My Riffs

Thank you to the artist, Propaganda, for the thought behind this post. There is something beautiful in and through pain. Something about it unmasks the individual and you often get raw, authentic humanity. The mask and pretending can be dropped. I don't think we need to always try to bury and hide our pain. It's part of life. Why pretend everything is okay, when it isn't? Pain usually leads to growth. There's something beautiful about that. Scars carry a certain beauty, showing you survived and grew. They show you've learned something and in some way become stronger. Struggles and pain are part of humanity , pretending they don't exist robs us of some lessons and beauty. There is much to learn and much to gain in going through the struggle and the pain. It may never be fun, but if we learn to embrace the opportunity for growth, the pain will be less. Beauty isn't in pretending or hiding. Beauty is in being real and coming out the other side of the ...

Why assume when you can ask, investigate or confirm? There's a time for trusting our gut instinct. That's when we don't have the luxury of performing due diligence. All other times though, do your due diligence. Your work quality will reap the benefits and rewards. Assumptions are shortcuts. Shortcuts are lazy and end up costing rather than paying.

Because you always have done something a certain way is not a good reason to keep doing something a certain way. Working in technology, I come across this problem often. People get comfortable doing things a certain way and are adverse to change, even if there are far better (cheaper, more efficient) ways. At some point, these people will be forced to change and adapt as their current method will stop working. I think this has application on a wider basis though. If you insist on doing something the same way, there is no room for improvement, for improvement forces change. If you're not improving, you're in maintenance mode , which is just a slower method to the bottom, or the end of something. "Because I always have" is a better excuse to change rather than to continue. Imagine if you refused to upgrade your wall phone, because you always have... Imagine if you refused to get an email account, because you always have... Imagine if you refused to use the...

Every human comes with imperfections. It's what makes us human after all. It also is what equalizes us, making no one better than another. It's the great equalizer. Knowing that that person next to you or even that person you look up to came with essentially the same amount of imperfections as yourself, can by a huge relief. They may have figured out how to overcome the imperfection(s) though, and so can you. Let's drop the pretences that we're better than someone else. Let's drop the pretences that we have it all figured out. Let's drop all the pretences and accept our humanity, and accept others humanity. Thinking someone is less than you, only marginalizes yourself, not the individual you're attempting to marginalize. (Obviously we shouldn't accept hate, and other evil things that come from people with problems, but we can still accept their humanity through it. There are unfortunately bad people in the world and we do not accept the bad thing...

This isn't by any stretch an original thought. Life requires balance between three key areas: work, rest and play. If your life balance is super deficient in any of these three key areas, the other areas will be negatively affected. So, take time to rest. Take time to play. And naturally, work. If you're unhappy, tired or burnt out, chances are there is a deficiency in one area or another, or even multiple areas.

The most impactful healthy choice that everyone could make today is simply to stop negative thinking. Our thinking impacts our health in a profound way. If we could train our brains to ignore negative thoughts our lives could change. With every thought that's negative, ignore it until it became a habit and way of life, to ignore negative thoughts. Starve negative thinking until it dies. Positives thinking is the healthiest choice you can make today. It may be hard, but will become increasingly easier as you starve the negative thoughts.

Passion is vital. Passion is necessary to success. But passion on its own leads to chaos. Riots and violent protest are often the result of misdirected and improperly channeled passion. That same passion channelled could lead to what Martin Luther King Jr. was able to do with his peaceful protests. Passion needs channelling. Passion needs to operate under guidance, doreaction and planning. Psssion is the fuel needed to attain great things. But you can waste fuel if it isn't used properly. Use your passion with wisdom and care, for a purpose.

Yesterday's post was a thought experiment about pursuing your goals. It may have been unfair to many people who had to take care of the mundane the previous day. It was only a thought experiment though :) In follow up, if the tasks you completed the day before were nothing exciting or particularly meaningful, that's okay. I think the key would be, how did you tackle the tasks that were in front of you. More than the tasks themselves, this will tell you more and be an indicator of where you're going. Hard work mixed with some smart work, pays off. So in doing the mundane, did you exhibit the qualities needed for where you're going? Or did you half heartedly go after your day? If you give your best, no matter the task, you will get to where you want to go. The saying says, "if some thing is worth doing, it's worth doing well."

First, recall what you did yesterday. Now, if you repeated that every day for the rest of your life, would that take you where you're trying to go? Of course this isn't an entirely fair thought experiment, but what's the harm in the exercise :)  How many days can you miss working towards your goals without effecting the timeline or end results?

It is kind of a strange realization to come to, but... At this point in life (maybe it will change later on), if I had the opportunity to go back and avoid some of the hardest things I've been through, I think I would still choose to go through them.  Thinking about some of the situations and circumstances that have been the most difficult, the amount of learning and growth that came from them is too much to pass up. They were hard to go through and I likely hated being in the middle of it, but these things have provided invaluable growth and experience I otherwise may not have gained. I'm learning to embrace difficult things as they come to me. It doesn't mean I like or love them, I just now see the value in going through them. 

Ego can be responsible for us overstepping and thus crashing. Ego can equally be responsible for not stepping out at all. Both have the same basic end result.

The companies that succeed are the ones that are always in search of what's next. Companies that rest on their accomplishments inevitably die. Possibly slow, but resting on their accomplishments will start their downward trend. Something interesting about the worlds most valuable company, Apple, is they pay little to no heed to their past. A lot of large technology companies have museums dedicated to their past products, I've been told. Apple however, has nothing of the sort. And this is intentional. Looking back or just being happy with what you have already done is a huge mistake. If you're looking back on what you've done, or down on what you've just done, you won't move forward. On the same note, repeating what you've always done will get you the same results. I have seen companies double down on what they have always done, and it get's them increasingly declining results. Progress requires change. Change requires leadership and planning. I...

You are the average of your closest friends. I'm quite confident, if you think of your closest friends and their traits, you are very very likely to have similar traits and interests. Birds of a feather do actually flock together. Make wise choices in who you spend time with. Choose friends that bring you up and challenge you to be better. If your flock isn't heading in the direction you want to go, find the flock that is. They're out there.

The general public perception of your values, morals and character. Shifting the general public perception of these things is like turning a ship around. It doesn't take long  to damage your reputation. It takes a long time to build it though. Build your reputation in a manner that is based on solid principles and morals as a foundation and don't compromise those things. Ever. Without solid morals and values, your house will shift and break.

Complainers are gonna complain. No matter what. People with genuine concerns are going to fix or change what bothers them. Complainers do not deserve the energy and attention that people with concerns deserve.

Nope. Counterfeit money is worthless. A smile can mask a sinister individual. Infatuation is blinding. You bought a blue car, but really what you got was a faulty engine with a blue shell that doesn't go anywhere. You have a beautiful house. It has electric, heating, structural and plumbing problems that render it a bust. You buy into that trend and fad, and it is a scam or goes away as fast as it came. What's beneath the shell?  Behind the mask? Under the hood? Inside the packaging? Examine beyond the surface, beyond the superficial to find out what you're really looking at.

Doing hard things is important. It's important for development. Influencers want to push those in their sphere to do hard, challenging and difficult things. In doing hard things, it's important the hard things are not tedious and cumbersome. Challenges build and help people. Tediousness wears people down and makes them weaker.

This has been taken from the INC.com article found here . These are great steps or "secrets" to communication. At first blush, communication seems really simple. Somebody talks and somebody else listens... But... as you study it, communication is complex and requires some education, effort and practice before you can get "good" at it. Good communicators are too far and few between. Good communicators understand communication methods and channels, they listen well and are good at reading people and situations. Let's all work on this together. Here are the "secrets" from the article: 1. Speak to groups as individuals 2. Talk so people will listen 3. Listen so people will talk 4. Connect emotionally 5. Read body language 6. Prepare your intent 7. Skip the jargon 8. Practice active listening

The incredible phrase used by Nike to sell sportswear and shoes... How do you fend off critisicsm? By action, not by words. Have you been told you cannot do it , or you're doing it wrong? You owe your critics no explanation or defense. Simply, do what you are doing and let the results speak for you. Results are a better spokesperson than an actual spokesperson defending or stirring up some "hype" for you. We have all heard the saying, "actions speak louder than words". When under criticism for doing something, actions are much better than words. Smile and continue building it . When it is built, your critics will be the first to know, they're paying close attention to you.

The value is in going through the process. It's the process that makes the final result valuable. Arriving at the end result without the process cheapens the result. Just ask lottery winners. Ask cheaters. People who are given much, without the normal work associated with getting what they have, usually do not appreciate what they get. Their sense of fulfillment cannot be the same as those who have gone through the process. You do not want the end results handed to you. So embrace the process. The process can be difficult, overwhelming and sometimes seemingly insurmountable. But by going through the process, that's where the value is added.

How long can you take your hands off the wheel while driving? That is probably the same length of time you can take your hands off the wheeel of life. If you're stopped you can take them off indefinitely. There is a cost to this, but your hands can be removed.  If you're going somewhere though, you have to keep your hands on the wheel.  Intentionality means to be in control of every moment, avoid drifting and coasting at all costs. Every moment may not be equal, but every moment is important. Be intentional with every moment you have, whether you're using that moment for work, play, rest or for others.  The most valuable resource you have (besides your mind) is time, which is non-renewable. Aimless living hurts the individual and those that individual can influence. Intentional living helps the individual and those that individual can influence.  Your living is connected to so much, be intentional with your resources. 

Decline seems to be baked into nature. Everything around you seems to be subject to decline, and thus needs work. If you want to make anything work or last, it takes work. You can't just set something into orbit and expect it to flourish. The great thing about this is, we have a lot of control and influence over our lives and what all were involved with. I posted a Steve Jobs video recently where he said if you poke something in life, there is going to be a change somewhere else in life. Of course I'm paraphrasing what he said. The point is that, we can take control of life. We can change things in life. And the natural decline that is a part of life, can be managed by us. We're not bystanders to life. It's as if decline is built in to keep us vested in things. Decline keeps our hands on the wheel.

Why do we put barriers up? Generally it is to protect us against some harm. Why do we put barriers up between us and others? What are we protecting against? I think it is generally for reason of pride. Pride can come from thinking we're too good. But also... Pride can come from thinking we're not good enough. This pride is the same in that, we don't want people to think any less of us, because it hurts our pride. Barriers between people kill and destroy. There are very few legitimate reasons to put barriers up between people. We need each other and we need people with contrasting ideas, thoughts and skills. We need the diversity to create a strong community. There are times and places for uniformity, but usually diversity is much better. Let's not cut people off because they are different than us. Let's join together and become stronger. Pride is a terrible reason to put barriers up. We each need to take ownership of our pride and not allow it to be a...

Focus is increasingly difficult. Focusing on the right things is equally difficult. The right things don't always immediately grab our attention, but they are the more long lasting things. The things that grab our attention often have little long term value. Build for tomorrow. Don't let the unimportant things of today distract from that.

The best teachers use dialogue to teach. Telling someone something is a start. Showing someone something is better. Discussing with someone is better. Not much learing occurs when being told something. Being told something is merely words. Experiencing what you've been told is invaluable. Being able to discuss, ask questions and receive answers is invaluable. Teachers, your job has only began once you've "told" those under you something. Engage in dialogue. Walk with them through their experiences where appropriate. Let them walk through some experiences by themselves where appropriate. But be present. And engage in dialogue.

In reality, what do we have to complain about? I would say a high, high percentage of our complaints have little real validity. When tempted to complain, try finding something in it to actually be grateful for.

If you want to go swimming, an empty pool is of little value to you. It has potential, but little value. If you fill the pool with water though, now there's some value. At some point though, if you keep pumping water into the pool, it stops adding value. More water no longer equals more. It now equals the same. There are times where doing more, equals the same. In fact, there are cases where doing "more" is in fact less and is destructive instead of constructive. Think of overinflating a tire. The key is to put more into something until its peak, or until inertia takes over. But once that has occurred, doing "more" needs to be more carefully considered. Strategy and effort may change as the product or system goes through its lifecycle. It may morph and change and require different inputs for it to continue a growth or forward moving pattern.

For all of us, there are people who have created, sacrificed and done things that have paved the way or in some way allowed for us to be where we are. I've mentioned it before, my Grandpa began working at the age twelve and providing for his family, both for siblings older and younger than him. His hard work was passed along to his youngest daughter, my mom. She worked hard as a single parent and provided for and raised three children! Wow! Now I know how hard of a task that would be! There are many mentors and influencers in my life who have taught me, showed me how to live and inspired me to be better. Let's remember and be grateful to those who have gone before us. In whatever way they have contributed to your life, it is something of significance. Without these people and the work they have put in, your path and journey would have been that much harder. And for those who have had to overcome some past things and people who have been harmful to your path and journey,...

Ideas are great. Everything we see and use began with an ideas in someone's head. But the thing is, it was an idea that was acted on. It was thought first and then acted upon. There are great idea people who unfortunately do not act upon their ideas. And the ideas are then rendered useless. I wonder what's missing out there that should have been, had someone acted on their idea(s)? A mentor of mine offered this advice for vetting your ideas before implementation: 1. Why to do it. 2. What to do. 3. When to do it (priority). 4. Who to do it. 5. How to do it. I have seen great ideas be ruined due to bad organization and planning. Yes, we need ideas and idea people. I am a huge proponent of people thinking and contributing their ideas. But many a great idea has sank because a proper plan and structure was not in place. Have an idea. Vet the idea. Plan the idea. Manage the idea. Grow the idea into something else or something larger. Repeat.

It's easy to mistake hype for substance. When a new product is launched, be it a car or technology product, the company behind the launch often does a large marketing campaign and tries to produce a buzz, or hype around their product. But the hype and buzz is truly meaningless. What matters is the product itself. Marketing matters and trying to create a buzz isn't inherently bad. Mistaking hype for substance is bad though. Hype is empty or at best has very little value on its own. Hype can provide a very temporary boost or nudge. That is all the benefit I can see with hype. It has no longevity and very little value. The best hype is when there is substance and hype or buzz is organically created around it. But when a company has to hype their product up and there is no organiz buzz around it, there may be a problem. If you have to hype something up, chances are that thing is lacking. The best things in life do not need to be hyped. Hype is often a cover for something ...