365QOD-Day273

Principle 2 Experts will try to walk in the shoes of someone who's more competant than them
When starting something new it is important to find someone who knows more than you.  It might be a co-worker or a local subject matter expert.  You have to ask for time to drill them on their thinking process and the overall process to get a job done.

What I did on my new job is interview the three individuals that are currently performing my job.  I asked about the overall job flow and their approaches.  I then quickly summarized their work flow back to them.  Lastly, I then merged the three processes into a single process that combined the steps of all three experts.  It became my optimal procedure because it combined the best features.

Today's question is:
"Who is the expert around you?"

365QOD-Day272

"If you are not stretching then you are dying"- Unknown

Decently I read an article on the 99% website about the work by Joshua Foer.

His work deals with determining what makes people an expert.  The article mentions four principles which I will discuss in next four posts.


Principle 1 Experts tend to operate outside their comfort zone and study themselves failing.

To me, working outside of my comfort zone is a daily activity.  My last few jobs placed me in positions for which I was not prepared at all.  I had to enter a job where I was familiar with some aspects but I had to work hard to learn new subjects.

For example, I have a background as an Electrical Engineer(I spent 12 years in the power industry) but in my last job I worked on instrumentation projects.  Instrumentation and power are related BUT yet completely different. 

My boss gave me a choice if I wanted to continue doing power(easy and comfortable choice) or develop my instrumentation side(difficult and time consuming).  I jumped at the opportunity to work outside my comfort zone.  So I fully understand the first part of Principle 1.

The second piece of the principle is very interesting to me.  How does one study themselves failing?  Well, when you do projects, like I have, you fail at times.  You are learning but the information is not complete and you make the best call you can.  Just because you had a failure, you must study and understand the failure AND yourself.  It is you who failed.  I would review my past mistakes and always ask myself.... if I had to do this project over again, what would I do completely differently? Often times the answer was very clear. 

I also think that when attempting something new it is easier to study yourself failing.  The opportunity is there and success is not guaranteed.  You must pull yourself outside of your body and observe yourself attempting this new challenge.  It is strange to be the doer and observer.. Give it a try!  Look for your thinking process, your body position, your thoughts(beliefs of success or failure).

In my new job I am working on large capital projects.  I previously did small capital projects. I am streeeeeaaaaaaaatching!

Today's question is:

"What have you learned by studying yourself failing?"

365QOD-Day271

"I'm don't want to be rich.  I want to be comfortable"- a mistaken belief

I remember reading this line in a Herb Ecker book about the Secrets of the Millionaire Mind.  I agreed with him.  If a person chooses the comfortable level, that person will never be rich. 

Why?

I believe that once you settle for the OK Plateau you no longer push yourself to get to a higher level.  I used to tell my students that the enemy of being great is not being bad but being good.  If you a jack of many things it is unlikely that you will work hard to be "an expert"( a king of one).

The reason this occurs is that once we get to that "good enough" level we start working on autopilot.  We know what it takes to keep us at that level and we keep the foot of the pedal and just cruse.

Today's question is:
"Are you at a plateau?"

365QOD-Day270

"I can't do that"- the easiest excuse

One of my favorite things to do is put my wireless headphones on and listen to different presentations from people on websites like 99% or ted.com.  However, my current employer does not allow streaming video.

So what am I to do?

One of the options is to download the transcript.  I can do that and then do one of two things: 1. create an audio by using a text to speech converter or just print it out and read it(and then get rid of the paper).  I have done both.

As the old saying goes, "If there is a will, there is a way."

Today's question is:
"What artificial barriers are in your way?"

365QOD-Day269

"What's in the box? Whatever it is must be pretty important, because I've traveled with it, moved it, from apartment to apartment to apartment."- 

I recently read a transcript of a Ted speech by Graham Hill.  In it he talks about purchasing a 420 sq. feet apartment in Manhattan and creating a space that fits his stuff and needs.

He has a website lifeedited.org.

I have been living in a studio apartment for the last month or so and I can completely agree with him.  We move boxes and stuff that we have "outgrown".  We hoard.

I feel lighter.  I sometimes wish I had an extra bedroom but most of the time I think in terms of getting rid of stuff instead of collecting more stuff.

We forget that "stuff" has energy and we own that energy while we have it.  Do you still want to hold on to energy of a shirt you used to wear ten years ago?

Today's question is:
"Are you hoarding stuff?"

365QOD-Day268

"In the information age, information should be free"- a common belief

I have been working on a product recently.  It is a product that provides information.

The other day I received a video from Greg Hasbitt in which he said the following
"Don't sell information.  Information is a commodity.  
Sell a transformation.  Transformation is priceless"

The more I thought about it he is correct.  Anyone can sell information.  But what will your information do, how will it do it, how will it make your customer feel, etc.  that is the transformation.

Back to the drawing board...

Today's question is:
"Are you in the information or transformation business?"

365QOD-Day267

"Life is great"- the only way to live

I recently watched a How I made my millions video
      http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=1157136755


It was a story about the company Life is Good.

I love the idea of a company espousing positive values.  I believe it starts at the top. If the CEO is negative, what do you think the people next to them are going to be?  And the ones below them and so on....

So each company needs a Chief Executive Optimist.  The greatest example is the former CEO of Southwest- Herb Kelleher.  He modeled it.  Southwest has had an incredible growth over the last 40+ years of existence.  The amazing culture has continued to thrive even after he retired. 

Today's question is:
"Can being an optimist thrive as a corporate value?"

365QOD-Day266

"I know what I am doing"- so you think

As an example let us consider a new employee and their progress:

Imagine a staircase based on competence.  

When you enter a new company on the bottom rung you would be

     UI unconsciously incompetent
You start working on it and soon you become
     CI consciously incompetent
you still don't know much but at least now you recognize that you do not know much

After a few years you have taken time to develop your skill set and you eventually become
     CC consciously competent
Towards the end of your career you become so good at what you do that you are
     UC unconsciously competent
you can do things you don't even have to think about how or why...

Today's question is:
"Where are you on the stairs?"

365QOD-Day265

"Am I bringing up a nutrient or an irritant?"- Today We Are Rich

We all have opinions.  When we see someone else having a problem we jump into solver mode and want to help.

There is nothing wrong with that if it is done properly.  The phrase above should be used as a pause.  Before offering advise ask yourself  whether the advise will serve as a nutrient to that person.  Will the advise make them stronger or wiser?

If not, then you are providing an irritant.  One that will simply upset the person and not help solve the problem.

Remember that being a "realist" is another way of playing a devil's advocate.  In an earlier post I urged you to instead be an angel adviser.  Ask the person if they see any difficulties up ahead.  Let them offer the solution that they will have to live with. 

Today's question is:
"Have you provided nutrients to your friends?"

365QOD-Day264

"There's mighty big difference between working hard and being willing to do the hard work required to prepare for your life's opportunities.  The best prepared will always win.  To be the best prepared, you need to do some things that aren't necessarily fun or easy"-Billye from Today We Are Rich

I often see young employees work more than 40 hours per week.  They feel that they are working hard.  And they are.  But as the quote above states there is a difference between doing the hard work vs. working hard.

Often times hard work involves taking a pause and thinking about what will make the greatest impact instead of just plunging ahead.  That pause and thought process are worth gold.

It is like leaning a ladder vs. leaning a ladder against the wrong building.  You are working hard in both instances but with the first one you make sure your effort is placed in the direction needed the most.

Today's question is:
"Do you work hard or are you doing the hard work?"

365QOD-Day263

Based on Carol Dweck's work on fixed mindset vs. growth mindset in the book Little Bets

Let us explore a fixed mindset in this post.

1. Fixed mindset sees intelligence as something that can be developed
    In other words you learn and become smarter over time.


Once you perceive yourself as someone who can become smarter you have a a tendency to
2. Embrace challenges even one where you can fail


And when confronted by difficult obstacles a growth mindset person will. Persist in the face of setbacks and attempt to solve them for longer periods of time

Because a growth mindset person sees
4 Effort as the path to mastery

So when given criticism, even constructive criticism,
5.  They will learn from the criticism

Because they realize that other people might be smarter than them
6. Find lessons and inspiration in the success of others

As a result
7. They may reach even higher levels of achievement

All this gives them a greater sense of free will.


Today's question is:
"Do you have a growth mindset"

365QOD-Day262

"I changed my mind"- a good thing

I recently read a book called Little Bets.  In it the author talked about the difference between a fixed and a growth mindset.

Let us explore a fixed mindset in this post.
1. Fixed mindset sees intelligence as static.  In other words you are born with it.
    What this leads to is a desire to look smart

Once you perceive yourself as smart you have a a tendency to
2. Avoid challenges where you can fail

And when confronted by difficult obstacles a fixed mindset person will
3. Give up easily

Because a fixed mindset person sees
4. Effort as fruitless or worse

So when given criticism, even constructive criticism,
5.  They will ignore the useful negative feedback

Because they realize that other people might be smarter than them
6.  They feel threatened by the success of others

As a result
7. They may plateau early and achieve less than their full potential

All this confirms a deterministic view of the world.

Today's question is:
"Do you have a fixed mindset"

365QOD-Day261

"I always lie"- a lie to stop the conversation

The cookie tragedy continues...

At this point you decide that you have no willpower.  You have been beaten by cookies and milk.  You will never be able to not have cookies before you sleep.  You just saw yourself eat the whole bag.  It is now confirmed in your brain.

Now the only thing to do is... tell yourself the third lie
Lie#3 "give up"

This process is not unique to cookies.  Have you made a plan to exercise at 4:30 a.m. before work and after a few days of strong willpower given up?

Any change effort is difficult.  It involves the rider(the mind), the elephant(the emotions) and the path.  Your mind will only take you so far.  The elephant will pull you towards a point you do not want to go unless you set yourself up on the path.

For example, if you want to start running at 4:30 put your running clothes on before you go to sleep and the gym shoes with socks by the door.  Your mind now knows you will run.  Your elephant now knows you will run.  At 4:30 when it is warm in bed, jump out and run towards the door. Quickly put your socks on and your shoes.  RUN!  After a while you will succeed...

Today's question is:
"Are you fibbing to yourself or do you want to change?"

365QOD-Day260

"OK maybe once in a while I tell a lie."- another lie

Continuing with our cookie story...

You are sitting there eating the cookie.  It tastes great.  Yummy!  You are halfway done with the milk when you decide that one is not going to be enough. 

This is where the second lie occurs:

Lie#2 "mess it up good"

You decide to bring the cookie jar closer to you and place the gallon of milk next to it.   Now the only thing that can stop you is you.  BUT you decide to mess it up for good and start again tomorrow.

Today's question is:
"How do you like the taste of the second cookie?"

365QOD-Day259

" I never lie"- a lie

We often fib to ourselves.  It could be a small fib or a large one.  A lie is simply a gap between you and the true you.  The less you lie the closer those two you become.


In the book  The Millionaire Mindset by Gerry robert urges us to avoid three lies we tell ourselves
#1 "Once will be enough"

At times we all want to change something about ourselves.   Suppose you decide to stop eating cookies before going to bed.  You realize(the mind) that this is not a great strategy for losing weight and decide to stop doing it.

One night you are having a lot of emotions running through your brain and you decide to calm yourself with a cookie and glass of milk. Your mind quickly tells you not to do it but you say to yourself
"One cookie will be enough"

That is the first lie...

Today's question is:
"When was one cookie enough?"

365QOD-Day258

"Yeah I heard you"- a  typical response

Recently while searching Ted.com  I came across a speech by Julian Treasure. In his speech he suggest that we try practicing:
1. Silence - 3 min a day
2. The mixer- focus for a while and see if you can identify how many channels of noise you are able to identify
3. Savoring mundane sounds- the hidden choir
4. Listening positions
    active/passive
    reductive/expansive
    critical/empathetic
5. A good communication contains
    Receiving
    Appreciating
    Summarizing
    Asking

Today's question is:
"Are you a good listener or do you need to practice?"

365QOD-Day257

"I am just large boned"- a fat defense

I have been taking care of myself better.  I exercise most days and eat better(fruit for breakfast, salad for lunch, less for dinner). So at 6'1" and 212 lbs. am I OK?  I recently read the short article below:

"To calculate your body fat percentage

The body adiposity index (BAI) is a new test proposed as an alternative to calculating your BMI. The BAI can be used to find your percentage of body fat.
How it works: To calculate it yourself, first convert your measurements into metric numbers. Here’s how: Hip circumference (in inches) x 2.5 = hip circumference in centimeters. Height (in inches) x 0.025 = height in meters. Then plug your metric measurements into the BAI formula: [(Hip circumference in centimeters) / (Height in meters x square root of height in meters)] - 18.
For example, if you’re a 150-pound woman with 30-inch hips and you’re 5'5", the math would look like this:
Hips: 30 x 2.5 = 75 cm
Height: 65 x 0.025 = 1.625 m
[75 / (1.625 x 1.275)] - 18 = approximately18% body fat
American Council on Exercise says an “acceptable” range for body fat for women is 25 to 31%, and for men 18 to 25%. You’re considered obese if your body fat is 32% or greater for women, and 26% or greater for men.
If you don’t want to pick up a calculator, let online tools take care of the math. Enter your height, weight, hip measurement (taken at the level of maximum extension around the bottom area), gender, and age in an online calculator, at  http://bai.azarbadegan.net/
"

Using the formula

BMI= [Hips in cm / (Height in cm x sqrt(Height in m))] - 18 =  ___    % body fat

For me...
Hips: 36 x 2.5 =  90cm
Height: 73 x 0.025 =  1.825m
BMI= [90 / (1.825 x sqrt(1.825))] - 18 = % body fat
BMI= [90 / (1.825 x 1.351] - 18 =18.5 % body fat
so I am "acceptable"

Today's question is:
"What is your BAI?"

365QOD-Day256

"When you give and then expect a return on your investment, you are an investor.
When you give and expect public recognition in return, you are a self-promoter. 
But when you give only for the love of giving, you are a generous person.


The word generosity stems from the Latin word generous, which mean "of noble birth"
Rich have given to poor without expectation of repayment.  This lies at the heart of what it means to be truly noble." from Today We Are Rich

I believe that in many life situations we find ourselves an investor, self-promoter, or a generous person.  We should strive to be noble but often we will fail.  It is OK to fail as long as we strive towards that goal.

If in the end we are judged as a giver then our lives will be noble. 

Today's question is:
"Today, during different situation ask yourself what type of giver are you?"

365QOD-Day255

"It is conscious thinking which is the 'control knob' of your unconscious machine"- maltz
 
Have you ever eaten a meal and not remembered the way it tasted?  Have you ever driven to work and not remembered the drive?  Many things we do are done unconsciously.

I recently changed jobs and by design placed a table away from my computer on which I eat lunch.  Every morning I place my lunch box on that table and during lunch I transition to it. This has allowed me to eat my meal without the distraction of a news story or email.

During my drive I listen to different audio books.  This forces me to focus on the book instead of the mindless chatter on the radio or the latest Brittney Spears song.  Ooops I did it again...and again and again...

I am working on transitioning the things that I do unconsciously into the conscious side.  Why?  This will give me the control knob to the unconscious mind.

Today's question is:

"Do you have control of your control knob?"

365QOD-Day254

"In the beginning all dreams are obstacle free"-Collin Sewell

When beginning anything we often find ourselves dreaming about a potential future state.  We think this will result in X where X is the desired state.  X can be anything: wealth, love, opportunity, etc.

Then we proceed to move towards X and Y happens. The Y is the obstacles: interference, loss, nudge towards another direction, loss of passion for X, desire for Z.

It is not surprising that we don't end up at X.  Dreaming is good but when the actions start requiring effort and you have to fight/react to Y many of us loose the momentum to go forward and just stop pursing X.

We must dream.  However, we must dream and ask ourselves what are the likely interferences that we will have to fight.  Once those obstacles have been identified  then we can proceed to go around them to eventually reach our destination X.

Today's question is:
"Do you identify the obstacles(Y) of your dreams(X) before you start?"

365QOD-Day253

"Ichi-nichi issho:  'Each day is a lifetime.'  We arise in the morning newly born.  As we pass through the day, we age and gain experience.  When we tire at day's end, we 'die' and take our rest.  That one arc serves as a miniature of our entire life.  What we do during a single day- and how we do it- becomes the foundation of our whole lifetime.  For what is life but the sum of our days?

This very day can be a life's turning point.  In a single moment we can decide to walk the path that has no end.


Starting now.


Let the day begin."  - from Zen 24/7 by Philip Toshio Sudo

On Wednesday Oct 5th 2011 Steve Jobs passed away.  In many articles I have read about him the idea of living each day as your last day is mentioned.  He lived the way of the Ichi-nichi issho.

Today's question is:
"What changes do you need to make to live the Ichi-nichi issho way?"

365QOD-Day252

"The truth is, we deserve few if any of the things we've come to expect, wish for, or covert in the lives of others.  We should be grateful for the most basic things in life and never let our expectations define our level of thankfulness"- Erwin McManus, What Do You Deserve

In yesterday post we talked about being a POET.  POET is a way of reminding ourselves to be thankful for the People, Opportunities, Experiences, and Things.

As the quote warns us, we deserve few of the things we have come to expect, wish for, or covet.  There seems to be a disconnect.  We have an overabundance in our lives and we expect, wish for, and covet more.

I have recently moved from a 2 bedroom into a studio apartment.  I used to think that the 2 bedroom was not enough.  Now there is a lot less space.  However, I removed most of my "things" to storage and now feel lighter.  At times the studio feels bigger.  And I am grateful for that..

Today's question is:
"Are your expectations defining your level of thankfulness and affecting your happiness?"

365QOD-Day251

"THANK YOU!"- my gratitude for sticking with me

After writing 250 posts I am taking a minute to stop and THANK my readers.  Most of my posts are based on things I read or have directly experienced.  They are oven very rough but always written with passion.

I realize that as a writer I have a lot of  room for improvement.  So I just want to say THANKS..

In our lives I belive that we don't stop enough to look for reasons to be grateful.  A bit of advice I obtained from a book recently is that when finding reasons to be grateful think of yourself as a POET.   THANK
People
Opportunities
Experiences
Things

Today's question is:
"Are you a thankful POET?"

"It is conscious thnking which is the 'control knob' of your unconscious machine"- maltz

365QOD-Day250

"Do even the little things with passion.  They are always bigger than they seem"- Anonymous

Everyday I make coffee that I take to work.  The process of making the coffee starts with running water from a faucet for a minute and pouring it into a pot.  Then I let the pot slowly come to a boil- usually about 10 minutes.

While the water is getting to boiling point, I prepare my french press( a vertical cylinder which has a press with a mesh on it).  In the press I put 4 large scoops of regular coffee and hazelnut coffee mixture.  

When the water has started to boil, I pour the water into the press with my right hand.  I use a spoon to slowly turn the coffee until a large section of cream develops.  Once that is done, I pour brown sugar ( you will never go back to regular sugar) in two separate cups.  One is for me and other is for my wife.  This takes about a minute to complete and allows the coffee grinds to drop down to the bottom.

I next gently press the mesh section on top of the press down.  Pouring starts in my cup until I get some cream to come out.  At that point I switch to my wife's cup.  I slowly pour hers till the top.  Then I finish by pouring the rest of mine.  Lastly, I pour milk on top of mine and gently stir both cups.

The other day I went out for a run and when I came back my wife had tried to make coffee. It did not taste right.  I wonder why?

Today's question is:
"Do you do the little things in life with passion?"

365QOD-Day249

"Passion makes a big difference"- my observation

Many of times I have told my wife, "If you are going to cook something, cook it with passion or not at all."  I can taste the difference.

Recently, I met two gentlemen who performed their work with passion.  Charlie is an owner of a handy-man business.  He works non stop 7 days a week.  When you talk with him he always has a smile and is extremely helpful even with issues that are not his own.

Shorty, the other gentlemen, is also an owner of a computer related business.  After struggling with the local internet provider they sent Shorty in to fix the problem.  10 minutes later the system was singing and so was Shorty..

Today's question is:
"Are you passionate about your work/tasks?"

365QOD-Day248

"I discovered that being in the right place at the right time is actually all about being in the right state of mind.  Lucky people increase their odds of chance encounters or experiences by interacting with a large number of people.  Extroversion pays opportunity and insight rewards.  Chance opportunities are a numbers game.  The more people and perspectives in your sphere of reference, the more likely good insights and opportunities will combine."   Wiseman author of The luck factor (from Little Bets by Peter Sims)

I firmly believe this quote.  A few months ago I met a person who is world class designer.  He is very passionate about what he does and often tries to communicate his vision to the rest of us non-designers.

I was working on a design for how to display a particular type of data.  I played around with the concept but could not come up with a brilliant way of doing it.

One Saturday evening I sat in a park with my friend and we worked on the problem.  We were so into it that the group of several people we were in felt ignored for an hour.   In the end a brilliant solution was found.

Today's question is:

"Are you exposing yourself to different people and perspectives?"

365QOD-Day247

"I fear nothing and I fear everything"- Anonymous

It seems to me that much of life is based on fear.  I recently read an article.  It is shown below.  I wish I remembered from where I got the material... I apologize.

"First insight 
Fear can close our hearts, shape our emotional life, and freeze our emotions, but the only power that fear has is the power we give to it.  We can take that power back.  What we need is to have some understanding of what we really want in life and why we want it


Second insight 
The freedom we want the most is found beyond the fear that we avoid the most, and when we move through our very worst fear, we realize that, ultimately, there is nothing to be afraid of.

Third insight
We don't need to become experts on fear to move through it.  Rather, we must strengthen our Spirit, which means cultivating the very spiritual instincts that our fear would have us neglect or ignore.

Fourth insight
One fear contains the power of every fear within us.  Burst the bubble of one fear, and all of our other fears begin to lose the power over us too.

Fifth insight 
Two questions  How can we move through our fear?  and How can we become who we are meant to be?  - are, for all practical purposes, one and the same."- source unknown

Today's question is:
"Do these insights match your beliefs?"

365QOD-Day246

"Think inside the box.  The answer to the problem lies within the problem itself"- Lynda Resnick

One day I will write a book with the title "Get your $%^ out of the box" on the front cover and "Get you $%^ back in the box" on the back cover.

In my life I have been told to do both.  A couple of years ago I worked on a problem that caused my employer about $1M per month due to unplanned outages. It seemed like everyone associated with the problem was aware of the problem but no one consistently worked on it to solve it.  I did.

The funny thing about it... it was not a part of my duties.  I solved it because at one time it was the number three priority for the corporation to get those systems to function properly.  After they were installed everyone accepted their performance except me.

After solving the big problem, I was slammed on my yearly review.  Instead of giving me a huge raise, making a big deal, and allowing me to solve other difficult problems, I was given a poor rating and not given a bonus or a raise.

The bosses above me were trying to teach me a lesson.  Get your ass back in the box.

I now have a new box to play with with a new company which wants me to solve their problems.  I am being encouraged to think outside the box.

Today's question is:
"Are you in the box or outside it?"

365QOD-Day245

"Someone said that the greatest cause of ulcers is mountain- climbing over molehills."-Maxwell Maltz

I guess it is human nature to make our problems seem bigger than they really are.  Maybe it is a part of our survival instinct?  If you did not worry about being eaten then you got eaten.

Our modern worries range from money to health.  Everyone has their favorite weakness.  To some it is drinking too much.  Others spend too much.  Most eat too much.

Picking on overeating(I have been known to do that) for a moment.  This habit causes me and others to suffer poor health.  Often it is not what we eat BUT what is eating us.  The overeating causes indigestion BUT often the cause is the indigestion of the soul.  Food is just a chosen mechanism to satisfy it.

I think that many of the problems are due to lack of gratitude for what we already have.  Gratitude is interesting.  Most people would classify it as a feeling.  You are feeling gratitude towards something or someone.

There is another way to think about it.  Gratitude as a muscle that you must exercise often in order for it to grow.

Today's question is:
"Have you worked your gratitude muscle today?"

365QOD-Day244

"Own your back story so it doesn't sabotage you when you tell your front story. Be active in your own rescue; confront the stories that others are telling about you. Leverage the back story that rules your listener; it can be a powerful ally"- tell to win book

When people formulate their opinion about you based on your past your future is no longer controlled by you.  The back story might have been embellished by yourself or modified by others.  It is what it is.

The advise above says to confront the stories if you are to control your front story.  If not then your listener, your audience, will not be on your side fully.

Most of us lead our lives as an open book.  We pretend that the opinions of others do not matter to us BUT in reality they do.  Even if are not affected by them emotionally, they can control our future messages and therefore drastically change our intended future.

Today's question is:
"How do you control your back story?"

365QOD-Day243

"I know stuff"- Anonymous

In the book Tell to Win, Michael Wesch KS University IT expert is credited with the saying that meaning plus memory is what makes knowledge minus the ability.  I re-wrote it as an equation:

meaning+memory=knowledge-ability

What quickly became obvious is that the equation could be rewritten as:

meaning+memory+ ability =knowledge

or that

knowledge= ability + memory + meaning

Pretty cool.  Does it makes sense?  That knowledge is the result of using your abilities, past memories, and providing  meaning to new information. To me it does.

Maybe there are some missing ingredients.  Maybe not?

Today's question is:
"What is your knowledge based on?"