Monthly Archives: December 2014

Alfred Perlman on Starting Over

After you’ve done a thing the same way over two years, look it over carefully. After five years, look at it with suspicion. And after ten years, throw it away and start all over. –  Alfred Perlman

End of year is usually when people get introspective. Take advantage of that reflection and ask the big question Perlman implies. What do you need to throw away and start all over?

This might be difficult to admit – it could be a relationship you’ve outgrown. It could a belief that is preventing you from making a change or taking a chance. It could be a habit that you do by default.

Make a list of any areas you’d like to improve. Try to think of at least 5 alternatives to take in each area.

Don’t assume you need to more of the same thing.

Richard Sapit on Time and the Trivial

Time has a wonderful way of weeding out the trivial. – Richard Sapit

We’re almost at the end of another year. What did you spend it on?

Did you worry about things that didn’t happen?

Did you complain about slights that no longer matter or problems that worked themselves out?

What do you want to carry over into next year?

What do you want to discard?

 

Barbara Sher on Now

“Now” is the operative word. Everything you put in your way is just a method of putting off the hour when you could actually be doing your dream. You don’t need endless time and perfect conditions. Do it now. Do it today. Do it for twenty minutes and watch your heart start beating. – Barbara Sher

What could you do right now that moves you toward your goal?

Set a timer for 15 minutes so it’s not a big block of time, and just do something. If you mean to do more networking, email people in your contact list that you haven’t connected with in the last 30 days. Do part of that exercise routine you mean to do regularly. If you want to do more reading, pick something up and read as far as you can in 15 minutes.

Stay at 15 minutes for at least a week so you work on consistency and routine and not just duration. You also now build you goal into a daily habit.