I definitely need more discipline in my life, and part of that is getting out of my home office into some real, collaborative office space. Then I might start working on a routine that takes me more than a couple feet from my bed.
But check this out…. This guy talks about 3 different improvements he’s made to his daily routine…. I imagine attempting these might be a good exercise, but I don’t think I’m there yet. But I am impressed. And I should probably try it one of these days.
Paul Graham wrote about the ideas that preoccupy our minds. He has observed that we will typically focus on an idea that we always think about. For entrepreneurs, it will be your product or business, and how to continually improve it, market it, and sell it. The problem that arises is when we are distracted from this one main idea we have on our minds. His example is raising money for your business. Businesses that start to raise money tend to slow down progress in developing their products. This is because raising money becomes the main idea.
I completely agree with this. I will obsess over my latest idea and get irritated when I’m distracted by other things I have to dedicate a lot of time to. The point that Paul makes about being distracted is a good one though. Being distracted from your main idea gives your mind a moment to breathe. Solutions to problems or road blocks you may have run into tend to come out of thin air when you are NOT consciously thinking about your main idea.
Read Paul Graham’s post: The Top Idea In Your Mind
I came across this article that catalogs 9 extraordinary human abilities. I, like probably many people, feel like I can relate to some of the abilities to a degree, but don’t think I have nearly the capabilities described.
Based on the foods they describe as affecting the “supertasters”, those are some that stand out for me. The description of “synesthesia” also rings true when they talk about “special-sequence synesthesia… where dates have a precise location in space”. I visualize dates and places and things in something like a 3D space. Sometimes like plotting on a graph, where my perspective viewing the graph is anchored at one spot and I can view up and down an axis. Sometimes it’s less exact and more of a feeling about where things are… reference points. I don’t know if that’s what they describe or not.
I wonder how often people realize they have capabilities that the majority of the people around them don’t have. To me, miscommunication or frustration when people don’t “get it” seems to be an indicator that you might have better capabilities than others in certain areas. But on the other hand, maybe it’s just bad communication skills!
I’d like to meet more people with some of these fascinating abilities!
Here’s a good article about how mistakes help teach people to learn. I like to post articles that can help my sister teach! Wonder if she reads this?
http://holykaw.alltop.com/kids-learn-better-by-trying-and-failing
I am absolutely fascinated by human behavior and what makes us tick. Everyone is so different, yet there are aspects of us that can be very much the same. This is a great article about how rewards systems pretty much kill motivation…
http://www.spring.org.uk/2009/10/how-rewards-can-backfire-and-reduce-motivation.php
If it gets long winded, skip to the last section after reading the beginning. Enjoy.
My mother has had a successful career in her counseling and mediation practice. Thought this might shed some light on the types of people she tries to help…. Accurate? What is you take on it?
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20091012_18_A1_Social50303
This is a great video about “tribes” and the different kinds. It is very insightful and inspiring. It also pointed out to me what I’m struggling with myself, and where I want to get to. Please watch this and give me your thoughts!
Here’s an article by Roland Legrand about unlocking a community’s insights using the Socratic method. He explains why both too much and not enough control over a community can cause it to fall apart. Thankfully he describes how to foster engagement in a community to encourage participation.
Hey! This is a great presentation… There are 2 videos, so check out the 2nd one first, and then the first one is an update to it… it’s really cool and informative.
http://holykaw.alltop.com/update-to-shift-happens-how-the-world-is-chan
I tend to juggle a lot of projects at once. It gets hard to keep my head on straight from time to time. Apparently multitasking can affect the brain in odd ways…. I have to admit, believe it!