No matter if you're working for yourself or for others, you should always be contributing to the maintenance of your toolbox.
Not a literal toolbox, filled with wrenches and socket sets and screwdrivers and hammers and pliers and wire cutters . . . I mean the toolbox between your ears.
What are you filling your mind with?
If you're feeling like the economy is to blame for everything and Washington can't seem to find the right people to take up a post for two or four or six years (or for a lifetime, if you're talking about a Supreme Court justice), then I'd suggest quit watching the news.
If you want to be successful, follow the advice of those who are successful. I've read a lot of books on success, and it really all comes down to a simple formula:
Do something you're passionate about.
Do it with excellence.
Do it well enough over time, constantly excelling and learning, until you're past competent.
Malcolm Gladwell, in his book Outliers, calls this the 10,000-hour rule. He describes the success of the Beatles and Bill Gates (and others) by specifying that once they did something that they were passionate about for roughly 10 years (or 10,000 hours), that they achieved a level of competence that soared them to the top of their game.
What was the last nonfiction book you've read that had an impact on you?
What are you filling your toolbox with?
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Writing Prompt Wednesday- Episode #13
Write a character driving through your hometown for the first time.
What do they see?
Who do they talk to?
Use as many senses as possible. This is a lesson in descriptions.
Happy writing!
What do they see?
Who do they talk to?
Use as many senses as possible. This is a lesson in descriptions.
Happy writing!
Celebrate milestones
Don't be afraid to reward yourself once you've accomplished a goal.
Break your larger goal up into smaller pieces, then celebrate those milestones.
Finish a chapter?
Surpass the 100-page (or 200 or 500 or 1,000) mark?
Surpass 25,000 words?
Great! Then it's time to celebrate!
It doesn't have to be a big thing, like a street parade or taking a week-long cruise. Reward yourself with a little treat, like an hour playing a video game or watching a movie or heading out to your favorite restaurant.
Break your larger goal up into smaller pieces, then celebrate those milestones.
Finish a chapter?
Surpass the 100-page (or 200 or 500 or 1,000) mark?
Surpass 25,000 words?
Great! Then it's time to celebrate!
It doesn't have to be a big thing, like a street parade or taking a week-long cruise. Reward yourself with a little treat, like an hour playing a video game or watching a movie or heading out to your favorite restaurant.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
What's your legacy?
Last week, I experienced the passing of a great mentor.
As I attended the wake this past Sunday, and was humbled by the incredible turn-out, many spoke of this great man and his teachings--which, I may add, is only one half of the team as his wife was just as much an influence as her late husband.
Hour after hour passed with stories being told. In the midst of it, I couldn't help but think of the fine thread that connected us all.
What's your legacy?
What influence have you been to others?
Better yet, what would your obituary say? If it would only consist of a few lines, you've got some word to do.
But for Grand Master Spencer Brandt (and Grand Master Cindy Brandt), their teachings and influence could fill volumes, if not libraries, worth of books.
Start your legacy today. Have a positive impact on the lives of others. Do it unselfishly.
Then, your legacy will turn into a legend.
As I attended the wake this past Sunday, and was humbled by the incredible turn-out, many spoke of this great man and his teachings--which, I may add, is only one half of the team as his wife was just as much an influence as her late husband.
Hour after hour passed with stories being told. In the midst of it, I couldn't help but think of the fine thread that connected us all.
What's your legacy?
What influence have you been to others?
Better yet, what would your obituary say? If it would only consist of a few lines, you've got some word to do.
But for Grand Master Spencer Brandt (and Grand Master Cindy Brandt), their teachings and influence could fill volumes, if not libraries, worth of books.
Start your legacy today. Have a positive impact on the lives of others. Do it unselfishly.
Then, your legacy will turn into a legend.
Monday, March 5, 2012
The Phantom Menace 3D - a unique 3D experience
A few weeks ago, I took my son to see the latest re-release of Star Wars The Phantom Menace in 3D.
The last movie I ever saw in 3D was UP, so that goes to show how long it had been since I'd seen a 3D movie.
The first thing were the previews, one of which was The Hobbit. Another 3D movie they previewed was Wrath of the Titans, a sequel to Clash of the Titans.
Right away, I have to say that I love all of the Star Wars movies. All six take up the top spot for movies, in my opinion. Some of the acting makes me want to shake my head but storywise, they're great.
Now that I've got that off my chest, I also have to say that I watched the movie through rose-colored glasses--3D rose-colored glasses, mind you.
I expected the 3D images to jump out of the screen, lightsabers seeming to swing right past my head and laser blasts to leap from the screen. That wasn't the case. Watching George Lucas's latest 3D creation was mind-boggling. Instead of images leaping out at you, the screen had a depth-perception that felt like I was right in the heat of the battle.
I'd have to watch the "regular" version of Phantom to be sure, but I'm almost positive there are extended scenes and added features in a number of the scenes to add to the depth-perception illusion. In one scene, while our heroes are on Coruscant, the camera angles down and you find yourself looking almost straight down into the seemingly bottomless depths of the city--I actually clutched the sides of my seat because it felt like I was going to fall.
The lightsaber battles were very cool, and the pod races . . . well, you'll have to see it for yourself. Thanks George. Can't wait for Attack of the Clones.
The last movie I ever saw in 3D was UP, so that goes to show how long it had been since I'd seen a 3D movie.
The first thing were the previews, one of which was The Hobbit. Another 3D movie they previewed was Wrath of the Titans, a sequel to Clash of the Titans.
Right away, I have to say that I love all of the Star Wars movies. All six take up the top spot for movies, in my opinion. Some of the acting makes me want to shake my head but storywise, they're great.
Now that I've got that off my chest, I also have to say that I watched the movie through rose-colored glasses--3D rose-colored glasses, mind you.
I expected the 3D images to jump out of the screen, lightsabers seeming to swing right past my head and laser blasts to leap from the screen. That wasn't the case. Watching George Lucas's latest 3D creation was mind-boggling. Instead of images leaping out at you, the screen had a depth-perception that felt like I was right in the heat of the battle.
I'd have to watch the "regular" version of Phantom to be sure, but I'm almost positive there are extended scenes and added features in a number of the scenes to add to the depth-perception illusion. In one scene, while our heroes are on Coruscant, the camera angles down and you find yourself looking almost straight down into the seemingly bottomless depths of the city--I actually clutched the sides of my seat because it felt like I was going to fall.
The lightsaber battles were very cool, and the pod races . . . well, you'll have to see it for yourself. Thanks George. Can't wait for Attack of the Clones.
Friday, March 2, 2012
The only time to open a thesaurus
I have a thesaurus (Roget's 21st Century edition) but I can honestly count on one hand the number of times in a year that I've opened it to look up a word--quite unlike a dictionary, which is a few times a day it seems.
My reasoning is simple: many times the first word that comes to mind is the one I should write. But those rare occasions when I want a word that's like something, but not that exact word, and I can't quite think of what it could be, I consult Roget's.
For example . . . is the word example. Roget's lists some of the following: archetype, case, citation, copy, exemplar, for instance, lesson, ideal, prototype, sampling, specimen, and standard. But if I really want to use the word example for example, then use it.
How often do you use one?
Better yet, do you even own one? Microsoft Word has a thesaurus feature, so you might use that.
My reasoning is simple: many times the first word that comes to mind is the one I should write. But those rare occasions when I want a word that's like something, but not that exact word, and I can't quite think of what it could be, I consult Roget's.
For example . . . is the word example. Roget's lists some of the following: archetype, case, citation, copy, exemplar, for instance, lesson, ideal, prototype, sampling, specimen, and standard. But if I really want to use the word example for example, then use it.
How often do you use one?
Better yet, do you even own one? Microsoft Word has a thesaurus feature, so you might use that.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
The true face of wealth - it's not what you might think
Get-rich schemes are everywhere. And it's not a twenty-first century thing, it's something that's been around for a long time. I fell for just such a scheme (an MLM named Equinox International) in the mid-1990's. I went broke.
The majority of the time, the only ones who get rich are the ones selling it, the ones at the top.
Pop culture portrays success in the youth, glamorizes it to the point where everyone seems to believe that once you've hit the ripe old age of 25, you might as well quit.
Mark Zuckerberg is just one such fellow.
It's not Mark's fault. He just saw a need in the social media, and filled the need. He just happened to make a lot of money doing it.
The reality is that most people who obtain any high level of success are in their late 40's and early 50's. Why is that? Typically, these people spent their earlier years trying out different things until they discovered what worked.
But can success happen after you've officially retired? Perish the thought. Colonel Sanders started his Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise when he was 65, using a portion of his first retirement check to do so.
What are you waiting for?
Do what you were meant to do.
Today.
The majority of the time, the only ones who get rich are the ones selling it, the ones at the top.
Pop culture portrays success in the youth, glamorizes it to the point where everyone seems to believe that once you've hit the ripe old age of 25, you might as well quit.
Mark Zuckerberg is just one such fellow.
It's not Mark's fault. He just saw a need in the social media, and filled the need. He just happened to make a lot of money doing it.
The reality is that most people who obtain any high level of success are in their late 40's and early 50's. Why is that? Typically, these people spent their earlier years trying out different things until they discovered what worked.
But can success happen after you've officially retired? Perish the thought. Colonel Sanders started his Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise when he was 65, using a portion of his first retirement check to do so.
What are you waiting for?
Do what you were meant to do.
Today.
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