365QOD-Day514

 “Life's tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.”

Unfortunately most of us just get old and never wise.  We experience life BUT rarely do we take a moment to think about the meaning of our actions and the wisdom contained in the results.  Instead we often say, "
Man if I could go back to 'a particular time', and I could know what I know now, I would be dangerous!"  Unfortunately, life does not give a time machine or a re-play button.

As I point out in my book, The Result, in life we seldom get complete success or failure BUT we always get a result.  It is wisdom to learn from the result and create a nudge towards a better result.  As Ben would urge... Wise Up.    The wisdom comes from the pause in order to determine a nudge worth taking.  

We have to wise up early enough in our lives in order for the rest of our life to be more successful and have a deep meaning.  Pause and think about things.  Pause.

Today's question is:
"How often do you pause in order to wise up?"

Note: Last fourteen posts were based on Ben's ideas and the article from Thea Easterly.  Her blog www.writechangegrow.com offers inspiring tips on writing, career change and personal development.  

365QOD_Day513

 “Energy and persistence conquer all things.”

Anything worthwhile takes and effort.  At times it could exhaust you and your resources.  If it worthwhile, it will push you to the edge and make you wonder if giving up is the best option.

Ben's advice is Don't Give Up.  Pushing through that is rewarding and worthwhile.

In my opinion even though I am a runner, no one in their right mind sets out to run long distance.  Anything above 3 miles is no longer just a fun run. 

When the young man at the door of my building asks me if I am running 7 or 10 miles I always choose 10.  I need to push myself.  If I say 7 I might give up at 10.  But if I say 10 then even if I give up at 10 I wold be better off than 4 miles.

It is a good lie.  It gets me motivated to run and hopefully build determination and strength for me to continue running in the future.

Today's question is:
"Do you tell yourself good lies in order not  to give up?" .

365QOD-Day512

“Who had deceived thee so often as thyself?”

I believe that I am my own worst enemy.  The negative self-talk I say to myself is often harsher than anything that anyone else would dare to say to me.

I even lie to myself.  I say to myself that I will do X but I end up doing Y.  I eat too much even when I say to myself that I should not.  Ben would urge me Don't Sabotage yourself.  Be your own best friend.  Be kind to yourself like a best friend would be.

Our enemies are withion.  Control those monsters and the ones on the outside are small compared with them.

Today's question is:

"Do you sabotage yourself?"

365QOD-Day511

 “There are three things extremely hard: steel, a diamond, and to know one's self.”
One of my recent observation about myself is to question whether I am being authentic.  To me authentic means that what I am thinking and acting that truly aligns to the way I want to be. 

It has to feel true.  It has to be me.  In order to get to this level I have to spend time to understand myself.. the true me self. Not the version that others have of me BUT me for me.   AS Ben would put it Know Yourself.

I might not like everything about myself.  I have to temporarily understand and accept those things.  But over time I can change it into what I wantto be the true authentic me.

Today's question is:
"How true are you to yourself?"

365QOD-Day510

“Diligence is the mother of good luck.”-Ben
Long time ago I read a boook called Lucky or Smart.  It was a wonderful little book that told about an entrepreneur who created and sold a few companies.  His answer to the question, "Are you lucky or smart?"  is "I was smart enought to know when I was getting lucky."

I would add that work must precede the two pieces... work hard and be smart to recognize when the stars have aligned in your favor.  Ben's admonition is Keep Going.  I agree that forward motion is needed in order to get to the second and third stage.  Without the forward progress the second two stages are meaningless and non-existant.

Today's question is
"How do you keep yourself going?"

365QOD-Day509

“Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.” - Ben
As I mentioned the other day in a post I am going to learn how to create apps.  In my current job the need for me developing the ability to write an app is ZERO.  So why do it?

Ben's next urges us to Continue to Grow.  By learning I am stretching and growing.  It would be so easy to just rest and veg out in front of the TV.  As you know I have been watching too much TV as of the last few months since I purchased a TV.  But it has generated some posts so the bad was converted into good by examining it a bit closer.

When  a little kid is asked how old they are they often answer, "I am 'some number' and half."  Why the half?    They are looking towards the future and realize that they are growing.

Just remember that while growing be kind to your family, friends, co-workers and neighbors.  They might not be growing as much or as fast.

Today's question is:
"Are you growing or dying?"

365QOD-Day508

“To succeed, jump as quickly at opportunities as you do at conclusions.”
In our current reality opportunities are everywhere. We tend to be paralyzed by the amount of things we can do and accomplish. 

The other extreme is to jump at everything.  Ben's admoniotion is to Act Quickly on Opportunities.  You might make some bad choices BUT I believe in the end you will regret those a lot less than the no action choice.

Allow yourself the freedom to act.  The freedom to ask what if....  Don't just conclude that it will not work.  Allow yourself the feedom to dream BIG!

Today's question is:
"Are you paralyzed or are you acting quickly?"

365QOD-Day507

“Do not fear mistakes. You will know failure. Continue to reach out.” - Ben Franklin

Ben's next urges us to Give Yourself Permission to Make Mistakes.

In an earlier post I refered to the idea of of failing twice as fast in order to get to success twice as fast.  This might seem counterintuitive.  Whe fail more?

You can not get to greatness if you are not willing to get out of your comfort zone.  I am about to learn how to develop apps.  I printed out a bunch of papers of how to develop android apps before I left for Europe.  My plan is to study these and write my own study course. 

Do I expect to fail?  Of course!  Do I plan to struggle?  YES!  But I am giving myself a permission to make mistakes with teh idea I will better understand how to develop an app.  If I ever chose to develop one I will know how.  If chose to sell one.. I will know how.

It would be so easy to just do what I am comfortable ... programming in C++.  But the world has changed and I figure I need to join it.  Maybe my next ebook will be on how to develop simple apps.  Who knows?  I better stop writing and get back to failing....

Today's question is:
"What are you doing today at which you might fail?"

365QOD-Day506

“Never confuse motion with action.”- Ben Franklin

Next action idea from Ben is to Avoid Busywork.  I tend to believe that most of our work these days falls into this category.  We seem to do and do and do BUT never feel like the work is meaningful. 

Work without meaning is just busy work.  Don't get me wrong, unless you have a large staff then it must be done.  BUT we have to limit it.

What is the right level?  Again, I fall back to the 80/20 rule.  If it gets to be above 80% of our time then we must re-evaluate what we are doing.  Since it is busy work it can wait till tomorrow.  So just stop...and continue with the busy work the next day.  The 20% that contribute to the 80% of the meaningful work must be placed within our day if the day will have meaning and improve our lives.

Today's question is:
"If your current task meaningful or busy work?"

365QOD-Day505

“All mankind is divided into three classes: those that are immovable, those that are movable, and those that move.”- Ben Franklin


Ben is correct.  Often times we spend our time thinking about what we will be doing.  But again thinking is not doing.  Unfortunately, many find themselves in the position of master thinkers and not doers.  


Why?  Well it is easy.  It makes you feel like you are doing something.  But we have to remind ourselves that  we do not get paid for thinking.  The real world rewards action.


So get moving.  Do something after you are done thinking.  


Today's question is:
"What does it take to make you move?"

365QOD-Day503

 “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” - Ben

We often expect to perform when we are called upon.  The basketball player wants to simply play the game instead of spending hours to practice.

The weekend runner wants to run the short race witrhout preparing for it.  In their mind they have run longer distance and a shorter one should be easy.

Ben;s third action advice is to Be Prepared.

This requires work in order to get the body and mind in shape to succeed.

Today's question is:
"Are you prepared to succeed?"

365QOD-Day502

"“Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today.” - Ben Franklin


Ben's second call to action is:            Don’t Procrastinate

The statement that makes me cringe is, "I'll get to that."  Most often we have no intention of doing what we are being asked to do OR delaying it until we absolutely have to do what is required.

I guess it is human  nature that we would take current pleasure, not doing it, instead of future reward which might not happen.  However, the costs are often enormous.

We are building a brand.  If our brand is that of a procrastinator then we will not benefit in the future from it. 

So why do we procrastinate?  In my mind the simple equation below says it all.
Probability to procrastrinate increases when the WHY< HOW

The sad part is that we often do not want to get to it right now because we don't have the time but in the future we will find all kinds of time when we end up doing and re-doing it because we were rushing.

Today's question is:
"When will you get to it?"

365QOD-Day501

“Well done is better than well said.” - Benjamin Franklin

I recently read the article
14 Lessons From Benjamin Franklin About Getting What You Want In Life

from the website
http://www.dumblittleman.com/

I want to take each of the 14 points apart over the next couple of weeks.  In my opinion Ben is worth having his own label.   There is so much to be learned from studying his life.

From the article, the first of the 14 action-inducing lessons from him:  Less Talk, More Action

"Talk is cheap. Talking about a project won't get it completed. We all know people who constantly talk about the things they are going to do but rarely ever take that first step. Eventually people begin to question their credibility. Taking action and seeing the task through to completion is the only way to get the job done."

As I have mentioned before, I believe the 80/20 rule.  It comes up all of the time.  As a Project Manager, I believe that it is relevant in this case.  20% of your time should be spent communicating what you need to do and what is the status of your project.  You have to communicate but it can not be all about what you will do.  It must be preceeded and followed by action:
Communicate what you will do
Act
Act
Act
Act
Act
Act
Act
Act
Communicate what you did

Talk does not nudge the ball forward.  The only thing that nudges it forward is action. 

Today's question is:
"Do you want to talk about it or just do it?"