I’m sending an e-mail back to myself five years ago.  "Dear Steve, congratulations on all you have done so far.  You’re going to make it.  However, you will continue to face new challenges in the coming decade.  This note is an executive summary for me from me: Here is what I will have to learn to be highly successful."

Do you wish you had an e-mail in your hands from your future self? Wouldn’t it be valuable to think back and coach yourself with the wisdom and caveats that you had learned from experience? Importantly, coming from yourself, this e-mail could absolutely be trusted to have your best interests in mind.

Here are three of the leadership lessons that I would send to myself in 2005.

Don’t get emotionally involved in certain projects that I’m not going to pursue anyway. I spent a lot of time worrying about one project that would have taken four years to execute. My emotions were sucked into a maelstrom of should I do this and what if this happens? I walked away from it, and then spent six months reflecting on what I could have done differently.  Realize where my priorities are, and separate the things that are nice to do with the plans that I have to do.  Don't waste emotional energy over things I won't work on.

Ask the right questions. Focus my mind to think about the opportunities in front of me. Look for the unanswered questions that I can answer, and collect ideas, information and strategies that help me understand the important questions. Perhaps I should spend more time thinking about the right questions in the future, and continue to prepare myself for the best choices. Don’t put emotional investment into possibilities that I haven’t committed to do yet!

Stay close to the people who believe in me. A few people in my life are committed to me no matter what. Invest in these people, and be a giver to them as well. My wife and a few special friends are always there, with my best interests in mind.  I should show deep appreciation and life involvement with the people who stand by me. Not sure who is in your camp? Take the time to find out.