Observe Archives - Page 53 of 68

All Creators And No Consumers

Posted on February 22, 2021

Social media content creation is to the 21st century as radio was to the 20th century. It’s early but rapidly growing. Imagine all creators and no consumers.

Now that creating content for social media channels and platforms is virtually no cost, it is within the grasp of the majority of the people on the planet.

This mass distribution method is not only effective in distributing news and opinion, almost anyone can do it. If nearly anyone can do it, well that is interesting.

What if we get to the point where we simply live, post and share it? There is no time to consume content. If we are all mini media moguls, churning out our perspective on the world, the full continuum of thoughts could be represented. But what if we were so busy creating and posting that we couldn’t read the posts of others?

What an interesting world we could be living in.

All creators and no consumers.

Action Observe Reframe your thoughts

The Masses Have Power

Posted on February 19, 2021

This is where we are headed. The internet, when allowed to be used openly, is a great place to build understanding. The masses have power that they are only beginning to realise.

The ability to organise, persuade, speak to and learn from large groups of people has become much easier. Combining the mobile phone, the internet and some curiosity, should create a fascinating mix.

The current mix is in Clubhouse, which I know I have mentioned here before. Anyone not taking complete opportunistic advantage of this simple yet powerful platform is missing out.

It’s new. It’s exciting. And, it’s free to use if you have an iPhone. The power it has given to the regular Joe is quite incredible. Few people have heard of the app and still fewer have jumped on it. He who hesitates is lost, or last in this case.

When you have the power to make groups, solve problems with the greatest minds, cross borders and build a better world, you should move quickly. Few times in life do all the stars align so that you can prosper. So when this happens, you need to strike.

The masses have power. What will they (you!) do with it.

Action Observe Progress Reframe your thoughts

Get Into The Groove

Posted on February 18, 2021

Oh I love that feeling when you’re in that state of flow. When everything is clicking and you’re set to go go go. Get into the groove has a real feeling of being at one with something. It is not just a mid-80’s pop song.

Right now things are going very well. Not much sleep, but a lot of fun and getting a lot of interesting new things done. It is so much easier to glide through a day on little sleep when you are really enjoying things.

It is also easier to push through any challenges. Sometimes they don’t even feel like real challenges.

Getting into this state is not always easy. However, like anything else, with a little practice you can start making it happen more frequently. One of the key insights is to not try too hard to make it happen. You need to let it happen, or flow, naturally.

For me, I know that if I try to slow it down or analyse what I am doing, I make it clunky. So if I am walking with a glass of water and then think I need to be more careful, it can backfire. I can get so caught up in trying to make sure all is fine, that I can then spill it. Strange but true.

Get into the groove. And try to spend more time there.

Action Financial Gratitude Observe Think About It Time

When Do You Take The Hit?

Posted on February 16, 2021

Are you a pain now or pain later person? I know it can be a constant debate in my head. The question always remains, ‘When do you take the hit?’.

Should you cut back on your lifestyle for a few years now to live gloriously the rest of your life? Or should you keep it up and find that 60 comes and goes and you keep chugging along until 70 or 80 years old. It’s your choice. Which will you choose?

It is hard to tell which to do. And it often depends on your mood and the situation. I don’t believe anyone likes to give up the excitement of the now for the potential good later. But if we do not do that, we can find ourselves perpetually working. And that doesn’t sound brilliant either.

I believe sometimes you need to take the hit early on so you can thrive later. The conundrum is that if you get the timing off, there is little you can do about it.

So take it on faith and dial back the lifestyle for a few years while you build your wealth. You will be so glad you did. You may even discover how amazing your life is without all the extras in your life.

When do you take the hit?

Action Observe Reframe your thoughts Time

Firm But Fair

Posted on February 15, 2021

This is one of my favourite sayings. It is a great way to ensure you do your best to treat people the same way as you treat others. Firm but fair means that there is a firmness with which you are ok with because it is based on being fair. I believe it is easier to stand your ground on issues when you know you are being fair.

Sometimes the item to be done is a non negotiable. It really must be sorted out. This is where you need to apply some firmness. This may mean that you appear tougher on your staff or your children.

When you are being fair, it helps to know what is being discussed. Some understanding of how things have progressed to this point can be useful before weighing in on the situation. If one parent has said ok to something, demanding it be otherwise sends a confusing message.

One example of putting this point into practice is when the children are playing video games. It is often easier to extend their time and pretend that it is all fine.

Though the best thing to do is to be firm on the agreed playing time and assist them in transitioning to another activity. If you had agreed up front how things were going to be, you need to be firm in the face of challenge and opposition.

Firm but fair. Stay resolute.

Action Observe Think About It

Discovery Is Quite Exciting

Posted on February 14, 2021

Think of all of the things that have been discovered. Imagine what else could be discovered! Discovery is quite exciting when you stop to actually think about it.

At one point in our not so distant history, it was common to believe that the world was flat. The acceptable view was that the Sun rotated around the Earth.

It is a funny thing discovery. It is always so exciting for the person discovering. They usually feel like they were the first in the world to discover the thing. When touring a flower garden children and adults alike may quickly move from one item to another to be ‘the first’ to discover an item or the notes next to it.

What is crazy is that almost everything has already been discovered. So, very few things are an actual real find for the very first time. At least in everyday life. Under a microscope, things may be a little different.

So there is discovering what and then also discovering how. For example, when jumping off a small ledge, we may discover gravity acting upon us. So the what is the gravity. How gravity works is a much more involved and detailed exercise.

It doesn’t matter if you were first or the most recent finder. Nor does it matter if it is new to you or new to everyone.

Regardless, discovery is quite exciting.

Action Gratitude Observe Progress Reframe your thoughts

My Amazing Future

Posted on February 13, 2021

Can you truly see, in detail, what your life will be like in 5 or 10 years? Does it frighten you to see it or because you can’t? My amazing future should be the theme of your ‘future you’ project.

If you could choose an amazing, exciting, wonderful and lovely future, why would you choose something else? Since you can choose any future you want, why wouldn’t you choose the absolute best future imagineable?

Maybe you have a carbon neutral private jet and an island in the pacific to escape away to. Perhaps you have a Michelin starred chef to cook all of your meals. Your relationship with your partner is astonishingly caring, warm and strong. In addition, you seem to enjoy your everyday to the max, regardless of whether you are at work or play.

You seem to attract great people and situations into your universe. Remarkably, you are wildly comfortable chatting to, and speaking in front of, large groups of diverse people.

You took the classes, read the books, watched the videos and practiced repeatedly over the years so that you could become the person you dreamed of with the life you thought was idyllic.

Remember that my amazing future is as attainable as any rubbish or boring future. So choose very wisely what you will spend your life’s time working towards.

Action Gratitude Observe Think About It

Shifting Your Focus

Posted on February 12, 2021

It can seem odd, natural or fantastic. When you are trying something new, it can be a little uncomfortable. Shifting your focus from one space to another can leave most people wanting a way out.

People make big shifts all the time. It just might not seem like it. We all made a significant shift when we left secondary school. Whether you left in year 7 or after A levels, your next move would have felt like a big one. You may have gone to work, or out as an apprentice or maybe even off to university.

Regardless of where you went, the focus shifted. The standards changed. Your perception of yourself and the perceptions others had of you changed. You might have been considered a school leaver or thought of as university bound. It can be hard to reconcile your new description or tag. Sometimes in life, we won‘t like the description we have been given.

It does not matter though. You need to move on faster, both mentally and in the physical realm. The sooner you can adjust your lenses, the easier you may find it comfortable.

I have been shifting in many ways over the years. From banking, to a corporate role, to a property investor, to a full time Dad, to an author, blogger and now content creator on YouTube. All of these new skills and opportunities.

Shifting your focus can bring lots of excitement into your life.

Financial Observe Property Reframe your thoughts

Good Debt

Posted on February 10, 2021

Some words just have a bad connotation. While others are riding high with positive brand awareness. Good debt straddles the middle.

For some, all debt is bad or evil or unnecessary. That is how it sits in the bad camp. However, those in the know about debt are happy to have good borrowings in their portfolio.

Generalisations do not help. Often as we get closer to the specifics of a topic we split off into different perception points. This is helpful. We can then better understand our position. Ideally we wouldn’t carry any debt for any purpose. Although, a little bit of borrowed money to help build a company, buy assets and get your future flowing, can be a good thing.

It is always interesting to me when people react to the word debt. It is a word many people want to clarify, if they do not condemn it straight away.

Many people have a difficult personal story involving borrowed money. It is not uncommon for people to have been in sizeable challenging positions when they were young. And unfortunately it is usually bad borrowing that they have collected.

I am trying to raise the awareness of debt, both good and bad, money, finances and life options. That is why I host Money Mindset Monday at 10:30am UK time on Clubhouse. My co-hosts / co-moderators are great and people get a lot of value.

In the meantime, get to know good debt.

Action Gratitude Observe Reframe your thoughts Think About It

Help Your Friends

Posted on February 9, 2021

If everyone did a little bit to help people they knew, everyone would be getting some help. Help your friends when you can. You may not be able to assist all the people in town, but you can make a difference to some.

It could be a simple phone call or sending them something you found online. Other times you may need to lend them your car or make room in your house when they visit. Towards the more extreme, you may hire them or let someone sleep on your sofa for a few weeks or months.

We don’t always know which bit of help will be of most use. But it is quite probable that most of it will be.

Life’s challenges can pile up on people. They don’t always know how to ask for things, especially help. Try your best to notice the signs and signals of growing distress. A little intervention at the beginning can be most useful.

Often a few choice words at the right time, with the right intent, is enough. Usually people know what the problem is. More frequently, they know the solution to that problem too. Regardless, any help at the right time can be invaluable.

Be observant, empathetic and kind. And help your friends.