In the Zone

As I boarded what I thought was my last flight of 2018, I looked at my American Airlines app and noticed that I was in striking distance of “Executive Platinum,” the highest level possible. Ok, so maybe I didn’t just notice. Maybe I have been staring at the little needle as it has inched toward 100,000 miles for the past few weeks. My heart sank as I did the mental math and realized my last flight would put me less than 1,200 miles shy of this monumental achievement. Sure, I could “buy up,” but where are the bragging rights in that? No, in a fit of exhausted Dan-drama I decided I would take a personal trip before December 31. Overnight to Rio? Lunch in Paris? Thankfully airfare sobered my whim, as did my wife’s face. Relying on hotel points and family, I negotiated a much more enjoyable opportunity – a quick getaway with Tricia to Arizona. With plans in place, I became increasingly proud of my spontaneous excursion.

As I shared my upcoming jaunt with family over Christmas, one cousin asked with a bewildered face, “What does Executive Platinum even get you?” Without skipping a beat, I replied confidently “Zone 2.” Now everyone had a bewildered face. “What zone are you now?” As I shared that I was Zone 3 and tried to rattle off some of what I thought the distinctions were, I too heard the absurdity.

In leadership, what other statuses or milestones am I chasing without consideration of the benefits or more importantly the consequences? When I’m in the zone, am I sure it’s the right one? When I lament of limited time to place myself in God’s zone, do I reflect upon the effort I spend just to achieve society’s rewards? Thankfully my misguided quest afforded my wife and I some focused time with each other. I’ve committed to a new year’s resolution to use my extra 5 minutes of boarding time afforded to me by Zone 2 for prayer.