Potpourri 1710A

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

What does it take for you to believe in yourself?  Something as simple as looking in the mirror?  Or something more?  How about accomplishments?  There’s nothing like “proving yourself” to make believing a positive reality.  Pick a reachable objective or goal and go make it happen.  Then pick an impossible one and go for it.  The collateral benefits will be awesome, even if you don’t make it all the way on the first shot.  Keep shooting!

ACCEPT CHALLENGE, RESPONSIBILITY WITH AUTHORITY

Most of our poorest choices are made simply to avoid challenge or responsibility … woe is us for being so sorely put upon by life that we need to be constantly pampered and protected from life’s vicissitudes!  However, while such choices soften the hard edges of life in the moment, a virtual “soft edge” is a poor defense against real vicissitudes whose edges only get harder with inattention. 

Dylan Thomas, writing about the ultimate challenge, death, said: “Rage against the dying of the light!”  In facing everyday challenges, we sometimes have to use generative “rage” simply to keep the lights of life burning.  Avoidance of challenge or responsibility doesn’t keep the lights on.  Acceptance and dispatch of challenge and responsibility keeps the lights on.  Claim the authority to do so for your own wellbeing, and make it happen.

INCLINATION

People say ATTITUDE makes the biggest difference in our success/fulfillment/ well-being.  However, I think the factor referred to as “Attitude” may better be called INCLINATION.  “As a tree is inclined, so it grows.”  (Attribution Unknown)  If I am inclined to DO good rather than inclined to EXPECT good to be done to me, my outlook on life – my ATTITUDE – will be much more reinforced and rewarded.  If I am inclined to mischief, mayhem and drama, my life, in consequence, will be ceaseless dissonance and I will meet resistance rather than resonance at every turn.   

DO SOMETHING

Life is a journey we must initiate, plod along, learn as we go, and fly as we can.  It’s not a guided tour or parking lot.  Today, do something or go somewhere you haven’t been before. Instead of watching television, exercise, or go visit someone who needs a kind word.  Get organized.  Build something.  Educate yourself or sign up for classes.  Join Toastmasters or a community service organization.  Buy some new software and learn how to use it.  Plant seeds of promise.  Invest in yourself and your future.  Invest in a better world.

WHAT’S HOLDING YOU BACK?  (Kent Howell, Business Lexington, 1/08/2010)

Sobering data:  57%::61%::58% are the percentages of salespeople who made their sales quotas in 2006, 2007 and 2008, respectively.  What happened to the other 40%?  Subtract out unrealistic goals, family and health problems and the economy and you’ve still got some explaining to do.  Of course, procrastination remains alive and well.  Some didn’t really take the quotas seriously; a lot of golf was still being played and television watched.  And some didn’t believe they really “needed” to hustle all that much.  Some used outmoded sales techniques and neither understood nor cared about “Continuous Quality Improvement”.  60% met their quotas.  Some of them have viable excuses for not exceeding them. 

What’s your excuse or explanation for not meeting your goals? 

MAKING LIFE EASY

Life is tough!  But only because we’re not.  If we become tougher than life, life will become easy. 

The good news is that once you overcome the tyranny of trivial pursuits, the despotism of distractions, the autocracy of unfounded assumptions, and exploitation by unrealistic expectations, life is a piece of cake.  

How many of us don’t get enough sleep? 

How many of us would prosper with just ONE extra hour of sleep a night?

How many of us watch more than one hour of TV per day?

Is something beginning to register here?

How many of us could use two hours of valet service each day?

How many of us watch more than two hours of TV per day?

 … or spend at least that much time kibitzing on social media?

Is becoming your own valet for two hours a day beneath your dignity?

EASIER

It’s been said “If it were easy, everybody would be doing it!”  Or not!!  It is more accurate to say “If it were easy, everybody COULD do it.”  But they won’t.  Some will go to inordinate lengths to find something EVEN EASIER.  Many aren’t truly satisfied unless doing absolutely nothing; others unless creating Sturm and Drang; more than a select few will make it all harder than it needs to be; and many of the rest don’t understand or appreciate how easy purposeful and productive engagement really CAN be – if they would only start early and detach themselves from all the baggage and bondage of fool’s gold founderings and fetishes. 

Unfortunately – or perhaps fortunately (!) – “Easier” tends to become boring, frustrating, disappointing, depressing, full of regret, and anything other than “enlifening”.  We can make a BETTER life easier – at least more sustainable – by raising the stakes and pounding them more firmly in the ground.  Just DOIT!  Quartermaster