Putting the LEAP in Leap Year

2020 is a leap year. And February 29th is leap day. Maybe it’s just another day—or is it?

Leap day won’t happen again for four more years. So, we’re left with an opportunity. We have an entire extra day.

The question is: How will we use the extra time?

There are so many ways to spend leap day. After some thought, I came up with four ways to put the LEAP in leap day.

1. Learn

With an entire extra day on the calendar this year, why not block out at least a portion of the day to read, listen, watch, or observe someone or something with an intention to learn something new?

I don’t know about you, but when I’m stuck or feeling uninspired, the minute I learn something new or experience a moment of insight, I get some inspiration I never knew I needed. Perhaps you’re the same way.

Carve out time this leap day to invest in yourself and your future by learning something new.

2. Educate

If we’ve been inspired by learning something new, why not share it? After all, you and I know what we know, and we’re able to do what we can do, in large part, because someone taught us.

With an extra day on the calendar, surely, we could find some time to educate others and share what we know. The coolest thing about teaching others is the more we teach, the more we actually learn ourselves.

Whatever you’ve mastered, share it. Educate someone at work, at home, or in your community. They’ll appreciate the lesson, and you’ll undoubtedly learn something else in the process.

3. Action

Something magical happens when we stay active. Whether it’s physical activity in our personal time or staying active by moving the ball down the field on projects at work. We gain momentum.

Physical activity boosts our heart rate, metabolism, and even our ability to think more clearly. Purposeful activity at work leads to progress. The more progress we make, the more confident we become, and with more confidence, we’re compelled to take more action. But that cycle only starts by taking action first.

4. Passion

Passion fuels us, fills us, inspires us, and compels us to do more, become more, and ultimately give more of ourselves to the world.

With one more day on the calendar this year, why not block out some time for yourself to pursue your passion? Whether it’s sports, writing, speaking, drawing, creating, dancing, swimming, teaching, coaching, or whatever fills your cup?

The more you pursue your passion, the more passionate you will become. We know adversity may be lurking around the corner, and it may rear its ugly head at any moment. However, adversity is no match for passion.

Passion gives us purpose, and purpose fuels our passion—what a great way to use an extra day on the calendar.

Now, think about it—every day can be LEAP day. Imagine the leaps we could take in our lives and our careers if and when we:

• Learn something new every single day
• Educate others and share what we know every single day
• Stay active with physical activity outside of work and purposeful action at work every single day
• Pursue our passion, filling our own cup every single day so that we can pour ourselves into others

If you’re a leader, imagine the effect you’ll have on your organization if and when you inspire every person on your team to do all four: learn, educate, take action, and pursue passion every single day.