One Minute Challenge

Peter Thompson passes along this advice from Alex Garcez, who teaches speed-reading, on learning a new skill:  

“He says, ‘Make a promise to yourself that you’ll practise for at least one minute per day.’

This is brilliant! 

You and I know we’ve made promises to practice or do something every day for x amount of time. Then because of some happening or other – we didn’t do it one day. The one day became two days and the habit was broken! 

But one minute? 

Well – that’s a promise we can keep EVERY DAY!  There’s never an excuse to avoid just one minute.  [NOTE: There are 1,440 minutes in a day.  Take out 8 hours for sleep (480 minutes) and 8 hours for work and you’ve still got 480 minutes left!  You can even steal a minute … several times a day … and nobody will ever know but you!]   

And if the one turns into 5 or 10 or 14, even better.

[You know you can’t eat just one potato chip!  And even 10 seconds of engagement can create momentum.  I just “took a minute” to activate a new – long overdue – universal remote control for the TV … which ended up taking half an hour.  I’ll take a shorter lunch to make up the difference!]    

But the habit remains in place and the counting starts – and continues. 

I’ve practised my speed-reading and my left-handed writing for so many consecutive days (and I’m keeping count) – that I just couldn’t bear the idea of going back to zero to start all over again. 

So I just keep up the habits … and I keep counting! 

Isn’t this fabulous? 

Thank you Alex for such a simple yet truly brilliant idea.

Now the question:

Where can you use the One Minute Challenge?

Answer – everywhere! 

But, more specifically, for any habit you want to create or maintain.

How about writing one sentence of your book – every single day. Just one sentence!

How about making a one-minute call to a family member every single day. Just one minute!

How about doing one press-up every single day – just one! 

Of course you and I know what’ll happen:  We’ll write more sentences on many days and suddenly the book will be finished. 

We’ll chatter for more than a minute and change someone’s life.

We’ll love the burn and press-up numbers will soar.

The kicker:

WE MUST KEEP NOTCHING THE GUN HANDLE AND KEEP FIRING –

ONE MINUTE A DAY! 

That’s what makes this work.

The magic is in the counting – the repetitive firing.

Will you decide where you can use this?  How many times a day?

Will you give this a one-minute go?

Will you feel the difference it makes?”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Don’t be surprised if others start taking notice … if you start becoming more “accomplished” – more “capacitized” … if you start getting more stuff done … if your clothes start fitting differently … if your eyes pick up some extra sparkle … if you feel more alive … if your self-esteem goes through the roof … !  Quartermaster

Acts of Conscientious Objection

Despite escalating provocation, I really didn’t want to move the house numbers higher on the house to accommodate a bush that was growing higher than it needed to be.  

Really! 

However … when ignoring the provocation was no longer a viable option, and when the wheels had to start turning, some indication of commitment was needed.  

NOTE: “Transitioning” – i.e., the process of refocusing attention and commitment at critical points of demarcation – is always cumbersome.  But it’s an especially tough proposition when it’s from something you had planned to do to something you had NOT planned to do, and/or from something you WANT to do to something you HAVE to do.   

So I heaved a heavy sigh and went off-line to reorient.

[Reorientation is a core element in successful transitioning.]

Then, I started thinking.  Thinking is good! 

Then I started planning.  Planning is good! 

Then I started measuring.  Measuring is good! 

Then I decided to see how creative the “evil genius” in me could be in an act of defiant aggression toward a detestable end, and – wonder of wonders – tangible things started happening! 

I’m guessing the matter had become an “Act of War” at that point! 

In the course of banging around the premises in such a state, I dredged up an old poster board on which I could draw out a template, took the numbers off the house, lined them up on the template, marked the holes to be drilled, did final measurements and calculations for positioning, taped the template in place, drilled the holes and anchored the numbers in their new location.    

My original “conscientious objection” plan was to stretch the project out for at least three days ... maybe even a week!  But my worst instincts (my “evil genius” twin) got the better of me after the laborious process of “transitioning”, and it was all done in less than two hours. 

Now I’ve got to face transplanting an overgrown hydrangea bush! 

It’s another “Conscientious Objection” matter, but I’m thinking of engaging the “Devil’s Alternative” on this one.  The Devil’s Alternative is where an objectionable act can only be forestalled by engaging in something equally – or even more than equally – objectionable, but with a more than equally beneficial outcome … like getting some form of arduous exercise or doing something more useful or noble, like community service.    

“I’m reviewing the situation … “

Fagin

“Oliver”

You might call it “transitioning” …  

“There are limits to what one can do ‘within reason’.

Doing the ‘unreasonable’ makes limits disappear

and favorable results possible.”  

Quartermaster

 

Acts of War

After six hours of manual labor yesterday – spent thinning out a flowering crabapple tree in preparation for eventual removal, I was inclined to go purposely off-line today. 

For the record, the flowering crab has been severely destabilized and won’t survive another six-hour barrage.    

However, five pounds of crabapples from the “wild” crabapple tree in the back yard kept staring at me from the middle of the garage floor, and the ceramic log/gas fireplace had begrudged its first firing a week ago, and the latest weather report predicts a cold front approaching.   

So I decided to declare war on both fronts!  The crabapple butter is now simmering in the kitchen and I will tackle the fireplace shortly (the hearth needs vacuumed and the electronics need new batteries to drive the gas line solenoid.)  

And so it goes.   

As I reluctantly “settle-in” to retirement, I’m finding the best way to get things moving forward or out of the way or off the launch pad is to officially declare war.  Anything that threatens my presumptive idyllic existence – either NOW or at any time in the foreseeable future – is going to be dealt with by gun, sword, sledge hammer and tank … or kitchen knife, vacuum cleaner and batteries, as the case may dictate.   

Folks can preach all they want about “priorities”, “motivation”, “discipline”, and “due diligence”,  which are all fine attributes to have in one’s tool box.  But, for me, the thing that first or finally gets the launching done best is to mobilize a campaign … take up arms … embark on a crusade … alter the balance of power … and take no prisoners until the deed is done and matters are set right!   

If it’s something you really detest having to do, go ahead and make a fuss.  Put forth all the drama you can muster, activate the Absolute Imperative, put on your “By God Armorall Coveralls”, clear the battlement field for full engagement, align the armaments to be used, sound the “Call to the Post”, and let loose a blood-curdling battle cry as you wade in for execution.   

Happy to report that the fireplace is now back on line! 

NOTE: Once you pull the trigger of commitment, it’s almost like releasing a spring-loaded catapult or pulling the plug on a dam.  SOMETHING is going to happen! 

 “ ... he took to business as if it were war."
Cornelius Vanderbilt: Bare-Knuckled Capitalism

The Economist (London, UK); Apr 16, 2009 

Declare WAR and go forth and conquer!

Quartermaster

“Action is eloquence.” 

William Shakespeare

Wind In Your Sails

In the “Bite Sizing” blog (http://lifemasterymusings.blogspot.com/2014/09/bite-sizing.html), it was noted that putting air in bike tires (i.e., increasing the pressure) makes the biking experience so much easier/better.  To the uninitiated, that may seem like “cheating”.  And so it may be!  It’s going out of your way to make life easier and more manageable.  So is going the longer way around hills to avoid an impossibly arduous climb to the top.  So is riding in the cool of the morning rather than the heat of the day.  So is “conditioning” or “capacitizing”.  So is preparation.  So is having adequate nutrition under your belt and water and electrolyte replenishment readily available.  So is having a “pace-maker” riding ahead.  So is having a coach to keep pushing, goading, encouraging from behind.  So is having a personal goal to beat – like yesterday’s best time/highest gear for the biggest hill (i.e., having adequate internal pressure).   

 “Vectoring” against a headwind is another form of strategic “cheating”.  For simplicity, let’s just call it “strategizing”.  It’s like taking the gradual slope in hiking around a mountain or “tacking” against the wind in sailing.  Either way, it’s “bite-sizing” – nibbling around the edges of a large challenge in terms we are best equipped to manage.   

 

While one can’t always have the wind at our backs and “wind beneath our wings” – these are external forces which are difficult or impossible to control – there are, nonetheless, several strategies one can employ for creating “favorable turbulence”.    

I.              You can gamble, if you feel “lucky” [Not really a recommended “core strategy”!]

II.            You can invest or get a loan to get you over an obstructing hump

III.           You can “Double-Down” on the effort

IV.          You can engender the interest and support of significant others 

Engendering and acquiring the interest and support of significant others is the preferred core strategy here.  And “Doubling-Down” is an extremely effective way to start this ball rolling.  One can call it the “band wagon” strategy, and it generally creates substantial “ripple effects” (favorable turbulence).   

It is an ingrained law of nature that persons interested in advancement

cannot resist association with – and promotion of – enterprises that demonstrate

the inclination, potential and probability of going somewhere. 

Every true “fan” proudly wears the team colors, and many have specific player names and numbers sewn to their jerseys.   

Keep bite-sizing, keep vectoring, “Double-Down” as you can, and watch your team colors start to catch some wind.  Next time someone asks you “What’s happening?”, tell them “Unbridled Magnificence!”, and then share with them what you’ve got to show for it.  Give them a good reason to hop on the band wagon, put some wind beneath your wings, and help move the A-Team at YOU, Inc. forward.  Quartermaster