I started listening to Scarcity again. I've got it on audio book, so I can go back through the thing whenever I feel like it.
I think I'm beginning to understand something. I was going to call this post the Kansas City shuffle, but I wasn't sure if that was correct. So I decided to call it redirection. I don't know if that makes it a lot different, but it seems more accurate. Going back to to what I was actually going to talk about.
The thing I noticed was something Scarcity pointed out, but didn't provide an answer to. It makes me realize how Alcoholics Anonymous works as well. All major projects and adjustment schemes operate on the same principle.
Scarcity (the book) points out that being focused on something causes us to ignore other things. The social and mental problems generally are caused by an incorrect focus. So the answer to solve the scarcity problem is redirection. And that's why everyone suggests exercise.
But I just made a jump there. To get that jump, you have to go to a different book. For that, it's over to Mastermind. Mastermind points out that in order to think of something, you have to redirect your mind and let the unconscious processes work on the problem.
So, the answer to solving those stuck in a rut problems seems to be redirection by causing a mental separation. The task needs to be sufficiently tedious to take the mental process away, or grind it down. Exercise and manual labor seemed linked to the process. Shoveling dirt for an hour or two or running both result in the brain not thinking about what it had been thinking.
So the answer to the rut problem seems to be exercise. Or at least one answer to the problem. I'm sure there are others.
Which makes me also wonder if the authors of scarcity ever went back to look at scarcity mindset on people who practice meditation or mindfulness exercises on a regular basis. Meditation could easily cause that same mental separation seen by exercise and manual labor.
Though it makes me think that whatever the mental separation exercise is, it should be different than the day to day task. A manual laborer couldn't use manual labor to create separation. I say that, but I'm mostly guessing at this with no background in psychology. I guess it's just what I've grown to understand.
Maybe I'm crazy. But then again, exercise is considered a habit dominated by the rich over the poor.
Thursday, June 16, 2016
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
things in control
Seems strange to me that people are obsessed with things completely out of their control. I can understand a little worry when it comes to something in your teams control. That's normal. But completely out of your control and your realm of influence? That's just humorous.
How can someone obsess over the treatment of another person while sitting on their couch, stuck to a phone? What gives phone monkey the right to dictate anything? The person that's not even capable of real action is completely obsessed with other peoples action.
My wife asked me about the weather. She wanted to turn her phone off for the night, but there was a vague rambling of a storm.
I do not live in a ramshackle hut. It has survived every thunderstorm thrown at it so far, with only the loss of a few shingles.
I told her to turn it off.
And what if the storm hits?
We have two tornado sirens in close range. They test them on the last Friday of the month.
We have three kids. All sleep with sound machines. Which means as long as the power runs they will sleep through anything. Should the power go out, they will go into full panic.
Our kids are also relatively afraid of thunder and lightning. They often need comforting, or possibly daddy shirt if the weather gets too bad.
I guess you could say I'm not terribly worried about the weather. It's either going to rain or it isn't. I'm not terribly worried about politics.
When you think about presidential politics, you have to think of it as a foot ball season. No matter who you root for in the regular season, it always comes down to AFC versus NFC. And other than a few pictures, there's not a lot of difference between the two.
There is no radically different candidate. All those have been wiped out, and will always be wiped out prior to general election.
So what you get is a generic amalgamation that's pretty much what the last guy was. George W Bush wasn't Satan, and neither was Barrack Obama. Neither "destroyed the fabric of our nation" like they were declared to have done if they were elected in the first place.
The only things I worry about are the things I can control. And I seek to understand so I can attempt to bring things that were previously out of control in to control. Simple.
I was watching an interview with James Mattis. He was asked if he still carried a copy of Meditations by Marcus Aurelius. He answer that was true. And his reason was thus...
There is nothing new under the sun. Everything you are experiencing has been experienced before. This situation is not unique.
I'm expounding on a short comment there, but the truth holds.
How can someone obsess over the treatment of another person while sitting on their couch, stuck to a phone? What gives phone monkey the right to dictate anything? The person that's not even capable of real action is completely obsessed with other peoples action.
My wife asked me about the weather. She wanted to turn her phone off for the night, but there was a vague rambling of a storm.
I do not live in a ramshackle hut. It has survived every thunderstorm thrown at it so far, with only the loss of a few shingles.
I told her to turn it off.
And what if the storm hits?
We have two tornado sirens in close range. They test them on the last Friday of the month.
We have three kids. All sleep with sound machines. Which means as long as the power runs they will sleep through anything. Should the power go out, they will go into full panic.
Our kids are also relatively afraid of thunder and lightning. They often need comforting, or possibly daddy shirt if the weather gets too bad.
I guess you could say I'm not terribly worried about the weather. It's either going to rain or it isn't. I'm not terribly worried about politics.
When you think about presidential politics, you have to think of it as a foot ball season. No matter who you root for in the regular season, it always comes down to AFC versus NFC. And other than a few pictures, there's not a lot of difference between the two.
There is no radically different candidate. All those have been wiped out, and will always be wiped out prior to general election.
So what you get is a generic amalgamation that's pretty much what the last guy was. George W Bush wasn't Satan, and neither was Barrack Obama. Neither "destroyed the fabric of our nation" like they were declared to have done if they were elected in the first place.
The only things I worry about are the things I can control. And I seek to understand so I can attempt to bring things that were previously out of control in to control. Simple.
I was watching an interview with James Mattis. He was asked if he still carried a copy of Meditations by Marcus Aurelius. He answer that was true. And his reason was thus...
There is nothing new under the sun. Everything you are experiencing has been experienced before. This situation is not unique.
I'm expounding on a short comment there, but the truth holds.
Thursday, May 26, 2016
Strange thoughts
It's interesting.
After being at work for 60 hours in one week it's hard not to work. I've been on call this week.
And the chaos has finally subsided for a bit. But now I can't seem to do anything that isn't work. Sure, I've only got about 30 minutes to go. But its my free time. And I don't have anything that can't wait until after lunch.
I just can't seem to do anything that isn't work.
Weird, isn't it?
Or not really.
What you think about and what consumes you is what you do.
The more you do something, the more you think about doing. Talking about doing something doesn't count. That just counts towards talking.
Anyways... back to work. Or lunch. Whichever I end up doing.
After being at work for 60 hours in one week it's hard not to work. I've been on call this week.
And the chaos has finally subsided for a bit. But now I can't seem to do anything that isn't work. Sure, I've only got about 30 minutes to go. But its my free time. And I don't have anything that can't wait until after lunch.
I just can't seem to do anything that isn't work.
Weird, isn't it?
Or not really.
What you think about and what consumes you is what you do.
The more you do something, the more you think about doing. Talking about doing something doesn't count. That just counts towards talking.
Anyways... back to work. Or lunch. Whichever I end up doing.
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
the passenger
It's been almost 10 years since I was last in Iraq. I've got to wait until March 2017 for that time line to pass. It's taken me that long to understand a few things. Probably the wrong things.
Such as: why was I so willing to die for my country? Why was I not willing to put the effort in to to my own interests?
I guess this is the conclusion I came to.
Regardless of who you are, you are going somewhere. You can easily think of it as a car ride.
The question is simple. Are you driving the car, or are you riding?
It doesn't matter which you are doing. You are going to end up somewhere. Would you rather that be a place you decided. Or would you rather it be a place someone else decided?
The interesting part of the equation is regardless of what you want to do, you are still going. The car is still driving. You can be in denial about that all you want. But it's still going somewhere. If you have children, think of yourself in the back yelling how you don't want to go to school as your parents take you to school. All that complaining didn't help then. It's not going to help now.
My days of dying for random ideas are gone. Now, I have concrete things to protect. I have people that depend on me. They are small and ornery some times, but I still love them. And they are still worth protecting. It's worth it to provide them opportunity.
So figure out what you want to do.
Do you want to control what you can about the journey? Or are you going to complain every step of the way.
Either way, you're going to end up somewhere.
Question is: is it a place you want to go?
Such as: why was I so willing to die for my country? Why was I not willing to put the effort in to to my own interests?
I guess this is the conclusion I came to.
Regardless of who you are, you are going somewhere. You can easily think of it as a car ride.
The question is simple. Are you driving the car, or are you riding?
It doesn't matter which you are doing. You are going to end up somewhere. Would you rather that be a place you decided. Or would you rather it be a place someone else decided?
The interesting part of the equation is regardless of what you want to do, you are still going. The car is still driving. You can be in denial about that all you want. But it's still going somewhere. If you have children, think of yourself in the back yelling how you don't want to go to school as your parents take you to school. All that complaining didn't help then. It's not going to help now.
My days of dying for random ideas are gone. Now, I have concrete things to protect. I have people that depend on me. They are small and ornery some times, but I still love them. And they are still worth protecting. It's worth it to provide them opportunity.
So figure out what you want to do.
Do you want to control what you can about the journey? Or are you going to complain every step of the way.
Either way, you're going to end up somewhere.
Question is: is it a place you want to go?
Monday, May 16, 2016
Start
Because you have an idea.
Because everything you think about that idea is wrong.
Because it's time.
Because it's worth it.
Because trying and failing is better than never having tried.
Because you don't want to be Al Bundy.
Because you currently are Al Bundy.
Because all the problems are in your head.
Because you aren't even aware of the real problems.
Because someday never comes.
Because you can.
Because you should.
Because it's still worth it.
Because failure is not an option.
Because if you don't start, you will fail.
Because there are more reasons to start than their are to not.
Because you are wrong.
Because you have the wrong reasons.
Because you have the right reasons.
Because you have no reason.
Because it sounds like fun.
Because you don't owe anyone an explanation for your dreams.
Because they are your dreams.
Because you can achieve them.
Because it's going to be hard.
Because it's going to be hard for reasons you aren't even aware of.
Because.
Because everything you think about that idea is wrong.
Because it's time.
Because it's worth it.
Because trying and failing is better than never having tried.
Because you don't want to be Al Bundy.
Because you currently are Al Bundy.
Because all the problems are in your head.
Because you aren't even aware of the real problems.
Because someday never comes.
Because you can.
Because you should.
Because it's still worth it.
Because failure is not an option.
Because if you don't start, you will fail.
Because there are more reasons to start than their are to not.
Because you are wrong.
Because you have the wrong reasons.
Because you have the right reasons.
Because you have no reason.
Because it sounds like fun.
Because you don't owe anyone an explanation for your dreams.
Because they are your dreams.
Because you can achieve them.
Because it's going to be hard.
Because it's going to be hard for reasons you aren't even aware of.
Because.
Friday, May 13, 2016
Thoughts
I read an article on Forbes a week or two ago about a person who was mad. I don't remember what the title of the article was, but it was humorous. It was one of the advice columns. The writer complained they kept jumping into startups and then the startups sold. The creator/owner made a killing while the employee didn't.
What was more humorous was how the author declared that having these high profile jobs caused them to buy a horrendously expensive house due to California's expensive real estate market.
The part that bothered me most was the author/responder didn't tell the person a fundamental fact. The person probably got caught up in the hoopla of the question.
The fundamental fact is this:
It is not your employers job to make you rich.
It is not your employers job to make you rich.
It is not your employers job to make you rich.
Do I need to say that again so that you hear it correctly and without question?
It is not your employers job to make you rich.
It is your job to make you rich.
Your employer agreed to pay you for the work you do. You agreed to work for that price. That is all. If you want to be rich, then quit waiting for your employer to make you rich.
I'll go with a quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln, but I've heard it attributed to many different people.
The best way to predict the future is to create it.
If you want to be rich, start doing the things that will make you rich.
If you do not know how to be rich, go study people who are rich.
Quit waiting for someone else to make your future and go create your own.
What was more humorous was how the author declared that having these high profile jobs caused them to buy a horrendously expensive house due to California's expensive real estate market.
The part that bothered me most was the author/responder didn't tell the person a fundamental fact. The person probably got caught up in the hoopla of the question.
The fundamental fact is this:
It is not your employers job to make you rich.
It is not your employers job to make you rich.
It is not your employers job to make you rich.
Do I need to say that again so that you hear it correctly and without question?
It is not your employers job to make you rich.
It is your job to make you rich.
Your employer agreed to pay you for the work you do. You agreed to work for that price. That is all. If you want to be rich, then quit waiting for your employer to make you rich.
I'll go with a quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln, but I've heard it attributed to many different people.
The best way to predict the future is to create it.
If you want to be rich, start doing the things that will make you rich.
If you do not know how to be rich, go study people who are rich.
Quit waiting for someone else to make your future and go create your own.
Thursday, May 12, 2016
CCNA class
The final class of CCNA prep is done today. I've got to take the final, and then the formalized class is over. It has been kicking me up one side of the street and down the other.
It's not that material is hard. It's just that there's a lot of material covered in an incredibly short time period. What is normally a 16 week class has been reduced to 8. And that's pretty crazy. That's nothing for many classes. But a bunch just turns college into some horrendous grind.
I guess colleges needed to find a new way to make money. And grinding students through faster always seems like a good idea. How much do I want to bet they are charging the same amount for the 8 week class as they were the 16 week class? Nothing.
Anyways. Once the class is finished, I need to start studying to take the CCNA. I'm aiming for about one month out for that. My goal is to have it done before July 1st. Maybe June 12th, as the place I take the test schedules on Thursdays.
Seems like that is the next thing I need to do. Schedule the CCNA, so I have a definite date in which I'm going to take the thing. Definiteness adds a sense of urgency.
It's not that material is hard. It's just that there's a lot of material covered in an incredibly short time period. What is normally a 16 week class has been reduced to 8. And that's pretty crazy. That's nothing for many classes. But a bunch just turns college into some horrendous grind.
I guess colleges needed to find a new way to make money. And grinding students through faster always seems like a good idea. How much do I want to bet they are charging the same amount for the 8 week class as they were the 16 week class? Nothing.
Anyways. Once the class is finished, I need to start studying to take the CCNA. I'm aiming for about one month out for that. My goal is to have it done before July 1st. Maybe June 12th, as the place I take the test schedules on Thursdays.
Seems like that is the next thing I need to do. Schedule the CCNA, so I have a definite date in which I'm going to take the thing. Definiteness adds a sense of urgency.
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