Action Archives - Page 116 of 124

Doing What We Know

Posted on June 24, 2020

It may not always be good for us but doing what we know is often comforting. We have ingrained habits and neural pathways that make the familiar easier to do.

This would be fantastic news if we all had fabulous habits from our youth. However many people develop some coping mechanisms, or a few poor habits, when they are young. Development really depends on so many things.

The good habits, and the associated neural pathways, can be great if we’ve stumbled off our path. It makes it easier to get back to our previously efficient, focused and productive selves. Knowing we’ve done it before makes it easier to do again.

Although, it is also important to note that if you have improved various aspects of your life, you need to be careful not to slip into unproductive old ways. This is especially important if those older ways were unhelpful or destructive.

Some old habits, like eating, smoking, gambling and drinking can really disrupt our lives if relived with enthusiasm or without thought.

Another category is simply those little things we enjoy doing but that have minimal impact on our lives. An example of this is flopping on the sofa and listening to a few favourite tunes from younger days. It’s just something you enjoy doing and you know you’ll feel better after it.

By doing what we know, we can improve our lives or have it spiral downward. It can be a constant battle or our saving grace. Though eventually, you can make the good habits a part of your life. By continuing to overwrite our old programming, we can minimise the chance of back sliding.

Action Reframe your thoughts

Leave Everything A Little Better

Posted on June 19, 2020

Wherever you go you are likely to find little things that aren’t perfect. Leave everything a little better when you pass through.

Some simple things can make a nice difference. For example, I’ll pick up pieces of litter if there are one or two items on a trail, in a park or on the street. I prefer not to see it there in the first place. But now that I have, I’ll remove it. Then, the people coming after me can have the natural experience I would have wanted.

If you borrow something, like a friends car, fill the tank or get a car wash before returning it. It’s a nice thing to do for them. This is especially true if the tank is low or you can write or draw in the dirt.

If a tree branch has fallen on a path, move it completely out of the way. Most people who pass by after will appreciate it. Some people might have preferred the adventure in scrambling over, through or around it. Though, many hikers like to simply hike and not play tree-branch Twister.

Sometimes it is just a simple thing like adjusting a pillow, shifting something, or returning a tool a little cleaner or sharper. Every little act of improvement will have a knock on effect and bring greater joy. Whether that joy is experienced by people you know or not is fine.

How nice it would be if all people could pay it forward and leave everything a little better than we found it.

Action Reframe your thoughts

Use All The Ink In Your Pen

Posted on June 15, 2020

If you care about the environment and the impact that you have on it, start doing something simple. Use all the ink in your pen.

Use up the resources that you buy. We donated a lot of pens and pencils a few years ago to the local school and charities. We have found / acquired a few more since then. Many are half used. I’m on a mission to use up the remaining ink in those pens and then recycle them as possible.

Some pens we would donate to the school but I am not sure whether they will take them at this time. I’ll have to check.

And although we don’t have a lot of excess things tucked away in drawers and cupboards, we are going through everything at the moment. I’ve become mildly obsessed with removing things that are no longer being used or not useful to us.

We encourage the children to pass things on that other children might enjoy. And those items we do keep, we tend to use them intensely until they are so used up they need to go into a recycling program or the rubbish.

I know many retailers need us in their shops (or browsing their online shops) right now. Definitely spend when you can on things that are required, especially in smaller shops. But also try to use up, donate or recycle all those things you already have.

Use all the ink in your pen. The planet will be better for it.

Action Think About It

Don’t Let The Referee Decide The Result

Posted on June 13, 2020

I like this as a life lesson for all circumstances. I use it with my kids often. In the context of sport, don’t let the referee decide the result, means play so well that a few unfavourable calls won’t matter.

As a rugby coach of 13 year old boys, I have occasionally heard players, from both sides, comment on the reffing standard in a match. These types of comments can sometimes come from adults too when they are playing or watching sport.

My simple response to people is to play better and play harder. Outwork and outthink your opponent. Score many more points than the other team. Then, if a few calls don’t go your way, it won’t matter.

Play so well in every aspect of life that the ‘referee’ that observes your performance can only reward you with a win. Yes, it means practicing more and playing at a higher level at all times. That is fine, because excellence is a worthy habit to strive toward anyway.

Whether it is at work, in a relationship, driving your car, parking or paying bills, etc., don’t let things get so close that a third party can impact the outcome.

Train with enthusiasm and harder than you would play in a game. Then play the game so well that you win convincingly. Don’t let the referee decide the result.

Action Reframe your thoughts

Spend Today Only Saying Good Things

Posted on June 11, 2020

Are you a cynic? Are you adept at finding the problems with things? My challenge to you is to consciously spend today only saying good things.

You may not want to read your favourite paper today. It might make the challenge easier. Frequently news outlets and social media will highlight the negative, so you wouldn’t want to get primed by that in the morning.

Each time you go to speak today, check your intent and the sentiment you were about to express. When your spouse speaks, or your child, parent, friend or coworker, pause and be sure to frame your comment in the positive.

You could try using one of the following: ‘I appreciate that observation’ or ‘How kind of you to notice’ or ‘You’re looking very fine this morning’. In addition, you could make up some good comments yourself and use those.

If you spend today only saying good things, you will create a ripple effect in the universe. Some of those good words will help others feel positive and say good things to more people. This will spread out and more people will feel good and encouraged.

Wouldn’t that be nice.

What will you do with this knowledge and power you possess? Do you really want to make a difference in the world? It’s something so simple to start with and is within your control.

Go ahead, make their day!

Action Time

Timing Is Everything

Posted on June 10, 2020

Every minute of life is like a slowly changing, large combination lock. Timing is everything. You need to get the right numbers, in the correct sequence, at the right time.

In life’s combination lock, the correct code keeps changing, similar to the Enigma machine. Even if you get the correct numbers and right sequence, if the timing is off, you don’t get to unlock the rewards.

Although, if you start paying attention to the people that have deciphered the code, and you follow it, your likelihood of success will be greatly magnified.

Timing is everything. I am sure you can relate. Maybe you have arrived at a shop as they were locking the doors, or snuck into your classroom just before the teacher turned to face the class.

There seems to be good and bad timing, but it is simply timing, nonetheless. The universe is indiscriminate.

Do your best to be your best as often as you can. Life can be a real numbers game. You never know when all the stars will be aligned and you will hit the jackpot.

Just make sure you are in the game, doing your best and learning to do better. The more you practice the more fortunate you will become.

Action Progress Time

All The Information Exists Already

Posted on June 9, 2020

We can read about success. We can read about failure. All the information exists already and can be quickly and easily found.

I have found this information in books, videos, movies and magazines. You can also hear about it on podcasts and watch it on YouTube.

It is truly amazing what life changing information, tips, philosophies, examples and opportunities you can find if you simply start looking.

Now it helps if you can look with your eyes open and can ask good questions. With Google, you’re first question can even be mediocre. However, by your third search, you could have found what you originally wanted. Often times, I will even find things that were better than what I started looking for.

It helps to have access to the internet or a library. It’s free to get a library card. And once there, you can read books, borrow them (physical, online or In audio format) and in many you can access the internet for free.

It’s up to you to decide what you tune into though.

For example, if you watch scary movies and have nightmares, perhaps you should stop watching scary movies. Assess whether the content you’re consuming is making you a stronger, better person or not.

If you spend your time consuming media, social media and friends’ chats, you may find your opportunities diminishing. It might be fun or distracting, but you’re unlikely to be getting closer to the real results you want.

All the information exists already to get you on the road to your dreams. You just have to go find it and use it. With that knowledge and a little effort, you can achieve anything.

Go change your life now!

Action Reframe your thoughts

Get The Basics Done First

Posted on June 8, 2020

It is so easy to put things off till later. We try to instil in the kids to get the basics done first. Once these basics are done, then the free time can begin.

The basics might mean schoolwork, homework, tidying up, cleaning up, chores, calls to family, fixing stuff, reading and other things. I find kids are sometimes fine with jumping over the basics and getting straight to the fun stuff.

Kids can be happy with skipping the chores and then later they will think nothing of requesting ice cream or a movie. I have to say though, a lot of times adults are the same. I can relate to this as sometimes I see through the work to the rewards too quickly.

Of course this is all contextual as well. If this is the fifth day in a row of getting the work done, the urge for an ice cream or a movie break may be stronger. Some might say overwhelming.

If you get the basics done first though, it can feel good and even save you more time later.

Remove as much stuff from your life as you can. Each day, try to reduce what you have or have going on in your life. It makes it easier to focus on those key items that will make a difference in your life.

Then you will get those key items done faster and easier and you’ll get to the fun bits quicker. Book a 30 minute ‘quick clear’ today. Get moving!

Action Progress

We Need More Jaime Escalantes

Posted on June 6, 2020

Ordinary people committed to extraordinary results. Passionate, committed change makers with a drive and purpose. We need more Jaime Escalantes.

We need more people willing to work harder to drive monumental change. In addition, everyone should be taught to expect more of those that are capable. That is to say, expect more from those that the change makers could impact.

For those that don’t know Jaime Escalante, he was a Bolivian who taught calculus in East LA from 1974-91. In his first calculus class in 1978, he taught five students. Of those five, two students passed the AP calculus exam. By 1990, his mathematics enrichment programme had more than 400 students in it.

I find this fascinating. The movie, Stand and Deliver, is a tough but uplifting account of his troubles and triumphs. I first saw it in the late 1980’s and thought it was brilliant. Since then, I have thought about it often and it still gives me chills. Discovering that he retired to Cochabamba, where I lived for a spell in the 90’s, makes me feel even closer to his story.

Jaime gave his students a vision, a goal and a plan. He then pushed them along a new trajectory for their lives. It was hard work for everyone but it would give the students an opportunity to dramatically change their lives.

We need more people, teachers and other passionate advocates of change and excellence, to help people stand and deliver.

We need more Jaime Escalantes

Action Reframe your thoughts

Build People Up Whenever You Can

Posted on June 3, 2020

Doesn’t it make sense to build people up whenever you can? There are so many instances where people go negative, generalise and put people down. It really seems unnecessary, unproductive and unkind.

We have a loose rule in our house that you can only build people up. Negative banter is discouraged and is called out with a reminder to build up.

This idea builds on a concept I grew up with. I recall hearing my Mom or Dad, or other parents, saying, ‘If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all’. Similarly, we just say, ‘Build up’. It is a quicker version with similar intent.

People could use a little encouragement. It doesn’t take much to lift the spirits and chin of another person. As a result, the person will walk taller, and that is wonderful to see.

The knock on effect is wonderful too. They are more likely to be positive and enthusiastic, confident and proud. This in turn might find them doing something similar for someone else. What a fabulous ripple effect.

The kids catch me and I catch them. It’s usually just a gently nudge or reminder to build up.

There are still so many times that people let their impulsive, reactive frustrations or their nasty side win the battle for control of their mind. It doesn’t need to be that way. And, ‘I was joking’ isn’t acceptable as it didn’t land.

Practice building people up today. Pay a compliment to someone. Congratulate them on a small win. Hold yourself back from the easy put down. Encourage someone in the area they are trying to improve in.

You’ll both feel tremendously better for it. You’ll be smiling.

If you want to see incredible change in the world, start doing this often, from today.