Start by doing what’s necessary…

Posted on 16 May 2011 by philosiblog

Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible. – St. Francis of Assisi

What does that mean?
To me, it is all about momentum.  Objects at rest remaining at rest.  Objects in motion remaining in motion.  Only the outside force being applied is typically yourself (or in the case of an intervention, someone else).

It means you start at the beginning.  Do that which needs to be done.  Then, with some momentum built up, you roll on to the open field of possibility.  When doing the possible becomes common, soon you will find the difficult has become easier. And what was once impossible is now within your grasp.

Why is momentum important?
Momentum, as defined at thefreedictionary.com, is “a driving power or strength.” At least that’s what’s left after you get past all the physics equations.  Sir Isaac Newton, after whom an entire branch of Physics is named, formulated Newton’s laws of Motion, the first two of which relate to momentum.

The first law states that nothing changes, unless an outside force acts on an object.  In this case, we are talking about you.  If you have some momentum, you will continue to move at the same pace and in the same direction unless, and until, another force acts upon you.  That can be an outside force (an intervention, friendly urging or something in-between) or it can come from within (where you decide you’ve had enough and you’re going to do something about it).  However, if you are at rest (on the couch or in your computer chair), you will remain at rest until a force acts upon you.  The forces will come from the same sources, it’s just a little easier to work with something that is already in motion than to get a stationary object moving (more physics, but I digress).

The second law states that how quick you go depends on the size of the force acting on you.  That force can also have a direction.  Try to select forces that move you in a constructive direction, giving you constructive momentum and try to avoid those that will push you into a downward spiral.  The force will act for a certain amount of time.  Then it will dissipate or fade.  How many times have you started something and then had it become less frequent until it stopped again?  My exercise program used to look like that.  So to keep momentum, you will have to keep up the pressure, keep using the force.  Also, the size of the force acting on you is important.  If someone you really don’t care for says you should lose weight, what impact does that have?  Does it generate momentum?  Not for me, at least.  If someone who I know cares about me, and for whom I care, says the exact same words, there is a much greater impact.  Does it work that way for you?

Where can I apply this in my life?
So, we are looking to find a force to help move us in a positive direction.  Let’s grab something to write on and start a list of things you want to do, but haven’t gotten around to just yet.  Let’s try to get at least a dozen things.  Start with loose 10 pounds (at least most of us need to), then add get into better shape (you can define that later), and work from there.  Chores around the house?  Projects that need doing?  Be sure to add at least one thing that you presently consider impossible.  We’ll get to that later.

Now take the list and break things into a couple categories ranging from impossible down to necessary.  Let’s start with something you think is fairly easy and on the necessary list.  Write down all the things that are keeping you from doing this thing.  Do they include a lack of knowledge?  A lack of skill?  A lack of money?  A lack of enthusiasm?  Write each one down.  Now consider each impediment separately.  What would it take to overcome this one?  If you don’t have the skill, can you hire out the parts you can’t do?  Can you find a friend who can help you learn how?  If it’s a lack of cash, can you find someone to barter with, to find something you can do for them so they can do this for you?

Now that you have a list of things that are holding you back, and a list for each of the impediments of how you might proceed despite their presence, it’s time to get some force.  You are going to need some force to push yourself over, under or through those impediments.  For each of the impediments, come up with three good reasons why you have to, why you must move beyond them.  If your reason only rises to a should, you will be hard pressed to get the amount of force needed to get you moving, nor will the force last very long before fading away.

One last thing to come up with is the big why – the why for the item from your ‘necessary’ list.  It should be big and compelling.  Come up with at least three, and then see which one works the best.  Keep the others, as eventually even the greatest reasons start to be worn down by excuses.  If the task is loosing weight, you might use “to become more healthy.”  I don’t know about you, but that’s not too compelling to me.  “To be able to keep up with my 5 year old son” is what worked for me.  Find something that really motivates you (we’re back to the force that will provide a strong, enduring push).  If you are still having trouble, check out a prior blog post, which covers accomplishments and why we do what we do.  It might help you find a better reason to do these things. Remember, the why, the force acting on us, needs to be strong, be the moving us in the proper direction and be persistent.  You should have covered the first two already, but make a plan to revisit your reason why on a frequent basis to help keep up the momentum.

Now that you have a big enough why, we can worry about the how, because it doesn’t matter what the how is, if you don’t have a why to move you, right?  Now comes the fun part.  For the item in the ‘necessary’ list we have been working on, it’s time to come up with a plan.  Then we need to work on a strategy to accomplish the plan.  Then comes the work on the tactics to use to implement the strategy.  The above are links where I discuss how I break things down, and make sure I know what I am doing and how I am going to accomplish them.  Yes, it takes a bit of time, but to me, it’s an investment in my future success.  It might be overkill for planning a trip to the grocery store, but when you’re rebuilding a car, it really helps.  I also have a perfect record so far – plans may have been delayed and others have been significantly altered, but none have failed as yet.  Please take some time and map the project out, even if you don’t use my methods.  You need both the big picture and the methods you will use to accomplish the tasks that make up the plan.

Now you have the plan, and how you will accomplish it.  You also have a reason why, and a little bit of momentum, so all that is left is to get started on the plan.  Hopefully you have a small task, one that is quickly and easily accomplished, written into the plan.  Find it and do it immediately.  If you don’t, find one or make one, and do it immediately.  It can be as simple as calling or e-mailing a friend or family member and committing to the action, or posting it on FaceBook or Twitter.  Do it NOW!  Yes, walk away from the computer if you need to, it’s not going anywhere.  There, do you feel better now?  You have some real momentum, and the project is under way.

Now you can go through all the rest of the items in the necessary category and get them written up.  Depending on the amount of time each will consume, select another one or two to get started on, and knock out that first task.  Keep busy, and as you finish them, add a new one in.  Larger tasks might move a little slower, and if you need to speed it up, finish one of the other tasks and delay adding a replacement until you have accomplished the heavy hitters in the other task.  Eventually you’ll need a break, but be sure to reacquaint yourself with your reasons why once you return, and get back into the swing of things.  Keep the Mighty Mo (momentum) going!

Remember, as you move through your plan, that things won’t always go as planned.  Be sure to remember to use courage and intelligence to steady yourself and to keep making progress.

We’ve saved the impossible category for last.  Take one of the items from that category and repeat the process (above) again.  Does it seem a little less impossible?  Set it aside (I like tucking a reminder in my day planner, or setting a reminder on the computer) and revisit it in about 6 months and see what you think about it then.  I think you will be amazed at what you can do, if you can keep up the momentum.

From: Twitter, @tonyrobbins
confirmed at : http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/f/francisofa121023.html

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…I will utilize this day in a more positive way…

Posted on 15 May 2011 by philosiblog

Every day, when you get up, you can develop a sincere positive motivation: I will utilize this day in a more positive way. – Dalai Lama

What does that mean?
To me, this speaks to getting your head on straight first thing in the morning.  Get up, work on developing a motivation that is both sincere and positive.  He also says that he does this every day, endeavoring to do it better each time.  This is also stated in a way that appears to me to be a challenge to the rest of humanity to at least attempt to match him in this endeavor.

Why is motivation important?
Motivation is what puts the Mo in motion.  It is also the Mo in momentum.  Having that motivation is one thing, it’s like an airplane with a lot of thrust, but no guidance, no vector.  That’s where the sincerity and positiveness come in.  Sincerity, because the motivation comes from within, from our best possible self.  Positive, because it endeavors to move in a beneficial or positive direction.  Intent without motivation, that is to be sincere and positive, but without motivation, is nothing more than a pleasant thought.  You are pointed in the proper direction with the proper attitude, but not going anywhere.

Without the motivation, without action, without actually doing something, what have you truly accomplished?  Yes there are days when little is accomplished, all time is spent in contemplation, prayer or meditation, but (for most of us) those days are few and far between.  What else are you going to do?  How will you justify the food you eat, if not by doing something?  When I think about someone without motivation, I picture someone glued to the couch, watching TV and doing very little, if anything to help themselves, much less the rest of humanity.  What do you picture in your mind when you hear someone talking about someone having no motivation?  Doesn’t sound like a very pleasant place to be to me, what about you?

Where can I apply this in my life?
The first thing I would do to incorporate this into my daily life is to examine my morning procedures.  What do you do first thing in the morning?  What we’re looking to do is to carve five to ten minutes out of your schedule to get our heads on straight.  For most of us, that means setting the alarm ten minutes earlier than present.  Not an enthralling prospect for me, and I would imagine you’re not that fond of the idea either.  Let’s give it a week and see how it goes, shall we?

OK, the alarm went off a bit early and we’re up.  Now what?  After wiping the sleep out of our eyes, and taking care of the necessities, I would try to find some place quiet to sit and think.  If you do morning exercises that include a walk or run, perhaps there’s a bench that has a view that gives off a tranquil vibe.  Once you have a spot in mind, park yourself there.

Now that we’re there, what do we do?  Well, the quote says we’re trying to develop a “sincere positive motivation,” specifically that we “will utilize this day in a more positive way.”  OK, what does that mean?  Starting with the word sincere, we should be attempting to do this with integrity and congruence.  This should be coming from the heart, from our best possible self.  For that, I would try to clear my mind, kindly setting aside the worries about the upcoming day, and contemplate for a moment who we are and how we are a force for good in the world.  Yeah, it sounds corny, but if you try it, you’ll be surprised at how well it works at centering you on your best possible self.  You will find what you seek, so seek the best in yourself.  Simple, right?

Now that we are in a good place, and feeling sincere, let’s tackle positive.  This is a judgmental word, so not everyone is going to agree on the exact definition, nor on what falls within the realm of “positive” and what falls outside it.  I choose to define positive as being something that maximizes the help that is provided to others and minimizes the harm done to others.  What can we think of that will get our minds in the right place?

Now it’s time for the third portion of the trifecta, the motivation.  What thoughts give you positive motivation?  Helping others?  This will be a very personal journey, so you might want to jot down a couple of possibilities to consider over the next few days.  Take a few minutes to consider the thought.  Keep it with you through out the day and try to think of it each time you stop to stretch or take a break.  Recharge your motivation, too.

It might also be worth keeping the paper with the motivational thoughts handy.  That way you can refer back to it during the day, as well as to add tally marks for each time you remember to reinforce it during breaks.  You might also want to keep tally marks for the number of times you noticed that your motivation made a difference in a decision or an action you took, or would have otherwise taken.  Did you manage to decline the bait and managed to avoid an argument with a co-worker who relishes in mud slinging?  Great, give yourself a tally, and take pride in being positive instead of negative.

At the end of the week, take a look at how effective each of the different motivations were, both for motivating and for moving your mental state in a positive direction.  Consider both how well you managed to perform the program (to do the morning head-straightening) and how well you managed to stick with it during the day (both reinforcement of the attitude and elevating your behavior).  Try to come up with a couple new ideas to replace some of the poorer performers and repeat.  After a while, you should be able to tell what is and is not working, and trim the list to the most effective ideas.  Just consider revisiting the list at least twice a year, lest you grow stale or stagnate in your efforts to be more positive each day.

This won’t be the easiest thing you have done, but it will be rewarding.  Remember, life is a journey, not a destination.  You will never “arrive,” you will slowly get better.  Until you run out of time.  But better or not, we will all run out of time.  Make the most of what time you have.

From: Twitter, @DalaiLama

confirmed at: uh, dude?  it’s from his own twitter feed! 8)
@DalaiLama : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalai_Lama

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Suffering becomes beautiful when…

Posted on 14 May 2011 by philosiblog

Suffering becomes beautiful when anyone bears great calamities with cheerfulness, not through insensibility but through greatness of mind.  – Aristotle

The lady (on the left) was doing chemo. Being cheerful helps.

The lady (on the left) was doing chemo. Being cheerful helps.

What does that mean?
Once again, we have a translation from Ancient Greek.  Just what are the flavors of calamity and which forms of suffering does he mean?  I choose to take the words at face value in English, and will take any serious or significant disadvantageous outcome to count as a calamity, and the results thereof to be suffering.

To me, this speaks of the people who, instead of hiding from the world when adversity strikes, stand firm and bear the brunt of the calamity without whining or moaning about how unfair it is.  There is a greatness in accepting an unfair, and often impossible, burden.  Taking it in stride and continuing as best one can, neither hiding from it nor hiding it from others.  To me, that is summed up in one word, dignity.

At thefreedictionary.com, dignity is defined as “The quality or state of being worthy of esteem or respect” and “Poise and self-respect.”  Does that sound appropriate to you?  It did to me.

Why is dignity important? Continue reading →

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More gold has been mined from…

Posted on 13 May 2011 by philosiblog

More gold has been mined from the thoughts of men than has been taken from the Earth. – Napoleon Hill

We know when the light-bulb goes off. But if we fail to act, it eventually goes out.

Ideas : We know when the light-bulb goes off. But if we fail to act, it eventually goes out.

What does that mean?
I’d heard this stated as “there was more wealth in one grave-yard than all the gold-mines of the planet.”  Not the buried loot, but the ideas left unexploited, hidden, held secret by the dead.

This quote says the same thing, but in a slightly different manner, speaking of the ideas of the living, whereas the way I heard it, it spoke of the ideas taken to the grave.

Why is innovation important? Continue reading →

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We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves happy. The amount of work is the same.

Posted on 12 May 2011 by philosiblog

We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves happy. The amount of work is the same. – Carlos Castaneda

Do you feel bad because your car isn’t as nice as a brand new one? If you can’t afford a new one, consider what you can do to update your present car. Stereo? Rims & Tires?

What does that mean?
The full quote is “The trick is in what one emphasizes. We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves happy. The amount of work is the same.”  I had never heard this put this way before, but it goes with the basic idea of “every cloud has a silver lining” or “always look for the good in every event” type sayings.

To me, it says that our happiness is up to us.  it says that our state of happiness (or lack thereof) is completely up to us.  It says we can make ourselves happy.  It says we can make ourselves  miserable.  It takes the same amount of effort.  Which direction do we want to face, towards happy or towards misery?

Why is attitude important? Continue reading →

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Don’t open a shop unless you like to smile.

Posted on 11 May 2011 by philosiblog

Don’t open a shop unless you like to smile. – Chinese Proverb

Will you smile, or will you cuss? Which one does society say is proper?

What does that mean?
To me, this old saying is all about having the proper attitude for a situation.  If you’re going to open a shop, you had better be prepared to make your customers feel welcome in your shop, or you won’t sell very much stuff.

In a similar manner, society has certain expectations for attitudes in different situations, and that is what I will be discussing for this post.

Why is attitude important? Continue reading →

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It’s lack of faith that makes people afraid of meeting challenges, and I believed in myself.

Posted on 10 May 2011 by philosiblog

It’s lack of faith that makes people afraid of meeting challenges, and I believed in myself. – Muhammad Ali

Do you lack faith in yourself, or do you believe?

What does that mean?
To me, it talks of one of humankind’s greatest fears, the fear of the new, the unknown.  He talks about people being afraid to meet challenges, and states that he wasn’t. He says that this was because his belief in himself allowed him to take on the challenges.

The fears associated with challenges are many.  It can be a fear of failure, a fear of success, a fear of the unknown, a fear of something new, a fear of being shown to be inadequate, or any number of other fears that haunt humankind.  Ali said he was able to meet challenges because of his faith or belief in himself.

Why is belief in self important? Continue reading →

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To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.

Posted on 9 May 2011 by philosiblog

To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe. – Anatole France

What a wonderful dream! Such great belief was necessary to make this plan, and then act to bring it to completion. While it wasn’t ready in time for the Beijing Olympics, and has since been damaged by fire, the plan is to use intelligence and courage to complete the building and make it operational!

What does that mean?
To me, this kind of wraps up the activities of the past week or so.  To accomplish great thins, it says, we need to do four things.  In order of my preference, Dream, Believe, Plan, and Act.  Depending on your definitions for Dream and Believe, you might have these reversed.

It reminds us that without all four aspects, we are incomplete in our preparation for success.  We must be able to Dream of it in order to Believe in it.  We must Believe in it in order to Plan it.  We must plan it in order to properly Act on it.  When we do all this (along with using intelligence and courage appropriately), we can and will accomplish great things.

Why are accomplishments important? Continue reading →

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As human beings we have intelligence and courage. Provided we use these qualities, we will be able to achieve what we set out to do.

Posted on 8 May 2011 by philosiblog

As human beings we have intelligence and courage. Provided we use these qualities, we will be able to achieve what we set out to do. – Dalai Lama

Deep Blue, the first computer that was able to beat a Grand Master at the game of Chess. But is it intelligent?

What does that mean?
To me, it reminds us that we are able to do whatever we set out to do, that we can achieve anything in which we believe.  Humans do it through courage and intelligence.

Courage, to face our fears, our opponents and the inevitable hardships associated with doing anything worth doing.  Intelligence, to learn from our mistakes, to learn from the mistakes of others, to anticipate possible outcomes and to have plans ready for them.  We are, at our best, unstoppable.

Why are both intelligence and courage important? Continue reading →

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Everybody has talent, it’s just a matter of moving around until you’ve discovered what it is.

Posted on 7 May 2011 by philosiblog

Everybody has talent, it’s just a matter of moving around until you’ve discovered what it is. – George Lucas

If at first you don't succeed, doing brake jobs probably isn't your talent.

What does that mean?
To me, he is saying “We’re all good at something.”  The trick, he continues, is to figure out what it is.  How many of you tried any number of things before you found something you were good at?

Was it board games (no good at Life, but great at checkers)?  Perhaps playground games (no good at 4-square, but great at tag)?  Or school work (no good at biology, but great at physics)?  What about real life jobs (fair at washing dishes and cooking, but great at solving problems)?

What are you good at, what are your talents?  How long did it take to find them?  And, most importantly, do you think you have discovered all of them, or are there some still hiding from you?  Do you want to try to discover them?

While I presume this quote was about finding a vocation, I am going to use it for pleasurable pursuits, trying to answer the question “What are you good at, that you also enjoy doing?”

Why is discovery important? Continue reading →

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Your profession is not what brings home your paycheck. Your profession is what you were put on earth to do.

Posted on 6 May 2011 by philosiblog

Your profession is not what brings home your paycheck. Your profession is what you were put on earth to do. With such passion and such intensity that it becomes spiritual in calling. – Virgil

There are plenty of songs, poems, and stories of the passion in the love of a sailor for the sea. Your job, is it just a paycheck or your passion?

What does that mean?
This time, instead of ancient Greek, we have something translated from ancient Latin.  It appears to be a fairly modern translation (paycheck and all).  Other than sounding a little clunky, it does fairly well.  I probably would have used a semi-colon between the second and third sentences, as the third appears to be a dependent clause, but what do I know?

To me, it says that your profession should be something you are passionate about.  Your profession should be about more than just grabbing a paycheck and watching the clock.  It should move you, it should be an intense desire to do your profession.  Even to the point of it becoming a spiritual calling.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t quite feel that way about my job.  Don’t get me wrong, I like it a lot and enjoy doing it so much that I do it some more at home (software development), but I don’t think it’s ever going to be a religious experience.

I also enjoy writing the blog in the quiet time after the kids are in bed, but it’s not going to cause me to hear angels singing anytime soon.  In fact, I don’t really think I have had such a feeling of passion, which is probably why I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up.

Why is passion in your profession important? Continue reading →

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The greatest virtues are those which are most useful to other persons.

Posted on 5 May 2011 by philosiblog

The greatest virtues are those which are most useful to other persons. – Aristotle

With a great big "smiley-face" to remind them to smile...

What does that mean?
Let’s start with the definition of Virtue in the context of this saying.   At thefreedictionary.com, virtue is defined as “Moral excellence and righteousness” and “A particularly efficacious, good, or beneficial quality”.

So, rephrasing slightly: the greatest beneficial quality is that which is most useful to other people.  I think that it is fairly obvious that the most beneficial quality (virtue in this case) is the one that gives the greatest good to the greatest number of people.

Why is virtue important? Continue reading →

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Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.

Posted on 4 May 2011 by philosiblog

Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat. – Sun Tzu

Ok, which nut holds the wheel on?

What does that mean?
At thefreedictionary.com, strategy is defined as “The science and art of military command as applied to the overall planning and conduct of large-scale combat operations” and “A plan of action resulting from strategy or intended to accomplish a specific goal”

At thefreedictionary.com, tactics is defined as “The military science that deals with securing objectives set by strategy, especially the technique of deploying and directing troops, ships, and aircraft in effective maneuvers against an enemy” and also “A procedure or set of maneuvers engaged in to achieve an end, an aim, or a goal”

Wikipedia.org differentiates them as follows: “In military usage strategy is distinct from tactics, which are concerned with the conduct of an engagement, while strategy is concerned with how different engagements are linked. How a battle is fought is a matter of tactics: the terms and conditions that it is fought on and whether it should be fought at all is a matter of strategy”

So, rephrasing: Strategy (a plan) without tactics (implementation) is the slowest path to victory.  Tactics (implementation) without strategy (a plan) is the noise before defeat.

And again: A plan without implementation details is the slowest way to do things – you’ll thrash around but eventually you’ll find a way to get there.  A set of implementation details without a plan is doomed to failure.

Why are both strategy and tactics important? Continue reading →

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Do the hard jobs first. The easy jobs will take care of themselves.

Posted on 3 May 2011 by philosiblog

Do the hard jobs first. The easy jobs will take care of themselves. – Dale Carnegie

In what order do things happen? What needs to be done before the inspector visits? If you can get the tough stuff done first, the easy stuff all but takes care of itself.

What does that mean?
This quote reminds me of the 80/20 rule – 80 percent of the tasks just take 20 percent of the time, and the final 20 percent takes 80 percent of the time.  Start with the hardest stuff and get it done, then finishing will be easy.  If you do all the easy items first, then you may find the tough job(s) can be very intimidating, even de-motivating.

This can be even more crushing if you’ve been tracking your time in a linear manner, rather than by the 80/20 rule. If you start with the tough stuff, it may seem like you have almost no time and a ton of stuff to do, you will find most of it is just little stuff. However, if you do the easy stuff first, and mark time linearly, you will have 20% of your time left for the toughest 20%, and no hope of finishing. Not good planning, right?

Why is having a strategy important? Continue reading →

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I hated every minute of training, but I said, “Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.”

Posted on 2 May 2011 by philosiblog

I hated every minute of training, but I said, “Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.” – Muhammad Ali

It takes a lot to be a champion. What are you willing to do to be one?

What does that mean?
To me, it means that if you are willing to put up with something you don’t like now, you can have something better afterwards.  To turn it around, the people who have exceptional accomplishments are the people who were willing to pay the price.  They have what you don’t have because they were willing to do what you weren’t willing to do.

In this case, it was training (and training, and training some more, followed by even more training).  Jumping rope until your arms felt like they were going to fall off, and then doing some more.  Standing there and taking body blows for what probably seemed like hours, to toughen up the core and ribs.  Doing push-ups until you can barely get up, and then falling to the mat because you just can’t hold your own weight anymore.  But he did all that and so much more, and ever since then he has been known as “The Greatest.”

Why is exceptionalism important? Continue reading →

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