Thermostats and Thermometers
By: David Freund, Chief Leadership Officer

It was 81 degrees on Sunday then dropped into the 40s Sunday night. Do you turn the heat on or the air conditioning? What a crazy time of year! Don’t get me wrong. I love the Spring and seeing the trees start to pop and the flowers pushing up through the soil as it is warmed by the sunshine.  All of this reminded me of a question. Are you a thermostat or a thermometer?

Without thermometers, we would never be able to tell with any accuracy what the temperature is. We can tell when a roast is finished by checking the internal temperature of the meat. When can quantify how sick we are with a thermometer. This year I made maple syrup, and the syrup needs to reach 7 degrees above the boiling point, so I bought a digital thermometer.  My son and I keep tropical fish, and each tank has at least one thermometer in it so we can know the temperature of the water at all times.

As important as the thermometers are, a thermostat is so much more important. In our aquariums we have heaters, and each heater has a thermostat which controls the temperature. Our ovens have thermostats to keep the oven at the desired temperature. Our homes have thermostats to help maintain a comfortable temperature inside. Even in most cars today we set the temperature that we desire, and a thermostat controls the heat and air conditioning.

So, what about you? Are you a thermostat or a thermometer? Are you one of those people who simply reacts to the temperature in a room? Do you merely respond to what life brings you; waiting for each day to unfold, hoping that it will be better than yesterday? Or are you a thermostat? Someone who makes rooms warmer or cooler depending on the needs of the group. Are you intentionally adding value to those around each day? Are people glad to see you, or do they hide when you enter the room.  Are you taking the actions today that will make tomorrow better? Are you waking up each day with the mindset that a masterpiece is about to be created and you get to be a major part of the process?

It’s totally up to you. Will you be a thermometer or a thermostat?  The interesting thing is we will all be able to see what choice you make.