Monthly Archives: October 2013

Overcoming the Hurdle of Impossibility

The greatest hurdle is convincing yourself that what you want is possible. – Author Unknown

I recently read the latest Chip and Dan Heath book, Decisive, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. It is about making better decisions, and one of the book’s first recommendations is Widen Your Options. Think “And” rather than “Either/Or”. Many times that alone makes us creative enough to figure out new solutions.

This quote also reminds us to substitute “Can I?” for “How Can I?” When we assume that something is possible, we can move our energy into how to make it so.

Where are you spinning your wheels to convince yourself to move forward? What if you knew it was a possible and it was just a question of what to do next? What will you do now?

Steven Wright On Having It All

You can’t have everything.  Where would you put it?  – Steven Wright

Of course, as a comic, I have to quote a comic. But more significant than how funny this is, is how true this is. Having everything poses a space problem. More brings more headaches.

This isn’t to discourage you from striving. There is something to be said for dreaming big and thinking beyond either/ or. In that sense, the prospect of having it all is healthy.

On the other hand, accumulating blindly and not acknowledging the costs of your other limited resources (space, energy, attention) is unhealthy. You still want to consciously choose what you want to attain.

For me, having it all means being creative AND making money, having a thriving career AND a loving family, feeling challenged AND getting enough rest.

What does having “everything” mean to you?

 

 

Ralph Waldo Emerson on the Best Day of the Year

Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year – Ralph Waldo Emerson

What if the best day of the year was today? Would you get out of bed early with a smile and childlike anticipation? Would you be on the watch for miracles, big and small, or opportunities to pounce on?

What if you knew the best was yet to come? How much less worry would you feel knowing that things will get better (or even better)?

Why not adopt Emerson’s point of view just for one week? Let me know what happens!

 

Jawaharlal Nehru on the Risk of Caution

The policy of being too cautious is the greatest risk of all – Jawaharlal Nehru, former Prime Minister of India

I’m a personal finance junkie so the first example of this that comes to mind is saving in “guaranteed” rate CDs which provide a guaranteed but low return, but typically does not even grow at the rate of inflation. You don’t risk money on market fluctuations, so it seems cautious. However, you’re actually guaranteed to lose money in terms of your purchasing power due to inflation.

On the career front, I see people stay in jobs or business ventures they aren’t happy with for too long. They can’t afford the risk of losing the income. In the meantime, they also lose the possibility of a better income elsewhere, or at least sustainability and happiness.

What are you missing by not making a move, making a decision, starting or ending something?

Where in your life – career, finances, relationships or somewhere else – are you too cautious?

Is the pursuit of caution actually opening you up to greater risk?