Let People Be WHO They Are

Let People Be WHO They Are

Awhile ago, I was streaming the Netflix docu on Aaron Hernandez, the recognized NFL Patriots football player whose star just skyrocketed.  As much tragedy that docu ended, the human side of things showed us that he had a girlfriend and a daughter.  BUT apparently, that is NOT the end of the story because WHAT unfolded in the docu was his sexuality hitherto even his girlfriend was unaware of.  Indeed, Let People Be WHO They Are📗📙📘

Alas, the men he got entangled in those 'gay' relationships WEREN'T even aware at those times that they were in such relationships.  BUT in unison, they quipped, LET PEOPLE BE WHO THEY ARE'.  In life, we may have partners OR spouses BUT we will realize that he/she is different from me and you.  The way of dealing with things will be DIFFERENT.  The methods of handling and fixing an issue could different between two people💦💦💦

Like for a problem at hand, you OR me would prefer to immediately 'attack' and fix that problem.  Someone else could advise you OR me to take a walk for a while.  So, our ability to be true to ourselves and different from someone else WHILE still remaining connected creates a paradox, one that generates great freedom.  Many of us believe that to have connection with someone else, we have to be the same???  Unfortunately, this approach will limit us in relationships because each person is unique.  BUT we are NOT the same as anyone else, even if you were born twins.  Sadly, many relationship fights are about the struggle for each member of the couple to be themselves💧💧💧

Let's face it, in these struggles, we often look at the other person as the enemy [much as you WON'T admit it].  Many of the worst struggles take place WHEN we have similar longings BUT different methods OR approaches.  Let's run a reality check here.  WHEN we first meet someone we like, OR WHEN we fall in love, we are willing and able to let the other person be themselves.  YES we re curious about about the other person and we want to get to know him OR her.  We may see some limitations BUT at that point in time, we are willing to overlook them, because we see the appealing characteristics💥💥💥

Now, reality kicks in WHEN later in the relationship, we may become more critical of the other person's limitations.  We then see those flaws as seemingly harmful to us.  And while some characteristics really are harmful, I'm referring as to how we 'surrender' ourselves to the other person's limitations.  This then creates that unexpected conflict because we expect the other person to change to make us happy.  BUT that leads us 'OFF TRACK' because our takeaway is that we should LET PEOPLE BE WHO THEY ARE😃😃😃

Why VISION Tops Them All

Why VISION Tops Them All

Less often but still happening, we are sometimes asked:  WHY ARE WE HERE?  And... WHERE do we see ourselves in life?  YES, we are all here with a specific purpose BUT what helps us move and direct our purpose is our VISION.  So, Why VISION Tops Them All?  For multifarious reasons, VISION gives us direction and a glimpse over our life to make our goals and purpose come into fruition and become realities📗📙📘

With that VISION, we expect our purpose in life to be that crystal clear and expectedly, life becomes simpler and meaningful [as long as you stick to that VISION].  Indeed, it is important to have a VISION and purpose because it actually controls and makes our decisions, which ultimately creates our lifestyle💦💦💦

Do we know that VISION chooses our friends?  Heard of that cliche, TELL ME WHO YOUR FRIENDS ARE, I'LL TELL WHO YOU ARE.  Fact is, people are attracted and spend time with people WHO have VISION and WHO are disciplined in their VISION.  We normally DON'T hang or associate ourselves with people WHO DON'T know WHERE they are headed in life, at least NOT for too long because of the time that is being wasted.  And let us be honest that it is [quite] mentally draining and frustrating being around people WHO DON'T understand WHERE they want themselves to be OR HOW to get there.  And when I come across them first-hand, I commiserate with them💧💧💧

One of the greatest thing about VISION is, once you realize your VISION, you will slowly detach yourself from people WHO you can perceive as NOT fitting into your VISION and instead, you will align with people WHO do.  Truth is, no one will be able to fulfill one's PURPOSE alone because one's purpose is bigger than oneself at the moment and that is the intended purpose.  And the great thing about PURPOSE is, it will benefit and help you in your room to learn and grow in your PURPOSE and in your VISION as well✅✅✅

Our takeaway:  If there's one surprising consequence of VISION, it is the fact that VISION decides HOW we spend our time.  Those we spend our time are, generally, connected to our VISION.  IF our VISION is that important to us, the time we spend pursuing it will reflect it.  This principle is quite simple enough BUT since it is this simple, sometimes we tend to make it complicated.  In essence, your crystal-clear VISION can be your "TIME MANAGER", cajoling and reminding you NOT to waste your time on activities and people NOT aligned with your VISION.  This explains WHY VISION TOPS THEM ALL💥💥💥

NEVER Sprint A Marathon

NEVER Sprint A Marathon

Up front, I have to apologize because to say "NEVER Sprint A Marathon" is to borrow one of the most-quoted one-liners.  Drake sings it, Dr Phil claims to have invented it, and in almost every company event, it gets preached.  Oh yes, you could have said it before [I did it few times] OR someone has used it on you.  Having said that, please allow me to say it again:  NEVER Sprint A Marathon📗📙📘

Yes I'm guilty of seemingly over-using this one-liner through the years and from a surface-level understanding, the sprint and marathon distances do vary in length and obviously, the marathon significantly takes more time than a sprint.  And that's exactly what life is all about.  As much as marathons are really damn hard, our 'marathon in life' is a mental rollercoaster that echoes HOW I felt WHEN I was about to start a daunting [sometimes a high-profile] project💦💦💦

With life being a marathon, this poster is 'spot on'. SPEED is NOT even a top criterion because what is expected from us is endurance, NOT speed.  Once you are into that marathon in life, you can sometimes feel unstoppable for miles and miles, and then, out of the blue, your legs could just get stalled and stop.  And at some points, you could be cruising and there will be moments in life WHEN you wanted to pull yourself out of that marathon. WHEN you do complete a particular marathon, you would realize that you did cross the FINISH LINE but at the back of your mind, you're evaluating WHAT you could have done differently.  And that's WHEN a post-mortem is a must-do✅✅✅

BUT even after you have successfully completed one particular 'marathon in life', you would learn quickly that the actual race was only a very small part of the entire process.  A must-do before we embark in any 'marathon in life' is crafting a PLAN.  Thing is, a PLAN ISN'T always the answer for everything in life BUT having a roadmap and setting stretch goals always helped me in the past to gain clarity when mapping things out😀😀😀

Our takeaway:  Throughout your 'marathon journey', you would be gasping for air, energy and sometimes you would stumble and that's fine BUT learning HOW to get out of these LOWs in everyday life is critical.  BUT here's a glimmer of hope.  Those LOW periods WON'T last forever.  Recovery is just important and more importantly lest we forget, the 'marathons in life' are NEVER easy, NOT a walk in the park either💥💥💥

Are You Following The Crowd?

 Are You Following The Crowd?

It's so damn hard to stand out from the CROWD right now BUT understanding WHY will and should help us be our own boss.  Question now, Are You Following The Crowd?  Anyone here WHO used to go to school wearing the same sneakers as his/her friends?  OR those school days WHEN we brought to school our packed meal.  And WHEN one person brings a certain food, it catches on, and suddenly everyone is bringing it.  Sounds familiar???

Psychologists have long studied HOW being part of a group, WHETHER that's your closest crew OR a crowd of strangers, influences your behavior.  Psychologists term these scenarios as that HERD MENTALITY.  And WHILE the way it guides your preferences for shoes and snacks may be harmless, understanding its roll in big decisions can be lifesaving📗📙📘

WHY?  Because a body of research shows that teens take more dangerous risks, like driving recklessly, trying drugs, WHEN they're part of a group.  We have to admit that through the years, it seems we have been conditioned to think of PEER PRESSURE as taunting, like "DO IT!' or 'YOU'RE A LOSER IF YOU DON'T'.  BUT psychologists warn us that the most dangerous kind of PEER PRESSURE is the influence you DON'T really notice.  Psychologists highlight PRIMAL INSTINCTS wherein humans are social animals and much like sheep, we are driven to travel in packs😌😌😌

To do a lookup with our history, apparently in ancient times, being part of the group gave us that 'EVOLUTIONARY ADVANTAGE', that is, if you're a straggler, you might NOT survive the onslaught of an enemy's attack.  Substitute it to a clique of mean upperclassmen in the cafeteria for giant cave lions in the wild, and you will get that idea, surely.  It's still safer, even in our present day, civilized society, to surround yourself with serious backup.  BUT things DON'T stop there though.  As a teen, we have to admit that we were susceptible [I'll rather call it VULNERABLE] to that HERD MENTALITY.  From an expert's perspective, the section of our brain involved in decision-making is still developing WHILE the part linked to social activity is 'super active'💧💧💧

Our takeaway:  A bit perplexing about PEER PRESSURE because we can defend it and say, like, NO ONE IS PRESSURING, which is almost always true BUT the thing is, when everyone's just doing it because everyone else is.  And I have NOT doubt that if the majority of people WEREN'T drinking, that WOULD catch on too.  WHICH brings me to an important self-test:  If you're feeling a strong drive to copy the crowd at a party, pause for five seconds, step outside, run to the bathroom, whatever, and get in touch with your inner instincts.  WOULD you still be doing this if NO one else was?  Thing is, much as it makes sense to follow our inner instincts, we are NOT handicapped to stand out in the crowd if need to, standing for WHAT we personally advocate and NOT because of the crowd💥💥💥

Scams Are 'ALIVE & KICKING'!!!

Scams Are 'ALIVE & KICKING'!!!

SCAMS as a thread may seem worn out OR too stretched.  BUT Scams Are 'ALIVE & KICKING'!!!  While most people are aware of SCAMS targeting their personal detail, banking information, OR even cash, some believe they are too knowledgeable to fall victim to SCAMMERS, be it through email, SMS or phone calls.  Increasingly, however, SCAMMING methods evolving.  And these days, SCAMS can leverage artificial intelligence, deepfakes, and the ever-changing digital landscape📗📙📘

Even people as savvy as financial advisors and techies have recently admitted to being tricked into handling over tens of thousands of monies to someone pretending to be someone [to WHOM they will smoothly fall prey to].  BUT you might challenge me like, SCAMS ARE NOTHING NEW and you are correct.  Thing is, different types of fraud and tricks have been used by unscrupulous people for thousands of years.  In this modern era, however, the anonymity of the internet allows SCAMMERS to distance themselves emotionally from their victims, and it's become much easier for them to perform their tactics with success💧💧💧

Allow me to share first-hand SCAMS which I personally experienced.  Last month, I received a phone call from a mobile number NOT in my phonebook, which call I consciously accepted.  And at the other end of the line was a sweet-talking lady [YESSSS, they will choose the best audio to lure especially men!@#$%?] WHO first asked to confirm my full name which I confirmed and then she moved on to her spiel💥💥💥

She then asked me to confirm if I was the account holder of a specific account from one of my bankers, to WHICH, I confirmed. Next thing was, she was asking me to go to my bank branch for reconfirmation of my account.  That confirmed my doubts because through the years, I was NEVER required by any banker to personally go to my bank branch to renew OR reconfirm the validity of my account.  You might ask, HOW can I get scammed if I said to the caller that YES I'LL GO to my bank branch.  To me, that's just her 'OPENING LINE'  Once I acquiesce to her INVITE, surely the next thing is, she will lure me into something that will push at least one of my feet out into the frying pan, ready for her SCAM tactic❌❌❌

Our takeaway:  Be super-duper wary of SPOOFING.  Just last week, I was driving, I received an SMS from a sender reflecting the valid and correct name.  The SMS advised me that my rewards amounting to 3,501 was about to expire "TOMORROW".  First thing I did, I called my telco provider and I asked them to reconfirm that SMS.  Alas, they admitted that their SMS Server was 'SPOOFED' which they're currently investigating.  Lesson here, DON'T take things at face value.  Call your banker, service provider and BY DEFAULT, every unsolicited message should be diligently scrutinized.  SCAMS ARE ALIVE & KICKING dude!!!

Reinvent Our Self? WHY NOT?

Reinvent Our Self?  WHY NOT?

The old cliche tells us:  WHY FIX THE CAR IF AIN'T BROKE.  Very very true.  BUT I'll play devil's advocate here.  If we take that cliche literally, that's very true, if the car is running smoothly, DON'T even tinker with it.  BUT IF we step out of that car stuff, IF we talk about life, just because you're eating your three meals just CAN'T justify that you keep and retain the status quo.  In fact, the question is WHY settle for the status quo?   Reinvent Our Self?  WHY NOT???

Let's face it, in life's journey, there comes a time WHEN the path we're on may NO longer serve us, prompting a deep, internal call for CHANGE.  And REINVENTING yourself is an empowering process of transformation that allows you to align your life with your true desires, passions and values.  WHETHER you're at the crossroads seeking a new direction WHEN you breach mid-life OR simply wishing to improve on, REINVENTION is a courageous step towards living a life that truly reflects WHO you are OR aspire to be💧💧💧

You might ask, WHAT is it for us to REINVENT our own self?  YES, you might feel the call to REINVENT yourself at various points in your life, maybe after a significant life event, WHEN you've achieved a major goal and are unsure WHAT comes next.  Way back, that exactly was my situation.  I was an I.T. Manager then of one Fortune 500 company to another.  So, I asked myself, is this fine when my career seemed to have plateaued?  Of course, I said NO, NOT acceptable❎❎❎

So, WHEN I hit that crossroad in my career, I kicked myself hard from behind and challenged myself that I was NOT that person built to laterally hop-in and hop-out [akin to those Hop-in Hop-out tourist buses].  I told myself, I deserve more than this.  And I did remind myself that I am capable and equipped with skills going alongside that breadth and depth of work experience, enough to propel me to loftier goals, to greater heights [although the catch is, I needed to reinvest all my time, effort + focus all over again❗❗❗

Our takeaway:  Allow me to grab this quote from this poster.  YOU'RE NEVER OLD TO REINVENT YOURSELF.  Yes, REINVENTING yourself involves a comprehensive CHANGE in your life.  And that may impact your personal life, career OR both.  It's about making significant alterations to your lifestyle, habits OR outlook on life to align more closely with your values, dreams and goals OR even your outlook on life to align more closely with your values, dreams and goals.  WHEN do you REINVENT yourself?  I'll throw that question back to you because you got to grapple with an informed decision, very much part of your judgment call💥💥💥

When You Need A JOLT In Life

When You Need A JOLT In Life

All year-round, we have tons and tons of reasons [a.k.a. excuses] NOT forging and moving forward with a plan [that was cooked up much earlier].  Beef that up with birthdays, anniversaries, celebrations, you have the perfect recipe to slow down and sometimes pull the brakes.  BUT at some point, we would realize that our in-transit pauses need to be unlocked because we got to buckle up, kick our ass hard and grind hard like 'DAWGS' from the kernel.  So, When You Need A JOLT In Life📗📙📘

BUT again, sometimes, life rushes us.  There's barely enough time to fit all of WHAT we need to do in.  And invariably, something suffers.  WHILE  there's a long term fix required on WHETHER we should continue being rushed, life is NOT about that.  Instead, WHEN we get rushed, WHAT suffers is our health, period.  And YES, all of us know WHAT to do.  And if you think you are being held back because you DON'T know WHERE to start, that's NOT true at all💧💧💧

YES we know the obvious ones.  Sleep well.  Exercise daily.  Eat more veggies [and LESS junk].  YES we all these.  WHAT happens is we let ourselves be swept up by life and its events.  We then end up eating WHATEVER is convenient, WHATEVER is quick, and WHEN our brains are frazzled by one too many decisions.  This means we would end up in poor choices instead of eating the high-quality food our body needs💥💥💥

YES, lacking the time even for the most modest daily exercise could be another side-effect of being 'TOO BUSY'.  Crippled by choice OVER WHAT to do, with all the nonsensical options out there that promise random things.  WHAT happens next?  Suddenly we will find ourselves unfit.  EXCEPT that it obviously was NOT sudden.  BUT it is sudden because one day WHEN the fog clears up, then that's the only time we will wake up from our deep slumber, waking up and realizing things quite late in the day😌😌😌

Our takeaway:  We should NOT even reach that point WHEN we need to be JOLTED.  Way long prior to that need for that jolt, there should be more than sufficient tell-tale signs of things to come.  Symptoms OR any behavioral sign should point us towards a 'dark alley' that is getting narrower and darker of course.  And that should be enough to trigger us momentarily slow down, pull the brakes and if necessary do a reboot OR a reset.  WHY go to that extent of needing a JOLT IN OUR LIFE?  We DON'T need that dude❗❗❗

It's OK To Say "NO"!

It's OK To Say "NO"!

The Oxford English Dictionary tells us that there are around 170,000 English words in current use while there are an additional 47,000 obsolete words to date.  Before we get embroiled as to WHY It's OK To Say "NO", let's spend time to dissect as to WHY WE SAY YES [more often than NOT].  At the top of my list, I believe this is very cultural in nature.  Like Asians, generally, they would struggle to say NO, instead ending up to say YES [when, all along, they really want to stamp down their foot and say NO].  That explains why foreign investors are very Asian-centric because by and large, Asians struggle to say NO.  On the other hand, in general terms, westerners will say NO if and when they need to say NO.  That's without even batting an eyelash📗📙📘

Besides that cultural aspect, part of that can explained by the nature of Asians wanting to avoid confrontation and add to that, that 'PLEASING OTHERS' mindset all rolled into one.  I would admit that a few times in the past, I did say YES when our American CFO invited me to the the CNY [Chinese New Year] dinner he hosted for our American-Chinese guests.  In short, most of us do this to a lesser extent , because people generally want to help the interest of others.  Things get a bit tricky if we tend to manifest that FEAR OF MISSING OUT [FOMO].  And FOMO is a very real thing and WHEN we feel as if saying NO will prevent us from experiencing something we perceive others will, saying YES feels like the only natural option [good grief]💦💦💦

And the most frequent 'wild card' that seems to throw a monkey wrench in our decision-making process is our COMPULSIVITY, that situation WHERE we feel naturally compelled to 'overdo it' and say YES to any situation out of a compulsive nature.  On the other hand, the power of saying NO really comes down to the effects it has on our brain.  WHEN we say NO more often, we shift the way our brain thinks and reacts to situations, allowing us more ability to make decisions for ourselves.  BUT experts tell us this will have a tremendous effect on our mental health as it allows us to value ourselves much more✅✅✅

Bottomline, it allows us to SET BOUNDARIES.  And since BOUNDARIES in mental health treatment are typically that critical, saying NO allows us to develop the necessary skills and tips for SETTING BOUNDARIES ahead of time.  It's true that even if we deem to enforce these thought processes into our mindsets, we will still find ourselves in numerous situations WHERE saying YES is the better decision.  So, HOW do we know exactly WHEN to say NO???

To quote the revered late Steve Jobs, "IT'S ONLY BY SAYING NO THAT YOU CAN CONCENTRATE ON THE THINGS THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT".  Before we get to our takeaway, HOW do we know that saying NO is eitherq right OR wrong? WHEN we learn to say NO, we must ask ourselves certain questions about the situation.  WILL saying YES prevent us from focusing on something that's more important?  WILL saying YES make us even more tired OR burnt out?  These questions will give us the framework for WHEN it's finally time to say NO.  Otherwise, this is a judgment call WHERE our the interplay of our decision-making skills will surface.  Oh YES, it's ok to say NO❗❗❗

Is Hitting ROCK BOTTOM Bad OR Good?

Is Hitting ROCK BOTTOM Bad OR Good?

Is Hitting ROCK BOTTOM Bad OR Good?  Before I get bashed with that question, allow me to pre-empt your 'needles & arrows' by declaring up front that everyone of us [YES, that includes moi] dread to talk about the ROCK BOTTOM, much more for us to hit ROCK BOTTOM.  BUT, let me ask this blunt question?  WHO has NOT hit ROCK BOTTOM, yet?  I can bet, we won't see a show of hands here.  WHY?  Simple.  It's because no can claim any form of immunity from hitting ROCK BOTTOM.  NOT Jeff Bezos WHO got divorced with his wife [with whom he started his rag tag business right from their car garage].  NOT Bill Gates and Melinda Gates WHO crossed paths way back in 1987 and whose marriage also ended in a divorce years ago.  NOT Jack Ma whose Alibaba conglomerate's market value rose up to US$ 193.9 Bn. as of May 2024.  Yet, where is Jack Ma?  NOT in China.  NOT crossing continents.  Last year, he was last reported as a visiting professor in Japan.  Beyond that, our lips are sealed [to be safe]📗📙📘

I myself, I was NEVER shielded from hitting ROCK BOTTOM and as much as NEVER wanted it to happen, in all transparency, I'll admit with a clean chest that I would NOT be today had I not hit ROCK BOTTOM.  NOT because hitting ROCK BOTTOM unearthed the untold formula to lead me towards success in my endeavors.  NOT because by hitting ROCK BOTTOM, it was part of my detoured plan after all.  Now, you might think I'm crazy to say this BUT I have to hit ROCK BOTTOM [again], in a heartbeat, for the incredible sights and growth through WHAT was definitely the 'DARKEST NIGHTS' [which I thought I CAN'T hurdle]💦💦💦

BUT here's the BIG BUT.  Like in any good adventure, it's only worthwhile if you come back having learned some SOLID LESSONS and with the wisdom to share from having survived the fall [or maybe, several falls].  And so, with twenty-twenty hindsight, please allow me to share WHY everyone of us should NOT be scared to hit ROCK BOTTOM

REFLECTION & REALISATION - Yes, I'll be candid to admit that WHEN you're down there at the 'GUTTER-level', you would realize HOW far off course you were, and that your life choices were simply NOT sustainable.  And in those darkest moment of despair that your anger and/or frustration is at an all-time high, you would be promising to yourself NEVER again to accept such level of mediocrity from yourself, AS IN, NEVER❎❎❎

YOUR DYSFUNCTIONAL BEHAVIORS - At that bottom part, all our DYSFUNCTIONAL BEHAVIORS are obviously UNMASKED [to our consternation, so obviously].  WHAT IF you DIDN'T hit ROCK BOTTOM?  I can be cocksure that all those DYSFUNCTIONAL BEHAVIORS would continue to go UNnoticed and worse, UNchecked, playing out under that 'DENIAL RADAR' and inevitably creating bigger dysfunctions and a harder fall down the track.  Until that bubble bursts, you would cleverly delude yourself into thinking that everything is just great [REALLY!@#$%?]

Our takeaway:  Allow me to quote this incognito poster that 'ROCK BOTTOM IS A BEAUTIFUL START'.  You might blurt out, WHAT'S SO BEAUTIFUL hitting ROCK BOTTOM?  Simple dude.  Tons of lessons hitherto previously masked would have been unearthed by then.  Trust me, I learned my lessons the hardest way and WHAT was the outcome?  My fortitude was reinforced.  My off-tracks were rectified.  My blind spots were unmasked, all paving the way to my SIMPLE ME today😀😀😀

EXECUTION TIME Is All That Matters

EXECUTION TIME Is All That Matters...

In the technology space, especially in the developers' world, we would hear compile TIME versus, load TIME versus execution TIME but all along, EXECUTION TIME Is All That Matters.  BUT setting aside all these jargon, in our daily life, we can say WHAT we want to say.  And if you want to spread it out via social media, that's your call BUT  EXECUTION TIME Is All That Matters, and NO less than that.  Set aside all the hullaballoo and all the hype BUT all those WON'T matter because in life, only OUTPUTs and OUTCOMEs do matter📗📙📘

It's true there are hundreds, maybe even thousands of POSITIVE habits we can build and a lot of books and speakers on the internet have a high volume of information BUT WHAT most of us are missing out is EXECUTION.  We can have 8 billion brains and 8 billion ideas and plans BUT a very few among the trillions make it to the real world and survive.  And EXECUTION is no less than transformative✅✅✅

BTW, EXECUTION is NOT just the fuel BUT the very whole seed in itself.  Ideas and plans are cheap and plentiful BUT EXECUTION is rare.  If you sit down and think about solutions to a problem you will get multiple ideas that can solve the problem it takes a couple of seconds depending on the problem to generate ideas, BUT the thing is, EXECUTION takes effort no less💥💥💥

Problem is, the majority of us think that ideas and mentality are the seed of something [else] OR something great BUT in reality, it is NOT.  Instead, ideas and mentality are nothing until an effort to EXECUTE is made.  And beyond that, the ultimate output OR outcome comes into fruition.  Take out any of these variables, you WON'T have the basic equation to succeed in life.  And while in the past I always thought that mindset is everything, although it is a big deal, it is NOT everything at all.  In fact, let's give credit WHERE credit is due.  At the very least, a plurality of us are fully cognizant of that EXECUTION phase of an idea OR a plan❗❗❗

Our takeaway:  EXECUTION per se is NOT the be all and end view of everything.  Instead, it is our consistent action over time that leads us to disciplined EXECUTIONS. And it pays off to have a defining question WHICH keeps you focused and on track.  Be wary of the old school's READY-AIM-FIRE motto is that we end up spending more time planning until the opportunity has slipped past behind us.  So, is there anything else is of more paramount importance than EXECUTION???