What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up today? Chances are it wasn’t God, but you were instead instantly flooded with thoughts about the day ahead, about the latest bit of irritating political or economic news, or maybe your first thoughts were about your family. Consider breaking that habit with a better one. Upon waking up, take a moment to thank God for the day ahead. You can pray something like this: “Hello, Lord, you have given me another day to sanctify myself. I can live out my vocation as a business leader and love for my neighbors through my work. Thank you for the chance to transform myself from a selfish to a selfless leader.” Doing this will immediately shift your mind away from the anxiety of the day ahead and instead focus on Jesus and his will for you. The thought of Christ and your prayer of thanksgiving for the day offers your first fruit of time to God. We live according to life’s rhythm that operates on multiple levels. First, there is the rhythm of the physical world—the cycle of sunrises and sunsets, the changing seasons and the weather that each season brings. Then, there is the rhythm of family life, a longer journey that involves conceiving, nurturing and educating your children before eventually guiding them into the world as mature adults, all while nurturing and deepening your relationship with your spouse. The rhythm of your work life follows daily, weekly, quarterly and annual routines designed to keep your business running smoothly. Finally, there is the rhythm of your spiritual life, grounded in your Catholic faith, with Holy Mass on Sundays, the sacraments, Holy Days and the liturgical seasons. The competing demands of these various aspects of life and their unique rhythm can pull you in different and conflicting directions if they are not ordered correctly. The acronym JOY—Jesus, Others, Yourself—makes it easy to remember the right order. Jesus set this priority when he said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind" and "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Mt 22:36-40; Mk 12:30-31). Though it seems like Jesus left out the "Y" for yourself, he actually placed us at the heart of the message, aiming to transform us from self-serving to serving leaders. By focusing on loving God and neighbor, there's little room for selfishness. How does this translate into a daily routine? Begin each day by orienting your mind and heart toward God through consistent prayer: morning, noon, and night. You've already seen what to do upon waking, but what about the rest of the day? Noon: Set your phone alarm to go off at noon. Stop whatever you are doing to recite the Angelus. I can tell you from experience that my alarm goes off at the most inconvenient time, but it forces me to stop for a minute to reorient my mind and heart to God and his will by praying the Angelus. Evening: End your day with the Examen, which is a reflective prayer that involves reviewing the events of the day with a focus on gratitude, seeking God's guidance and identifying areas for growth based on where you fell short of acting in a Christ-like manner. Always: This is the tough one. St. Paul tells us to pray constantly. "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thes 5:16-18) He encourages us to maintain a constant mental dialogue with God, always staying in communion with him throughout the day. Fasting: Consider making Wednesdays or Fridays a fasting day. Fasting is both a spiritual and physical discipline. It helps you focus, pray and hear from God more clearly. While you are praying during your fast, pray for peace within your heart, your family, your neighbors, your community, your state, your country and the world. About Others - Your Neighbors: It has been said that Pope St. John Paul II often prayed for those he was about to meet throughout his workday. Before these meetings, he prayed something like this: "Lord, you loved these individuals into existence. Let me see them as you do during our time together." Likewise, St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi wrote, “Oh my God, give me such perfect charity that I may know how to yield to my neighbor, helping and relieving him in all his needs, weaknesses and troubles. May I know how to have prudent compassion for the faults of others.” These two saints have given us a great way to reorient our way of seeing our neighbor, even in the most stressful moments. Incorporating Christ’s two commandments into your daily routine facilitates your transformation from a naturally selfish individual to a supernatural, selfless leader. By putting Jesus, others and yourself in the proper order (JOY), you can lead your business and life with a sense of purpose and service. Daily habits of prayer throughout the day, constant mental communion with God and fasting on Wednesdays or Fridays help reorient your focus on loving God and others, leaving less room for self-centeredness. Through these practices, you can live out your vocation as a business leader while growing in holiness and servant leadership.
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