Title... "Smoke"

Title: Smoke

Date: March 9, 2009

Multitasking vs. Focus & A Lesson in Cash Flow

If you are busy (like everyone these days) and trying to improve your life, you have undoubtedly heard about multi-tasking and the need to FOCUS.

You have undoubtedly been told that either multi-tasking is "incredibly evil and will suck the life out of your..." ... well, I should not get too graphic this early in the morning. Or you have heard that multi-tasking "can be the ultimate in efficiency" [if it is done right]. And around every corner, there is always someone offering you ways to "Get R Done" or something like that.

There are also a whole bunch of people who faithly subscribe to the Theory of Constraints (ala "The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement'>The Goal" or "It's Not Luck">Its Not Luck") and can tell you why multi-tasking does not work... even though their logic does not stop people from continuing to try to do everything at once.

I'm sure you also have heard that FOCUS is the key to making progress towards your most important goals. And, if you are like most people, you probably feel that it makes sense to focus since it brings all of your mental (and perhaps physical) resources to bear on a problem.

I've never felt 100% comfortable with either camp... although I've leaned toward the Focus side on occasion. Having said all that, I had an experience this morning that helped me put Multitasking and Focus into perspective and maybe it could be of interest for you too.

As I often do when I have a spare minute, I was loading some audio CD's into my iTunes this morning and, like every time I do it, the loading process choked my PC's processing speed to a crawl so I was not able to easily perform internet searchs or write blog posts. The difference this morning was that I did not fight the bottleneck.

I knew that the processing of the CD would take about 5-10 minutes so I did not start it until I was done doing other tasks on my computer. Once I started the download, I got up and went to the kitchen to make some breakfast. By the time I was done, the CD had loaded and I was ready to add another one. Once that was going, I took a shower and got dressed for the day. Again, when I came back it was done.

What I realized is that multi-tasking does not work if the tasks have dependent resources. If they use the same resources, then one task will slow down the other one and you won't realize the benefits of completing either task as soon as you would as if you did each one serially.

Of course, if the tasks do not require the same resources, then multi-tasking is easy... but how often does that happen in real life? There is only one of you, right? Or can you figure out a way to get the task done by someone else? WOW, I didn't even think that this train of thought would bring me to the concept of LEVERAGE ... but it did. Cool!

How does that relate to life?

If you are trying to increase your wealth, for example, the CD loading process is like "Passive Cash Flow" from an investment or royalty (books, songs, intellectual property). It comes in while you are doing other things and you don't have to focus on it 100% of the time.

The other parallel to life is that you DO have to focus on the CD to get it started. Same with "Passive Cash Flow"... you have to research and set up your investment(s) so that they produce while you are doing other things. It also makes sense to come back to them occasionally (and focus on them) to make sure they are progressing.

How has this been applied to my life?

To be perfectly honest... I have not applied it as much as I should. I am working on the purchase and renovation of a couple investment properties... but they are not yet at the "Passive Cash Flow" stage. I guess I'm learning that I should put MORE FOCUS on them now so that I can get the money flowing and move on to other things.

What's your experience ?

Valentines Day Card

Would you like to see this as part of a Valentines Day card series?

The title of this is "4 stages"...

Leave a comment and let us know what you think ... or if you would like to see some of the other Valentines-related art by Wheels...

NoteWordy Sympathy card?

Let me know what you think of the following art by Wheels (and whether it should be turned into a notecard) by leaving a comment below ...

******* text for back of card *******

“When all seems dark …”

There are times in everyone’s life when all seems dark…

… someone is taken away and you miss them terribly.

When all seems dark…
… remember them and the memories will warm your heart.

When all seems dark…
… embrace those around you who share your grief and
can ease your pain.

When all seems dark…

… see something that reminds you of them …
… and know that you are not alone.

GOAL Setting Season is OPEN !

January 1st kicks off "Goal Setting Season".

The beginning of the year is the time that everyone thinks about goals and where their life is heading. I bet that you are probably thinking about your own goals right now, aren't you?

Seth Godin (Marketing Guru) had an interesting post on his blog about goals...

Having goals is a pain in the neck. ... Not having a goal lets you make a ruckus, or have more fun, or spend time doing what matters right now, which is, after all, the moment in which you are living. The thing about goals is that living without them is a lot more fun, in the short run.

It seems to me, though, that the people who get things done, who lead, who grow and who make an impact... those people have goals.

Are we doomed to fail?
So we set goals... and most peoples "New Year's Resolution" don't last to the end of February. Why? Most people set "NICE" goals...
Not
Intrinsically
Compelling or
Exciting.
In other words, they are really pretty happy with the way things are and they don't feel compelled to make a change.... or at least not enough to overcome the hurdles.

If you read a bunch of books, I'm sure you have run across the next level of goal setting ... the "traditional" SMART goals. Those are goals that are:
Specific
Measureable
Attainable
Realistic
Timely

That's good but even goals that are SMART don't always last. You can set a goal to lose 10 lbs. by March 31st but if you are comfortable and you have limited motivation, what are the odds that you are going to complete your "SMART" goal?

Over at another blog, I learned about DUMB Goals and I think they are one step closer to goals that will work ....
Dangerously
Unobtainable
Monstrously
Big goals.

These are like the BHAG's (Big Hairy Audacious Goals) explained in the book, "Built To Last". DUMB goals or BHAG's are things that are so outrageous that they inspire you go do things you would not ordinarily do. They also increase the chances that you will fail... which is a good thing!

As A.L.Williams (of insurance fame) said, "If you want to be great, you first have to be good. If you want to be good, you first have to be bad. If you want to be bad, you first have to try. So if you want to succeed, you first have to try." [I love that quote!]

DUMB goals give you a reason to fail ... and to learn and grow and make progress !

So if you combined your SMART goals with DUMB goals ... is that it? Are you guaranteed success?

No, there is one more "magical ingredient" that you need to make your goal a reality...

You have to Feel it !
Here is what I learned from Steve Pavlina ...

The purpose of goal-setting isn’t to control the future. That would be senseless because the future only exists in your imagination. The only value in goal-setting is that it improves the quality of your present moment reality. Setting goals can give you greater clarity and focus right now. Whenever you set a goal, always ask yourself, “How does setting this goal improve my present reality?” If a goal does not improve your present reality, then the goal is pointless, and you may as well dump it. But if the goal brings greater clarity, focus, and motivation to your life whenever you think about it, it’s a keeper.

A goal that is true to your heart and your desires will inspire you to do all the unpleasant things (like make changes to your habits) that are required to be successful.

It probably won't feel natural when you try something new. Marshal Silver taught me that "The right thing will feel wrong... at first." This is because you are not used to it ... but as you make it a habit, it will feel more natural and less "motivation" will be needed to make sure it gets done.

So, what do you have planned for 2009?

"Before"... finished !

It took a while, but it is finally finished.

The vacation and holidays at the end of December was the perfect time to get this painting wrapped up ... probably due to some very cold weather and some good movies on TV that encouraged me to stay inside !

I used a very translucent acrylic blue ("Prussian blue", I think) which gave the body a "scratchy" or "beaten-up" look which I liked. It also hinted at an unhealthy lifestyle... to go along with the "boxed-in" and "black clouds" that have "haunted" the subject of this painting.

Selling it?
I probably won't sell this painting right away. I am hoping to have "Before" and "After" completed and hung side-by-side so selling the first one is out of the question ... at least for a while.

Next...
I am already working on "After" ... which seems appropriate as we head into the "New Year's Resolution" season.

Tune in here for updates on the next painting.

Before 9 - couple months off for...

It has been about 2 months since I last posted an update on this painting.

... probably due to lots of exciting things going on at Toastmasters (see my TM blog for more about that) along with an evening class (for business).

It is good to get back to painting and I'm looking forward to having some time over the holidays to make some more progress.

D

Great Doonesbury Cartoon... for note writers!

Check out the full Doonesbury comic strip by clicking the link below ....

http://www.arcamax.com/doonesbury/s-444545-988452?source=1930

Businesses with Personality !

As many of my readers already know, we like to see businesses with personality !

Here is a great example (as featured in Business Pundit blog) .....

Walk into a high dollar hair salon and you might be offered a glass of wine to go with your $60 haircut. IF you have an appointment that is. Walk into a Bishops Barbershop on any given Tuesday (no appointment necessary) and suck down the suds during your $12 buzz cut.

Rivera didn’t invent the idea of a different kind of hair salon. The niche is includes SportsClips, which features TVs blaring ESPN and stylists in NASCAR gear. Then there’s Cartoon Cuts, where kids get hosed down by a nozzle that resembles an elephant trunk. But Rivera’s joint is different. Partly on account of that beer, and partly due to the street art he supports which creates the uber-urban vibe. But mostly it’s because of the personality Rivera has infused into his brand.

The real test will be if Rivera can maintain the personality of his creation as he tries to franchise the concept to other cities.

Keep you eyes out for a Bishops Barbershop in your city !

(and leave a comment below if you know of a business with personality!)

"How and Why to Be Unreasonable" by Tim Ferriss

I am a big fan of "doing the impossible" and really enjoyed the video below by Tim Ferriss, author of "The 4 hour workweek" speaking at the DO Lectures.



What do you think? What REALLY BIG goals do you have?

Before 8 - first "color" added

It is amazing how a few extra minutes that might have been wasted can be turned into progress.

The small progress this time is the addition of gray to the painting. It did not take long ... as a matter of fact, it was done while I was waiting for my dinner to cook...

... in the microwave !

The end is in sight... hopefully this painting will be posted to the NoteWordy.com gallery soon !

Painting Sold at Silent Auction !

The painting by Wheels shown here was sold at a silent auction held during the Division A Toastmasters contest hosted by WestConn Toastmasters.

The painting is acrylic on canvas titled, "Fall in VT" and is 11 x 14 inches. It was created in 2004 and was donated to the silent auction.

The winning bidder, Anne Swartout of Ridgefield, CT , was also the Chief Judge for the Division A contest held on September 23rd in the Wooster School Library!

Congratulations Anne and special thanks to Carmine Coco De Young who organized the silent auction along with the refreshments at the contest!

Before 7 - after six weeks off

I had not realized how long it had been since I last worked on this painting... Aug.10th was the last update.

What happened since then?

Well, I went to Chicago (and did about 3 minutes of standup comedy at the Chicago Center for the Performing Arts open mic night).

I went to Montana for a family reunion.

I went to NH for a couple days with my Dad & sister.

And lots of Toastmasters activities!

As Lt.Gov.Marketing for District 53 Toastmasters, I am in charge of many activities (and I can't help getting involved in others too). It is alot of fun and all of it is a "growth experience" so I don't feel too bad that the painting progress is slow.

Besides, there haven't been too many comments on this blog, so it's hard to tell if anyone is paying attention anyways! (If you are reading this... leave a comment and let us know what you think of this blog.)

Sometimes the Art just has to come out...

Jeff Hanson is an young artist featured in an article by Debra Skodack for the Kansas City Star.

He started painting and selling notecards, some of which "from his own driveway". International rock star, Elton John has even taken an interest in Jeff's art and asked him to paint pictures for his AIDS Foundation “cluster homes” in South Africa where "pregnant HIV-positive women receive medicine so their children will be born HIV-free".

While this could just be a story about an artist being discovered by a rock star and introduced to the world stage, it is much more.

Jeff is only 14 years old, has learning disabilities and is legally blind. He sees spots within his field of vision ... but his art must come through!

What's holding you back from fully engaging in your art? What are you using as an excuse?

What if you could find a few minutes a day? What could you create?

Dream Big... but start small.

Dream Big.

You don't get passionate about daily chores like taking out the garbage, do you?

You need a bigger vision. A bigger goal.

A destination that promises incredible rewards, experiences and personal fulfillment.

There's nothing wrong with that, is there?

But why isn't everyone achieving their BIG DREAMS immediately?

Bee-HAG it:

By definition, a really Big Hairy Audacious Goal ("BHAG" as author Jim Collins and Jerry Poiras called it in their book, "Built To Last") is like an island or a mountaintop. No easy way to get there.

It isn't until you have identified or outlined the path to your BIG DREAM that the real journey can begin.

Passion & Path:

If you don't have a passionate goal... and a view of the path to your goal... it is very easy to fall into an EASY life.

In America, it is actually TOO easy. You can eat yourself to death with all the excellent and tasty food that is easily available in America.

Discipline = Progress

Success requires discipline. Making the choices that may not be comfortable... but the ones that move you towards your goal.

Tony Robbins defines that Fulfillment as the act of PROGRESS towards a goal. Progress requires discipline to follow the path to your goal.

And progress starts small. VERY small. Insignificantly small.

How long?
Start small and build your discipline until ... well until you die. Once you experience the feeling of progress you won't want to stop at your initial goal... you will reach for bigger and bigger goals!

How Small?
If starting small is so powerful, what is the smallest unit of action?

It is your "rituals" or "habits". Here is a good post on how to improve your rituals. Tony Robbins calls it "NET" time for "No Extra Time" !

For today...

Today is the day to DREAM BIG

... and Start small.

Start here.

Start NOW.

No more complaints...

When I saw this cartoon, it gave me a good chuckle... and then it reminded me that complaining, or even just negative thoughts, don't help make the situation better.

The sooner I recognize, and accept, the current reality ... the sooner I can begin to figure out a way to change it.

I would also add that the "experimental German treatment" works especially well with an old American Indian remedy...

Kwitcherbichen and Giddyup !

[Any resemblence of the person in the cartoon to this author is purely coincidental.]

Before 6

The weather was TOO nice this weekend ... but I still managed to paint a little more on the "Before" picture.

I was surprised that I still have a good amount of black to do... and since much of it is in odd places on the canvas, I have found that it is easier to do in sections and let things dry (so that I'm not putting my hand in wet paint and tracking it all over the place).

Oh, I should add that I have started walking with slight bursts of jogging. I will have to work my way up to really running... but at least I won't look as much like the painting !

How is your "Shine"?

I saw this article from Duct Tape Marketing and even though it is about marketing and business, I really liked the concept of "shine".

...This 3rd strategy element is something I call “Your Shine.”

Essentially this is the illumination of your marketing and life vision in what is ultimately a highly personal and unique way.

You already know that line that separates your business and your life is so thin that without a vision for how one will serve the other, perhaps neither will serve either.

And that’s what I believe holds people back from building truly
remarkable businesses and equally remarkable lives.

So what does this shines thing look like? I don’t know exactly, but I do know it has nothing to do with balance.

First off, balance is impossible to achieve and it’s wrong thing
anyway. Building a business and a life that shines isn’t about balance, it’s more about blending the right notes to create a certain kind of dynamic harmony.

See, the beautiful thing about harmony is that only you can determine the kind of music that excites you.

Your Shine then is your personal understanding of your organization’s ... higher purpose or reason for being that syncs perfectly with your personal goals and values. ... You and only you can decide what “higher purpose” means, the only point I’m making is that without this driving vision or “this is why I do this” it is far too easy to get knocked off track the first time you
suffer some setback or criticism of your dream.

A firm grasp of this thing I call your Shine is what gives you the courage to stay with what you believe.

So the parts of your Shine, your harmony and by their very nature parts of your marketing strategy are:

• Your personal, business, strategic and tactical long-term and short-term goals


• Your marketing vision - the higher purpose of why you do what you do that helps you throw off the desire for a homeostasis kind of balance in search for a much more dynamic kind of harmony


• Your vision story - A detailed description of a day in the life of your business if, in fact, your marketing vision was being fully realized and that your business was indeed allowing you to create a remarkable life - in a word, a
  life that Shines.

Once you create Your Shine as part of your marketing strategy you may find that the other elements of your strategy, your ideal customer and your core difference, are much easier to get your arms around.

The most exciting thing I’ve witnessed when people take the time to really get this idea, is that all of a sudden marketing gets really easy, because they have a guiding light that drives every single marketing decision.

It doesn't just apply to Marketing.

Have you got your Shine On?

If it's worth doing, it's worth SINGING !

It has been a while since I posted something from Seth Godin (my favorite marketing author & blogger), but when I saw this post, I just had to pass it along...

Sing it!

I spent some time a few days ago listening to a nascent band
performing classic rock songs.

The first group sang a note-for-note rendition of a song by the Stones. The notes were right, but nothing else was. The singer
didn’t know what the song meant. And the musicians, they just stood there. No energy, no smiles, no connection. It could have been a funeral with a great soundtrack.

A concert isn’t about the music, is it? And a restaurant isn’t about the food.

The funny thing is that learning to Sing It is a lot easier
than learning how to play the guitar. For some reason, we work on the technique before we worry about adding the joy.

If you’re going to go to all the trouble of learning the song and performing it, then SING IT. Sing it loud and with feeling and like you mean it. Deliver it, don’t just make it. When you
answer the phone or greet me at your office or come to a meeting or write something, don’t bother if all you’re going to do is do it. Sing it or stay home.

I had composed this post in my head, when, in a scary example of blog synchronicity, they announced the next song. One by Bluë Oyster Cult, of course. And yes, the announcer demanded that the guest on stage give us more cowbell. More cowbell indeed.

As a speaker or artist, how often do we get trapped by the mechanics of what we are doing and forget that a good part (probably the biggest part) of the value comes from our emotion and connection with the material.

In other words, how we SING IT !

Are you singing today? Why not?

Leave a comment below and tell us !

Before - 5 Weekend of Progress

Again, some rainy weather this past weekend helped speed my progress on the current work.

It was also a good rest between working out and working in the yard... but, unfortunately, the sun came out on Sunday!

As the painting starts to come together, I'm starting to think about the other colors that will be added soon... I have some gray but I'm not sure if I'm happy with the current shades of blue or purple that I have.

In a few days, we will see what I decided.


Any thoughts or questions about the progress so far?

Leave a comment below !

P.S. I also created a self-portrait this weekend and added an electronic thumbnail version of it to the NoteWordy Artist page.
Check it out... http://notewordy.com/Artists.html