The future is something which everyone reaches

Posted on by

“The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of 60 minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is.”

—C.S. Lewis, 20th Century British author

Image created in Canva

Today’s quote has a bit of a passive quality for me. In a recent article, Michael Simmons points out the considerable downside of a passive approach by describing a term he coined “The Five Hour Rule” a few years ago. Through his research of the most successful people in the world he discovered a pattern: They all devoted at least five hours a week to deliberate learning, to ensure long-term success.

His work demonstrates that in maintaining only our current knowledge, about 50% will become outdated within a decade. He points out that each of us will need to learn five hours a week just to stay up-to-date in our current fields, and more if we want to get ahead.

Most of us know that we all forget a significant portion of what we learn, but did you know that facts in many fields of study have a half-life where previous knowledge can no longer be found in scientific citations?

Consider where the fields of artificial intelligence, app development, social media management, driverless cars and cloud computing will be even a few years from now. None of these fields existed 15 years ago.

EXERCISE:

How and in what ways can and will you invest at least five hours each week on intentional learning?

Consider checking out Michael Simmons article by reading “The Math Behind the Five Hour Rule.”

Friday Review of Opinions

Posted on by

FRIDAY REVIEW: OPINION

What data or information do you use to form your opinions? Here are a few opinion-related posts you may have missed. Click to read the full message.

 

“Your first impression remains—but you can revise your opinion. Look once again and give someone a second chance!”

 

 

 

“Be careful how you interpret the world: it is like that.”

 

 

 

 

“The only way some of us exercise our minds is by jumping to conclusions.”

 

 

 

Don’t just go with the flow

Posted on by

“Don’t just go with the flow, take some dares through the rapids.”

—Author Unknown

Image of a person standing on a rickety wood bridge over rapids

Image from Unsplash by Benjamin Davies

If your life were a movie or TV show, how likely is it that it would be a blockbuster everyone talks about?

Mine would probably not be a big hit with most people. When I ask people who know me best to describe me, some words that pop up often include: dependable, disciplined, reliable, steady, cooperative, honest, loyal, and friendly.

Being a “Steady Eddie” has served me well, and I consider myself very happy with my reasonable, predictable life.

On the other hand, there are many displays in my office of my favorite quote: “When patterns are broken, new worlds will emerge.” This thought constantly reminds me to keep checking in to see where I am committed to something bigger, better, or just different from “going with the flow.” It’s at these times I periodically jump into the fast-moving or riskier waters of life, and go for it. It’s interesting to note that a high percentage of these times are associated with some of my most memorable and significant accomplishments.

EXERCISE:

What is one important area of your life in which it is time to jump into the rapids and be a bit more daring?

Questions can be like a lever

Posted on by

“Questions can be like a lever you use to pry open the stuck lid on a paint can.”

—Fran Peavey, late political Author

Image of The Coaching Habit book cover

Image from Amazon.com

Michael Bungay Stainer is a masterful coach whom I greatly admire. I’ve read most of his books and look forward to his daily “Great Work Provocation” blog, which you can explore for yourself at https://boxofcrayons.com/great-work-provocations-series/. His most recent work – The Coaching Habit – includes seven core questions that can help all of us pry open the lids of new possibilities in both our personal and professional worlds. I fully agree that the seven questions provided below will help us all say less, ask more, change the way we lead our lives, and better support those we wish to serve.

  1. The Kickstart Question: What’s on your mind?
  2. The AWE Question: And What Else?
  3. The Focus Question: What’s the real challenge here for you?
  4. The Foundation Question: What do you want?
  5. The Lazy Question: How can I help?
  6. The Strategic Question: If you are saying Yes to this, what are you saying No to?
  7. The Learning Question: What was most useful for you?

EXERCISE:

Please consider applying these questions to build your own coaching habit to open up your relationships and your world and lead a more vibrant and beautiful life.

You can also learn more about Michael’s books and his work at www.boxofcrayons.biz

 

Man did not weave the web of life

Posted on by

“Man did not weave the web of life – he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.”

—Greg Braden, NYT Best-Selling Author

Image of a large spider web

Image from Unsplash by Robert Anasch

If you happen to enjoy history, consider exploring the history of our planet and how animals and plant life have evolved. Consider checking out fossil records and other scientific methods including carbon dating.

A surprising discovery for many is just how recently man – especially modern man – has been around.

Humans, because of our remarkable brains and our ability to coordinate and cooperate, have altered our world far more quickly and dramatically than all other creatures combined.

EXERCISE:

What positive and negative strand-pulling activities are you observing these days? How and in what ways can all of us contribute and strengthen the web of life to leave a positive and lasting legacy for all future generations and all creatures that share our beautiful world?

You don’t get harmony when everyone sings the same note

Posted on by

“You don’t get harmony when everyone sings the same note.”

—attributed to Doug Floyd

Image of two women playing guitar and singing while sitting on a curb

Image from Unsplash by Fotografia.ges

Do you enjoy music? Perhaps you play an instrument or two. Other than trying my hand at the drums in grade school, I realized quite quickly that I was more satisfied listening to it rather than playing it.

Recently, I was watching a Netflix program called “Explained” on the subject of music. I was amazed to learn just how much I did not know about its workings. Beyond the notes were additional concepts of which I knew little, including pitch, timbre, melody, and rhythm. Combining them all in the appropriate amounts can have us tapping our toes, caught up in its harmonious magic.

EXERCISE:

Consider your professional and personal communities. Where and how does variety and diversity of thought and capabilities provide for greater levels of harmonious achievement and success?

Friday Review of posts on Heart

Posted on by

FRIDAY REVIEW: HEART

They say ya gotta have heart… Here are a few heart-related posts you may have missed. Click to read the full message.

 

“You don’t protect your heart by acting like you don’t have one.”

 

 

 

“It is a rare person who can take care of hearts while also taking care of business.”

 

 

 

“Fame has only the span of a day, they say. But to live in the hearts of the people – that is worth something.”

 

 

 

At the end of the game pawns and kings go back into the same box

Posted on by

“At the end of the game, pawns and kings go back into the same box.”

—Italian Proverb

Image of a chess game in progress

Image from Unsplash by raw pixel

We live in a world of comparisons. Over the millennia, there have been kings and slaves, the wealthy and the poor, the elite and the untouchables.

Examine your own professional and personal worlds for comparisons such as executives versus clerical staff, movie stars, professional athletes, and attractive individuals versus the plain and less talented.

In chess and in life, kings and queens have far more advantages and opportunities to come out on top versus the pawns of our world.

What is the cost we and society pay each day because of this superior/inferior perspective?

EXERCISE:

How would viewing one another as equals with our shared humanness help us all realize a more wonderful life before we go back in the box?

There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged

Posted on by

“There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways you yourself have altered.”

Nelson Mandela, late President of South Africa

Image of an old school room

Image from Unsplash by Jeffrey Hamilton

When I was in college, I took an afternoon to go back to my elementary school in Philadelphia to visit some of the teachers who played an important role in my development and inspired me to always do my best and contribute to others.

As I walked the halls and entered each classroom, it seemed like everything had shrunk to half its size when I was a boy. I had a vivid sense of how I had grown in many ways, where I stood in bigger shoes to pursue my future path.

I was able to look my teachers in the eye as a young adult, and thank them for their contribution.

EXERCISE:

Select a handful of books that have been pivotal to your development over the years, and read at least one of them again.

I hope you will notice that while the words are the same, you are not, and that new lessons await the ever-evolving and expanding person you have become.

Consider reading a few more of your favorite books again, if you find value in this exercise.

When things aren’t adding up in your life start subtracting

Posted on by

“When things aren’t adding up in your life, start subtracting.”

—Author Unknown

Image of a paper with math problems

Image from Unsplash by Antoine Dautry

A few nights ago I was watching a Netflix documentary series titled “A User’s Guide to Cheating Death,” with Tim Caulfield.

This particular episode was on sleep, and its importance to our overall health and well being.

Through various experiments and interviews with lay people and members of the scientific community, it appears that many, if not most people, have unfortunately subtracted various amounts of sleep from their lives, with considerable consequences in their physical, mental, and emotional well being.

EXERCISE:

Where might subtracting other aspects of your busy life and adding considerably more time with your pillow help things add up far better in your life?

Consider checking out the series on Netfix or at https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7532396/ to see what else you may wish to subtract for some other “cheating death” strategies.