Are We Missing The ALLURE Of 'SMALL WINs'?

 

Are We Missing The 'ALLURE Of 'SMALL WINs'?  WHILE this is NOT an earth-shaking thread to talk about, as much as this could be that minor OR petty, WHAT IF this kind of minor OR petty stuff keeps recurring over and over again in our life?  WHEN we are lured to BIG BUCKS.  WHEN we are hostaged to BIG DREAMS.  WHEN we are so focused on anything that's huge and BIG indeed.  WHEREAS those bread crumbs, forget it!@#$%?

Through the years, I did bear witness to people with BIG dreams, with HUGE plans, with BRIGHT goals.  And to be factual, I did see and witness some of them succeed [and obviously, NO one can be stingy in admiring all the efforts they exerted to get to achieve.  BUT alas, I pity those WHO failed to even reach the mark, even at a break-even point.  And for a couple of times, WHEN we did a post-mortem, those SMALL WINs were NOT even a 'talking point'!@#$%?

So, there looms the 'BIG WHY' question? WHAT could have caused their shortfall to successfulluy reach the FINISH LINE on a positive note?  In many narratives, they shared this commonality.  They all DREAMT BIG.  On the surface, I CAN'T blame them with the allure of things that are BIG and HUGE.  BUT let's go back to basics here.  We need SMALL WINs as an incremental success💚💛💜

It's beyond debate that everyone of us, 100% for that matter, celebrate life's BIG WINs.  Graduations.  Marriage.  The first job.  That first pay cheque.  The first brand-new home.  The first car.  BUT again, accomplishing BIG WINs requires many AS IN many small steps along the way.  NO one graduates right after enrolling in the first academic term.  NO one gets his first job by just being laid back, sitting around.  And YES, having your first home or first car is NO mean feat❎❎❎

Our takeaway:  This all boils down to motivation.  Can we agree that we get motivated after a success BUT IF you're angling for that huge BIG WIN as your very focus, WHEN will your motivation get that huge shot-in-the-arm?  That could be donkey years from now, right?  WHEREAS IF you aim for a SMALL WIN now and achieve it within the short-term, your motivation will happen much sooner!  So, ARE WE MISSING THE ALLURE OF 'SMALL WINs' dude???

If 'Plan A' Doesn't Work, There Are 25 More Letters To Go!!!

 

QUOTE If 'Plan A' Doesn't Work, There Are 25 More Letters To Go UNQUOTE [straight from the poster I pasted herein].  WHILE I am neither an Irish NOR a European, I have tidbits of information regarding that historical lesson tagged as the "IRISH MISTAKE", and that was way back 1845 WHEN Ireland bet its future on a single plant, that 'Irish Potato' a.k.a. Solanum tuberosum.  Such that, it grew quickly, resisted the cold and filled the stomachs of millions of Irish.  And for poor families then, it was the difference between eating and going hungry.  And history says that at that time, it looked like the Irish PERFECT PLAN!@#$%?

Sadly, skimming through a bit of Irish history, in a few weeks, a fungus called Phytophthora infestans literally blackened the Iris fields, the plants rotted, the crops vanished.  In a blip, WHAT had seemed like the safest solution in the world became a deadly trap and apparently, more than a million died and another million had to emigrate elsewhere.  BUT the saddest part of this footnote in the Irish history books is that this painful part of the so called Irish tragedy was NOT caused by the fungus BUT simply because there was a lack of variation.  NO PLAN B!!!

Swinging over to our daily lives, WHEN and IF we depend too much on a single thing, be it a crop, idea, plan OR even a person, we will be vulnerable and fragile similar to that Irish fungus WHICH wiped everything out in the Irish fields.  BUT again, this harsh lesson ISN'T just about agriculture.  It reflects in our daily lives as well.  Because all of us, in some part of our own lives, we tend to bet [sometimes] everything on one thing without realizing it.  And like that heartbreaking monoculture historical lesson in Ireland, it will fail and it will fail.  Sadly, that monoculture practice seems to permeate across countries and cultures.  And that dire reality is happening across all social classes as well😡😡😡

So, WHAT's that so called 'monoculture' we got to rethink?

WHEN we come up with a single PLAN to achieve a goal!

WHEN we craft a single approach/strategy to execute it!

WHEN we attempt resolving a problem with one approach!

WHEN we depend on a single person/entity on everything!

Our takeaway:  Doing a LOOKUP from my past years, at times we CAN'T be faulted if we get misguided by [wrongly] hoping and believing on one variable OR factor because in the past, that worked perfectly well.  LIKE as an example, you had a close and trusted buddy WHO always helped extricate you from challenges.  BUT one day, despite all the good faith by your trusted buddy, he may falter and fail in helping you out.  To humbly share with my readership, often I would have [at the very least] 3 PLANs, e.g. A, B and C because there is even that remote probability that both Plans A & B will falter.  YES dude, IF PLAN A DOESN'T WORK, THERE ARE 25 MORE LETTERS TO GO😀😀😀

Chasing Happiness?

 

Bonus question here:  WHO'S CHASING for HAPPINESS? YES, for the longest time, I was that one, constantly chasing for HAPPINESS.  BUT alas, my constant chasing in the past led me at times to misery, ouch.  NOT too late, though, I realized that HAPPINESS is a ghost NOT worth pursuing as we all have far much wiser goals to focus and achieve in life.  WHILE it's true that we all share those basic desires and fears BUT the truth is that, more often, those desires and fears are way more intense.  Perhaps, no desire is more universal than that desire for HAPPINESS, made more concrete and felt more urgently WHEN a person is struggling psychologically.  And WHEN we're hit with it, it can show us WHY HAPPINESS is such an elusive aim for any person☝☝☝

YES dude, if I have to move mountains to convince you that HAPPINESS just CAN'T CAN'T be pursued, I will.  WHAT is NOT so apparent on the surface, though, there seems that looming crisis of meaning in our world today.  I heard it first hand from quite a number of folks that at times, they feel overwhelmed, lonely and at times feeling unfulfilled.  And they admitted that in the course of chasing HAPPINESS, at times they ended up sacrificing relationships, and even their health [WHICH became a mess]💥💥💥

Typical day-to-day challenges we hear are those feeling overwhelmed with financial pressures, drowning under a stack of bills that CAN'T be paid, and stressing about family obligations.  Some would worry that their unhealthy lifestyles have have even led them to a vicious cycle of low energy and sometimes even depression.  In case you're going through any of these, you're NOT alone dude.  Many people are sensing their emptines, that existential vacuum BUT are NOT sure WHAT to do about it.  Sadly, some even turn to drugs and other forms of avoidance and worst of all worse, some would put on a HAPPY FACE😡😡😡 to mask their unresolved issues at hand📗📙📘

More alarming situations I became aware is that some folks would end up withdrawing and postponing living a dull life and although they may NOT be literally imprisoned behind those real barbed wires and steel, many people feel like they are 'prisoners' in their own lives.  And WHAT's our fix for this?  The antidote here is really NOT about that search for HAPPINESS because per se, HAPPINESS is an emotion that is linked to pleasure BUT that's fleeting and guaranteed NOT TO LAST long💥💥💥

Our takeaway:  Through the donkey years when I was the hiring manager, my recurring challenge during those interview phases was to figure out someone WHO should be deeply self-motivated sans those motivations triggered by salary adjustments or promotions because I always know for a fact that those are no less than quick fixes and palliatives that will only trigger spikes in their HAPPINESS [that leads to those spiking self-motivation].  Dude, if you're still chasing for HAPPINESS till now, better NOT.  If it comes, welcome it as a blessing😀😀😀

The Upsides Of 'BORINGNESS'

 

WHY in the world 'BORINGNESS' has been stigmatized?  IF you seem to lead a 'BORING' life.  IF you yourself is perceived as 'BORING'.  BUT WHAT's really wrong with 'BORINGNESS'?  Recently, there is a very convincing argument favoring the hidden joy of a 'BORING' life as studies showed that slowing down is a radical act in this frenzied world very much addicted and succumbing to speed and nothing less📗📘

Sadly, there is still a plurality WHO tend to associate a 'BORING' life with an empty one.  Seriously, it's NOT like that dude.  In fact, I'll ride on the bandwagon and pitch that the opposite can also be true.  NOT to dampen the joy we all relish in an 'EXCITING' life, there is a looming school of thought WHICH says that an 'EXCITING' life can be an EMPTY one instead.  Ironically, we will see that life with full of motion BUT without direction.  A life packed with plans BUT devoid of purpose.  An overflow of oozing energy that seems forced and pressured.  Admittedly, for donkey years, I chased excitement as much as I embraced it.  I would love the 'RUSH', the frenzied changes, that feeling of being 'ALIVE' every minute.  I even cherished my life then as a road warrior, living on a suitcase as I was hopping to my next flight every week.  HOWEVER, over time, I have to admit that I noticed something uncomfortable, something that leads to 'hollowness'💥💥💥

Admittedly, there I was in the midst of things, being hit by that deep fear of boredom and of missing out on something others were enjoying [WHILE I was NOT].  NOW, I have to declare a clean breast of a 180-degree turnaround and admit that today, I prefer CALM [and admittedly, I dread to go back to the pace and speed of life I had the past years].  If I have to summarize my realization now, I'll admit that living a 'BORING' life is incredibly fulfilling inside out😡😡😡

If I observed a favorite 'whipping boy' across cultures through the years, it's the introverts WHO are, at times, tagged and deemed as 'BORING'!@#$%?  BUT WHY are those WHO are interpersonally more reserved are subjected to that kind of undeserving scrutiny and negative attribution at that, as being 'BORING'?  That stereotype of the quiet individual WHO is inclined to privacy being viewed as a 'BORING' person may reflect a push across cultures towards an unbridled extroversion❎❎❎

Our takeaway:  NOT to downplay the joy and benefits of interacting with a 'talker', I do hear around another faction of thought that those characteristics generally associated with extroverts are also considered as attributes of 'BORING' people, such as talking too much, being arrogant self-centered OR self-absorbed.  In fact, an introverted person should NOT be unfairly tagged as having that interpersonal deficit because, that could even be their very strength, as it is beyond debate that they are generally more authentic [NOT to imply that extroverts are NOT] and accepting their introversion should be a boost to their well-being.  YES dude, there are one too many UPSIDES of 'BORINGNESS'💚💛💜

Where's That Digital Exhaustion Leading Us To?

 

Not too long back, once I login to our mainframe-based systems, on average, my unread mails right at SOD [start of day] was averaging 50 mails more OR less.  Those days, I thought that was way too much especially since email platforms at that time were hosted by those large-scale mainframe systems [at that time, IBM was the market-dominant player].  Correlating that backdrop today is like measuring the distances in our work area versus the distances that separate the planetary bodies.  Yup, even emails have a very high saturation rate NOT just in the urban areas.  Frankly, regardless of economic and social strata, almost everyone has an email account.  Oh yes, almost every merchant will entice us to register and subscribe so that we may receive freebies and promo notifications.   So, that explains WHY it's a non-news if I'll make noise that I got hundreds of new mails everyday in my In-box.  NON-news at all dude💥💥💥

A few years back, I was doing the legwork to prepare several of our team members WHO were Japan-bound for a project assignment and amongst many queries, my Japan counterpart advised me to include "LINE" in my preparation checklist.  I thought he was referring to a "POSTPAID PHONE LINE" instead of a prepaid account.  Only to realize that "LINE" is Japan's most popular mobile messaging application.  Ouch.  I thought I was a techie enough and updated enough.  Only to realize that I had a long way to go😕😕😕

Fast-forward to today, WHAT's our typical scenario?  XXX unread messages, tons of notifications [from FB, Viber, Slack, Telegram name it] and to complicate things, you have 3 to 5 dashboards to open with data-driven reports for you to present in the MBR [monthly business review] come next day.  Then, that familiar hollowness sets in😡😡😡

Suddenly, WHAT happens next?  True, we may NOT be experiencing physical fatigue OR literal burnout BUT a distinctly modern form of depletion, experiencing WHAT researches now identify as "DIGITAL EXHAUSTION".  A bit scary here is the fact that unlike that traditional burnout, this so called "DIGITAL EXHAUSTION" is NOT triggered by either poor management OR even toxic culture.  Instead, experts opine that it can 'flourish' even in well-functioning workgroups even led by well-meaning leaders.  So WHAT really is driving "DIGITAL EXHAUSTION"?  Studies show that "DIGITAL EXHAUSTION" is NOT caused by the devices themselves BUT rather, it stems from HOW these devices connect us to information and people in ways that fundamentally challenge our cognitive architecture❎❎❎

Our takeaway: WHAT seems alarming is one key finding in recent researches showing that these    "DIGITAL" technologies fragment our attention in unprecedented ways. LIKE WHEN we constantly shift our focus between emails, spreadsheets chat messages and video calls, our brain must redirect blood flow to different neural regions and stats data show that a typical person makes nearly 1,200 such transitions daily with each transition requiring several seconds [at the very least] for neural retooling.  Experts also claim that these transitions leave "ATTENTION RESIDUE", that lingering activation that impairs our performance.  Oh Oh, WHERE's THAT DIGITAL EXHAUSTION LEADING US TO???

Going The Distance.....

 

Heard being advised to GO THE DISTANCE?  Rarely, right?  Even WHEN a first-time marathoner joins the famed Boston Marathon, rarely he's counselled to GO THE DISTANCE.  NO sirrrs, I'm NOT referring either to that 2010 Drew Barrymore movie.  BUT instead, we'd like to tackle HOW is it GOING THE DISTANCE in our life journey.  Are we on it?  OR do we need some hard-selling for this pitch???

Much similar to the literal marathon races we see, to GO THE DISTANCE in life may seem so simple, akin to just putting one foot in front of the other.  BUT as real marathons and road races have shown, it's crystal clear that it's more than just preparing for those grueling tests of endurance.  Even way beyond crafting a training plan that includes nutrition and stamina!!!

Swinging over to our life marathons, for us to GO THE DISTANCE, it covers amongst others handling muscle fatigue, even mental obstacles and even proactively reducing our vulnerability for potential injury.  Such it is in life as well.  There will be more rough patches than smooth stretches.  BUT the stark reality is a good number of us easily give up way too early in our own life marathons💚💛💜

The thing is, we CAN'T simply wake up one morning and make up our mind that we're in it, in that life-long marathon.  Much akin to the real marathon preparations, our so called training plans in life slowly build mileage day-by-day, week-by-week and peaking WHEN we hit one rough patch after another.  And WHEN that pressure builds up in us, that frequently becomes the TIPPING POINT, WHERE boys get separated from men, WHERE sprinters get differentiated versus marathoners😡😡😡

Our takeaway:  If I may add to the doses of advice by professional coaches, MORE than just the sheer energy + stamina, one ingredient that is a MUST-HAVE is that etched commitment that gets embedded for the long haul, embedding it UNCONDITIONALLY regardless of the roughest waters in the high seas our boat might face.  YES dude, LIFE IS ALL ABOUT GOING THE DISTANCE💥💥💥

LIKE Attracts LIKE

 

NO sirrrrrrs, our thread today "LIKE ATTRACTS LIKE" does NOT make reference to the social media LIKEs many of us have been so smittened, for lack of a better adjective.  Rather, we'd like to dip into the LAW of ATTRACTION, that age-old philosophy that suggests that by focusing our desires and emotions, we can attract similar energy, opportunities and even outcomes and results in our life [regardless if that pertains to health, wealth OR even relationships].  To be clear, the LAW of ATTRACTION is NOT considered to be a scientific law BUT rather a spiritual OR pseudoscientific concept that can be practised through best practices and techniques like positive affirmations, visualization and gratitude📗📙📘

Much as there is nothing scientific with regard the LAW of ATTRACTION, it is the idea that positive thoughts attract positive outcomes BUT this has led to raging debates across forums and podcasts as to WHETHER it is really real?  Experts advise that this is more about psychology and mindset than a magical tool for bringing good things into our life.  Briefly, the LAW of ATTRACTION says that similar things attract to one another.  WHICH means, people tend to attract people WHO are similar to them💚💛💜

This explains WHY, over time, we heard this a zillion of times already:  SAME FEATHERS FLOCK TOGETHER.  BTW, this does NOT just pertain to the physical looks OR material preferences of people.  Look around and if you are aware of people WHO is more vulnerable OR prone to be have a NEGATIVE inclination, it is likely that by natural default affinity, that person will end up associated with NEGATIVE folks too❎❎❎

There is a notion that has been subject to researches that it is impossible to have a completely empty space in one's mind in our life.  Instead, something will always seem to fill up that vacuum, that space in our mind, in our life.  And since something will always fill that space, it is that imperative tp fill that space with POSITIVITY.  On the other hand, it is widely believed that we can always do things to improve the present moment and WHILE it mighy always seem like the present moment is somewhat flawed. rather than feeling dread OR unhappy, we can focus our energy on finding ways to make the present moment the best that it can be😡😡😡

Our takeaway:  So, WHERE do we start as regards this LAW of ATTRACTION?  NO rocket science here BUT listening to all the best practices around:

• Let's be GRATEFUL 
• Visualize our GOALS
• Look at the POSITIVE side of situations
• Detect that NEGATIVE thinking quickly
• Reframe NEGATIVE events more POSITIVELY

Yes dude, LIKE ATTRACTS LIKE [and I'm NOT referring to Meta's FB]😀😀😀

Others RUINING YOUR DAY? Better NOT!

 

Others RUINING YOUR DAY?  Better NOT.  Verily true, developing solid relationships is one of the most important factors to contribute to success, WHETHER individually OR collectively.  And as we progress in life, our own advancement is in direct correlation with our ability to establish and maintain good relationships.  BUT here are the 'pre-planted land mines' in life.  From time to time, WHETHER it's at work, in school OR just in our daily life, we will encounter 'difficult' people.  Problem here is that the definition of 'DIFFICULT' is relative.  For one, a 'difficult' person WHO's serious, WHO's stiff, WHO's rigid.  For another one, being 'difficult' is tagged to someone WHO's so mean, so evil, so divisive, so aggressive, so combative.  So, we can debate WHAT ruins our day but this could cover multiple perspectives☝☝☝

Thing is, we CAN'T control the actions OR attitudes of others, BUT YES, we can control HOW we react and respond to those WHO seem to get under our skin.  BUT this is NOT a lost and hopeless case because even if we just 'google-search' things, many proven ways as countermeasures and mitigations are right within our finger tips, LIKE we should stop talking about HOW miserable peope are because the more you talk about something, the more life you give it.  There is that adage WHICH says 'NO PRESS is BAD PRESS'😡😡😡

As analyst say in unison, AS LONG AS YOU ARE BEING TALKED ABOUT, YOU ARE STILL CURRENT.  And to translate things, the truth of this statement lies in the fact that if people are talking about you [regardless if it's GOOD or BAD], you are taking up their mental energy.  And WHEN someone irritates you, it feels momentarily good to talk about him and for another person to validate your feelings OR for them to 'feel your pain'.  MISERY DOES LOVE COMPANY, hehehe, so you may tend to seek to find anyone for that matter WHO will listen to HOW infuriating you feel that difficult person is and that momentary pleasure of talking about that 'difficult person' only gives your NEGATIVE emotions more life.  Oh Oh, let's put a stop to giving life to misery, just stop talking about that person❌❌❌

As we heard it sometimes, DON'T give others the permission to RUIN YOUR DAY because before you know it, you will end up doomed.  One approach that has been proven quite successful to most of us is to develop solid relationships NOT just good for the short-term BUT for the long haul.  As we progress in our life, it becomes a direct correlation with our ability to establish and maintain good relationships.  There will be times in school, at work OR in life WHEN we will encounter 'difficult' people, and that's for sure!!!

Our takeaway:  Cardinal truth here is that we CAN'T control the actions OR even attitudes of others [NOT even your spouse/partner or best friend BUT certainly you CAN control HOW you react and respond to those WHO seem to get under your skin.  NOT to throw a monkey wrench on your day, I heard of this before: "If Sheryl has a problem with Joe and Sheryl has a problem with Nancy and Sheryl has a problem with Kate, then most likely Sheryl is the problem".  That's the thing.  It's NOT always a given that there's something wrong with others.  At times, it's me OR it's you WHO's at fault.  If frequently you may have a difficult time with people, that may be an area me OR you would need to work on.  At the end of the day, facing up the mirror, recognizing your flaws and rectifying it may be the FIX you can initiate from your end if only to contain or minimize those frequencies when others seem to be RUINING YOUR DAY.  BETTER NOT!@#$%?

Is That 'HUSTLE CULTURE' Flawed?

 

Is that 'HUSTLE CULTURE' Flawed?  Me thinks so.  NOW, here's a giveaway question:  WHO wants to join the big league of business moguls like Elon Musk, Paul Zuckerberg et al?  Surely, everyone wants to come onboard the bandwagon?  Nope sirs, NOT me.  Much as I WON'T refuse to have such war chests running to multi-billions, if you'll ask me that I need to grind my ass and HUSTLE my way up, NO WAY BOUQUET dude😡😡😡

Please DON'T get me wrong.  I'm NOT shoving away the need for us to HUSTLE and HUSTLE because that's a fact-of-life.  WHAT I'd like to tweak, if I may, is the way HUSTLEs are laid out and executed out in our daily life.  True, we love and embrace workaholics BUT if you're clocking out 12 to 15 hours [almost] everyday, that's atrocious to say the least.  BUT if it's an outlier, like it happens once a month, that's fine, right???

Listening out to podcasts and all those online self-help gurus these days, WHAT do we hear?  HUSTLE HARDER.  WORK SMARTER.  GRIND 24/7. Ouch!  Kill it!!!  They make it sound like success is just a matter of willpower, pushing yourself hard and harder and that LIFE OF YOUR DREAMS is within your reach!!!  Seriously???  Sadly, many of us, especially the vulnerable Generations Z and Alpha, would easily succumb towards buying that mindset❎❎❎

WHAT have we been witnessing with our Gens Z and Alpha?  To a lot of surprise, they spend a huge chunk of their waking hours really working towards their ambitious goals, only to find themselves exhausted, frustrated and sometimes unfulfilled.  BTW, HUSTLE CULTURE promises success BUT it often leads to burnout and disappointment.  WHY?  Experts opine that the truth behind zillions of success stories DON'T come from that relentless grinding we hear and bear witness every day.  Instead, they come from something much deeper and much more sustainable spelled "P-E-R-S-I-S-T-E-N-C-E"😀😀😀

Our takeaway:  Much as I went through the ringers of the HUSTLE CULTURE as well, NOT to scare our readership with this simple BUT huge ASK:  As we bear witness to narratives of people we know as some get hit with health issues [with some of them pushed through the edges as things turn from BAD to WORSE], ISN'T it quite safe to opine that, at the very least, around 50% of that population going through their respective health challenges could have some linkage to the years behind them WHEN they succumbed to the HUSTLE CULTURE???

Are You In A 'HOLDING PATTERN'?

 

Are you in a "HOLDING PATTERN" in life?  I remember quite multiple times I was airborne and our aircraft was in a "HOLDING PATTERN" and for a one-off scenario, I remained oblivious as I remained glued either on the infight movie I was so caught up OR my audio playlist just kept me 'hostaged' that long☝☝☝

In real life, we are gently reminded that that HOLDING PATTERN is our state of being in the moment.  IF you've ever felt anxious in your daily life, LIKE you were waiting for something to happen?  BUT you DIDN'T know exactly WHAT that would be anyways?  YES, been there many times, felt it, got it, from time to time in fact, and even as we speak now, sometimes, I do get caught up with that inevitable HOLDING PATTERN but WHAT matters most is that I [almost always] refused to get 'hostaged' even in the midst of those circumstances.  More than that, I realized that was life in stages💥💥💥

Doing a lookup at the dictionary, it says that the HOLDING PATTERN is a 'state of waiting OR suspended activity OR progress'.  Oh yes, at one point in one of my previous flights, I was too conscious of the aircraft taking the opposite direction away and farther away from the airport we're supposed to land.  And at one point, it made me anxious [as I started thinking of those 'worst case' scenarios like 'is the plane being hijacked'], ouch😡😡😡

So, you might retort like "WHAT's THE FUSS WITH THAT HOLDING PATTERN" in life?  Good question.  Generally and by default, that puts us in that 'suspended state', unable to take action [even as it's NOT within our control].  LIKE those flights in HOLDING PATTERN, once the pilot receives clearance to proceed in landing, life then continues NOT only for the pilot BUT for all the passengers on board.  WHAT a relief by then😁😁😁

Our takeaway here is pretty obvious.  THAT is, many points in our lives are all about WAITING.  This seems to go against everything we are taught in life because life is supposed to play out in 'FORWARD-moving' motion like a process for it to keep progressing.  We move FORWARD to grow older.  We move FORWARD as we are educated.  We move FORWARD in our career.  We move FORWARD with our family.  Dude, ARE YOU STILL IN A 'HOLDING PATTERN'???