Calmness Versus Excitement

 

Here's a bonus question:  Between a EXCITING person and a CALM person, WHO stands out?  I'm absolutely sure that the EXCITED fella really stands out even in a mamooth crowd.  BUT HOW about the CALM fella?  Unfortunately, in that apples to apples comparison, the former stands out hands down.  BUT WHY?  The old school of thought tells us that it is damn easy to be CALM even WHEN doing nothing.  WHEREAS, to be EXCITED, you've to pump up yourself like your adrenalin goes up up and up💚💛💜

Verily true, EXCITEMENT is that state of intense enthusiasm, typically present WHEN we are going through really 'short-lived' emotions. And EXCITEMENT is that future-focused attitude that usually mobilizes our energy by seeking out novelty and change WHILE pursuing our active goals.  Of course, WHEN our discussion veers towards romantic EXCITEMENT, it obviously creates those feelings of interest, happiness and enthusiasm.  WHEREAS WHEN we compare it to CALMNESS, they are quite poles apart because the latter refers to that absence of any agitation, tension, distress OR disturbance.  LIKE WHEN we say that the weather is CALM, we mean that storms, hurricanes and the like are NOT anticipated to happen soon❌❌❌

BUT WHEN we invoke CALMNESS, it does NOT mean only being free of negative elements BUT instead, it includes positive aspects that enhance flourishing.  CALMNESS relates to [BUT is NOT identical to] positive states of being, such as relaxation and patience.  BUT WHEN we swing over to our life goals, WHICH of CALMNESS or EXCITEMENT you think will carry us through to the FINISH LINE successfully?  I believe, hands down, that it is CALMNESS that will bring us over💥💥💥

NOT to downplay all the UPSIDEs of EXCITEMENT, I did bear witness WHERE, sadly, a person flopped in his/her journey to achieve his goals WHEN most of the time, EXCITEMENT was 'all over here' even as almost everyone around him can witness the trajectory of his adrenalin that keeps moving upward.  Sadly, CALMNESS has a role to play in our journey to achieve our goals. WHY?  Because CALMNESS offers us that most pleasant state.  Unfortunately, many people fail to distinguish between CALM-ENERGY versus TENSE-ENERGY since they believe that WHENEVER they are energetic, they experience a certain degree of tension❌❌❌

Our takeaway:  Psychologists did researches on this mix-up between CALMNESS and EXCITEMENT and they claim that CALMNESS of mind does NOT mean we should stop our activity BUT real CALMNESS should be found in the activity itself.  YES dude it is easy to feel CALMNESS in inactivity BUT calmness in activity is really the TRUE CALMNESS.  And that kind of dynamic CALMNESS can be found in meaningful intrinsic activities that promote our balanced approach in our life journey.  And NOT to forget, DON'T put all your eggs in one basket by thinking [wrongly] that only EXCITEMENT will lead you to success.  Go for your CALMNESS to bring you over to success as well😁😁😁

Screwing Up WHEN LIFE IS GOOD?

 

Heard of someone blurting:  WHY DID I SCREW THINGS UP WHEN LIFE IS GOOD?  Really puzzling even to experts hence they initiated multiple studies WHICH concluded that 'SELF-SABOTAGE' is most common in life WHEN life is at its best, whew!  Dissecting much deeper, the studies showed that most of the time, we feel comfortable with things going really well in our lives ONLY FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME.  WHEN we hit our threshold of our happiness, something inside us would whisper on our left ear LIKE:  YOU DON'T DESERVE TO BE HAPPY.  LET'S DO THIS AND DO THAT.  WHAT happens next, that cools our momentary bliss and guess WHAT happens next?  You're spot on, our upward trajectory suddenly grinds to a halt, NO thanks to that 'whisper'💚💛💜

Allow me to share these random samplings:

• A successful entrepreneur sells his business with a huge windfall and then announces he's getting divorce!@#$%?
• A woman falls in love, head over heels and gets married BUT experiences endless 'drama' with family or friends
• A politician gets elected and at the peak of his career, he binges on drugs OR alcohol [or gets into an affair]!@#$%?

In a nutshell, we have that tendency to shoot down our feet during those days and times when everything is shining and dandy.  By the way, most of those narratives are NOT intentional and the thing is, most people DON'T mean to screw things on purpose BUT sometimes, our sneaky fears get into the way!!!

So, WHAT is it really that triggers us to MESS UP things WHEN LIFE IS GOOD?  Famous author Gay Hendricks opines in his book four hidden that tend to trigger our very own foul-ups:

Primero, we seem to be fundamentally flawed, like that belief telliing us to play it safe because we DON'T deserve.  In that way, IF we fail, we will fail 'SMALL' [ouch really???]

Segundo, he highlights our belief in disloyalty and abandonment such that it prevents us from reaching our full potential because it causes us to feel disloyal to our own roots [ouch really???]

Tercera, believing that success brings bigger burden.  Baloney!

Lastly, that crime of 'outshining' becomes a barrier that is common among gifted and talented folks WHERE their innate skills tell them "DON'T SHINE TOO MUCH", you will make others look bad

WHILE life has its UPs and DOWNs, some people find it difficult to feel happy even WHEN things in their life appear to be going well.  Sometimes, there are valid reasons LIKE past [unfortunate] experiences OR genetic predispositions. In any case, it is imperative that we are able to identify the very root cause as to WHY we are feeling OR manifesting that particular way and thereafter find ways to work through those feelings to learn how to accept and appreciate the GOODNESS of LIFE.  It may also help to reach out and tap on your helpline and IF that is insufficient, nothing wrong to seek professional help💥💥💥

Our takeaway:  Psychologists counsel us that our lives are made up of a combination of multifarious elements LIKE our emotions, our thoughts, our relationships and even external factors like $$$$$$ OR status.  And even if most aspects of our lives are favorable, one area is sufficient to drag us down and stop us from feeling as happy as we could be.  It's also possible that WHEN LIFE IS GREAT, it does overwhelm us, leading us to feel LOW and unsatistfied even IF everything is in fact seemingly perfect.  Indeed, SCREWING UP WHEN LIFE IS GOOD😡😡😡

Quid Pro Quo In Life

 

QUID PRO QUO seems to be one of the most boring topics to talk about.  Firstly, anything that sounds like Latin seems to be coming from the deepest labyrinths of those medieval castles and churches.  Instead, WHAT seems to befuddle me is the popularity of this age-old phrase as it continues to resonate NOT just in legal documents BUT even in tons of laymen's discussions [and it's my fav phrase too]📘📙📗

Simply put, QUID PRO QUO means 'something for something'.  And frankly, even if every Tom, Dick and Harry is NOT aware of that phrase, that DOESN'T mean that QUID PRO QUO is NOT happening at all.  In fact, every single day from the time you wake up till you hit the sack, you OR myself would have been likely directly involved in a QUID PRO QUO thing in one way OR another.  LIKE there's no home cooked dish and you agree with your spouse/partner that you'll order a food delivery from Uber/Grab💚💛💜

In summary, many times the QUID PRO QUO practice is happening many times during negotiations before a contract is inked but in tons of informal interactions, QUID PRO QUO could happen WHEN you go to the open market for fresh fruits and you start to haggle until eventually, both vendor and buyer would agree for that 'something for something' stuff✅✅✅

Heard of lawyers who offer their pro bono services for indigent clients?  And the client would be creative enough to find ways to reciprocate back to the well-meaning lawyer probably by offering fresh produce harvests or anything their measly sum of monies they can afford.  OR it could at the workplace WHERE one is at loggerheads with a colleague BUT since they belong to the same team, the boss will intervene and find a QUID PRO QUO if only to ensure that operations and deliverables at work are NOT compromised, all thanks to QUID PRO QUO❌❌❌

Our takeaway:  QUID PRO QUO is one of those best practices WHICH can be leveraged either in good faith OR [knock on wood], in bad faith.  And we pray that this thread discourages everyone from leveraging on the QUID PRO QUO practice with the ill intentions.  Instead, let us reap the benefits of practising QUID PRO QUO where predefined formulae or scripts are either NOT applicable OR simply realistic.  Oh yes, within close relationships either within families or your close and trusted coterie of friends, QUID PRO QUO will definitely be one of the hallmarks of such relationships.  If you're an enterprising businessman, we encourage you to practice QUID PRO QUO NOT at the expense of the hapless and helpless consumer OR customers WHO may end up on the receiving end.  And even in geopolitics, let us fervently pray that warring forces in global and regional conflicts will find the most palatable formulae via QUID PRO QUO 😌😌😌

Who Says You're Not Good Enough?

 

Lumping all religions all over our globe, our pursuit of SUCCESS can be likened to even the major religions, like a robust system of meaning-making that sort of operates at both our emotional and cognitive levels, guiding us in our decisions.  Before we get lost with unnecessary verbose, let's discuss those  "GOOD ENOUGH" conversations because I do hear this quite often [amongst relatives and friends], pushing my curiosity to the edges if self-doubt is a factor at all in these recurring "GOOD ENOUGH" questions💚💛💜

Seriously, if there's self-doubt that's been lingering, my curious question is:  WHAT makes us doubt ourselves, sometimes over and over again?  Is it our lack of confidence in ourselves OR other people's opinions about us that we are letting us affect ourselves?  Are we letting those perceptions of others about us, define ourselves?  It is very important to realize that this self-doubt has made us lose on a lot of opportunities that would come our way💥💥💥

WHAT should reinforce our own hopes and beliefs is that we can be absolutely sure that we have enough [OR maybe more than enough] potential within us and therefore it is important to remind ourselves that "WE ARE MORE THAN GOOD ENOUGH".  We should recognize our own worth, instead of waiting for others to see our worth.  A subtle realization that should NOT be difficult to grasp is that we are unique in our own special ways.  There can be lots of billionaires and moguls in this world BUT we are NOT far off in the rat race if only we can recognize our self-worth instead of waiting for others to see our worth.  Oh Oh, WHY do we need others for us to know our own worth???

Lest we forget, we have our own strengths, talents and abilities that make us WHO we are.  So it is time [OR long overdue] for us to believe in our abilities and work towards our dreams.  True, it may always be easy BUT with sheer determination and consistent hard work, we may achieve practically anything we will set our mind to achieve.  WHO says that your engine is just GOOD ENOUGH for the next 50 miles?  OR only until your fuel tank goes empty???

Our takeaway:  Being GOOD ENOUGH is a big topic for every human.  Many problems in our lives boil down to the belief that we are NOT GOOD ENOUGH.  If at all, ask yourself WHERE this grand illusion of you NOT being GOOD ENOUGH has held you back in life and then tell yourself, NO MAS, NO MORE😌😌😌

Slap On The Wrist OR An Iron Fist?

Slap On The Wrist OR An Iron Fist?

Much as we feel that the world WHERE we live in seems harsh and tough, WHAT's blatantly overlooked is that there are more Slaps On The Wrist than An Iron Fist seen OR witnessed flying!@#$%?  We would hear more CAUTIONS and WARNINGS that are broken down from first WARNING to final WARNING.  Frankly, I would welcome such structured escalations as it means, if you committed a misdemeanor, you could be dealt first at the local 'Koban' [the name of local police stations in Japan] before you are brought out to court.  BUT does everything and everyone deserve a SLAP ON THE WRIST instead of an IRON FIST???

There's this age-old practice as well that first infractions, WHATEVER it is, deserve to be meted with a SLAP ON THE WRIST.  I beg to disagree.  WHAT IF that first infraction is a serious offense?  WHAT IF that first exception led to unacceptable consequences [and that's besides talking about impugning a person's character OR causing any other collateral damages?  WHICH leads me to dip my hand into the cookie jars of those socialist states.  Of course, we WON'T give Norh Korea as an example😡😡😡

Heard of that incident WHERE the mother forgot to feed her infant son, WHO eventually starved and died?  She was NOT SLAPPED ON THE WRIST but instead meted with an IRON FIST translated into 65 years in prison.  WHEN the Harvard College Faith in Action [HCFA] was meted with a probation, many protested that it did NOT constitute as a punishment given the gravity of their case❌❌❌

Swinging back to our lives, we need to remain consciously aware that in a fair, just and equitable world, it's NOT even just either a SLAP ON THE WRIST OR an IRON FIST because between those extreme actions, there is a hodge-podge of iterations we need to consider.  And this is as relevant to law and order as it is in our daily lives.  Lesson here is that nothing is either black OR white.  On the other hand, in life, maybe more than 90% of circumstances and scenarios would fall somewhere within gray areas.  WHICH means, there is NO pre-scripted action we can take WHEN we are either wronged OR if it's us WHO caused the wronged.  Instead, the onus is on us to figure out the FINAL FIX [and NOT those palliative remedies good enough within those moments💥💥💥

Our takeaway:  More often in life, a lot of things fall in between cracks, either because of INACTION [by ignoring OR simply looking at the other direction] OR even by actions taken, actions that are either impertinent, inappropriate OR simply an action taken for the sake of taking that step.  Our lesson here is that, WHEN and WHERE we need to slam things with our IRON FIST, as long as that is warranted, then, lower down the boom by all means.  The last thing we want to happen is regretting because of our intentional INACTION😡😡😡

Why Sometimes We Miss Out The 'SHORTEST DISTANCE'?

 

Very early on in my career, I was frequently hesitant to be direct with people, lest they think I am either too aggressive or impolite with my words.  BUT alas, did that ever get beaten out of me in the hard way?  As I was NOT the only one though.  I then realized that culture is a factor [as it is in our local culture, you have to circumvent [and maybe take whole round trip] and gather your strength before having that gumption to SAY WHAT YOU WANT albeit diluted and probably significantly 'watered down'.  SHORTEST DISTANCE BETWEEN 2 POINTS IS A STRAIGHT LINE💥💥💥

Fast-forward, I have to admit that I did go through that kind of unconscious transformation, from that traditional 'nice guy' to a strong, direct communicator [without being a 'NOT' nice guy though].   True, some leaders have developed a comfort with direct communications.  Some of them speak clearly, saying WHAT they want to say confidently and neither do they mince words nor wrap their words fluff💧💧💧

BUT alas, many leaders still DON'T.  BUT let's NOT drive on that to a fault because indirect communications is the default for most people, so WHEN some of us would want to say something important, sometimes we DON'T get directly to that 'very point'.  Instead, we tend to set ourselves up with a few preceding points OR say almost WHAT we mean to say using many words instead of just the few and essential ones, hoping that the listener will be able to figure out his intended message.  If the other person DOESN'T intuit the speaker's intent by either effort OR sheer magic, that kind of indirect communication will likely lead to resentment OR at the very least, a communication gap💚💛💜

End result?  That communications gap may even lead to that unnecessary frustration and WHICH further obfuscates WHAT's really going on.  In a circus mirror attempt at being nice OR at least being perceived as being nice by NOT saying anything too harsh, the 'INDIRECT' speaker risks saying MANY words, communicating NOTHING and having both parties less connected with each other and with reality, for the effort😴😴😴

Our takeaway:  Let's align here right now.  NOBODY was born knowing HOW to communicate.  We learn HOW to communicate, the words we say, HOW we use OR are used even in silence, HOW directly we approach WHAT we mean, and even HOW we pronounce words.  Bottom line is that indirect communications is NOT just NOT nice BUT ineffective.  Have we forgotten that the SHORTEST DISTANCE BETWEEN 2 POINTS IS A STRAIGHT LINE???

Wanna Change Someone's Mind? Better NOT Argue!

 

WANNA CHANGE SOMEONE'S MIND?  These days WHEN every gap, every disconnect and every misunderstanding may sometimes end up in an argument [sometimes known as CLASH OF TITANS], it tends to be like a battle for that moral high ground.  Psychologists tried to debug this issue and find a modus vivendi and the sage advice is:  DON'T ARGUE.  Instead, to disarm the other party, INVITE that person for a healthy interchange and initially, self-commit yourself to spend more time LISTENING than talking💚💛💜

Philosophically, experts say that in the middle of arguments, it is NOT far fetched that one of the variables is related to one's beliefs and WHEN beliefs get into the equation, they claim that beliefs tend to be tied up to one's identity, emotion, and even persona.  And in almost all interchanges that eventually escalate into a full-blown clash, people will tend to cling to their respective viewpoints [NO MATTER WHAT]❎❎❎

UNTIL that full-blown argument evolves and escalates to a full-fledged no holds barred confrontation that often backfires because the moment one of the protagonists feels judged [WHETHER prematurely OR not], that party will simply go on 'auto shutdown' mode, hearing and listening NADA and NOTHING.  HOW do we wiggle out of that impasse?  Experts advise that we can lead them into that PATH OF CURIOSITY.  HOW? Ask politely and calmly WHO OR WHERE was his source of that information OR data😌😌😌

In a subtle approach, let's try to reflect their concerns BACK TO THEM, hoping that we can dissect and mine 'shared values' before you start offering your own perspective.  YESsirrrrrs, this is NOT about backing down OR compromising your own principles.  Instead, this is all about creating enough trust for someone to even consider shifting theirs.  BUT human nature tells us that as much as you CAN'T fire with fire OR venom versus poison, WHEN we are in a standoff that still remains civil, this is all about figuring out WHAT OR WHERE is the chink in his armour😡😡😡

Our takeaway:  Almost everyone is pitching [including the late Steve Jobs WHEN he launched iTunes for Windows] that arguments all boil down to persuasion and persuasion itself is never about charisma OR authority BUT more on the 'sequencing' of our approach to reach for 'common ground'.  There's that common pitfall, though, WHEN both protagonists never ever hoped to reached a 'common ground' because both parties are so glued to that 'LAST MAN STANDING' mindset WHICH then leads arguments to turn its ugly head. So, WANNA CHANGE SOMEONE'S MIND?  Better NOT Argue, not so fast!!! 

Fewer CHOICES, More HAPPINESS?

 

Fewer CHOICES, MORE HAPPINESS?  I really think so.  We DON'T need to look far away.  Let's relook at our very own selves.  If you step into any of those 7-Eleven, Lawson OR Family Mart convenience stores, do you remember if you spent like half an hour just to buy a specific item?  If I have to bet, one's average total clocktime in the convenience stores will be around 5 to 10 minutes.  Except probably WHEN during our 2-week holiday in Japan WHERE we were awed [and floored, maybe] by the one too many choices of foodies, chocolates and even drinks in most of their branches.  In fact, we always ended up like shopping right then and there.  BUT would you agree, FEWER CHOICES equates to MORE HAPPINESS??? 

In our world WHERE options abound, many assume that more choice equates to more freedom and therefore greater happiness.  Many recent researches increasingly suggests that the opposite may be true.  Fewer choices can actually lead us to a more content and satisfying life.  There's this counterintuitive idea coined by psychologists as the PARADOX OF CHOICE, it was explained that WHEN people are faced with one too many options, we tend to experience greater anxiety that even leads to that so called 'decision fatigue' and eventually regret.  WHILE having some choice is undoubtedly empowering, having too much choice can be mentally exhausting and paralyzing💥💥💥

A lot lab-based studies dissected into that puzzle as to HOW one too many choices can somehow undermine our happiness.  And the conclusion is that WHEN individual are forced to make multiple decisions in a day [LIKE WHAT to wear, WHAT to eat, WHAT to buy], their cognitive resources get depleted.  Ironically, the common conclusion amongst all those studies is that having fewer choices help preserve our mental energy for the decisions that really matter.  Here's some tidbits of information about the late Apples founder Steve Jobs as to WHY he wore the same outfit every day.  NOT out of laziness BUT to minimize trivial decisions and reduce cognitive load.  And another downside of excess choices is our 'post-decision' regret WHEREIN WHEN we have too many choices, we're more likely to imagine that a different choice might have been better.  That 'WHAT IF' mindset erodes our satisfaction.  WHETHER choosing a new smart phone, a car OR even a meal, the more alternatives we consider, the less confident we feel in our decision💚💛💜

Psychologists coined this unique tagging people WHO strive to make the best possible choice as "MAXIMIZERS" as they are easily most prone to this kind of regret and are often less happy overall than "SATISFICERS", WHO are content with a 'good enough' choice.  Simplifying our choices DOESN'T mean giving up our hard-earned freedom to choose.  Rather, it means, being selective about WHERE we devote our decision-making energy.  Practices like spiritual retreats OR minimalist living intentionally reduce our daily choices LIKE WHAT to eat OR do, thus freeing up significant mental space for deeper thought, creativity and even our emotional well-being.  True, small adjustments will go a long way to help.  LIKE if we try going for a 'choice diet', that limits our decision-making in areas of low importance LIKE WHAT to have for lunch OR WHICH brand of toothpaste to buy😡😡😡

Our takeaway:  I always believe in striking that 'right balance' in our decision-making, WITHOUT depriving us OR curtailing our freedom of choices BUT at the same time, WITHOUT pushing us into that involuntary 'analysis-paralysis' dilemma because in today's  hyper-choice culture, happiness may NOT lie in having more options BUT in having just enough and in being confident enough to choose without looking back.  And by simplying our decisions, we can then focus on WHAT truly matters and live more purposefully and achieve that mother of all bottomlines WHICH is HAPPINESS😊😊😊

Cheering, CHECK! Yelling is 'X''

 

Mr AI says that CHEERING in life encompasses both encouraging others and finding ways to uplift yourself [especially during challenging times].  BUT no sirrrrrrs, we WON'T spend time about CHEERING but slightly veer to that loud and rowdy YELLINGS we sometimes bear witness in our interactions.  It's true at some point in our life, we did end up YELLING BUT I believe everyone will agree that YELLING is NOT healthy for any relationship NOR is it a great way to yield any healthy OR productive results.  Good grief, psychologists advise that there are 'cheat codes' we can consider.  LIKE WHEN someone is YELLING, we should stay calm during that moment BUT it's more than that📗📙📘

Experts tell us that WHEN someone is YELLING, they are manifesting an attempt to emotionally rule over you with the end intent of gaining the upper hand in a situation.  In short, YELLING is their means to gain control over you.  In one word, it is intimidation no less.  BUT you might wonder WHY many end up that way?  It's because it yields results for them BUT only in the short-term though💥💥💥

Experts advise us to consider two critical points WHEN someone is YELLING on us:

• Understand the reason behind it
• Be cautious HOW you react to it

One misstep, and that could ignite a bigger fire than WHAT you have at hand WHILE the right approach can help to diffuse things, rather end up escalating the situation❌❌❌

BUT the bigger question is, HOW sure we're NOT escalating things?  Let's pick the brains of experts:

• DON'T mirror that rude behavior of others.  Let's learn the art remaining calm.  IF we react, surely they will react to our reaction and things will likely escalate
• Take a STEP BACK.  Pausing allows us to assess and figure out WHETHER it's worth waiting out that yeller
• DON'T as in DON'T AGREE WHEN you are YELLED.  Doing so means you succumbed to that YELLING
• Regardless of the situation OR problem, let the person know that you will NEVER accept being YELLED
• TAKE A BREAK to collect yourself and that's it

Our takeaway:  Sometimes, pausing can be challenging in a world WHERE things move so fast around us.  HOW I did it sometime in the past.  In those tense and stressful times, WHAT I'll do was scribble things out in a piece of paper as I thought that writing did provide me a distance between myself and my emotions.  Just a few of degrees of separation can be extremely beneficial to our mental health.  And that distance will provide us the opportunity to consider the emotion rather than acting on it immediately.  It also allows us to express ourselves safely without feeling the repercussions OR consequences.  Bottom line, if you're at the receiving end of YELLING, just DON'T stoop down to that very 'gutter level' dude😡😡😡

When Intellects Collide.....

WHO says intellectual discourse is damn boring?  I beg to disagree, so I'm sharing this Quora.com post by Alessandro:  American physicist Robert Williams Wood was on trial for 'beating the RED light'.  And he defended himself by claiming that the RED  traffic light appeared GREEN to him because of the relativistic "DOPPLER EFFECT".  Struck by the physicist's scientific explanation, the judge was about to acquit him when, suddenly, a young man intervened. With the intent of demolishing the physicist's statement, the young man offered to calculate the speed at which a driver would have to travel for a red light to appear green to him.  The judge accepted the young man's proposal and after the latter had finished his calculation, carried out with cold calm, changed the penalty for violation of the traffic code from 'for having gone through a RED light for having exceeded the maximum speed limit instead📗📙📘

The young man smiled ironically in the direction of Wood who, a few days earlier, in his capacity as a professor, had failed him in the physics exam.  This reminds me of that age-old cliche:  TIT for TAT.  Stone me and i'll stone you.  BUT WHAT I heard many times is that silence can be that deafening.  THAT is, if you are more quiet, the better control you have in life💚💛💜

Corollary to this, I often heard this one-liner as well:  LISTEN MORE, SPEAK LESS.  In the most practical terms, the less we speak, very obviously the lesser are the chances of us ending up uttering something 'stupid' OR just off-track.  Moreover, like it OR not, you may come out OR stand up as someone WHO is intellectually upright.  Net result, there is that high likelihood of people eager to hear WHAT you want to say.  WHAT an irony, right???

If there's one gaping hole most educational and academic systems share in common, most of their curricula are focused on the subjects and technical aspects BUT HOW often do we hear subjects that are focused on PEOPLE SKILLS, on SOFT SKILLS?  The irony here is that 90% of the time, we will be dealing with people and even getting into loggerheads with some of them is sometimes inevitable and this is WHERE our conflict resolution skills get into the picture.  BUT there's even a preemptive way and countermeasure to 'nip in the bud' potentially brewing conflicts😡😡😡

Our takeaway:  One lesson that gets refrained over and over again is DON'T BURN BRIDGES but WHAT gets missed here is the need to value every contact we make in life.  Even as we speak now, everytime I call the hotline, regardless IF it's my banker OR my favorite pizza delivery, first things first, I would inquire on the name at the other end of the line.  Regardless of intellect, WHAT we need to harness and enhance is our relationship-building and sustaining the gains.  We DON'T want to wait WHEN INTELLECTS COLLIDE, right dude???