"Contrast that with Visions that grab ahold of you deep inside and don't let go until you reach the finish line. These are the Visions that change things."A lot is written, said, theorized, and declared about the most effective ways to get things done. This is due, in part, to the volume of things going on in our lives. Couple this with the endless ways we make ourselves feel bad because we aren't getting as many things done as you'd like, and frustration is inevitable.
Most of what I read about getting stuff done deals with Technique, Systems, and Tactics, with lots of Purpose and Balance sprinkled on. Goodness knows, I've tried various recipes - some work well, some don't, some work sometimes, some work always. They all have one thing in common - I can screw up any of them because I don't predictably play by the rules.
In my quest for the perfect system I've come to some conclusions, thanks to a number of cosmic nudges toward "Intention" over the last year. The nudges have helped me conclude that Intention is the key element that determines whether any of the other stuff works (sort of like the One Ring that rules them all, in the Lord of The Rings).
Turns out I was on a quest (or something like it) and didn't realize it. This post is quite a bit more philosophical (and a lot longer) than my usual curious musings here, but I have heard a different muse today. Here is my travelog.
Road signs
The gurus of productivity all have their own twist on creating a compelling Vision of the future. Stephen Covey tells us to "Begin with the end in mind," David Allen says "You won't know how to do it until you see yourself doing it." - My friend Gene Kim recommended "The Message of a Master" to me last year, which deals with "broadcasting" your desires (intentions, if you will) to the cosmos triggering the cosmos to respond with what you need. It's an unassuming little book, and I'd forgotten about it. I found it under the edge of my bed this weekend and it came crashing back.
- Steve Pavlina's "Million Dollar Experiment" (I'm a participant) gathered a bunch of folks to "manifest" $1 million dollars through the power of Intention. I personally attribute thousands of dollars to this simple intention technique.
- I saw a PBS special by Wayne Dyer, in which he goes through how to use the "Power of Intention" to change your life for the better. I was so intrigued, I donated enough money to Public Broadcasting to get his whole collection on the subject.
I started listening to the Wayne Dyer CD's this week, and a surprising thing happened. It was very "out there," new age sounding stuff (and I'm usually a roll-your-eyes-in-the-face-of-new-age-things kinda person). Then the connections started happening.
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OK, so I was way late to the party on seeing Napoleon Dynamite. We just watched it a couple of weeks ago on a family movie night, but we all loved it. I think it's one of those movies you love or you hate (hint: watch it to the end, and it's really a love story - trust me). My whole family quotes the movie all the time now, and my 5-year-old has mapped our family to all the characters (I'm Uncle Rico, apparently).
Anyway, a friend of mine heard me repeating sound bites and sent me a link to what I call "Napoleon Bill Gates," more commonly known as "Bill Gates Goes to College" on IFilm Very funny - to add to the irony, the video is much smoother if you watch it in QuickTime format on the IFilm site.
Related Technorati posts: fun
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For those of you in the US, use your 37 cent stamps by Saturday so you don't have to hassle with those 2-cent auxillary stamps. The standard postal rate in the US goes up to 39 cents on the 8th of January.
Read MoreA bit slow on posting this week, since I screwed up my back over the weekend and it's been hard to simultaneously a) lie on my back on the floor, while b) doing anything on the computer.
However, I would like to take a few moments to recap the 5 favorite "self development" books I read in 2005.
- Managing with Aloha, by Rosa Say.
- As I mentioned in my review earlier this year, this is a "why to" book much more than a "how to" book. It is about managing with values and principles, and is loaded with very poignant stories and words to live by. As I read the book, I was also fortunate enough to become a part of Rosa's "Talking Story" blog and her "Ho'ohana" community.
Along the way, I've met lots of very interesting, genuine people through this process and made some great friends. For me, the magic extends far beyond the book. Read the book, visit the blog, and see if you find the same happens for you.
- Mastery, by George Leonard.
- This is one of my most-often recommended, and most frequently "given" books (I've given tons of copies away to friends). It is great for people making transitions (or trying to) such as graduates. As I summarized it in my review:
"The essence of this book: On the road to Mastery, there are many plateaus where you may become frustrated because you aren't getting any better. True masters learn to savor the plateaus because they understand that they are building character and feeding dormant skills that will blossom later."
- Is Your Genius At Work?, by Dick Richards.
- I love books that take you on a worthwhile journey. Dick's book is one of those. It's a guided tour to find your Genius. In my review, I described "genius" as: "that special capability that you have that makes you special, and flavors all the other parts of who you are and how you interact with the world." Isn't that worth discovering? I think so.
- High-Impact Middle Management, by Lisa Haneberg.
- As I assembled this list, I realized I hadn't really reviewed Lisa's book. I could've sworn I did, since I've mentioned it so often this year. As you may recall, I participated in Lisa's "2 Weeks 2 A Breakthrough" pilot earlier this year, which I found out about through her excellent blog Management Craft, which led me to this excellent book. The book, which is often called "H.I.M.M." for short, is an excellent toolkit to help you become a more effective middle manager. It combines solid theory, lucid examples, and practical tools to help you manage yourself and your team more effectively. It's ideal for anyone who manages.
- Beyond Bullet Points, by Cliff Atkinson.
- This book transformed how I do presentations. In the first review, I cover the essence of the book, the Beyond Bullet Points process, and describe my first results using this technique. In the second review, I describe my experiences with Netcentrics' powerful Beyond Bullet Points PowerPoint Add-In. Check them out if you do presentations.
Honorable Mentions:
Consciously Not On The List
By the way, before you ask - there is nothing from Covey or David Allen on the list because I read them all before 2005 started. Also, I'm in the midst of a few other good ones to give 2006 a great start.
Read More"Of course, I get angry. Of course, I get sad. I have a full range of emotions. I also have a whole smorgasbord of ways of dealing with my feelings. That is what we should give children. Give them ... ways to express their rage without hurting themselves or somebody else. That's what the world needs."
--Fred Rogers
I spent a bit of time in Pittsburgh the other day. While I was waiting for a flight, I wandered past a display celebrating the life and works of Fred Rogers (1923-2003). I just had to take a picture.
For any of you who grew up watching Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, you know that he was no ordinary guy.
I remember how much I looked forward to seeing Mr. Rogers once I discovered his show. I watched every chance I got - my favorite thing was seeing the Trolley that took us to the Kingdom of Make Believe. I've always been a fan of trains, and that Trolley was so cool.
I remember Mr. Rogers' songs, and can still sing a lot of them from memory. I remember the tours he used to take the audience on, to show us how things were made - and how different people did different things in different parts of the world.
When he introduced us to his friends around the neighborhood, they seemed like my friends, too. I always wanted to go visit that neighborhood for real.
What I remember most of all is the consistent message he sent: We're all different, and that's OK because we each bring a unique value and perspective to the world. He seemed to maintain a child-like innocence throughout his life, and spread tremendous energy in a way that mattered somehow. Not just in the big things, but in the small things, too.
We need more people like Mr. Rogers.
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