Jen was frustrated with me. We were talking about something that was on going for two months. I was giving her bits and pieces. She asked a question. I'd go back into something I told her about 4 weeks before and talk about that. She asked another question. I fast forward to another conversation we had a week after the conversation that I went back into for the previous question she asked. Then I came back to the present. Confusing! Pieces of the puzzle were all over the … [Read more...]
Just tell the story
June 2, 2012 by
Jen looked at me frustratedly. I sighed deeply, exasperated. We'd been talking for 10 minutes getting nowhere. She cried out, "This is going all over the place. Just tell me what happened!" Another sigh released from me. I went to the beginning of the story. Two months ago, I drove over a ditch left uncovered by a construction crew. It was nighttime. When the car struck the ditch it surprised the shit out of me as felt the front slam thunderously. The rims on … [Read more...]
What will you give?
June 1, 2012 by
Will you give yourself permission to be uncomfortable today? Will you give yourself permission to be more than who you were yesterday? Will you give yourself permission to dig a hole for you to get out of tomorrow? Will you give yourself permission to seek that spark of an idea? Will you give yourself permission put your ideas together? Will you give yourself permission to reveal your ideas to the world? Will you give yourself permission to ignore … [Read more...]
Are you asking for permission or wisdom?
May 31, 2012 by
Instead of asking 'What do you think I should do?" ask someone "How would you go about doing this?" It moves the person you're asking past the decision whether you should or shouldn't. It gives them permission to talk about something they might not do themselves. It gives them permission to imagine a little bit. This stands a better chance of getting their wisdom and insight. You're not looking for permission - well, you might be ... but you already have it (we talked about that … [Read more...]
What do you think I should do?
May 30, 2012 by
What do you think I should do? This is the question I've asked too many times (I still do). Sometimes I didn't ask - but I let people answer for me anyway. We ask this thinking that it will help us when we're trying to decide. It usually won't. We might think we're asking to get a new idea or perspective. But usually, you get an old idea or perspective. We might think we're asking this to receive support and validation. Often we receive neither. This is the question you … [Read more...]
What do you want to leave behind?
May 29, 2012 by
Let's stick with the Lego theme. I've written about building ideas ... ideas are the Lego blocks. Putting the blocks together is the execution. Many of us get caught in the idea trap. Accumulating ideas like a hoarder accumulates newspapers, cats and Elvis plates. The ideas pile up until we're overwhelmed by them. They're everywhere! You can barely walk in your brain because there are so many ideas piled up and laying around. Most of my regrets are about what I haven't done. … [Read more...]
Are you getting caught in the idea trap?
May 25, 2012 by
I remember stepping on the Lego piece with my bare foot. I screamed, cursing. A cubic, sharp pebble cutting into my foot. It hurt! Yesterday, I talked about how building ideas is like playing with Legos. "The ideas are the blocks. Putting them together is the execution." If you're an "idea guy" (or gal), like me, you have a bunch of blocks. They're everywhere! You're tripping on them, stepping on them, staring at them. Are you putting them together? Are you addicted … [Read more...]
How do you win the battle of will?
May 25, 2012 by
I love feeding my girls. They're 7 months old. They don't know what they're doing. It's a socio-science experiment. What will they like? What will they hate? Will they clamp their mouth shut? Will Ellie like one thing and Evie another? Jen and I treat every bite like it's fun and tasty. "Mmmmmm", "Yummmyyyyy", "Yaaaaaaay". We smile. We pretend like we're chewing and swallowing. I learned quickly that it's not about them eating the food. It's about enjoying the experience of … [Read more...]
Are you playing with Legos or with Jenga?
May 24, 2012 by
Building ideas is like playing with Legos. It's not like playing Jenga. Your ideas are the blocks. Putting them together is the execution. The nice thing about Legos ... You can build one thing, take it apart and build something completely different. You have the flexibility to innovate and pivot. You can go back and then forward again. Put your ideas into action. If it's not right, take them apart and put them together differently. Building ideas is not about keeping … [Read more...]
Here today, gone …
May 22, 2012 by
It's easy to get caught up in writing something well. We worry about each piece being laid properly. The concern is that everything else will tumble down if we don't do it right. This presents a problem. You become a slave to the form instead of the servant to your idea. I can always go back and correct the form after the idea is born onto paper (or screen). I can't recapture the thought sparked in the ether that vanished into thin air while I was looking for where to put a … [Read more...]
