Communication

Communication is important. No doubt about it.

If you asked any woman why her last three relationships ended, communication would be the issue with at least one of them.

And you only have to go along to one of the many business courses out there to realise that communication is essential to your success.

It's not just the communicating that counts though. It's being effective in that communication.

Because if someone doesn't understand you, you're just making noise.

Ke?

Clarity

Clarity is one of those things that's pretty useful most of the time. If you can't see clearly then making any sort of decision gets pretty tough.

Sometimes it is worth just making a call and finding out afterwards though.

See?

Focus

Eyes up.

Concentrate on the task at hand.

Don't get sidetracked or distracted.

Which is all well and good, but you might not see the bigger issues until it's too late.

Little things

First

First you roll. Then you crawl. Then it's walking. After that a run.

First it's floating, then sculling, followed by freestyle.

How well you do at the first usually indicates whether you'll be any good at the rest of it.

So why is first so important? Is it just a confidence building exercise? Does it actually help your body physically prepare for what comes next? Or does it play some huge role in the wiring of your brain and the thought processes you require?

And is first just important because we humans are so competitive? Is it a hangover from when everything was decided in battle, and coming second meant being dead?

If anyone knows a famous second I'd love to hear it.

First I need a coffee though.

Not first

Positive

Ok, I've been told that my last couple of posts have come across as a bit depressing.

So to fix this, I think you should immediately start thinking of clowns. And smiles. And puppies.

But why do these things make us happy? And why those things? Surely a stranger wearing overdone makeup and an outlandish outfit belongs to young women on a Saturday night? And a baring of teeth can only be aggressive? Puppies are surely only scared, nervous, inquisitive creatures that have no bowel control and are constantly seeking approval?

Whatever the reason, everyone has certain triggers that make them feel happy. Which is lucky, because otherwise we'd be terribly depressed as a species.

Sunny side

Motivation

It's early morning, your alarm is going off, and you're trying to jistify hitting 'snooze' one more time.

So what is it that gets you up? Is it because today is the day you're going to make that big leap forward? That report will be out, the kids will be happy for a while longer, and the chances of getting fired will be much reduced. 

But so what? Doesn't the cyclical nature of life tell us that this is only temporary? Surely we'll find ourselves in the same position in a day, week, month, or even a year? So what makes you get up this time? 

Or why set the alarm in the first place? You only ignore it the first time anyway, so why not set it a bit later? 

And wasn't today the day you were going to do the big thing? That task you've been putting off for weeks? So if the big thing is done today, surely tomorrow you deserve a sleep in? Bet you won't though.

Why?

Beginnings

Start as you mean to go on is something I've heard many times.

Not a bad idea either. No point starting at a frantic pace to be reduced to a crawl later. Also no point starting slowly to get faster as the day goes on.

Actually the old hare and tortoise analogy works here too.

Still, when it comes to consistency, not many can compare to the sun.


Let's go!