365QOD- Day1221

Why Creatives Need Sources & People?

“Knowing too much of your future is never a good thing.” ― Rick Riordan, The Lightning Thief

This morning I read an interesting article by Barry Kasanoff called Why Leaders Need Imagination & Persistence on LinkedIn.  In it he estimates if the original Google concept was presented to top 500 CEOs back in 1998 they would have:

-          300 would have dismissed it as trivial

-          100 would have sized the opportunity but killed it

-          90   might have approved a test project

-          10   might have launched an initiative

-          1     might have succeeded to execute it

These guesstimates are interesting. He believes that the two qualities that the 1 CEO would have to have are Imagination and Persistence in order to succeed with the idea.

So what?

I believe that a better way to look it this idea is to think in terms of your own ideas.  If you have 500 ideas in your life that are worthwhile you might:

-          300 dismiss them as trivial

-          100 would appeal to you but you might conclude that it is not for you

-          90 ideas might pull you enough to do a test project

-          10 ideas might make you passionate enough to try them

-          1 idea might have enough of a momentum to succeed

What Barry is talking about is how for that one idea to succeed.  According to him, Imagination and Persistence are vital for recognizing and succeeding with an idea.  So what is necessary for recognizing which one is the one to pursue? 

I believe that being open to a lot of different sources (books, fields, interests, etc.) and people (co-workers, friends, influencers, etc.)  will place one in a situation to create an idea worth pursuing.  So to me Sources and People are what creators need to get the one idea worth pursuing.

Today’s question is:

“What sources are you using and which people are you consulting with?”

365QOD- Day740

“Create a morgue file- file where you keep the dead things that you will later reanimate in your work”- Austin Kleone

I have a lot of boxes in storage.  Due to space constraints I currently have only one box of my “stuff”.  

The stuff is ripped out pages from magazines, pictures, articles, notes, ideas, sketches, etc.  These are contents of my ‘morgue file’

Once in a while I go through it and trim it into a slightly smaller version of the box.  It never goes away because as I trim I add to the box.

Sometimes I give myself the luxury of going through the file and just re-reading and getting myself inspired.  As the author states, it reanimates me and my work.

Today’s question is:

“Do you have a morgue file?”

365QOD- Day715

“My teacher XYZ…” – Wayne Dyer

While reading Excuses Begone! I came across many lines of the form shown above.  Some of the people Wayne claims for his teachers were people that have lived many centuries ago.

The line made me think about the sources of information we use to accumulate our knowledge.  Just because a person is not physically in one’s life can one claim to have been taught by that person? 

I believe that Wayne is correct and wise.  If one influences us then they are our teacher.  It can be a single moment or many lessons.  If one reads several works by a person then definitively that person is your teacher.  You might not have acknowledged that person BUT they have instructed you.

The nice thing is that you can pick and chose the teachers you allow to teach you.  You are not limited to the ones that are physically near you.  Nor are you limited by when they lived.

Today’s question is:

“Who are your unacknowledged teachers?”

365QOD-Day352

"She looks great"- my impression of Jennifier Hudson's weight loss
I can not help but notice the many ads Jennifer appears in these days.  The journey she undertook was challenging.

The other day I read a story about a guy named Ben Davis who has posted a video on youtube called "My 120 pound journey".  Pretty inspirational.

Both stories made me conclude that when a human being sets their mind to achieve a goal then the only person that can prevent them from achieving the goal is the person who set he goal.  I believe it.

These two individuals are inspiring and made me wonder if my goals are big enough. 

Today's question is:
"Who inspires you?"

365QOD-Day299

"80/20 rule should be 90/10"- an opinion

I recently tried to explain to a co-worker the 80/20 rule.  How 20% of our activities result in 80% of our gains.

While reading articles on Behance site I came across a 40-30-30 rule in an article by Michael Schwalbe.  It was relating to ski training.  The author suggested that 40% is physical training.  During this phase you are suppose to fail daily.  You are trying to get your body to perform something that is new so failure is expected. 

The other 60% was mental training.  Of this percentage, 30% was technical skill and experience.  With practice you gain both.

The other 30% is where you take harder risks and increase the chances of failure.  However, you will not fail as often even though you are outside of your comfort zone.

"Only by trying something new, struggling, learning, and then trying again do we improve our performance.  It is simply acclimating to unchartered territory"

Interesting rule...

Today's question is:

"Does the 40-30-30 rule fit your experience?"

365QOD-Day276

"You are on God's most wanted list"- church sign

I used to drive past this sign everyday.  It was a moment that every day warmed my heart.
Every day this sign made my mood more positive.  Maybe it was the belief that there is a connection?
Maybe it was just reading it?

Many years ago, on a different church sign I only saw at night coming home it said "God loves you"
It ended my day on a positive note.

I miss my signs...

Today's question is:
"On whose list are you?"

365QOD-Day215

"Glance at negatives, but focus on positives"-Maxwell Maltz

Our daily information intake is often very negative.  It is not uncommon that when I wake in the morning I check the news and look at stories on the web.  This appears as a slow way to start my day BUT I am starting to think that it is too negative.  It is also very time consuming. 

I have noticed that the information I am putting into my brain is negative.  This over time will affect my mood and vision.  So I am going to use Maxwell's advice.  I will glance at the stories BUT I will not read them. 

I rarely watch TV at home and I only watch shows it on the PC.  This allows me to control what I watch(CBS Sunday morning, 60 minutes, Two and a half-men, Big Bang theory, and a few others).  Not everything I watch is positive(two and a half men) but at least I stand as the guardian at my mind's gate.

Today's question is:
"Are you guarding your mind's gate?"

365QOD-Day88

"Every master has a master"- Anonymous

Everyday I try to add to my brain healthy positive items.  One man who has influenced me in my thinking has been Jim Rohn.  I would consider him a master of self improvement.

Often times he refers to another person who got him started in his thinking.  This person is Earl Shoaff.  To Jim, Earl must have been a master. 

Consider the quote below:
 "Life never, never withholds anything from anyone. Love, health, wealth, companionship. All these exist in infinite abundance. We alone are the ones that prevent our own good from flowing, simply because we are not aware of nature's abundance and the tremendous power dormant in each of us. Power, which unfortunately, remains untapped because we don't know how to release, and set in motion, the activities which function the laws of success."- Earl Shoaff

We are limitless.  With masters, we can get direction for our power.


Today's question is:
"On what giant's shoulders do you stand?"

365QOD-Day67

"GIGO-Garbage In Garbage Out"- computer programming expression

I often get asked have I read all of these books.  I would say that 95+ I have or they are on my list.  The 95+ percent are books from which I have learned a thing or two and want to share them with you.

I however do not get all of my information from books.  Every two weeks like a clock I enter the Lake County Library and usually pick up:
1.  4-5 new releases(every Friday)
2.  1-2 books that I found in a regular bookstore and asked for them to get on loan from another library or purchase.
3.  1-2 audio books
4.  Magazines such as:
     - Business Week
     - Fast Company
     - Inc.
     - Entrepreneur
     - Forbes
     - Fortune
     - Money
     - Esquire
     - Details
     - Oxygen(women's health magazine)
     - Men's Fitness
     - Men's Health
                                        - Black Belt
                                        - Spirituality and Health
                                        - Psychology Today
                                        - Time/Newsweek (very seldom)
                                        - Wired

What do my informational sources tell you?  I read (or listen)on the subjects of: business, entrepreneurship, money, health, exercise, spirituality, and psychology.  The book subjects are typically business, self help, innovation, and entrepreneurship.


If I felt that I was lacking information in a certain area, I would just look for a resource to add that to my list.

After I get home, I usually spend one hour going through the magazines picking out and marking the stories I would read before I start.   This saves a lot of  time and keeps my focus on only stories I found interesting to read.

Today's question is:

"What do your sources reveal about you?"

365QOD-Day62

"Income without time has no value" Tim Ferriss

Recently I struck gold when I discovered authors at Google.  I can put on my headphones at work and listen to various authors who have visited Google and presented to their employees.  You can access them through YouTube.

The format is usually one hour and the author discusses their latest work/book.  I find that one hour is plenty.
It is enough exposure to new thinking.

I listened to Tim the other day and noted the statement above.  He has a new book called the 4 Hour Body.  I have not had a chance to read it yet but his previous work The 4 Hour Work Week was wonderful.  I have listened to it and read it several times.

He has figured out how to outsource most of his work while living abroad.  When he comes to a new place he finds something physical to do(martial art, dance, etc.) and something mental(learning a new language) to keep himself going.

I like his ideas but you might not.  However, they are new and give me something new to think about.

Today's question is:
"What new source of information have you discovered?"