A friend and mentor of mine recently posed this question to me (as he had been posed it by a friend of his):

Is the fruit you are currently producing consistent with your potential at this season of your life?

Wow. If that isn't a thought-provoking and good question.

I have thought quite a bit about it. This season of my life seems like a very busy one. Of course, all of the prior ones did, too. Perhaps I am my own worst enemy in that respect.

As I age, I am finding that I am more of an "idea guy" than a "do-er". I used to laugh at people like that. I used to say things like "Those who can, do; those who can't, consult."

But I am discovering that wisdom does come with age. Part of that wisdom is the increasing knowledge and awareness that I always need to keep learning, keep reading, keep listening. Somehow, that increase in knowledge creates an increase in creativity and that is where the ideas come from.

Fleshing out those ideas is where I need help in order to be as effective as possible. But my fault is in sometimes being too controlling of the fleshing out of those ideas, often not empowering others enough, and sometimes simply tossing out ideas whose time really has not yet come.

Of course, on the other hand, I crave seeing creativity in others. I get tired of being the "idea guy" ... I want to see others grow and flourish and come into their own with ideas and successes. I actually have no problem being an "Indian" (just an old saying -- no slur intended) beneath a good chief who has the creativity and casts a strong vision and direction. No problem at all. I enjoy following good leaders. I see a real lack of them in many organizations, though, including my own company. And sometimes I worry if I have created that situation by being too controlling and not empowering enough. I see people who want to lead but they don't want to really step out with fresh ideas and the clear vision of a true leader.

Sometimes there is a deception that takes place wherein the leader claims they are empowering others but yet they send mixed messages, don't provide the right tools, etc. I wonder how much I fall into that and how often that impacts the fruit I am producing.

Am I being as fruitful as I can be in this season of my life? Probably not. There would be something prideful in saying that I am.

So I move forward, press on, striving to better myself, striving to empower those around me, and striving to help them be as much as they can be, whether I am leading them or following them. I enjoy serving and helping others and want to do more of it. That is my life I think.