We got a new puppy from an animal rescue service this week.
I had forgotten how fast they learn (and how much they hadto learn).
Once you get over that the initial learning curve of something new, progress is often quick and easy. There are often a lot of obvious things to do to get better.
However, there comes a point where the easy progress has been realized and the choices start to get harder (or at least less obvious).
Not surprisingly, one of the hardest things for people to deal with is not knowing whether they can do better. It plays on our fundamental fears about not being enough.
It is easy to train a dog as long as they get a treat. This is called a 'conditioned response'. But most of us are not aware of how much of our current behavior is a conditioned response based on the strategies, tactics, and viewpoints of our past.
Yet, the things that got us 'here' are simply the things that get you to here (and a new set of strategies tactics and techniques is what's needed to get something better than 'here').
That means sometimes 'more' and 'faster' have to give way to something 'different' or better'.
If 'rough seas make skillful sailors,' our current administration should be getting better all the time.
Recently, I heard a story that caught my attention.
A congregant was chosen to perform a key ritual during an important religious service. That person was counseled and prepared on what to think, how to comport themselves, and what to say during their time in front of the audience.
When their 'spotlight moment' came, this person went blank - they forgot everything they were supposed to think, do, or say. Panic set in ... they were scared and desperate.
Nonetheless, it was their time -- and all eyes were upon them. So, they gathered up their courage and they did their best.
Afterwards, still feeling bad about all the things they forgot, what they didn't do, and what might've been ... person after person told them how well they did. Feeling guilty, they went to their spiritual leader to confess that, even though it seemed to go okay, it had not gone the way they were instructed.
The spiritual leader laughed and smiled, "each of the instructions you were given was like a key to a door or a gate, but the feeling of desire and longing that stemmed from your broken heart and the need to do better is a master key that opens all doors."
This same message plays itself out in so many levels and so many disciplines. In sales, and undisturbed prospect doesn't buy. In personal development, people don't change if they are happy with the way things are. In trading, risk control, diversification, and better money management often stem from big losses.
The master key to meaningful change, however, is ultimately internal. It happens when we are shaken out of our 'rut' ... and view things from a new perspective.
In many respects, it doesn't matter what happens; what matters is what you do.
Generous means to help others long before – and after
– you need their help.
Expert means to be very competent in one or more
areas that others value. It also means that whenever you take on a new task, do
your best.
Trustworthy means to take ownership of your words and
actions, and recognize that you live in a world in which they will increasingly
be recorded, remembered, analyzed, and replayed.
Clear means to know what you want and to be able to
communicate it effectively.
Open-minded means no matter how expert or successful
you become, never stop listening and learning.
Adaptable means to keep your options open, so that
when the world surprises you, it won’t be that surprising.
Persistent means to keep trying, even when times are
tough and you are tempted to quit.
Present means that although you should learn from the
past and be prepared for the future, you should pay close attention to the
present moment as it unfolds - otherwise, you will miss a great deal.
I just spent a few days with family. While that was great, what struck me was how much different our time together was now. Each of us was constantly checking our phones or watching the proceedings through the camera's viewfinder.
We seem to take it for granted that more of our time and attention is spent staring into a screen.
It's become our central interface with the world. In fact, we're consuming as about three times the amount of information today that we did in 1960, according to researchers at University of California, San Diego.
What does this do to our brains, attention span, relationships, and moods?
It would be one thing if our phones just sat there quietly until we needed them. But they don't. They exert a kind of tyranny over our attention and actions. Sixty-one percent of respondents said they cannot ignore their devices and check them within an hour of receiving an email, text, or alert -- and 81 percent of those surveyed interrupt conversations, meals, all kinds of fun things, to do it.
Rethink the urge. When you feel yourself reaching for your phone, hit pause. Ask yourself what could be gained from checking right now. Delay it--especially if you're in the middle of food or conversation.
We Feel Worse After Checking
I could almost understand the Pavlovian response we have to buzzing and ringing if we were guaranteed to feel better after tuning in to our screens. But it turns out we'll stop mid-sentence or mid-chew to check our email and texts -- only to feel worse. Sixty-one percent of those surveyed reported feeling jealous, depressed, or even annoyed after checking updates! It's no surprise, then, that 73 percent of respondents believe that their devices contribute to stress in their lives.
Rethink the effects. Next time you do a quick scan of email, text, and social networks, ask yourself, what did you learn and how did it make you feel? We rarely take the time to reflect on it, but doing so and owning up to how it makes you feel and what, if anything, it's doing for you, is the first step to making a shift.
We Spend More Time With Screens Than People
It's bad enough that we'll stop what we're doing with those we love to do something that will undoubtedly leave us more stressed -- but more and more people are opting for screen time over the company of others. Three out of five people admitted to spending more of their free time on their computers than with their significant others.
Rethink your time. Rather than let digital inertia take over, make a plan: to go out, to see people, to get food, meet someone for a walk. It does require an extra effort to put yourself in front of other people, even the ones you live with -- but the rewards you'll reap from that company will outweigh anything you'll find on Facebook.
“Life is about creating opportunities and taking advantage of opportunities’’ Jason Garrett told his team at the the start of the Dallas Cowboys' training camp.
Was the speech a motivational masterpiece? You decide.
Some Notable Quotes:
On coaches:
“The coaches I hate—that I had a visceral reaction to—were the guys who told me, ‘You’re doing a great job.’ … And allowing me to be as mediocre as mediocre could be,” Garrett said. “None of us need help being mediocre—especially me. Coach my ass! … You been to the Pro Bowl eight times? You’re getting your ass coached. You just got here 15 minutes ago? You’re getting your ass coached. First-round picks, free agents who signed for nothing—everybody’s getting coached.”
On how players should handle interviews/media:
Garrett said, players should be “respectful, brief, boring and humble … Distinguish yourself with your play, not what you say.”
On handling distractions:
“Don’t listen to the noise,” he said. “Think Einstein listened to the noise? Think Martin Luther King listened to the noise? Be strong enough mentally, be strong enough physically” to tune the distractions out.
The Cowboys were silent for almost the entire 35 minute speech. Curious whether that was a sign of focus or lack of engagement?
If you have a short-attention-span, here is the four-minute version with some highlights.
I love getting away from the business in order to work on the
business. That means stepping back from day-to-day issues, to look at
the bigger picture. It also means getting back in-touch with goals and
intent.
In a sense, the process acts like a compass, which sets the general direction for the journey.
Likewise, preparing for a series of meetings (like this) is similar to working on a business plan.
Arguably, one of the primary benefits of
creating a business plan has almost nothing to do with the plan itself.
Working on the plan, immersing yourself in the ideas and possibilities,
and ultimately choosing what stays-in, versus what's filtered out ...
there's magic in that.
Yes, the plan is important. But it is the planning that takes you from thinking ... to feeling ... to knowing. That's where you'll realize the true benefit of business planning.
Building Momentum.
Planning sessions often entail pushing, pulling, probing, and deep thought ... Sometimes you hear a question, and it takes the air out of an idea.
Other times a question helps you make a new distinction or consider an
alternate and better course of action. It is often two steps forward, then one step back.
Because of this process, I don't tend to focus on the direct 'answer' or outcome. Instead, I'm measuring whether we are building momentum in the right direction.
How to Tell You Are On the Right Track.
Even though I am analytical, over time, I've come to believe that one
of the best tools to measure whether you are on the right track is 'how
you feel'.
Have you ever gotten a phone call from someone, and when you saw or heard that it was from them, you wilted? In
contrast, have you ever become more animated and energized while
interacting with someone else? It is easy to recognize the difference.
Each person has different thoughts, people, or situations that trigger these positive and negative states.
In sports, this positive state is often referred to as being "In-the-Zone". It is also called "Flow".
It happens when someone is fully immersed in what they are doing, and
has a feeling of energized focus or awareness, full involvement, and
success in the process of their activity.
Being in Flow feels good. On some level, when you are in Flow, you know you're on the right track.
Take a look at the chart and let me know what you think.
Here Are Some Links for Your Weekend Reading
Speaking of dangerous Red Lines ...
Here are some of the posts that caught my eye. Hope you find something interesting.
Lighter Links:
Trading Links:
Posted at 01:18 PM in Business, Current Affairs, Gadgets, Ideas, Market Commentary, Personal Development, Science, Trading, Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
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