Releasing the Genius Releasing the Genius Magazine - Issue 2 | Page 14

YOU
ONLY HAVE
18
SUMMERS
BY JIM SHEILS
J
oel Weldon is in his mid-70s,
but if you met him, you’d
guess he’s in his 50s. He still
goes waterskiing with his
family. He’s also one of the
best speaking coaches in the world.
About two years ago when Joel and
I were developing some talks for
board meetings, we got into a deep
conversation about family and how
fleeting time really is. That day, Joel
said something that reshaped my
entire perspective on family and the
time I spend with my kids:
“Jim, you’ve got 18 summers. You
understand what I’m saying? You’ve
really only got those 18 summers
together with your kids. That’s
it. Sure they’ll still be your kids
after that, but I’m telling you, it’s
different. You gotta grab those 18
summers and really make the most
of them. And boy, do they go by
quick!”
14
A lot of you who are reading this are
probably doing the simple math right
now for each of your kids. Crazy,
isn’t it?!
And I really felt under the gun with
my adopted sons since I didn’t adopt
them until ages five and seven. This
gave me a positive push to grab the
time that we’ve got together.
You can’t stop time and you can’t
ignore this simple math equation.
So this summer, why not really step
into it? Get done what you need to and
go home early. Put the smartphone
away! You’ve got a lifetime of emails
and social media ahead of you, but
you’ve only got 18 summers with your
kids. (Some of you probably missed
a few summers already because of
busywork and iPhone interruptions.)
Next summer can be different. And
you now know the math. You’ve got
18 summers. Go grab the next one.
JIM SHEILS
Jim Sheils has a clear
purpose: to deepen
relationships and improve
education. He is an
entrepreneur and author
of the popular book, The
Family Board Meeting, which
is helping parents worldwide
reconnect with their kids in
fun and experiential ways.