The QLog

The Last Lecture

"We can not change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand." - Randy Pausch

Former Disney Imagineer and Carnegie Mellon Professor Randy Pausch is an inspiring man at age 47. He is also dying from pancreatic cancer but you would not know from his enthusiasm for life. On September 18, 2007 he gave his 'last lecture' to a packed audience at McConomy Auditorium. Also, more recently, his new book The Last Lecture, was published and I do recommend it. However, I suggest that watching the original lecture should be mandetory for just about every adult at any age!

As someone who strives to enable the goals of others, I promise that if you choose to spend the full 76 minutes viewing this very enjoyable lecture, you will be well rewarded. It will help focus your thinking on what should be most important for your life: striving to acheive your dreams!

Fear vs. F.E.A.R.

Fear is a legitimate emotion and it seems to be part of the human condition as a survival mechanism. Most importantly, it help protect children as it constrains many behaviors that could prove hazardous or fatal at a young age.

Nevertheless, many fears are really F.E.A.R or False Evidence Appearing Real. F.E.A.R holds people from achieving their absolute best. Often, it helps maintain 'the good' instead of promoting 'the great'. F.E.A.R. keeps many people doing average things in a mediocre way for years without growing beyond their status quo.

Five common examples are:

• Fear of failing
• Fear of looking foolish
• Fear of rejection
• Fear of success
• Fear of loss

Instead, embrace the mantra of the late productivity expert Dr. W. Edwards Deming: Drive Out Fear!

How? Below is a simple 7-step techniques to focus on the real problem and determine the best next action instead of being controlled by fear.

1. State the problem, situation, or opportunity as clearly as possible. Clarity is key. Write it down and include who, where, when, why, what, and how.

2. Review the data as you presented them for possible biases. Be as objective as possible. Determine which facts are really assumptions and personal interruptions.

3. Play Devil's Advocate. Is everyone in agreement on the above facts? What would an opponent claim? What is the opposite hypothesis and how might this point of view be correct? Be honest with this exercise.

4. Restate the REAL problem, situation, or opportunity as a question.

5. Create a list of potential solutions with a mindstorm, including both outrageous answers and conventional methods. Be creative and open to new ideas. Do not stop until you have at least 20 items on your list.

6. Review the list critically, considering variables such as cost, time, effort, and complexity. Pick the best two option on the list. One will be your primary course of action. The other will be your plan B.

7. Act today. Begin working on the solution to your fear now. 

D.R.A.F.T

If one plans to implement the guideline Only Handle It Once, then the D.R.A.F.T. technique is a very useful method for deciding the next step for paper or digital documents.

Delegate: Route the information to appropriate individual. This may include the assignment of a related task and the need for a later follow-up.

Read: Immediately review the information, especially if it can be done within 5 minutes. Longer documents usually are initially filed and then read at the next best time to do so.

Act: If something needs to be completed, and it is urgent and important, do it now.

File: This can be placing something within a file folder or recording it on a list.

Toss: If in doubt, throw it out.

10 in 10 for 2008

I would like to challenge everyone who reads the Qlog to do another 10 in 10. This exercise will jump-start your goals for 2008. If you would like more details, please read my original post on the 10 in 10 concept.

The plan it to start today or tomorrow and then complete all 10 of your projects over the next 10 weeks. The end-date would be Saturday, March 22nd.

The basic instructions are:

• Review your goals for 2008.
• Plan 10 short sub projects that would help you kick-start some of your goals. Make sure they can be completed within the time frame of 70 days.

Below is my personal 10 in 10 for 2008. Although they are listed in no particular order, they are each have a deadline of 03/22/08.

1) Attend a silent 2-Day retreat (based on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius)
2) Partake in a high tea
3) Fast every Tuesday after 3:00 PM (no dinner or evening snack)
4) Join ToastMasters in January and attend all meetings.
5) Purchase one new business suit
6) Donate, sell, trade, or toss 101 possessions
7) Journal daily
8) Begin howtostudyblog.com and rainbowdietblog.com
9) Lose 10 pounds
10) Read 10 new books

I'll report my progress on this page within the comment sections as I complete each.

Health, Wealth, and Stealth Goals

The most common resolutions each year involve health, wealth, and stealth. Resolutions are rarely measurable, time-bound, or planned, so it is no surprise that these rarely succeed. Instead, set some goals within these domains for 2008.

Heath Goals: Weight-loss goals are the most common via more exercise or a specific diet. I do encourage you to optimize your wellness; however, expand your scale and scope and focus on overall fitness. Multiple studies have demonstrated that short-term or temporary diets almost universally fail over time as these behaviors (such as severely reducing calories or only eating a single type of food) are not sustainable over time. Instead, choose new lifestyle habits that can be done for the next 20-years as daily exercise or consuming twice as many fruits and vegetables than you do now. Losing 15 pounds this year can be part of this plan; however, increasing your healthspan and lifespan will have a more significant impact.

Wealth Goals: The majority of these center around reducing debts, earning more money, and finding superior investments. I suggest picking one major wealth goal for the year from starting your own enterprise to getting a promotion. If you really can not think of a single wealth goal, consider becoming a million by December 31, 2013, and create a game plan of how that could be possible.

Stealth Goals: As children, we feel free to share are highest dreams, such as becoming President or flying the Space Shuttle. Stealth goals are often hidden as strangers, friends, and family might not understand the vision and regard it as mere fantasy or delusion as these are often grand and bold ideas that would force the individual to stretch further than they ever had before. If you have a stealth goal, kudos! First, work out a rough plan on how it could be achieved. Second, begin focusing one hour a day every single day.

Thanksgiving, Part 2

"Gratitude is the secret to life." - Albert Schweitzer

Researchers within the new field of Positive Psychology have investigated the attitude of gratitude and have scientifically concluded that it can increase personal happiness, overall well-being, satisfaction with life, and physical health. If you would like to learn more about this without having to review all the original scientific papers, I have good news: two recent popular books explore a selection of the studies, including the experimental evidence that suggests gratefulness can increase happiness by 25%.

The first volume is Thanks!: How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier by Professor Robert Emmons (UC-Davis) who is a leader within this area of psychology. Emmons clearly explains the science without watering it down and I can certainly recommend this book. The second book is entitled Thank You Power: Making the Science of Gratitude Work for You by journalist Deborah Norville. Although it contains fewer examples, it does review the high points, and would serve as a launching pad to the topic for the casual reader.

Bottom Line: Thanksgiving should be a daily event!

Thanksgiving, Part 1

Today is Thanksgiving Day in the USA. Yes, traditionally, we enjoy a feast of turkey and pumpkin pie, but more important, this holiday represents the one day of the year in modern America which is centered around family and loved ones for the vast majority of the population, regardless of faith, creed, or race.

I encourage you to be thankful in three ways:

1) Think It: Embrace the attitude of gratitude.
2) Say It: Tell as many people as you can how thankful you are that they are part of your life.
3) Do It: Actions always speak louder than words. Show someone you truly care. Also, do not forget those who are less fortunate than yourself: the hungry and the lonely in our society. This is a good day to reflect on your blessing and consider donating time, talent, and treasure to a local charity.

Latin 101: Seize the Day

Do It Now is almost a mantra on this blog; however, today I want to discuss two related Latin phrases.

1) Carpe Diem: The Roman poet Horace (born 65 BCE) wrote this famous line "Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero" (Odes 1.11) which literally means Pluck the day, trust as little as possible in tomorrow. Horace certainly does suggest that one should enjoy life in the current moment and live each and every day to their fullest. Seize the day is also the ancient Roman way of saying DO IT NOW.

2) Memento Mori: This phrase was continually whispered in the ear of a victorious general by a slave during his triumphal procession when he returned to Rome. This was done in order to prevent any such leader from beginning to believe that he was Godlike. A good translation is Remember that you are mortal or Remember thou will die. Time Management would not be an issue if living forever was a real option. The message is clear: life is short and fleeting. What is the best solution for the shrinking gap between birth and death? Do not wait for tomorrow you may die: DO IT NOW.

Timing: Do It Now

Just a quick thought on opportunity and life. 

Question: What is the difference between lettuce and garbage?
Answer: Time!

If you wait a month, instead just a few days to make that salad, your fresh greens will begin to purtify. Do not miss windows of opportunity, which are often short. What is the difference between man and dust? Time. Create the best life possible and live in the moment.

Bottom Line: DO IT NOW. 

If Not Now, When?

This is a good question to ask about any dream, goals, or projects that has been lingering for some time, either as an incomplete outcome or as something you just have not yet started. Definitive start dates combined with real deadlines are both good antidotes for procrastination.

1) If you have a planned a specific time to begin, then the delay probably makes sense.

            
2) If you can not answer the question within 10-seconds, consider how passionate you are about the subject matter. Do not use the ‘someday’ excuse as that often leads to ‘never’.