365QOD-Day301

"Focus= when clarity concentration and action converge to create a specific result in the present" - Richard Machowitz

I recently listened to a speech by Richard Machowitz.  In it he talks about how we spend time thinking about the past, present, and future.

Consider how hard it is to achieve clarity  if one spends time thinking in these different time frames:
Past  Now  Future
25%   50%   25%       (these are fixations)

In other words you are only here 50% of the time.  A lot of energy is wasted being in other time frames.

Today's question is:
"How do you focus your energy on the present?"

365QOD-Day300

"WOW!"- my rejoice at reaching the 300 post

When we start any endevor that will require continuous actions we start with success in mind.  When something takes many steps to complete or even daily tasks to complete then that success become a challange.

As Jim Rohn cautions, "If something is easy to do, it is easy not to do". 

For the last 300 days my posts have regularly published.  There were a few that published a day late BUT they did publish.  Most of them were early.  I tend to write in spurts.  I might write daily.  Often times I write several posts in one sitting.  Which is scary when you think about the variety from one post to another.

Again, it would have been easy to just stop writing.  The reason why I didn't?  It fulfills my need for a creative outlet.  I feel good after writing a post. 

It is nice to know that many people I do not even know regularly read my posts.  I tried to write from the heart and about what I learn.  maybe those appeal to you guys.

After 300 posts... all I can say is THANKS

Today's question is:
"What is easy to do that you did not do today?"

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-Day298

"Why would you want to do that?"- a question someone posed to me

A few years ago I read a story about a Microsoft scientist that walks around with a camera that records his life.
He records videos, takes pictures automatically, GPS location, etc...   He is able to reduce his day to a 15min record of it.

I recently read an article in August 2010 issue of Popular Science about a camera from viconrevue.co.  It is a wearable camera with 5 sensors:light detector, thermometer, compass, accelerometer and infrared
120 degree view
Any one triggers a per second
No trigger then 1 every 30 seconds

Today's question is:
"Why wouldn't you want to record your life if you could?"

365QOD-Day297

"All masters started out as disasters"- Harv Eckert

European Journal of social sciences reported that:
"... teens who mentally reheares overcoming adverse competative situations gained the most confidence in their ability to play soccer.  This is called Motivational Specific Mastery (MS-Mastery)"

Visualize yourself actually mastering a challenging situation, not just running through it with good outcome
I think you have to add as many senses to the experience.  You have to think about all of the little steps that it took to get to the mastery. 

Some of us would do those steps by visualizing them.  Others would rehearse them by speaking them out loud.  A few would even have to practice them in order to internalize them.  Each of us has a sequence that is like a magic key that would discover that mastery. 

I watched a student one Saturday morning discover er key.  She had to see me do an example, followed by explaining to another student how to do it, and lastly she had to do a third example.  Once she used that sequence she mastered that concept.

Today's question is:
"Can you visualize yourself actually mastering a challenging situation?"

365QOD-Day296

"Strength is breaking a chocolate bar into four and only eating one piece"-Judeth Wurst

How easy it is to break the chocolate and how hard it is to stop at the one piece.  It does require will.  Or does it?

Long time ago one of my co-workers, Dave, lost a lot of weight after a heart attack.  When I asked him if he went on a special diet he said no. 

Dave told me that he simply ate half of what he normally ate.  If he wanted a candy bar he found someone to share that candy bar with.  Instead of 2 scoops of ice cream he ate one. 

He said that for a month he was miserable.  BUT one day he realized that he still ate what he always ate BUT now he just ate half.  The realization that he ate what he always ate gave him will.  He was not denying himself anything.  He just simply ate half.

Today's question is:
"Can you cut your bad habits in half?"

365QOD-Day295

"It all follows the 80/20 rule"- my response to a medical problem

I recently spoke with a young woman I know about her medical problems.  The discussion was about whether most medical problems were based on heredity or nutrition.

I believe the 80% is heredity and 20% is from the inputs that we provide.  We tend to me very abusive to our bodies.  It is amazing that we last as long as we do. 

This past Saturday I ran 13 miles with my running partner.  My weight was down to 207.  I have been as heavy as 265 in my life.  I work out most days of the week(either with weights or short runs) but my weight is not plummeting.  I eat mostly fruits for breakfast, salads for lunch, and whatever is in front of me for dinner. So why is my weight not dropping like a rock. 

The obvious answer is the "whatever is in front of me".  I am not controlling what I eat at dinner and during the day I snack of a few sweets.  I got to figure out a way to stop eating sweets.  I lose about 100 calories from running 10 minutes.  However, I easily gain a couple of hundred calories by eating one candy bar.  It is about communicating with yourself.  I need to do a better job of that.


Today's question is:
" How do you control the 20%?"

365QOD-Day294

"Manifesto?  I am not the unibomber!"- a friend's response

I recently read Leo Tolstoy's Rules for Life on Behance website.  His rules went something like this:
1.   Get up early (five o'clock)
2.   Go to bed early(9 or 10 o'clock)
3.   Eat little and avoid sweets
4.   Try to do everything for yourself
5.   Have a goal for your whole life, a goal for each section of your life, a short erm goal, goal for every month, goal for every week, goal for every day, goal for every hour and for every minute, and sacrifice the lesser goal for th egreater.
6.   Keep away from women
7.   Kill desire by work
8.   Be good, but try to let no one know it
9.   Always live less expensively than you might
10. Change nothing in your style of living even if you become ten time richer.

I do not know if I can argue with any of these rule he had.  Maybe 6?  I think that I need to come up with my own 10 rules for Life.

Today's question is:
"What are your 10 Rules for Life?"

365QOD-Day293

"Play nice"- a parent's advice to a child

I just got through reading the new book on Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. It is at times not very flattering to the subject.  He comes off as someone having a personal disorder syndrome. 

He is very opinionated and demanding about items and people either were geniuses or not worth the trouble.  He definitely did not play nice.  At times he was very mean and hurtful to the people in his life.

Maybe playing nice is not good advice?  Maybe we all need to be more opinionated?  The people who got the wrath of Steve either did something with the criticism, were asked to leave, or chose to leave. 

I personally think that at times he was an asshole.  You can be critical of people but you must be constructive with the criticism.  Being hurtful on purpose is not necessary.  It does not elevate you or the other person.

Today's question is:
"Did you play nice today?"

365QOD-Day292

"The three most harmful addictions are heroin, carbohydrates, and a monthly salary"-unknown

WOW!

We all would agree that a drug, any drug, would be harmful.  About 20% of people who try any drug get addicted and mess their lives up.

Carbs?  Come on!  But when you think about carbs.. we weren't really designed to process carbs or drink the milk of another animal(ice cream anyone?) for our whole lives.

The last one is usually the deadliest.  It is a life sucker.  It provides for perceived security by getting addicted to regular money coming in.  It trades the control of one's life for the reduction in fear of failure.

Today's question is:
"What is the worst thing that could happen if you fail?"

365QOD-Day291

"Un-executed ideas are same as 'brain crack'- a dangerous addiction"- Ze Frank

It all boils down to executing. 

According to Frans Johansson, it doesn't even have to be a great idea. 

Start with a idea and improve it.  Now you have a good idea.  Improve it some more and make it a better idea.  Then improve it some more and you will have a  great idea. 


Today's question is:

"How many ideas have you so far that would have made you a multi-millionaire if you executed them?"

365QOD-Day290

"It is not where you take things from- it is where you take them to"-Jean-Luc Godard

I am currently reading the story of Steve Jobs.  In the book the author tells a story how Jobs tried to berate Bill Gates, in front of several Apple employees, for stealing the Mac OS system and relabeling it Windows even though Jobs had modeled his version on Xerox Parc's version.

Gates' response was classic.  He told Jobs that the way he saw it that he broke into Xerox's house intending to steal the TV but he found out that Jobs already had stolen it.

History is murky often times.  Tesla sued Marconi that he was the inventor of the radio.  He even won a court decision indicating that he was the inventor of the radio and not Marconni.  Who do most people acknowledge as the inventor of the radio?  Marconni.

Today's question is:
"Where are you taking the ideas of others to?"

365QOD-Day289

"One of the most common mistakes when we are just beginning a project is to set lofty goals from a resting stop.  With images of fame and success dancing in our heads, we set the bar too high, fail to make the grade, and quit because we are discouraged.  Instead build momentum by starting with small, achievable goals, and work from there."-Andy Swan

... from a resting stop. In other words sitting down thinking.  Thinking is free and fun.  Generating ideas make you feel great.

BUT!  Ideas are cheap.  They are like brain crack.  Addictive and you can not stop once you get hooked on creating them.

However, success is not based on how many ideas you have.  It is based on how many you successfully executed.  So..... start with small, achievable goals, and work from there

Today's question is:
"What are your small, achievable goals or are you on crack?(...brain crack that is)

365QOD-Day288

"If you do only what you know and do it very, very well, chances are that you won't fail.  You'll just stagnate, and your work will get less and less interesting, and that's failure by erosion"- Twyla Tharp, Choreographer

I recently read a story by the Behance team title 99 Excuses For NOT Making Ideas Happen.  Fear of failure was excuse number two.  The quote was given as an antidote to inaction.

The idea of being comfortable has never scared me.  Hell, I don;t think I have ever taken a job that played to my strengths only.  Usually the job required me to stretch myself beyond what I already knew and strengthen weaknesses.  Every single one of them.

I remember only during an interview in front of  a panel I was asked why I felt so comfortable.  I then went through a 10 minute explanation, on a white board,  in which areas I have worked on in my life and how they connected.  The committee was blown away and I got the job.

Today's question is:
"Are your skills eroding?"

365QOD-Day287

"Gloria Mark, a professor found out that technology workers who she studied would make it only 11 minutes into a project before being distracted.  It then took 25 minutes to return to the task post-distraction"

A recently read an article called A Day without Distraction: Lessons learned from 12 hours of forced focus by Cal Newport.  The quote above was a part of the article.

I took a spreadsheet and made it count by minutes for a two hour block and a three hour block.  I figured most people either worked 8 hours or 9 hours per day for which they get paid. 

If you use the facts that she discovered(11 minutes of work followed by 25 minutes f non-productive work) and assume that the interruption is so brief, maybe a minute at best, the results are scary.  I determined that in a two hour block an employee is productive only 33 minutes.  For a three hour time block they were only 44 productive minutes. 

In an average 8 hour day(4 two hour blocks) we average 132 minutes or productive time.  For a 9 hour day (3 three hour blocks) we average 132 minutes.  It makes no difference whether we are working 8 or 9 hours.  the total output is 132 minutes.  SCARY!  Again this is on the generous side because the interruptions only took a minute to address. 

Today's question is:
"What is your strategy to maximize your 132 minutes?"

365QOD-Day286

"The visionary starts with a clean sheet of paper, and re-imagines the world. The tweaker inherits things as they are, and has to push and pull them toward some more nearly perfect solution. That is not a lesser task."-Malcolm Gladwell characterization of Steve Jobs

Read more http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/11/14/111114fa_fact_gladwell#ixzz1d5OqPlh0

I read this article on whether Steve Jobs was a visionary or a tweaker.  The author, whose work I love, shows through several exampled from the book that he feels that Jobs was better at identifying what was missing instead of suggesting a vision.  Even though I think this is an extreme example it probably was true.

In my reading of the man I can see how he was not a technical visionary but a functional tweaker who knew when the design did not meet his desired goal.

One can think of the two types as a step change or a ramp.  It might be easier to tweak than to step change.

Today's question is:

"Do you see yourself as a visionary or a tweaker?"

365QOD-Day285

"Out of abundance he took abundance and still abundance remains."- first line in Upanishads(Hindu holly book)

Most people have a poverty mentality.  If one person is rich then most people falsely believe that that person is taking away from others and that just does not seem to be fair.  They got too big of a piece of the pie. 

I believe that the pie is infinite.  We need to create opportunities if we want to be rewarded.  No one can stop you from creating an opportunity.  Others can make it more difficult for you but they can not stop you.  No time?  Well, no one will call you at 4 a.m. or demand your attention.  You can put a lot of hurt on any project when everyone is sleeping.

We however often stop ourselves when confronted by even a small challenge and we just give up. In one of Tony Robbins CDs I heard a story that Colonel Sanders, the founder of KFC, got rejected 1009 times before he hit success.  Could you handle this level of rejection to get to abundance?

Today's question is:

"Do you have an abundance mindset?"

365QOD-Day284

"Don't start the day until you have it finished...Plan the day to the best of your abilities.  There will be surprises and innovations and whatever.  Give a good plan, a good schedule for the day.  Because each day is a piece of the mosaic of your life.  You can either just cross your fingers and say, 'I hope it will work out okay', or you can give it some attention and say, 'here's what I would like to accomplish in the next four hours."- Jim Rohn

I begin every day at work by creating a plan.  This is before I check email.  I think about 1-2 items I can accomplish on all of my projects.  I brainstorm them down on paper.  Then I begin my day.

The email items get inserted around the big pieces that I already per-planned. 

Today's question is:
"Did you send your day before it got started?"

365QOD-Day283

"I say gain at least one idea, just one.  You don't have to like me.  Just get an idea out of here that you like and then go do something with it and then teach it to one other person and you'll take ownership of it"- Mark Victor Hansen

In my life I have instructed 68 different courses.  Was I am expert in all of them. No!  Am I somewhat knowledgeable in all of them now.  Yes.

I however wanted to teach the subject and by being slightly ahead of the students managed to make it a pleasant journey for the students.  As I would re-learn a topic, I would think of how to teach it, and by doing so I made the idea my own.

Today's question is:
"What new idea did you learn today?"

365QOD-Day282

"Prosperity is a Latin word, it means 'to be in the flow'.  And everyone of us in the flow when we are thinking right, talking right, acting right, and living right.  We get the right results, right here, and right now.  

And when you think negatively, you're into immobilization.  

When you are thinking positively and correctly, you are into immobilization and start taking right action to get right results!"- Mark Victor Hansen

I believe that the idea of flow is critical to understand.  When searching for a passion one needs to identify the last time one felt in the 'flow'.  This is a time when time just flowed and you did notice that hours have passed yet you felt full of energy.  Think of your last two weeks specifically and identify times when this felt true. If you have not felt it during the last two weeks then go back farther but note that it might be a weaker signal.

I do agree that when in flow you are thinking right, talking right, acting right, and living right.  Everything just clicks.  I have found that in my life when working on creative tasks I enter the state of flow.  It can be at home, at work, and even just running.

Today's question is:
"Are you in the flow?"

365QOD-Day281

"I teach that you gotta have a team and have a dream, and a little bit of a scheme, and then you'll go out and realize it."-Mark Victor Hansen

It is interesting that the order is not scheme, dream, and a team.  I thought that this was backwards.

But then I remembered that Hewitt and Packard (founders of HP) did not produce a single product for two years.  They just knew that they wanted to work together(team) and produce products(dream) and a scheme to sell electronic products.

Today's question is:
"Do you have a team, dream, and a scheme?"

365QOD-Day280

"10k is just a start"-my words to my running partner

Recently I ran a race over the Galveston bridge.  It was a 10k race and it was fun.  We finished in 1:04.
No bad for me... the goal was just to finish.


It is also a start. There is a half-marathon race on Dec 4th over the La-Porte Tx bridge.  My running partner, Reggie, and I are training to run that one.  Last weekend we ran 9+ miles.  This weekend we ran 11 miles.

The other day I read a story title "Behold the agelessness of these long-distance runners" in USA Today about people over 60 who are completing marathons and basking n the physical and spiritual benefits.  One example was 100 year old Fauja Singh who just finished a marathon within 8+ hours.  It became my goal to finish a marathon at 100.  I will keep his picture above my desk for inspiration. 

My grandmother lived to 100.  She walked briskly to answer a phone and did not look like a 100 year old.  I want that for me.  I want to be able to run at least one marathon each year until my 100 birthday.  Maybe then I will stop. I do not want to be in a wheelchair blowing out my candles.  I want to come to the finishing line and blow out the candles.

Today's question is:
"Do you have a goal for your 100th birthday?(maybe you should)?"

365QOD-Day279

"Wow.. last month was not very memorable!"- a conversation I had with myself in the last

The other day I sat down and did an inventory of my activities for the last month.  It does not take a very long time.  I write in my notebook what I eat, do, and read everyday.  So to review the last month all I have to do is open my notebook and read what I did last month.

In the month of September I had to move from Chicago area to Galveston TX.  This makes it memorable by itself.  It is not like I move every day.   Starting a new job with a new company and that also makes it memorable.

This is uncommon.  Most of our days are not memorable.  They look and feel like the day before and transition into the day after very smoothly.  If you sit down a week later and try to mentally reconstruct your day it becomes a challenge.  This is why I write a lot of details down.

At the end of the year I sit down and do a yearly audit and highlight the daily activities that make that day memorable.  In the end I have to strive to do something each day to make it memorable.  It is not always as easy as moving across the country.

Today's question is:
"What will you do today to make it a memorable day? Hint: do not go to sleep until it is"

365QOD-Day278

"Eventually everything changes, the only question is when?"-Unknown

Often we are lulled into comfort and the answer to this question is NOW!  It becomes an emergency and the change takes on urgency.  In the end this suddenness creates stress.

Steven Covey in his book Seven Habits of Highly Effective People urges us to work on items which are important and not urgent.  This is quadrant two, Q2, type of activity.

Today's question is:
"What percent of your day is spent doing Q2 activities?"

365QOD-Day277

After a medical scare...

"He suggested that I take one day a week to "connect" not just with family or friends or God but with myself.  He said I ought to make sure I was setting aside time to do what fulfilled me.
.....
In the time since I had that chat with my doctor I've learned to be deliberate about how I spend my time on this Earth.  I choose to fill my days with what I'm passionate about and live with purpose.  In the end I want to be able to say, 'My life was what I made it.'" - Ann Curry

While reading a magazine I came across this article.  I have always felt an energy when watching Ann on TV.  After reading this article I saw that she combines her passion with purpose. 

I believe that when pursuing a passion with purpose we are re-energized.  

Today's question is:
"In the end, what will you be able to say?"

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-Day275

Joshua Foer's last principle is:


Principle 4 Experts treat what they do like a science.  They collect data, they create theories, and they test them

You have to be somewhat removed from the process.  In order to observe yourself and collect data.  Once you have data, pause and think about the process and the data you are getting.

The pause is worth gold.  Without it it will all seem like noise.  Then you can take the data and formulate a theory of why you are getting what you are getting. 

Lastly, make another attempt and test your new belief.

Today's question is:
"Do you test your theories?"

365QOD-Day274

Joshua Foer principle on becoming an expert

Principle 3 Experts crave and thrive on immediate and constant feedback.

In my last post I discussed my approach for learning how to get a large capital project completed.  I sat down and interviewed three experts and summarized their beliefs and processes into a single process.

After I explained their process back to them.  Then I created my own version.

Next step was critical.  I shared with them my version and asked for opinions.  They offered their thoughts.

Being a new guy I periodically go back to them and ask them if I can improve on anything.  I believe that they appreciate that I am still trying to learn and have been very helpful to me.

Today's question is:
"Do you ask for and give constructive feedback constantly?"

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?"

365QOD-Day242

By being willing to risk failure in the pursuit of success, we lose some financial capital but we pay the intellectual capital forward.  Our goal is not to fail intentionally , or to pretend we enjoy failure, but it is to be willing to fail in the pursuit of greatness- Rob Padro Blizzard Entertainment

Would you double your failures if you knew that it guaranteed success?  That is exactly the advice that the head of IBM gave his staff many years ago.

Rob Padro offers the same advice on the road to greatness.  One can not succeed without that failure.

I recently published a book, The Result, in which I urge the reader to stop using the word failure and replace it with the word result.  We always get results.  Stop judging your results so harshly and instead focus on how to nudge them towards success/greatness by making intelligent adjustments.

Today's question is:
"What needs nudging towards greatness in your life?"

365QOD-Day241

"What are you not doing today that you were doing when I first met you?
What investments are you no longer making?
What daily, weekly practices have fallen by the wayside?"-source unknown

Over time even the things that work for us we forget or just simply stop doing.  There was a time when I started my day on my knees with a prayer.  It usually was the prayer of Jabez.

The prayer of Jabez THANKS God for blessing one, for enlarging ones' territory, keeping his hand upon one, and keeping one from evil.  I remember reading or hearing somewhere that the prayer was the only one directly answered in the Bible.

The point is not the prayer daily BUT the routine.  The routine made me feel good.  Or as Wayne Dyer says, "I want to feel good, I want to feel God".  It felt good.  I could clearly see how my life was changing.  How my connection with God was getting stronger.

So, why don't I say the prayer now?  Is it that my life is perfect? Far from it, I need it more than ever.  The sad truth is I do not know why I do not regularly say my prayer.  I do know that my connection to God has been very rusty lately.  My life does not feel smooth.  As a matter of fact, it feels unbalanced.  Something is missing....maybe a little prayer could fix it?

Today's question is:
"What important routine are you missing in your life?"

365QOD-Day240

Contribution of self-image to self-efficacy
"with such self-definitions[I am dumb, I am poor in math, etc], the student had to make poor grades in order to be true to himself. Unconsciously, making poor grades became a moral issue with him.  In other words, when the report card came back with an F, the self-described poor student had proof that he was right! - Psycho-Cybernetics Maxwell Maltz

Does that cookie look good?

Dr. Maltz came up with this theory based on observation of patients after surgery to correct scars and disfigurements.  It seems that we all have a self-image and without working on the mind a large change can not be processed too well.

I have heard of stories that folks that win millions of dollars in lotteries will over time find themselves in the same financial position as they were before the big win.  It is all about the real estate between the ears. Without it being aligned to the change it will not accept it and often sabotage it. 

Today's question is:
"How do you get your mind to accept the changes you want to make?"

365QOD-Day239

"What social networking revolution?"-my thought

One of my favorite writers is Malcolm Gladwell.  I am convinced that he can not tell a short story. He is very smart and I enjoy how he builds his articles and books. 

I recently went to his blog and downloaded some articles he had written for the New Yorker.  One of them was about social media vs. social activism.

It painted a clear picture of the difference between social activism of the 1960s and the social networking phenomenon of today.  Today the news people are singing the praises for social networking and their belief that it has had an effect on the Muslim world revolutions.

After reading the article, I came away with the conclusion that they have no clue.  At best the ease of connecting with many people does not provide a large social hurdle to jump over to become social activism.  It is just not possible.  The ties are weak vs. social activism's need for disciple and strong ties.

I do believe that social networks can reach many people quickly and effectively.  A product can be moved by word of mouth marketing.  BUT would you purchase a big screen TV if one of your friends thought it was good?

Today's question is:
"What are you willing to do that your friends think you should do?"

365QOD-Day238

"There is this goddess of wisdom.  An there's a goddess of wealth.  If you pursue the goddess of wisdom, then the goddess of wealth will become jealous and pursue you" -Deepak Chopra's mother telling him a story as a young child

I love this short story.   Often times we pursue things and become obsessed by them.  It could be something that initially was positive BUT with obsession it becomes negative.

The second sentence is very powerful.  It is when we do not obsess but pursue other things that the one thing we want more than anything becomes possible.

I also think that if there is one goddess to pursue it should be wisdom.  That is a reason why king Solomon was the richest man of his time.  He asked God for wisdom not money.

Today's question is:
"What goddess are you pursuing?"

365QOD-Day237

"Without a rich heart, wealth is an ugly beggar"- Ralph Waldo Emerson

How much is enough?

If you are financially free(FF) but you still obsess about getting more and more then when will you reach the enough point?  How about transcending the getting and moving into the giving side?

The FF person may be confident in their ability to earn money.  However,  if a FF person lacks the spirit of generosity, they'll never be able to fully share.   The paper worth is only in the present moment, over time it will fade away.

I believe that is why wealth is a single generation phenomenon in the US.


Today's question is:
"Are you begging?"

365QOD-Day236

"Complete possession is proved only by giving.  All you are unable to give possesses you."- Nobel prize winning author Andre Gide

Recently I gave away a bunch of clothes.  I just simply took what I did not wear for the last year and put it in the donation bins at my local supermarket.  I felt lighter.

Before moving  a few weeks ago I threw out a ton of papers and junk.  I felt lighter.

What other things possess you?

Are you are thinking too much about your money problems?  Maybe you need to get creative and find ways to donate to a cause that lifts your spirits.

Do you feel a lack of respect from others? Think about giving respect to someone who deserves it.

Why do this?

Your subconscious is paying attention to your actions.  By giving what you feel you lack tells the subconscious that there is a surplus.

Today's question is:
"What is possessing you?"

365QOD-Day235

"I get a natural high"-my reason for running

What other types of good highs are there?

 In the book The Healing Power of Doing Good - Allan Luks gives the answer.

Luks studies thousands of volunteers and discovered that they achieved a
"helper's high".  This high was very similar to what a a person experiences after a long run.

Helper's high created a "euphoric" feeling that, unlike "runner's high" lasts for several weeks.

The most amazing part was that Luks also found that the volunteers who later reflected on their giving were refreshed by doing so.

Today's question is:
"Have you gotten your helper's high today?"

365QOD-Day234

 "You want to do what?"- I get asked this question all of the time

A while back I placed this on a wall above my desk at work
Results focused           (R)
Emotions driven           (E)
Massive action plan    (M)

Specifically ask yourself these three questions

What is the end result that i want?
Why do I want this end result?
What specific actions(s) I must take to archive this end result?

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

Note: I originally wrote this as post 209 BUT noticed that there were two 209 posts...so I moved one of them

365QOD-Day233

"What optimism?  I am a realist."- a negative individual(in my opinion)

I recently read a Fortune issue titled Tech Bubble 2.0

In the article it described that Silicon valley is driven by four factors.

Success at Silicon valley=f(fear,greed,fantasy,optimism)

 (The way to read this is that the success if a function of fear, greed, fantasy, and optimism.)

In the article it mentioned that fear forces some of the people to settle.
The greed allows them, to enjoy the finer things.
The fantasy allows them to create and to want to drive a fancy car.
Lastly the optimism is seen in the people driving a suburu(I don't get that one)

The first thought, while reading, was if one was to use the 80/20 principle where would one place the weights for success?

After some thought I concluded that 20% has to go to fear and 80% to rest.
Of the rest, applying the 80/20 again, 16% would have to be given to greed.
Similarly, another 80/20 cut, would have give 14% to fantasy.
Lastly, 40% would be left over for optimism.

Success =.2*fear+.16greed+.14*fantasy+.40*optimism

Assuming that you maximize each one of the four characteristics, 1=100%, you would achieve a success in the valley.  What was interesting is that optimism made up the largest piece.  Secondly, would the factors be any different anywhere else? I think that they are pretty inclusive.

Today's question is:
"Where would you rate each one of the four factors in yourself?"   

365QOD-Day232

"Who needs money? It is all about love."- a fool

Money is a great lubricator in life.  It makes things move smoothly.  Many people sweat how much they have or will have at retirement. 

A better question is how much should you have at any time in your adult life if you want to be financially free when you retire?  Based on the work by the authors of The Millionaire Next Door there is an easy formula to determine the Income needed at any age To Be Financially Free.


IncomeToBeFF= yourcurrentsalary*age/10

So if you are a 30 year old multiply your salary by 3.  If you are a forty year old then multiply your salary by 4.  If you are a 57 year old then multiply your current salary by 5.7.

Pretty easy to figure out the result BUT hard to achieve.  If you are below 1/2 of the desired result than you are  a poor wealth accumulator.

Today's question is:
"Are you close to your IncomeToBeFF?"

365QOD-Day231

"Dad, can you give me five bucks"-often heard expression

As a parent one is often asked for a small amount of cash.  Five bucks to an adult seems like nothing but to kids it is still a significant amount(maybe I am fooling myself).

I should not say that $5 means nothing to most adults.  I re-read a story I had saved which told of a micro-earners.  These guys will do small tasks for $5.

Again, you might not be impressed until you realize that these guys are overseas where $5 is a lot.  Get several $5 tasks done in a day and you are living like a king.

Today's question is:
"What is your $5 task that you need done that could be done by someone else and give you time to do things you are great in?"

P.S. The article can be found at

365QOD-Day230

Conquer Luck Excusitis... Accept the law of cause and effect.
Take a second look at what appears to be someone's 'good luck'.
Physical laws, not luck determine the bounce of the ball. 
The that's the way-the-ball bounces approach teaches us nothing- David Schwartz

A long time ago my son, Milan, was acting out.  I asked him to stand in front of me.

Next, I asked him if he could make the biggest smile anyone has seen.  He did.  I asked him if he could make the meanest scariest face he could.  He did.

Lastly, I asked him, "Who made the faces?"  He said that he did.  I asked him if I could mke him make those faces.  He said no.

I believe that day he learned about intrinsic motivation.

Today's question is:
"Who's making you do things?"

365QOD-Day229

I'll be damned if anybody is going to stop me, and I'll be double damned before I stop myself from succeeding-Gene Simmons

Sometimes we believe external factors control our success or failure.  It could be our spouse, family, friends, boss, etc. that we blame for not succeeding
 
Most of the time the factors are internal.  These intrinsic, internal, factors could be lack of discipline, wrong priorities, not important enough, the why is not greater than the how, etc.

I love the quote above.  To me, the double damned portion tells me that he believes that the internal motivation is twice as important and that other people can influence his chances of success but he is the only one that can stop himself.

Today's question is:

"Which world controls you?"

365QOD-Day228

"Heroes don't quit, so the only true failure is the failure to get up."- Peter Gruber

Recently I read a book called Tell to Win.  In it the author told a story of how when he was young he watched a handicapped child and father building a special bike. The kid then over time proceeded to try to ride the bike.

He fell many times.  The author thought that the father was cruel.  However, the kid kept getting up, refusing help, and eventually riding.

With each fall he learned what not to do.  As parents we want to prevent this behavior and provide our children with the solution.  This allows them not to learn how to learn or to develop their persistence.

Today's question is:
"How large is your persistence muscle?

365QOD-Day227

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.
Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent.
Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.
Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.
Persistence and determination are omnipotent.  The slogan 'press on'
has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.- Calvin Coolidge

There is no perfect person.  No one type is an ideal combination of traits that guarantees success.

Many years ago I read Successful Intelligence by Robert Sternberg.  In the first half he explores that SAT tests are worthless at predicting success.  All they predict is success during the first semester in college.

However, the rest of the book is great.  It talks about Analytical, Creative, and Practical.  It concludes with the idea that the best chances for success are when there is a combination of the three factors.

Several years ago I created a OneMinute video while at a conference.  It explores the idea of  the perfect mix.  I argued that successful person make up: 60% is Practical, 20% is Analytical, and 20% is Creative would be as close to ideal as possible.

I believe that you must be creative to create a new idea.  After coming up with the idea you must be able to analyze the idea.  These two are OK but without the execution, the Practical, portion it all comes apart.

Today's question is:
"What is your success mix?"

365QOD-Day226

"Not only does language reflect a person's thinking, but it also reinforces a person's thinking.
This is true initially because you love the sound of your voice and pay rapt attention to it.


"Remember, also, that your subconscious mind is an eavesdropper on every conversation you have with others."  - Kent Sayre

"It takes careful notes and, based on your verbal instructions, produces feelings and physiological responses.  When you say that things are going from bad to worse, you are undermining your own sense of confidence.  You are unwittingly instructing yourself to have a negative point of view about the present and the future."- from Today We are Rich


In my opinion it is all about the thinking.  If you don't stop and ask yourself whether you are correct in your thinking, it will translate into your voice and actions. 

Confidence is everything.  If you thinking negatively you will not act positively.  You can't!  Your subconscious will sabotage you and reinforce your negativity.

Today's question is:
"Is your subconscious the eavesdropper to you thoughts?"

365QOD-Day225

"Tell me your story"- a question I suggested in an earlier post 

In the book Today We are Rich the author mentioned a couple of good introductions
that a couple of successful people use and have used:
"What's a good word" Dale Carnegie
"What are you working on these days?"- Keith Ferrazzi

Both of these initiate a positive response from the other person.

Today's question is:
"What is your opening line?"

365QOD-Day224

"Attitude is everything"- a stone I had on my desk at one time

In the book  Today We are Rich the author tells a story about an IT guy whole name is Richard(maybe?)
When confronted by a problem, Richard says
"I am the master of all things gadget. Always have been, always will be, I will get this to work if it's at all workable."

Later on in the story he tells how another IT guy responded to the same problem,
"...it is impossible and it will take a superhuman to figure it out"

Today's question is:
"Who do you think fixed the problem?"

365QOD-Day223

"I am so tired.. can I sit down?"- typical after an hour

Why stand?"

I recently read a study that said that sitting for 6+ hours a day
a person is 54% more likely to die from heart attack.

It also
1 screws up your back
2. makes you 1.6 inches fatter
3. causes lower back pain

So how do you stop those?  At the office follow these four strategies
Strategy1 get up twice an hour for a break
Strategy2 stand during calls
Strategy3 short emails
Strategy4 stand up desk

Today's question is:
"Are you still sitting?"

365QOD-Day222

"Maybe.."-what does this mean?

Some people are very good at using qualifiers.  Typical qualifiers that you often hear are:
maybe, perhaps, might, somehow, allegedly, no offense, just saying, should, unlikely, probably, likely, may, could be, appears, suppose, leads one to think and so on..

Who uses these words?  People that do not have confidence and who do not want to commit to anything.


Make it a point to commit.  Either you do or you don't.

Today's question is:
"Can you commit or do you need wiggle room?"

365QOD-Day221

"Ohhh stuff" - typical response

When things happen try not to react but take the time to respond. 
In order to properly respond you must frame the situation and information it provides properly.
In the Today We are Rich book the author offers the following technique
to frame incoming information:

Four ways to frame incoming information
Good-        either for you or for someone or something you have an interest in
Neutral-    no direct effect on you or one of your interests
Get Busy- adversity you need to respond to
Bad-          an irrevocably negative effect on you or one of your interests

If the situation is good, file it for future reference.
If it is neutral  then do not worry about it.
If it is bad then you must accept it and the resulting consequences.

Now that you have accepted the worst, Get Busy to figure out ways that you can
come out better than the Bad result.  Anything better that you can think of?
Start working towards that better result.


Often times the result will be unpredictable and better than the Bad expected outcome.

Today's question is:
"What can you do to Get Busy?"

365QOD-Day220

A journey often takes many side trips.  As long as the general direction is in the desired direction, the endpoint will be about the same- Robert Trajkovski

It is rare that we  move from point A to point B(our goal) in a straight line.  Often the road has many side trips.

Realize that the sideways moments are preparing you to move towards your goal.  Side way motion is not necessarily bad. You must take the time to note where you are and where you need to go.   

Intelligent adjustments need to be made to siginifactly move off the sideways path and move towards your goal.

Today's question is:
"What intelligent adjustment can you make to get moving towards your goal?"

365QOD-Day219

"I don't worry... I just bite my fingernails"- an unconscious worrier
 
I read an interesting story in the Today We Are Rich book.  It was about
Willis Carrier.  Unless you are an air conditioning expert you might not
recognize the name as the father of air conditioning.

In the story he had experienced a large failure.  After this he developed
a strategy for dealing with worries.

Carrier's strategy for dealing with worries
1. Define the worst case
    What is the worst thing that can happen
2. Accept it as survivable
    Act as if the situation is a forgone conclusion and let it go as a lesson to be learned
3. Make a goal out of beating the worst-case scenario
    Develop a set of responses that can help you trim your losses and mitigate damages

I always say that strategy is 80%, 20% is execution.  It is a start.

Today's question is:
"What is your strategy for handling worry in your life?