Julian Smith, a very bright, young filmmaker, did a video tribute to the device last year when it initially came out. He’s a really funny guy and I thoroughly enjoyed his video. Enjoy!

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1. Just start. All the planning in the world will get you nowhere. You need to take that first step, no matter how small or how shaky. My way of motivating myself to run or exercise is: Just put on my shoes and get out the door. The rest takes care of itself.

2. Forget perfection. Perfectionism is the enemy of action. Kill it, immediately. You can’t let perfect stop you from doing. You can turn a bad draft into a good one, but you can’t turn no draft into a good draft. So get going.

3. Don’t mistake motion for action. A common mistake. A fury of activity doesn’t mean you’re doing anything. When you find yourself moving too quickly, doing too many things at once, this is a good reminder to stop. Slow down and focus.

4. Focus on the important actions. Clear the distractions. Pick the one most important thing you must do today, and focus on that. Exclusively. When you’re done with that, repeat the process.
5. Move slowly, consciously. Be deliberate. Action doesn’t need to be done fast. In fact, that often leads to mistakes, and while perfection isn’t at all necessary, neither is making a ridiculous amount of mistakes that could be avoided with a bit of consciousness.

6. Planning isn’t action. Sure, you need to plan. Do it, so you’re clear about what you’re doing. Just do it quickly, and get to the actual action as quickly as you can.

7. Sometimes, inaction is better. This might be the most ironic thing on the list, but really, if you find yourself spinning your wheels, or you find you’re doing more harm than good, rethink whether the action is even necessary. Or better yet, do this from the beginning — is it necessary? Only do the action if it is.

Question: Do you use any of these rules to spur you to action? What other rules do you have?

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Make sure you watch the video through to the end. Brilliant I tell you!

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His mind is still as sharp as ever—alert, inquisitive, and focused. He’s also a good teacher and does a weekly seminar at church on Bible Prophecy. I really enjoy engaging him in conversation and when he speaks wisdom drips from his mouth like honey. What amazes me is that even at the age of 84 he still has a zeal for life. He mentioned to me the other day that he would like to buy a computer and learn how to use it. Being very interested in music he also wants to learn how to play the piano and is considering taking some lessons. Wow!

He asked me what I thought about his plans. I said to him: “Go for it Grandpa!” After that conversation I began thinking. What if grandpa is still alive today because he still has a contribution to make—he still has more to offer, more to do—unfinished business.

A lot of people my grandfathers age (older and younger) feel that they have nothing left to contribute. They are living lives of quiet desperation and fading away quickly.

In the book, The Noticer by Andy Andrews, Jones, the personification of wisdom, makes six points to Willow, a seventy-six year old lady, who had given up hope that she had anything left to contribute.

1. God has a purpose for every single person.
2. You won’t die until that purpose is fulfilled.
3. If you are still alive, then you haven’t completed what you were put on earth to do.
4. If you haven’t completed what you were put on earth to do, then your very purpose hasn’t been fulfilled.
5. If your purpose hasn’t been fulfilled, then the most important part of your life is still ahead.
6. You have yet to make your most important contribution.

You may be sick. You may be old and frail. You may be broke. You may be divorced. You may not have any friends at all. You may be depressed and discouraged.

But you’re still alive!

And that my friends, is proof that you have unfinished business. You have not completed what you were put on earth to do.

Happy Birthday Grandpa!

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1. Becoming more aware of the TV’s presence

The rest of my family didn’t join me in this experiment, so there was still some TV viewing in our home.  When I stopped watching TV, I became much more aware of the TV’s presence when others were watching it. Sometimes I found the TV a noisy nuisance, especially when the volume was really high.

2. Saving time

Over the past 40 days I was amazed to see just how much time I had on my hands. Normally I would pass time in front of the TV. With no TV in the evenings, I started reading more, going out more, and writing more.  I found all of these more enjoyable than watching TV.

3. Seeking better quality entertainment

TV also fills a desire for entertainment. I’ll be the first to admit it. There are some fantastically entertaining shows on television. Unfortunately, I started to notice that the quality of the entertainment was fairly hit or miss. By eliminating television I spent more time in social activities that consistently provided more entertainment.

4. Being a bit out of touch

As a result of not watching TV regularly I noticed that I was getting a bit out of touch with what was happening around me with regards to general news and events. I only noticed this when I would get together with friends and they would talk about something specific which they saw on TV. Other than that I generally got my info from the internet.

5. Feeling more ambitious

Over the past few weeks without TV, I’ve had a lot of time on my hands to really think about what I want to do, especially in regard to my personal projects and goals. I get the feeling that TV really dulls ones senses and depletes ones creative energy. I’ve noticed that I’ve become more ambitious with my goals and reaching out to help people. I’ve also accepted a couple of speaking engagements which has been keeping me busy in preparation.

6. Spending less time on the PC

Giving up TV has made me question how much time I spend on my computer at home. I’ve actually cut back on my computer related activities (gaming, watching series, movies, etc.) and spent more time offline tackling my personal projects. As a result I’m more productive as I’m engaging in things that really matter and the results of my work are positive.

7. Not missing TV

I’m actually surprised that I don’t really miss TV, except for the live sports. It was actually an easy habit to break. I just went cold turkey instead of gradually weaning myself, and I perceived no withdrawal symptoms.  You might think “giving up” TV means sacrifice, but in my experience it’s just the opposite.  Watching TV means sacrificing social outings, better forms of entertainment, and of course time.

Overall I’m really glad that I went through with this fast and really glad to have made this change. The benefits are great and in terms of results, it’s one of the best changes I’ve made in my life to date.

Related posts:

1. My TV Fast: Day 18
2. The Media World is Changing Fast — Really Fast!