A Better Use of Your Tomorrow: Finding What Feeds Your Soul
Two really strange things happened this week.
The first was that I received a call from an unknown number.
The second was that I answered it.
I’m glad I did.
The call went something like this:
“Hi Peter. I know you don’t know me, so thank you for taking my call. My name is Mark. Several years ago you presented a keynote at our conference in New Zealand, and some of the stories you shared have stayed with me ever since. Do you have a few minutes, or should I call back?”
After the first opening line, if I’m being honest, I was waiting for the pitch about why I needed solar panels on my roof.
I was prepared to hang up.
I’m very glad I didn’t.
Mark went on to tell me about the impact those stories had on him at a time in his life when he needed to hear them most.
It was a good reminder that we never really know where our words will land.
Not every story resonates with every person. Not every keynote is embraced or enjoyed by every audience member. And that’s okay.
It doesn’t mean the message is wrong or has no value. Sometimes it simply isn’t right for someone at that particular moment.
For Mark, the message and the question hit home.
When was the last time you did something that was food for your soul?
He reminded me of a question I often ask from the stage:
“When was the last time you did something that was food for your soul?”
Not for your husband.
Not for your wife.
Not for your partner.
Not for your kids.
But for you.
I usually ask this after talking about the gift that comes from sharing our bike rides in Thailand with both new and old friends.
For me, time on the bike is food for my soul.
I’ve now completed 48 of these rides, and no matter how many times I do them, I embrace the opportunity they create.
They give me the space to witness people doing hard things — often for the first time in a long time.
I get to watch people discover what happens when they invest in themselves.
I get to see the moment when they realise they are capable of far more than they had given themselves credit for.
That is one of the things I love most about these experiences. They remind us that personal growth rarely comes from staying completely comfortable.
The invitation to ride with me in Thailand is always open, if that appeals to you.
But I also know that the thought of riding 500 kilometres on a bike holds very little appeal for many people.
And that’s the point.
It doesn’t have to be a bike ride.
It might be walking the Camino de Santiago, shopping the streets of Paris or learning to play a musical instrument.
It could be something adventurous, something creative or simply something you have been putting off for years.
The important part is that it is something that feeds you.
Making time for yourself when life is already busy
It took a number of years and then he enrolled in a beginners’ ice-climbing course.
Something he had always wanted to do, but the timing had never seemed right.
He spent two weeks learning to climb ice falls and told me he returned a different version of himself.
Better.
He felt alive.
He said he felt like a better partner to his wife and a better dad to his kids.
And he wanted to thank me for the challenge I had given him years earlier.
He finished our conversation by saying, “I was clinging to an ice wall and thought, I need to let Peter know I’m here because of him.” I guess you could take that a couple of ways!
But what stayed with me was not the ice climbing.
It was the decision to finally make time for something that mattered to him.
What is a better use of your tomorrow?
You can’t wait for the perfect time to do these things, because there is a real danger that time won’t come.
There will always be another commitment.
Another deadline.
Another reason to wait.
Another tomorrow.
But will there be? Or are we taking that for granted?
We can become very good at telling ourselves that we’ll make time when things settle down.
When work is quieter.
When the kids are older.
When the next project is finished.
When life gives us a little more space.
But there will always be something else waiting.
So perhaps the better question isn’t:
“When will I have time?”
Perhaps it is:
“What is a better use of my tomorrow?”
Is tomorrow simply going to be another day in the cycle you’ve found yourself caught in?
Or could it be the day you finally do something that is food for your soul?
You don’t need to climb an ice wall.
You don’t need to ride 500 kilometres.
You just need to do something that is for you.
Something that reminds you that you are more than your commitments, your deadlines and the roles you play for everyone else.
Because if not now, then when?
What will you do for yourself tomorrow?
Perhaps you already know the answer.
Perhaps there is something you’ve been saying you’ll do “one day”.
Maybe tomorrow is a good day to start.
And if you don’t know what your food for the soul is, that’s okay too.
Start by asking yourself the question, "What makes me feel alive?"
"What have I always wanted to try?"
"What would I do if I stopped waiting for the perfect time?"
You may not need a life-changing adventure. You may simply need to give yourself permission to do something that matters to you.
Because sometimes a better tomorrow begins with making a better use of today.
If you’re bringing your team together to reflect on purpose, commitment and what matters most, I’d welcome the opportunity to share some of my experiences and see whether they might add value to your next event.
Frequently asked questions
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“Food for the soul” is different for everyone. It might be an adventure, learning something new, spending time in nature, travelling somewhere you have always wanted to visit, or simply making space for something that gives you energy and makes you feel alive. For Peter Baines OAM, riding a bike through Thailand has become one of those experiences.
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Making time for yourself creates space to step away from the constant demands of work, family and everyday commitments. It can provide an opportunity to reconnect with what matters, challenge yourself, learn something new and return to the people around you with a different perspective. Peter Baines OAM explores the importance of purpose and understanding what matters through his work and writing.
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Challenging experiences can show us that we are capable of more than we initially believed. Whether it is riding 500 kilometres, learning to climb an ice wall or navigating uncertainty at work, stepping beyond what is comfortable can build confidence, perspective and resilience over time.
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Peter Baines OAM speaks about leadership under pressure, resilience, purpose-led leadership, decision-making, trust and shared commitment. His keynotes draw on lived experience from crisis response, his work with Hands Across the Water and endurance experiences, rather than leadership theory alone. His keynotes on leadership are designed to give audiences practical ideas and experiences to reflect on long after the event.