Sometimes when things get tough it helps to have something right in front of you to grab hold of; not so much to keep going, but to help you change course.
Changing course is often the best way to get past a problem; it’s no that you ignore it, rather you approach it from another direction—or find that it’s not necessary and just let it go and move on.
Ten years ago my niece sent me a card that I framed. It’s hung on the wall by my desk at three different locations and it still works.
Do you watch Extreme Makeover Home Edition? I usually have it on Sunday evenings while I’m writing and last night was no exception. For those of you who don’t watch, all the makeovers this season were for ‘heroes’; people who ignored their own situation to give back.
Last night was a makeover for Bernard McFarland, a 37 year old single dad who has become a mentor to all the kids in his neighborhood. He’s a firm believer that ‘knowledge is power’ and that learning and books are the answer to everything. (You can watch it online.)
But what I really like is the slogan he teaches the kids and, obviously, believes himself.
I like it enough to add it to my Rules To Live By (it’s number 24).
I’ve always thought of life as a corridor with dozens of doors opening, each one representing an opportunity.
You may open one or pass them by—it’s your choice.
Each time you do open one and enter that door closes forever and you move down a new corridor full of doors.
The door you entered is sealed because whatever lay behind it changed you, so you can’t go backwards, only forward.
Some people to through life opening as few doors as possible, changing as little as possible and staying as safe as possible.
Others launch themselves through the most interesting doors with gusto, taking advantage of whatever opportunities are concealed and then on to the next door.
In honor of all those who are, or lean to, the latter description I dedicate these two Rules. They are especially apropos today.
Watch for big problems—they disguise big opportunities.
Welcome the unexpected! Opportunities rarely come in neat, predictable packages.
You can’t open every door and you don’t have to stay long if you don’t like what you find, but if you pass straight through never opening any doors you’ll stay in pristine condition and you don’t really want to arrive at the end as untouched as you were when you started—do you?
I keep getting asked why I’m not more surprised at what’s happened, both good and bad, in 2008. People know that I deplore the duplicity and stupidity that got us into this mess; they also know that I’m an econ-idiot and didn’t see it coming.
So why am I so calm? How can I just shrug and focus on moving forward, with nary a backward glance? Come to think of it, why is that my typical reaction to so many screw-ups?
So in deference to my friends and colleagues who’ve been asking, and in honor of the start of a new year, I’m going to share my secret here, publicly, with everyone.
While many people are adherents of Murphy’s Law, it doesn’t give nearly the mental, emotional, physical, even psychic protection that O’Brien’s Law gives.
What? You’re not familiar with O’Brien’s Law?
Then for your erudition I will state them here together, so you can understand why I’m a passionate believer in the O-Law as opposed to Murphy’s.
Murphy’s Law Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.
O’Brien’s Law Murphy was an optimist.
And that, my friends, is why nothing really surprises me any more.
Everyone I know is struggling with time management issues.
One of the biggest time management caveats is to prioritize.
I’m happy to say that I learned a lot about prioritization as a result of my procrastination.
And one of the things I learned is now a lynchpin of my time management and my 18th rule.
Prioritize: why do today what doesn’t need to be done at all?
A bit of explanation. This doesn’t refer to that trip to the gym that you’re trying to avoid, nor to the time you set aside to read, think or daydream.
It does refer to all the busy work that we add to our already overcrowded lives; all the stuff that we convince ourselves must be done to keep the sky from falling.
The day before a long weekend doesn’t seem the time to offer up anything heavy, instead here’s another of my Rules.
Life is short, break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably and never regret anything that made you smile.
Read them all, you’ll find a lot of wisdom and life help in them—I do.
And since it’s a holiday you’ll probably be seeing people, so here are a couple of good conversation starters. Both are supposedly signs, but you know how reliable Internet stuff is:)
Dr. Jones, at your cervix. (In a Gynecologist’s Office)
CAUTION - This Truck is Full of Political Promises (On the back of another Septic Tank Truck)
Feel free to add a Rule or another conversation piece.
In our health-conscious world we’re constantly told “you are what you eat,” although judging by the constant stories in the media it hasn’t sunk in for many of us.
The sentiment applies to other things, too, as Aristotle pointed out more than 2000 years ago.
Just think, he had all those brilliant ideas without benefit computer, i-Pod, TV, etc. Not to mention mastering the art of the sound bite perfectly.
Sometimes when things get tough it helps to have something right in front of you to grab hold of; not so much to keep going, but to help you change course.
Most people will tell you that they have to work to survive—let alone thrive.
The sentiment applies to other things, too, as Aristotle pointed out more than 2000 years ago.
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