Loose ends are tricky things. Life is full of them. You don’t know what I mean? Think about all of those things in life that take a whole lot of effort, are really appreciated by others, and not often done.
Did I phone all the people who had my family over to dinner in the last week and thank them, or least send an SMS? Did I call that old guy I saw in church last week, and go and have a cup of coffee with him, for no better reason than he would love to chat with me? Did I follow up on any of the things that I noticed just yesterday; the one or two mates who are unwell, my mates that are far away, mates that are suffering through hard times? Did I spend an extra couple of minutes planning how to make my wife feel special?
Well a resounding NO would be the answer to all of those questions. And these are but a few of the loose ends in my life!
I did however spend a massive amount of my time on a consulting project. I also managed to find time for a couple of runs, a judo session, dinners with mates, and a whole lot of football watching.
The loose ends get me though. If I could only follow through on a couple of them every day, I would probably make a massive difference in the lives of those around me. Whether I phone the old guy at church today or next week will probably make little difference to him, so long as I phone him. What will probably happen though, is that the idea will sit around until I feel I have waited too long and then I will abandon it.
Life like most things follows the 80:20 rule, where we can do 80% of it with 20% of our effort. The problem is that the real value lies in the last 20% but it takes just about all of our effort. In business this rule is wonderful as one can exclude the last 20% as being too expensive or too difficult. If we do the same in life, chances are that we will miss out on all of the most fantastic opportunities that life has to offer! Then again, we probably would not know, or even care!
Being a lazy slob is easy. Tying off loose ends with intricate knots is far more difficult, but there is enough evidence that it is massively worthwhile!
Showing posts with label comfortable life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label comfortable life. Show all posts
Monday, June 28, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Thoughts about Thoughts
I have not made any deep and meaningful posts of late. They all seem to have been about the goings on of my life. I was hoping to make this post a deep one, until I realised that I had no real deep stuff to blog about.
This is a little worrying as I consider myself a bit of a thinker. Have I not been thinking lately? Has my depth of thought been blurred by the constant need to meet deadlines, invoice clients, and meet all of my obligations? Let alone catch some sleep between the endless waking of my baby daughter?
The little reading that I have managed to snatch has been rather uninspiring. My morning prayer and mediation sessions have gone out of the window in my frantic bid to get some sleep. Life seems to have filled up to overflowing with meetings and more meetings. I suppose it is little wonder that clever thoughts have failed to trespass my synapses.
Man, I hate living life on this superficial level!
There is no doubt in my mind that although I am super busy, I am hugely ineffective as clear thought has migrated with the change of seasons. Yet I know that It is in times of business one most needs to make time for a little bit of silence. Without silence there is no time for reflection and thinking; and certainly no time for personal growth.
Now all I have to do is say NO more often, and remove the clutter from my life, in order to create more time. Some people are going to be a little disappointed, but then again, others are going to be much happier!
This is a little worrying as I consider myself a bit of a thinker. Have I not been thinking lately? Has my depth of thought been blurred by the constant need to meet deadlines, invoice clients, and meet all of my obligations? Let alone catch some sleep between the endless waking of my baby daughter?
The little reading that I have managed to snatch has been rather uninspiring. My morning prayer and mediation sessions have gone out of the window in my frantic bid to get some sleep. Life seems to have filled up to overflowing with meetings and more meetings. I suppose it is little wonder that clever thoughts have failed to trespass my synapses.
Man, I hate living life on this superficial level!
There is no doubt in my mind that although I am super busy, I am hugely ineffective as clear thought has migrated with the change of seasons. Yet I know that It is in times of business one most needs to make time for a little bit of silence. Without silence there is no time for reflection and thinking; and certainly no time for personal growth.
Now all I have to do is say NO more often, and remove the clutter from my life, in order to create more time. Some people are going to be a little disappointed, but then again, others are going to be much happier!
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Easter Inspiration
I had a wonderful Easter weekend. An added bonus was a little insight into my future!
For many years I have wanted to change my life and do what I am meant to do. The only problem has been that I have no idea what I am meant to do. I do know that I want to add value in some way to society, but that is rather broad and unclear.
Some time back, I made my ‘big’ move, giving up corporate life to go and write a book and focus on my family. It has been wonderful time resulting in an unfinished book (although 16 chapters of good stuff have been written), an increase in my family, a pumping business, good health, low stress levels, and good community involvement. Yet here I am almost two and a half years after my day job and still wondering why I have not found the big thing that will define my life’s value.
For a guy without a defined day job, I am incredibly busy, mainly flitting from one thing to the next. In order to appease my unsatisfied mind, I have committed myself to a wide array of things. This has been my interim measure while I wait for that great inspiration to consume my life. But I find myself not really committed to all of my committments as I have this feeling that they are not the big thing I am looking for, regardless of how valuable they all are.
This Easter, I was struck by the realisation that my life does not need a radical change of direction or the next big thing. Instead and here is the good part, I need to do everything that is in my life now, really well. I think it is that simple. By doing things to the best of my ability, I will immediately make a massive contribution to the people and communities around me.
I love it when things are so simple, although it has taken me about 15 years to work this one out! I think I will use the rest of the month to put my new theory to the test.
For many years I have wanted to change my life and do what I am meant to do. The only problem has been that I have no idea what I am meant to do. I do know that I want to add value in some way to society, but that is rather broad and unclear.
Some time back, I made my ‘big’ move, giving up corporate life to go and write a book and focus on my family. It has been wonderful time resulting in an unfinished book (although 16 chapters of good stuff have been written), an increase in my family, a pumping business, good health, low stress levels, and good community involvement. Yet here I am almost two and a half years after my day job and still wondering why I have not found the big thing that will define my life’s value.
For a guy without a defined day job, I am incredibly busy, mainly flitting from one thing to the next. In order to appease my unsatisfied mind, I have committed myself to a wide array of things. This has been my interim measure while I wait for that great inspiration to consume my life. But I find myself not really committed to all of my committments as I have this feeling that they are not the big thing I am looking for, regardless of how valuable they all are.
This Easter, I was struck by the realisation that my life does not need a radical change of direction or the next big thing. Instead and here is the good part, I need to do everything that is in my life now, really well. I think it is that simple. By doing things to the best of my ability, I will immediately make a massive contribution to the people and communities around me.
I love it when things are so simple, although it has taken me about 15 years to work this one out! I think I will use the rest of the month to put my new theory to the test.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
The Ugly Side of Life
Reality is that life outside of my little bubble is incredibly tough. We talk about drugs and crime but there are people who have to live with this stuff every day. They get to walk past known drug dens, see youngsters with things that do not belong to them, and know that they will soon be selling them to fuel their habit. For some people these youngsters are their own children! They understand that these youngsters are on a path to destruction, not only of their own life, but the lives of all around them. And they are completely helpless to change a thing!
Last night I was at one of my monthly meetings and listened in dismay to the stories of one of the men there. The meeting was a pre-school management team meeting and he is one of the members of the team. He was retrenched just over a year ago and has not been able to find work in all that time. He still serves on our team even though his children have all left the school. A desperate man, yet a man with an incredibly positive attitude and a life full of integrity.
His story must mirror that of millions the world over. I can’t help feeling terrible that I cannot do more to help him. Or can I?
He shared a story about meeting someone who is trying to help others break the cycle of drug addiction, crime, and prison that the youth of area seem destined to share. He spoke of this person with amazement and awe. Somebody who has given up their own comforts to try and make a real difference in the lives of others!
I drove home asking myself many questions. Mainly, why am I living such a comfortable life? Is there not something more that I can do to help?
Last night I was at one of my monthly meetings and listened in dismay to the stories of one of the men there. The meeting was a pre-school management team meeting and he is one of the members of the team. He was retrenched just over a year ago and has not been able to find work in all that time. He still serves on our team even though his children have all left the school. A desperate man, yet a man with an incredibly positive attitude and a life full of integrity.
His story must mirror that of millions the world over. I can’t help feeling terrible that I cannot do more to help him. Or can I?
He shared a story about meeting someone who is trying to help others break the cycle of drug addiction, crime, and prison that the youth of area seem destined to share. He spoke of this person with amazement and awe. Somebody who has given up their own comforts to try and make a real difference in the lives of others!
I drove home asking myself many questions. Mainly, why am I living such a comfortable life? Is there not something more that I can do to help?
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