Cut Out the Dreaming!

I recently read a book that was just published on time management. Like Juggling Elephants, the book points out the need to pick and choose what we do with our time because there are so many opportunities and not enough time to do everything. The author encourages that one way of picking and choosing is that if you don't do something very well or that you can't excel at it, then you shouldn't do it all. You need to focus on what you do well and maximize those things. That got me thinking. Should you cut something out just because you don't do it very well?

If you are an organization and one of your products isn't performing very well and the market responds in kind by not buying the product then yes, you probably should remove that from your "line up" or quickly improve. (Although I know some companies that don't do things very well - poor product quality or terrible service - yet they continue to keep the doors open and make large profits.) I do believe organizations should pursue excellence and focus on what they do well, removing the distractions of what they can't excel at. Point well taken – mostly.

But on the other hand, when it comes to your personal life or your "self ring" should you really abandon something just because you are not "good at it"? For example, I am a terrible gardener. But, every year I plant a garden with the usual plants. Bugs eat my produce, I forget to water half the time, weeds grow better than my lettuce and the cost is probably more than if I went to the store and bought the same amount of produce that I harvest. But, I still find value in planting a garden every year. It helps me relax and it gives me time with my family as we work together planting, weeding, watering, etc. There is a sense of pride for me picking and eating something that I have grown. I am not good at it, but it provides value to me. I enjoy it!

Someone might not be a good parent, but does that mean you just give up on parenting because you are not good at it? Definitely not! I think a big part of the benefit in doing something comes in the journey as we work on things that we are weak at and struggle through trying to get better.

Be careful about removing something from your line up that you value, like your dreams, just because you are not good at it. Kobi Yamada said, Don't run through life so fast that you forget where you've been and lose where you're going. Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored every step of the way. Some of the things that we savor the most might not be the things that we do the best. Be careful about taking the life out of life.

Go Grab The Peroxide!

It's been pretty hectic in our office lately, so when I saw research that made me laugh out loud I thought it was worth sharing. Happy Monday!

According to a study conducted by the University of Queensland in Australia and reported in the Telegraph, Blondes earn about 7% more than brunettes, the equivalent of an additional year of education. The study involved over 13,000 Caucasian women and removed variable factors like height, weight and education levels.

It gets worse (or better), depending on your perspective. This same study showed that men who have blonde wives earn about 6% more than husbands of wives with other hair color.

You can read the article in the Telegraph, see the reasons given for the difference and then make up your own mind. Isn't it amazing what research can tell us?

Sentaku to Shuchu

While reading the online article, Defiantly, Panasonic Pushes A Vast Catalog, I came across an interesting phrase: Sentaku to Shuchu, which means "choose and focus." The phrase was used in respect to what major Japanese electronic companies like Panasonic, Sony and Toshiba need to do to stay competitive. Atul Goyal, one of the people interviewed in the article states, These companies need to think: what are their strengths, what are their weaknesses, and focus on their core strengths. Sounds like good advice for organizations OR individuals struggling with too much to do.

For the electronic companies, the advice is that they need to choose the products on which they can best produce and compete, and then focus on making them successful. The article regularly cites Apple, which in the electronics world, is everyone's icon of "Sentaku to Shuchu."

What about you? As you look at your potential task list today and the "acts" that could be part of your lineup, how will you choose which ones will get completed? Will you just create a "vast catalog" of mediocre acts? Or will you choose ones that will accomplish your highest values and goals? And what will you do to create an atmosphere where you can focus on creating the best outcomes possible with these acts?

A Fault Finding Circus

It is so easy to find fault. Especially when things are not going the way you want them to go in life. Take it down to the level of the "3 rings" and it is easy to find fault with your work, with your relationships and with your self.

Try flipping your attitude around. Rather than thinking about what is wrong with your job, your relationships and your self, spend time each day focusing on what is right and how lucky you are in each area. Let us reemphasize that you should think of and focus on the positive EACH DAY! Also, when you come across a negative point or think a negative thought, force yourself to think of two positives.

Lou Holtz said, "Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it." In the end, focusing on the positive will not only make a difference in your attitude but will also improve your performance in your 3 Ring Circus.

A Picture to Improve Your Memory

Taking a picture is a great way to remind us of special moments in time and help create memories that we will hopefully never forget. We take pictures of important events like birthdays, graduations and anniversaries. We load up on photos of those we care about, vacations and places that we have visited. But what about those not so important items and events in your life that are worth remembering...even for a short while.

Consider using your digital camera (especially if your mobile phone has a camera) to help you remember the not so "important" events of your life:

• Take a picture of the row and space where you parked your car at the airport or large parking garage. It is more convenient than writing it down on a card or piece of paper that you have to keep track of. When you return from your trip or shopping, the information will be at your fingertips and then you can delete it.


• If you are in a traffic accident, take pictures of the scene, the cars involved, license plates, even the people. After an accident, your adrenalin is pumping and it is easy to forget details. "A picture is worth a thousand words!"


• If you rent a lot of cars for work or vacation, take a picture of the license plate so that you have the information available when you check into hotels (some hotels ask for car information for parking). It might also be helpful to take a picture of your hotel room number so you can remember which room is yours. If you travel a lot, you know how room numbers start to blur after awhile and it will save you a trip to the front desk.


• If you see a quote or thought on a sign, billboard or plaque that you would like to remember, rather than scrambling for paper and a pencil to write it down-take a picture!

Once you think of your digital camera as a resource, you will find many more uses to help you remember things. The value is that once you take a picture (record the information) you can forget about it and keep your mind clear for more important things. It's a snap!