November 30, 2009
When I normally blog I start from scratch within WordPress or the blog platform itself. While I can play around with ideas for a while when I get onto the blog we are basically at the end of the production line. My articles are normally completed within an hour and generally published immediately on completion.
In a bid to improve quality of material I now leave articles in draft format for much longer while I check my ideas and do last minute research on ideas in the article. I have not used an independent editor for my articles but I think it’s become necessary to do so. I hope that by tweaking the process the reading experience will be much improved and more enjoyable. Borrowing from the film industry I might also use a “test audience” for some of the material before I eventually post online. Have a good one. BTM
Leave a Comment » | 
Daily diary | 
Permalink
Posted by Bruce
November 28, 2009
Today is a good day. I have just finished reading “How Life imitates chess.” I really enjoyed reading the book. Garry marries chess and life in such a way that even someone who does not play the game can appreciate the link between the two. Of course life is much more complex than any game we can think of. I have now picked up a book that I have had for some years and probably should have read long back – “Winning with people” by John C. Maxwell.
Just about everything we do affects other people in some way. It took me a long time to discover that it’s really all about people. We are surrounded by people all our lives. From the time we are born we are already connecting. Whatever field or area of life we are in, people are one of the things that we have in common. How we relate and connect with other people will determine how we and others benefit from these relationships and how we grow.
For me a relationship is a connection between two people. It’s not an event but a process, a journey even. How long that process is depends on us. Whether we are dealing with someone in a technically challenging field or relating to our neighbour, there is always a way of getting out of and giving the best in the relationship. We have people with different personalities and characters, strengths and weaknesses, cultures and backgrounds, orientations, races, creeds and religions. It’s all the more important given all these difference that we should really aim to win with people.
Imagine how much progress we could all make if we could harness the power and strengths of all the people that we connect with. You can be brilliant or gifted in whatever you do but if you can’t win with people, you have already lost out on a big opportunity. People count! People matter. If you want to get the best out of what you are doing, you need to consider how you are relating to the people around you. Are they on your side? Are you on the same side? BTM
Leave a Comment » | Ideas | Tagged: people, win with people | Permalink
Posted by Bruce
November 23, 2009
Its one hundred and ninety-nine days to the World Cup in South Africa. I can really feel the buzz and excitement over 2010. The countdown to the 2010 spectacle fills me with great hope about what this tournament could do not only for South Africa but the continent as a whole. I am very optimistic about the future. I will not wait for tomorrow to be positive. I start today. In fact I start right now and I am helping to spread the positive vibe. It’s a great time to be in Africa.
I recently changed departments at work. I am now in a much bigger team which means more relationship building and more dynamics and I am already enjoying it. It was sad to leave my old team but I take all the lessons with me and look forward to the new challenges that await me. With the new area and space come new frontiers and new possibilities! There is no progress without change. If we must change let’s do so in progress.
I also signed up for the “Dynamics of Personal Goal Setting” programme last month with the Success Motivation Institute. I hope to have completed this in a few months time. For a long time I was unsure about which programme but eventually settled on this one.There are a number of products in the market. However, success in either my personal life or work life is not enough. I need it in both areas of my life. The two areas must be complementary and not working against each other. I need not choose one over the other! Both areas are critical. Going forward I will be re looking at what this success really is and reduce it to goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Reliable and Time-bound. The goals need to be SMART.
I am currently reading former World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov’s “How Life imitates chess.” I hope to share some insights from this book in the coming weeks. Each day I am trying to cover at least at a chapter. I have also found a bit of time to catch up on chess. I am not too happy with my standard of chess and am working on getting a decent rating. I am using an old version of the chess program Fritz. I saw little need to upgrade to a recent program.
Interestingly I am trying to achieve all these things while spending less time online. This has been a big challenge but I am already realising the benefits. It means more time for family and other things I would otherwise not be able to do. In this day and age when we are inundated with so much information, maybe we need to draw the line somewhere. I had to. BTM (Shortly before posting this blog, the article had simply disappeare. I had not realised that my modem had disconnected from the internet and attempts to update were unsucessful. I had just about given up on blogging for today. Fortunately WordPress saves drafts every now and I was able to pick off from a draft.)
Leave a Comment » | Daily diary | Tagged: This and that | Permalink
Posted by Bruce
November 10, 2009
I made the commitment some months ago regarding a number of goals in my life. The commitment would have far reaching implications in my working and personal life. The goals stretch beyond the current circumstances of my life.
I realised that no one was going to set the goals for me. No one was going to push me to achieve these goals for me. I had to do it, not for anyone else but for me. It was not about conforming to or fulfilling some external standard or requirement. I set the standard that I had to meet myself. I knew the potential I had but this was not enough and never has been. I needed the reality!
After the decision regarding the goal was made, after I committed, I acknowledged the sacrifices that would have to be made. In return for the progress I sought, I needed to step out of my comfort zone. To get out there and convert uncertainties. Unless we are willing to till and cultivate the land, it will not bear any fruit for us. To go beyond what I have known into a new terrain, new environment, new world but also one of great promise and prospects. To have my views challenged, to learn new things, to be in a different space. All these come with the territory I seek to gain.
Because I had the dream only I really knew about the dream. No one could deny my dream. I saw everything clearly and vividly as if it were right before my eyes. I did not need to convince anyone I had the dream. There is no evidence of the dream for anyone to see and no need to give any evidence of the dream. There was no need to tell anyone about the dream, except he that cared to listen and who could help in realising the dream, even though it was my very own. There is neither any evidence of the dream for anyone to see nor the need to provide any evidence to anyone. The dream was mine to cherish but more crucially it was mine to take forward and mine to live. What I do might appear meaningless but daily my thoughts, words and actions are directed and focused on and aligned to my dream.
To say that I had the chance in my life and I made the most of it. To say that I had a dream, woke up and actively worked towards that dream. I started working on the dream before I forgot what the dream was about. I wrote down the details of the dream and every day I stopped to think about the dream. I followed that which I saw in the dream. I followed my heart. I followed through on the dream.
Now I feel the pain of following the dream. The pain is necessary. Without this pain there is no gain. For me the dream will remain in the main. Every day towards the dream my eyes and body will train, my efforts not to be in vain. Even if I must go through the rain, and risk a coat with stain. In my mind there is no doubt, not even a grain. From this goal I will not refrain even if my strength should drain. I committed, made the follow-through and I will deal with the pain. In time it is no longer the dream I long for but the reality I experience. BTM
http://journeysinlife.com
1 Comment | Daily diary | Tagged: commit, dream, follow through, pain | Permalink
Posted by Bruce
November 4, 2009
A few days ago I picked up Garry Kasparov’s “How Life Imitates Chess.” I have had the book for months now but just could not find time to read it. I have decided that no matter how busy I am, I need to find time to read every day, even if it’s just one page.
Chess is one of my favourite hobbies and over the years I have noticed how many things in chess apply to life and vice versa. Two common things that we find both in life and chess are tactics and strategy. The same could be said of other sports. Before we embark on the execution by way of tactics which are short term, we need to be guided by a long term plan, the strategy.
The long term plan is brought to life by executing small shorter term plans which are aligned to that overall strategy. Without short term plans it would be impossible to achieve our long term plans or strategy. The long term plan is too big to fully implement in one go. The short term plans make it digestible. It is achievable after all but one step at a time!
The tactics we use each step today will be guided by the strategy in mind. The strategy is fairly dynamic and living. As the circumstances change so will our strategy. An old strategy can only be sufficient for old situations. If things change we must upgrade our strategy. As we upgrade our strategy there will be impact on the kinds of tactics we use. Sticking rigidly to one strategy without any enhancements along the way is a recipe for disaster. As the facts change, we must change our views and assessments.
Most of us have long term plans regarding our working and personal lives. Sometimes we even plan for future generations. However, each day gives us a chance to take a step towards that vision. Each day we are required to carry out a short term plan. The sum total of our short term plans is the long term plan. The short term plans we carry out bring to life our long term plans but it’s a gradual process. It’s a journey! BTM
http://journeysinlife.com/
Leave a Comment » | Daily diary | Permalink
Posted by Bruce
November 3, 2009
A few days ago I had the distinct feeling that my train had derailed. Instead of being keen to motivate and inspire others, I found myself badly needing some inspiration to keep going. Could I heed and implement the advice which I had given so liberally? Could I swallow the bitter medicine I had so enthusiastically prescribed to others. Someone once said that I always have something to say. What was I saying now? I was deadly silent trying to figure out what had just happened. I had nothing to say and didn’t need anyone to say anything to me.
It was life that had happened and life was continuing. I sat trying to piece words and ideas together but nothing would come. I was just blank. I wondered how I could have been in this situation when everything looked so rosy before. I had been making projections of various sorts and pondering my next move. Had I counted my chicks before they were hatched? Had I gone ahead of myself preparing for a future which had not come to be. Well the reality and the present are very much here.
This happens during the journey. You think you have almost arrived but you realise you have just taken a wrong turn that gets you back to square one. The gains are reversed. Instead of trying to add to our gains we find ourselves fighting to limit the losses and the damage. Don’t forget the experience that you are gaining in the process. Is there a better teacher in this world than experience? It’s not entire back to scratch because you have the hindsight and little wealth of experience gained. Things are not always going to be so difficult. It may be dark and windy today but tomorrow the sun will be shining again. If only you can endure the storm you will experience the beautiful calm that follows.
Obstacles will come your way but there is way around them if not over them. Dodge them if you have to. Do what it takes to move forward. The current hardships are only temporary. Tomorrow it’s a different situation. But for now deal with it. Let’s continue with the journey. BTM
Leave a Comment » | inspiration | Tagged: journey | Permalink
Posted by Bruce
