The reason you have a neck is so that your head can remain above it all

“The reason you have a neck is so that your head can remain above it all.”

Tzvi Freeman, Canadian Rabbit and Author

Image from Unsplash by Joe Woods

Over the years, I’ve frequently discussed the value of making important decisions with our head, heart, and gut.

Approaching the anatomy of this, we can note how the head is above the heart and gut with our all-important neck in-between.

Our necks give our heads the ability to be above it all and turn from one path to another when the ones we are on are leading us astray.

EXERCISE:

What areas of your life are filled with others trying to bring you down?

How are these people operating in ways that go against your values and beliefs?

In what ways can you remain above it all to clearly see where to turn and how to proceed?

There is value in thinking fast and slow. 

There is value in thinking fast and slow.

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Amazon

Where would allowing for uncertainty in your thinking help you arrive at better answers?

If you watch game shows you probably notice how important it is to think fast to beat the clock or your opponent.

In our day-to-day lives, making quick decisions can be useful in many achievement areas… until it isn’t.

Where has making snap decisions and acting on impulse gotten you in trouble or lead you down the wrong path?

Alternatively, where has being more mindful, evaluating decisions with your head, heart, and gut, led you to better outcomes?

Where has it been helpful to not be so certain and evaluate some personal or professional options through a more discerning method?

EXERCISE:

Consider reading Thinking Fast and Slow by Nobel Prize winner Daniel Kahneman and exploring the benefits of both approaches to help you improve your decision-making abilities.

Friday Review: Decisions

Friday Review: Decisions

What decisions have you made regarding 2024? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.

Decide to decide and then take the leap. You will land on your feet more than you think.

 

 

 

 

“The majority of meetings should be discussions that lead to decisions.”

 

 

 

The Latin root of the word “decision” literally means “to cut.”

 

 

 

 

 

“If you want to make the wrong decision, ask everyone.”

“If you want to make the wrong decision, ask everyone.”

Naval Ravikant, Indian-American entrepreneur and investor

Image from Unsplash by Caleb Jones

How do you make decisions?

How often do you seek council and advice or go it alone?

The answer for most of us is It Depends.

If you happen to have considerable knowledge and experience in an area, checking things out with a few wise ones in your world may help optimize the outcome.

If you are a complete newbie or novice, it is most likely a good idea to find mentors, coaches, and trusted advisors to help guide you.

At some point, however, we need to stop collecting data points and check in with ourselves to determine the path that is right for us.

Setting and re-setting our sights based on the views of others can leave us paralyzed with indecision which gets us nowhere.

When we delegate or abdicate our power to decide, things can easily go south.

EXERCISE:

Where in your life have you leaned on others too often when making an important decision?

Where do you draw the line in trusting others instead of yourself at certain forks in the road?

The purpose of education is to create in a person the ability to look at the world for himself, to make his own decisions

“The purpose of education is to create in a person the ability to look at the world for himself, to make his own decisions.”

James Baldwin, 20th Century American author

Image from Unsplash by Kyle Glenn

It’s pretty common at this point in the year for people to continue wishing each other a happy new year. I feel comfortable doing so even into early February.

As the days after the winter solstice become slightly longer and we pine for an early spring, many of us hope that 2023 will be a better and brighter year.

What were some of the most significant decisions you made in 2022?

How did they influence where you are today and the trajectory of the months ahead?

Perhaps it may be time to head back to school and expand your educational opportunities.

EXERCISE:

Instead of—or in additional to—formal schooling, please be sure to enroll in the “university of you.”

Consider creating your own personal and professional curriculum.

What would you like to learn? Who will be your teachers?

How might the lessons learned help you look more closely at the world and make even better decisions moving forward?

Friday Review: Decisions

Friday Review: Decisions

What decisions have you made regarding 2022? What about this new year? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.

 

The Latin root of the word “decision” literally means “to cut.”

 

 

 

“Give every day the chance to become the most beautiful day of your life.”

 

 

 

 

“You should not decide until you have heard what both sides have to say.”

 

 

 

Decide to decide and then take the leap

Decide to decide and then take the leap. You will land on your feet more than you think.

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Unsplash by Jeremy Bishop

Making good decisions takes practice. Consider letting your heart, gut, and then your head be your guide. Seeking congruency among these three and acting with courage will increase your batting average and confidence with future decisions.

EXERCISE:

Where are you currently struggling to make an important decision? How can you let your head, heart, and gut guide your path forward?

Requesting the support of a close friend, family member, or coach can offer alternative perspectives you may wish to consider.

“Give every day the chance to become the most beautiful day of your life.”

“Give every day the chance to become the most beautiful day of your life.”

—Mark Twain, pen name of Samuel Clemens

Image from Unsplash by Fikri Rasyid

Consider your life as a roll of bathroom tissue.

When you are born you have 1,000 sheets to use. As the days, weeks, months and years pass, you begin to notice the roll is spinning faster. Perhaps you are now closer to the end of the roll than the beginning.

Consider the idea that rather than fretting that some or even many of those sheets have been wasted or lost, you still have the opportunity to make each moment of every day something to joyfully enjoy and celebrate.

EXERCISE:

How can and will you be far more intentional about making the most of each precious and beautiful day ahead?

“You should not decide until you have heard what both sides have to say.”

“You should not decide until you have heard what both sides have to say.”

—Aristophanes, 4th Century BC Greek Playwright

Image from Unsplash by Ehimetalor Unuabono

Do you ever say — aloud or perhaps even more often to yourself — “My mind is made up” or “I know!”? How often do you get the impression that others in your personal or professional communities express similar thoughts?

If these scenarios sound familiar, you are probably dealing with what I call “Shortcut Listening.” This happens when an individual or group gathers just enough information to fill in the rest of the word puzzles based on their own opinions, experiences, and biases.

EXERCISE:

Where and with whom would taking the long road of listening help you and others make far better decisions at work and at home?

The majority of meetings should be discussions

“The majority of meetings should be discussions that lead to decisions.”

—Patrick Lencioni, Founder of The Table Group

Image of a team in a meeting

Image from Unsplash by Content Creators

Death by Meeting is one of Patrick Lencioni’s numerous books. He first made his mark with his classic, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, from which his business fable format gained considerable popularity.

How do you feel about the meetings you attend? How many, how long, and perhaps most importantly, how productive are these often stolen parts of your day?

EXERCISE:

Given the concept that people participate more fully in that which they help create, try using the More, Less, Start, Stop Exercise to upgrade the engagement and value of your meetings.

Please also check out Death by Meetings for additional ideas that can benefit you and your organization.