Personal stories and revelations.
People say be present, to live in the moment.
Thanks, but I want to live in the future.
In the moment, I want the second half of that pastrami sandwich.
Two hours into the future, with my belly feeling beyond full, I can’t figure out what the hell I was thinking.
I have an active mind — sometimes too active. On a recent trip to the local Apple Store I got caught up in the elevated buzz that surrounds the release of new iPhones. When I discovered that my iPad was missing from my purse I compounded a cascade of errors in judgement to end up looking and feeling like a fool. Upon reflection, I learned a lot, not the least of which was to not jump to conclusions. Doh!
My car hit 77,777 miles today. Lucky number to hit on St Patrick’s Day.
My dad was always trying to make people laugh, often with corny jokes and bad puns. His standard farewell when departing a social gathering was always, “We’ll see you in the spring if we get through the mattress.” Ba-dump, bump! He often proclaimed that he was on a “see food” diet. Reaching for whatever food…
I am struck by the word “metabolism.” It’s such a great word. It denotes a process in which an organic system transforms inputs and raw materials into energy. Our bodies take proteins, carbohydrates, and fats and transform them into tissue and stored energy. An “increased metabolism” is one in which this transformation process is occurring…
As part of the rhythm of my productivity, I declare a “Theme for the Week” each Monday morning. At a 50,000 foot level, it helps me remember what I deem to be important that week. It’s what I’m working on.
The first Theme of the Week for 2013 is adapted from Steve Jobs. He has been quoted on multiple occasions as having said that the hardest part of good design is saying no to a thousand things. He said that it is not enough to be brilliant in figuring out what goes into your product. You have to be ruthless in paring down and leaving out what doesn’t belong.
It occurs to me that life — and especially productivity — thrives on the same principle.