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Thursday, January 29, 2009

Cross the Rubicon

In 49 B.C. Caesar came to the Rubicon, a small river in Northern Italy. It was the line which no general was to cross unless given special permission by the Senate. If Caesar crossed the river it would be to overthrow the capital and divide the world between Pompey and Caesar. Many lives would be lost by Caesar’s decision to cross the Rubicon. He had explored alternatives, reasoned in his mind, and considered every angle. He made up his mind. He would march on Rome. Caesar said, “The die is cast.” At this moment his deliberation ended and action began.

The phrase “crossing the Rubicon” has been used to illustrate the concept of making a decision and then staking everything on it. Weighing the options, seeking advice, reasoning in your mind, and considering all angles is how Caesar came to the decision. Before this he had a cause and a purpose that needed to be accomplished. He had passion and a need, once the decision was made there was absolutely no turning back.

To carry out a passion one must be willing to cross the Rubicon with no choice of turning back. If a difficult goal is to be accomplished, stake everything on it. Making partial decisions is not an effective habit when trying to accomplish goals. To Quote Confucius, “When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.”

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Learn by Doing

I can remember in my basement room 14 years ago holding my “new to me” black and red, little Sigma guitar. I distinctly recall having the craving to rip out an emotional rendition of “Only in Dreams” but reality was I didn’t have a clue how to play. I began the arduous journey of learning Nirvana power chords; I was spending 10 hours some days sitting there playing “Come as You Are” over and over again. Pretty soon, after a few months of feeling rhythmic and memorizing finger placement I was a rock star. Not really, but I really loved to play. A few months after picking up my black beauty I began to start experimenting with my own songs and herein began a passion.

Now, I didn’t have YouTube (yet to be created) but I did have Dean O Raja, a friend who was always one step ahead on the guitar. He was able to teach me new tricks and songs. Learning by whatever means without doing is learning the WHAT. In this example the WHAT is playing guitar. It was not until I learned the HOW, by DOING. You see listening and doing are connected, sure but not until I started PRACTICING the WHAT did I learn how to play! What to do and how to do it are two different kinds of knowledge and it's tough telling them apart at times.

WHAT TO DO is considered something you may have intellectual knowledge about.

HOW TO DO IT = Instinct or maybe even habit.

When learning how to play guitar my instructions by Death Master Dean were informative and helpful. However, not until I started practicing did my knowledge turn to skill and the excitement of progress started to create a true conversion and instinct. Using the words of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe “Knowing is not enough. We must apply. Willing is not enough. We must do.”

Making a powerful statement and one in which I sincerely believe in I implore your serious contemplation in this eternal truth: our purpose is to learn by doing. Learn humility by being humble. Learn patience by practicing patience. Learn love by loving.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Give Belief

When I performed interviews as a manager I would have my assistant go to the front of the office and walk the interviewee back to my office through the maze of cubicles. On this journey they would be walking by nearly every employee in the branch. This was an unofficial assessment of the masses and was performed regularly. Thinking back to several occasions when, after the interview, I was approached by a current employee warning me of the person with whom I just interviewed. If I were to take to heart the words that were said by the “confidential informer” would I be giving any justice to the new hire? If I were told they were a lazy clock watcher, it would be human nature to consciously or subconsciously give them special attention and make them feel as if I were giving them unfair treatment, smothering them, or possibly micromanaging their work.

Think back to any experience when you knew that your boss, coach, parent, or anyone gave up on you or believed something about you that may not have been true. You may think to yourself now, hey I’d fight through it and it would make me better. That’s not really the case. The truth for most people is: you would doubt yourself. Is what they’re saying true? Why do they think that of me? Already you should see, it’s taking your focus off the item at hand, rather than accomplishing, your mind is full of fuzz. If you don’t believe in someone, be prepared for them to feel this way too!

Okay, let’s go back to my new hire scenario. I could sit back and wait for the facts about the individual; find out for myself what kind of person this is and how they will fit in the organization. This may sound okay at first thought but could prove to be very harmful. Those with whom you want to influence or those with whom you love would lose out on motivational forces that could have been applied. When belief and trust is given, marvelous can be the outcome. Taking time to monitor and assess sounds logical but in looking for results the emphasis should be on motivation, belief, and trust.

When you label someone or assume something of a person you may fulfill a prophecy of your own. People react to how they are treated and they can feel what you believe about them. There is real possibility, and it should be expected that you will be let down at times but that should never have influence on your ability to lead and develop. Appeal to the good in others by showing them of your belief in their abilities. Goethe, the last true polymath to walk the earth wrote: “Treat a man as he is and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he can and should be and he will become as he can and should be.”

Friday, January 23, 2009

Human Nature

Imagine you wake up in the morning without knowing if there’s going to be sunlight or moonlight. Imagine if you were to walk outside and there was no telling if gravity would keep you affixed to the ground or if you were to jump you would just keep going. Imagine when the farmer plants corn that there’s a chance it will produce alfalfa. Without law, more difficult would be our existence. Luckily, we don’t live in a world governed by chance, our existence and world is based on laws and order.

Natural law has produced commonly known knowledge, an example of which is that of the freezing point. Take for example water, when it reaches 32 degrees it freezes. If you were to add 20% salt to it the freezing point changes to about 2 degrees above zero. Never will you see influence or opinion change the truth of this natural law.

Natural law and the law of human nature have distinct similarities. It’s important to note that human nature and the laws governing such should be respected the same as that of the natural law. To respect these laws is to work for accomplishing the good they can produce. Human nature is complex. Emotions, passions, and reaction to circumstance may have outward characteristic differences but not to be fooled, human nature is governed by law.

There is law taught across language, religious view and continent which is read: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Opinion and influence will never have power to change this law. As you give respect, you will receive respect. As you give, so shall you receive. Combine this law with the law of the harvest, in that a man will reap what he sows. Greater will be your happiness and more far reaching will be your success. You could have influence and reap a greater reward if you abide by these laws. We are all governed by this, it becomes your choice in which direction it will take you. You will either reap a reward of choice or reap a consequence from your actions.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Self Control

As markets are turbulent and job security for millions hangs by a thread, we tend to be more adept to recognizing all the problems surrounding us. There are many examples of this right now: should I make a career change or prepare in case of a loss of employment; should I put money away in savings or pay down debt; should I improve communications with loved ones; how do I get ahead at work; how do I reach out to my children? The list could be endless and now you may have in mind something that may be affecting you.

The first thing you’ve done is recognized some problems you currently have. Now, if you’ve listed more than one, we will need to discover if these items were in your control and were affected by decisions you can or have made, or if they were in your indirect control, including others behavior or attitude, or finally, if you had or have absolutely no control of the outcome.

Now it becomes your responsibility, if you desire, to change an outcome or have a better ability to solve problems, you first must change yourself. If you have a problem that’s something in your control, you must begin immediately to solve it! If you’re problem is the economy and possible job loss, get moving on researching possible moves or education needs. If you’re trying to decide whether or not to pay off debt or save, seek advice from financial help sources. If you want to lose 20 pounds, get a gym membership and GO, often. Of these items that you control you will need to dedicate habits of thinking then doing.

If you have problems including others’ behavior and or actions, your problems need to be owned, you have an issue and you need to direct your mind to habits of self-control. Understand those with whom you are trying to have influence over and forget self. Preparation and not reaction will reap the greater reward. Cooperation, dedication, loyalty, love, respect, honor are all achieved when earned.

If you find that your problem is completely out of your control it becomes your responsibility to prepare for the outcome by preparing your attitude. If you look for outward solutions you will fail, the solutions to your problems must be borne from within. If outward circumstance cannot be controlled you must adapt and prepare with the correct attitude, your attitude and perspective will always be in your control.