach him. Now, you need to know something about James. he loves to push people. Not in a mean way, but if you hint you should do something, he's the first to say why don't you. When it came to Steve, I didn't have a good reason not to. It was clear I was the right person at the right time. 2717 was about to start it's first round.

When I talked to Steve on the phone I told him that there was something I needed to ask him about, but I didn't have time at the moment to go into it. Part of that was because I needed to prepare what I was going to say. I was nervous.

I thought about the process. I realized I needed to give him a success. A clear, not deniable success. I would tackle it as coaching.

Steve did not immediately agree to anything. In fact, he stopped talking on vent long enough I hung up on him. I don't know what caused him to go silent, but I suspect it was because in his depressed state he feared I was setting him up, or he had no choice or some other mind locking fear.

A few minutes later he texted me. The project had begun.

Over the time we have worked together, Steve has racked up successes in every area of his life he felt defeated in. I have done amazingly little. I touch base with him, but he sets the goals, he does the work and he earns the successes. All I am is that voice that tells him good job and hold him accountable to what he wants to do anyway.

Now, he does the same for me. I walk two and a half to three miles, three times a week. Improving my health. He holds me to it. I sharpen him and he sharpens me. We are friends in the way God intended.

This success is not isolated, I have reproduced it a few different ways. God gave us the proverb for a reason. The book I'm working on will try to give someone starting out all the tools they need to start and develop these relationships.