Personal development rule # 2
Pause frequently for reflection

Personal development rule # 3
Enjoy the paradoxs

As we move into the holiday gatherings with our dear families whom we rarely see enough, I’d like to take a look at something…

The dearest things we give and reeceive in all the world are not wrapped in shiny ribbons and bows. Frequently our greatest gifts are as simple as a hand-crafted compliment that is entirely accurate and deserved, a kind ear that listens beyond the first several egoic-driven impulses to ‘move on’, and in so doing, giving another heart a chance to reflect and to be heard.

These types of gifts are often remembered for years. Perhaps even a lifetime.

I watched a lovely TED Talk by Brene Brown about the power of vulnerability (it was superb), and it reminded me that being true to yourself, allowing yourself to be vulnerable enough to be loved and courageous enough to do the loving are some of the most miraculous acts we can perform. And we can give these daily, even hourly, without being even one ounce diminished ourselves.

I hope your holidays are rife with the love and joy that is family and loved ones.

There’s no bigger time-waster than loosing track of where you were in a project and needing to retrace your steps to figure out where to begin again. Personally, I’m not a big fan of wasted time so I do what I can to maximize my use of what I’ve got.

I use Google Docs to organize my entire workflow and have adopted David Allen’s GTD system (good book, btw) within Google’s cloud-based document solution to suit my workflow very nicely. I have an general ‘Open Loops’ document that is essentially everything that is on my radar as something that I’m currently working on or which need immediate attention as soon as the thing I’m working on is complete. I have a ‘Someday / Maybe’ document that contains all the ideas that come up for me that seem like a good idea at the time, but which I don’t have the time to implement immediately. What’s interesting is that sometimes I’ll go back and find things in this document that in retrospect I realize either weren’t a good use of time, that I accomplished in another (usually better) way or that are now otherwise irrelevant. What I mean for you to take away from this is that I saved time because I didn’t waste it on things that later revealed themselves to be unneeded.

I should also note that I have a ‘Master’ list of everything that definitely needs to happen, one called ‘Waiting For’ that contains open loops that are currently in someone else’s workflow, and I have various specific documents for each individual project that I’ve got going. This keeps all of my thoughts straight, compartmentalized, backed up on Google’s servers and accessible to me from wherever I am, even from my phone.

The most beautiful part of this system though is its interlinkability (it’s a word now), which allows me to move easily from one document to another by creating links between the two, and its searchability (ditto), which allows instant, content-deep search capability across all of my documents account-wide.

As a working example about the linkability, I link from my Open Loops document to the specific document for a project, or even a specific section of that document and can then move swiftly from a large overview to a project overview. I sometimes even create sub-projects if the document begins to become too bloated and unfocused. It’s simple to ‘cut’ a section of a document and paste it into a new one.  Then I head back to the main doc and drop an appropriately titled link to the newly created one and BAM! Instant workflow.

The other great thing about Google Docs is the incredible search capabilities that is characteristic of Google’s products. From your ‘root’ folder of your Google Docs you can search the content of all your documents. And from within a spreadsheet, for example, you can search ‘one’ or ‘all’ sheets for a string.

I recently discovered a Google Desktop widget for Google Docs that makes all of this work even more easily and quickly. The widget allows you to search your docs, open them and even create new ones directly from your desktop. Its still using the documents online, but you save yourself the extra time it takes to launch your Google Docs ‘root’ folder to then find and work with the document you need. Instead you simply go right to what you need.

Do you already use Google Docs? What are your favorite tricks and tweaks?

photo credit: jonny goldstein

Step 1. Squeeze a household pet until they exclaim in disapproval. If you have goldfish you may need to try a few fish before this works.

Step 2. Record the sound your pet makes. These are the first letters.

Step 3. Add the winning lotto numbers from the week of your mother’s birth. This’ll require some research on your part, but is an absolutely vital step. Without it a monkey will be able to access your most sensitive status updates with only the power of his mind.

Step 4. Eat a piece of brocolli. Count the number of crunches you get from it. (This used to be the number of licks to get to the center of a tootsie pop but since they came out with that marketing campaign it just isn’t secure any longer. Mmmmm… I miss Big League Chew.)

Step 5. Multiply the numbers from steps 3 and 4, then subtract the number of times you curse your computer in a given day and append this to the sound your flattened animal made. If the resulting number is a negative throw your computer away, buy a parka and move to the Himalayas to become free from all of your emotional pissed-off-ness.

Step 6. You’re done. Your new password is so secure that no one aside from Google will ever know it. In fact, it’s so secure that your brain cannot even comprehend it’s magnificence and when you attempt to recall it your mind simply locks up in a overwhelming wave of awe at it’s pure awesomeness.

Step 7. Request a password reset.

This will allow us to break out of a crowded and cluttered social web and make more deliberate choices about which communities get the bulk of our time and energy. It’ll be driven likely by increasing user frustration at social behemoths, like Facebook, for their frequent privacy issues and the inherent disdain of an online monopoly on our friend connections and identity.

The next big thing is little.

What are your thoughts about the next step in the evolution of the social web?

What it we focused more clearly on the outcome we seek instead of all the details of one small part?

If we were to spend less time engaged with what doesn’t move us forward and we kept our purpose in mind, how much more could we achieve?

What’s the key here, I think, is having a strong passion / desire that will fuel you through the challenges and ward off boredom. Well, that and keeping it at the absolute forefront of your mind. This seems to keep me very focused. Its always when my ‘why’ wanes that my results diminish.

What’s true for you?

A crest of sand on a long deserted beach.

My heart and yours, the things we’ve seen.

The learning, the growth, the places we’ve been.

Now they all come to meet, where sand and the waves meet the toes on our feet.

Usually when I drill down and ask if there are any specific questions the response is nearly always “Well I just wonder what you would recommend.”

Its fine, I don’t mind this question and I’m happy to help when and where I can. What I think people are frequently looking for is some general sense of where to go from here. You’ve got a WordPress blog, now what?

So what follows is a general response to a recent inquiry I got from a buddy online. If it fits for you and is helpful… awesome!

In my experience its a bit of an ongoing process. You’ll probably feel out the design for a while and make changes til you’re happy with it.

I’d say make the effort to continue writing. Every day if you can find the time. Your writing will quickly evolve and you’ll define more and more your own specific topics and style.

Creating a clear focus or a thread that weaves its way through all of your content is always ideal, but that can take time to do it right. Often developing a sense for what this is for one’s own self takes a bit of time first. But write anyway. The focus will come. And if later down the line you decide you’d like to change focus you can easily do so.

Meanwhile you’ll be developing connections with people. A community that witnesses your writing and becomes increasingly engaged with you, your ideas and your brand (or personality plus expertise).

Remember that writing is building equity. All the rest is details.

Hope this helps!

Best,
Joshua

Man is exactly like an onion and the art consists of how to peel the onion and come to its innermost core.

From Intuition by Osho

Swype technology goes a long way towards improving data entry, but like any newer technology, its got significant room for improvement.

I’m noticing some really interesting things happening when screens these days. Apples got that weird screen in the newest Macbook Air. The emerging 3D wave and eLCDs seem pretty promising as well.

What do you suppose will be the next innovations that bring the desktop experience even closer to our pockets?

For anyone interested in integrative spirituality but with a penchant for the provable.

You can listen to a sample of it on on audible.com

• Google knows what I’m looking for (Google search)
• Google knows what I’m reading (Google reader)
• Google knows where I am on the web (Google Analytics)
• Google knows who I know and what we talk about (Google contacts, Android phone & Gmail)
• Google knows what I’m planning (Google calendar)
• Google knows what I know and what I’m collaborating (Google docs)
• Google knows where I am (Android phone)
• Google knows where I live (Google account)
• Google knows my voice (voice recognition on Android phone)
• Google knows everything I’ve published on the web (Google search index)

Google knows me better that anyone?

Hmmm… creepy.

Daily we add more soil upon yesterday’s; our roots grow deep and strong.

Water its as kindness. Allowing us to remain supple. Flexible. Giving.

Daily we sprinkle kindness and allow our roots to reach deeper and grow even wider; supporting us no matter what the weather.

The trunk of this tree is our growing love. Each day more powerful and impressive than the last.

Our leaves and branches reach out, touching the world around us. Casting shade for passers-by who may be weary and lonely.

Our daily commitments to trust and kindness not only touch our lives in incredible ways but those around us who see our efforts.

Love more.

Is it inherently a bad thing to “toot one’s own horn”?

While it certainly tends to be inherently annoying for those around us (unless they care greatly for us and choose to see past it), I would argue that just a bit of occasional gloating is a good sign.

Be honest. You know that when you feel a sense of pride in something you’ve put effort into, you like to share it with those who feel close to you.

What about online? What about on Twitter or Facebook? How will your guilty excursions into touting your recent accomplishment fare for your image? Probably not well. But then you probably knew that. Certainly you don’t need me to tell you that gloating puts people off.   But I will say this. If the people whom you feel connected with and want to share this with are online in those venues and you wish to share it… do!

Why? Because god-dammit… be you!  – It’s okay really.

It’s your choice to share what you’re proud of.   Others can choose to take it in any way they please.  Besides, I for one want the opportunity to be even more proud of you.

–

photo credit: Florin Draghici

We spin our wheels alot in society. I’m sure it’s true everywhere.

A project manager becomes too busy and looses sight of the big picture. As a manager or a parent we forget that praise works better than blame.

The bigger picture is hidden behind the details. A direction is obscured and for a time, we lose sight of land.

Its our ability it see something from the end, and to plan our course intelligently that sets us apart as thinking beings. Yet so often I’ve heard it said that we become human doings, and I believe its true. We take on too much, loose our vision and forget our way. We effectively overload ourselves and cut off our connection to higher creativity that would take us to the places of our dreams.

We all need the gentle reminder sometimes that to get the very best results from our life, its important that we aren’t running on overload.

Are there ways that you can reduce your load?

Lets first of all assume “No, there are no ways to cut down my load. I’m buried”, because I think we call all relate to this one time or another, and because clearly you have the least time to spend reading this.

If you cannot reduce your load, you CAN always reduce your ‘perceived load’. There’s lots of ways to do this. Here’s a short list to remind you what you (may) already know:

• Start questioning the stressful thoughts in your head. I’ll bet you can easily check like three good ones off just by recognizing that they’re either 1) unlikely to occur 2) completely unfounded fears 3) not  important enough to warrant as much as stress its causing you 4) or all of the above.
• Breathe suuuper slow and count the seconds while you inhale. This one is actually amazing. If you can make three minutes to sit down you can use this to reduce your stress drastically.
• Think about two things you’re REALLY grateful for. What would life be like without the things you’re grateful for? (for me its my loved ones, who also serve as drive for my ambition)
• Ask a couple of questions:

“Where do I want to go?”

“How am I going to start?”

• Keep your ‘why‘ in mind as you create

These tools really help me to put life into perspective when things get to be a bit too much.

What are your tools?  How do you regain your vision?

Keep smiling friends!  ;-)