Time

We all have the same amount of time – 24 hours a day.  No one has less or more time than anyone else.   Each of us ultimately decides on how we use our time. 

Our use of time can be productive, neutral / un-productive, or our use of time can be negative / destructive.

To say, “I don’t have time,” is not an entirely accurate statement.  The fact is that we choose to spend our time on what we feel is important, our priorities.  When we decide not to devote time to something, in reality the reason is because [that], whatever issue is vying for our time, is simply not important - not a priority.

Perhaps, if one is honest with them self, it may help to change their priorities.  For example: If one could admit that they don’t exercise because it is not as important as watching three hours of television each night, maybe this candour could cause them to make a change.  I don’t think anyone would tell their kids that the reason they don’t have time for them is because everything else - shopping, golf, work, any hobby - is more important. 

There is only one person that controls your time - you.  You might now be thinking to yourself, “Try telling that to my boss.”  Do you choose to work or, do you have to work?  Two different mindsets.  Work should be a productive use of time, but I know many people that feel they need to put in more time than is expected to get the job done while others are doing the same job in regular time.  Work does fill the time allotted.   Are you putting in time or, working to accomplish an objective?  Again, two different mindsets, but our mindset - the way that we think - ultimately controls how we do our job, our time and . . . our life.

Instead of using the excuse of “no time,” just be honest and say: “I have more important things to do.”  This may help realign your priorities.

Time

Maple syrup

Maple syrup is made by boiling the sap from maple trees until it is reduced to a very concentrated sweet syrup.   The reduction in liquid is as high as 50 litres of sap down to 1 litre of syrup.  At the end of the process you get the good stuff.

When communicating, please do everyone a favour and provide only pure maple syrup vs. a bunch of sap, can you imagine eating maple tree sap to get the enjoyment of maple syrup?  Please stop feeding it [sap] to others.

Communication, verbal and written, should be as succinct and as tight as possible.  Use the least amount of words to get your point across.  After you have written something, review it and reduce it.  Challenge yourself to shorten every sentence and every thought down to simple, direct and concise language.

Just the good stuff please.

Hope I made my point (153 words).

Maple syrup

Sheeple

Most of us have had the experience of taking part in a group discussion in which an opinion is asked in a round table fashion and coincidentally everyone’s opinion matches that of the first person to speak.

In 2005 in Turkey, 450 sheep perished when 1500 sheep followed each other off a cliff.  Why did only 450 die?  Apparently, hundreds of sheep lying dead at the bottom of a cliff make for a nice cushion that saved the lives of others.  Sheep will follow other sheep relentlessly even if they walk off a cliff.

In a sense, many people are just like sheep: they believe everything they hear, they never question and are afraid to disagree.  The problem with the “yes” people described in the previous sentence is that they cause problems for the rest of us.  When people always agree and go along to get along, those whom they agree with think that they are right and continue on the course they are on, even if it leads to the edge of a cliff.   Money is wasted.  Businesses fail.  Lives are wasted.  Bad governments are elected.

Please have an opinion.  Share it.   Discuss and debate vigorously.  Or, just follow the others: there is a decent chance that you may be saved by the pile of the ones that have perished before you.

"If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking." - George S. Patton 

Sheeple

Less is better

The best smorgasbords are those with the most variety, increasing the number and variety of dishes improves the consumer's perception of the offering. While more is better when it comes to smorgasbords, this is not the case with respect to politics or business initiatives: schemes, ideas, plans, proposals, programs, laws, legislation, etc.

Well-meaning legislators across the globe continue to propose and pass laws that over complicate the ability for citizens to live and conduct business every day. Much of modern legislation focuses on changing behaviour vs. outcome; a prime example would be that of the former New York mayor wanting to ban the sale of large soft drinks in an attempt to reduce obesity. Contrary to popular belief and victim thinking, obesity is not due to large soft drinks or any particular food but rather personal choice – period. A more beneficial approach to the problem of obesity would be to make those who are obese pay more for health care according to their BMI index, this is moving from behaviour (how) to result (what). Warning: since the last statement will probably offend some, please read this first.
 
Most organizations fall into this same trap thinking that more initiatives, programs, process will improve results. This overcomplicates the business, teams become overwhelmed with busy work and results decline. The legislators (managers) push harder on enforcing their pet laws (programs) on how to do stuff, but it is like trying to push a wet rope uphill. 
 
The good news is that it is very simple to determine how many initiatives are enough, to find the sweet spot or top of the inverted bell curve, ready for this . . . it is very profound: you get results! Therefore if your new initiative does not improve results – throw it away, put it on the stop doing list. Unfortunately, this does not usually happen, someone spent time and energy on that scheme and we don't want to hurt their feelings, do we? 
 
If the obese are not getting thinner, your attempt at legislation didn't work, focus on the result and the individual will find a way to get there that best suits them.

Tell the people what to do and not how to do it and let them surprise you with their ingenuity; G.S. Patton.

Less is better