you. She says values can be measured by the time and energy you put into something. “We know what matters; we don’t live like it does,” said Wright. “Dave Ramsey said, “I can tell you what’s important to a person by looking at their calendar and their bank account. Life balance is simply living from your values.” Wright also advises making sure to allow your family to speak into your schedule and how you spend your time together.

“The more successful you become, the less accessi- ble you become, so you have to be more intentional and you have to make time,” she said. Wright gives the following tips to achieving that: 1. Stop doing what doesn’t matter. You can achieve that by using your values to create qualifiers for decision making. Use the three strategic anchors: team first, collaboration and innovation. “Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. Just because someone needs you doesn’t obligate you.”

Schedule on and off times for after work hours. 2. Do more of what only you can do. “Only you can be a wife to your husband or a hus-

band to your wife,” said Wright. “Only you can be a mom or dad to your kids.” 3. Protect what matters

“Put in boundaries because they provide freedom and allow room to focus on what does matter to you,” said Wright.

“Boundaries are about self-respect. Boundaries

aren’t about saying no. They are about saying yes to what what’s important to you. If you don’t protect what you care about, no one else will. “In leadership you’re going to disappoint people, but boundaries help you to disappoint the right peo- ple. Leadership isn’t a position; it’s a lifestyle.” From the sessions to the exposition to the social times, the convention was a buzz of activity and smiles. “The convention halls were alive with pro- gressive auto recyclers putting their businesses first by attending this year, and picking the brains of their colleagues in mini-strategy sessions at coffee breaks, and in the exposition halls and between sessions. All this brings me great hope for the future of our amaz- ing industry,” said incoming ARA President Ricky Young. ■ Michelle Keadle-Taylor is afreelance writer based in Northern Virginia.

January-February 2015 | Automotive Recycling 39