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153 | 365 - It is Good

Did a lot of thinking about the word ‘good’ today. Good is such a generic and possibly overused word. In some circumstances it is a powerful word (He was a good man), in other situations it is somewhat non-descript (I’m good thanks).

 
It can be a virtuous word, a respectable word, an excellent and moral word.
 
I was at the beach enjoying a good coffee with Jim today and several guys came up the rocks where they had been diving. They had a good catch of Mussels and Kina. This is a good shot of the mussels arranged on the boardwalk. They are a good size and I’m sure they will taste good. As we walked away a fisheries officer turned up. He did a good job of connecting with the divers. I hope the divers were good and hadn’t exceeded the quota.
 
Good is an interesting word indeed.

153 | 365 - It is Good

Personal development

"I believe that I am responsible for my own personal development. Only I know who I want to become. Only I know my real strenghts and weaknesses, my passion and my talent. Only I know the price I am willing to pay to be who I can become."

- Fred Smith Sr.

How very true of me!

I have ego

Discovered this week that the Greek word for "I" is "ego" (εγώ).

The english definition of ego is often around a person having egotism, conceit or self-importance. I guess ego is I-ism to the extreme. Beyond self confidence. Much more that good self talk.

So when I next say 'I' in english, I want... I need... I think..., in greek I am saying ego, ego want... ego need... ego think.

Not always a bad thing, but certainly worth thinking about.

Indifference

The opposite of love is not hate, its indifference.

- Elie Wiesel

Like a wild donkey at mating time.

I was reading about Jeremaih this morning and came across this phrase that Israel was like a wild donkey at mating time.

I briefly thought about it, having no knowledge about donkey mating, and decided that it must mean the donkey bangs one donkey, then goes in search of another.

This would tie up with the general context of the chapter were God says "I remember how eager you were to please me as a young bride long ago, how you loved me and followed me."

Its a grass is greener thing and I thought about this in a few contexts.

Firstly, heaps of people are like wild donkeys in their jobs. They go hard to get a job, promise to conquer huge mountians, but quickly start looking for other donkeys.

Secondly, is marriage and relationships. The donkey element is clearly evident here.

Finally, in pursuit of God. It is easier to chase after other donkeys and forget that they are the very things you orginally turned to God from.

I thought about how much I am like a wild donkey at times. I forget why I chose my current job, why I chose and pursued my wife, and why I sought out God.

I forget easily and pursue donkeys.

Do you?

Reckless Courage

Our task today is recklessness.
For what we Christians lack is not psychology or literature,
We lack a holy rage.

The recklessness that comes from the knowledge of God and humanity.
The ability to rage when justice lies prostrate on the streets . .
and when the lie rages across the face of the earth --
a holy anger about things that are wrong in the world.

To rage against the ravaging of God's earth,
and the destruction of God's world.
To rage when little children must die of hunger,
when the tables of the rich are sagging with food.
To rage at senseless killing of so many,
and against the madness of the militaries.
To rage at the lie that calls the threat of death and the strategy of destruction -- peace.
To rage against complacency.
To restlessly seek that recklessness that will challenge and seek to change
human history until it conforms with the norms of the kingdom of God.

- A peom by Kaj Munk, a Danish pastor killed by the Gestapo in 1944. Cited in Exiles by Michael Frost, and The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne.

Ancient words...

In essentials, unity;

in action, freedom;

and in all things, trust.

- Aristotle

Sexy

SEXY.

For some reason I really like the provocative nature of this word. Its a funny word because said in the right situation with the right amount of, well, passion; you can actually make grown men flinch.

Noticeably flinch!

The America Heritage Dictionary says that it is slang for HIGHLY appealing or interesting.

For me, sexy is a great way to describe the need to build a brand that is fun, fascinating, fanatical, and edgy.

It encapsulates, and provokes, a dynamic that I would like every organization and industry I work with to have. That is, that they become HIGHLY appealing.

That they become interesting.

That they become sexy.

The problem with sexy is that it is hard to catch if you don’t have it.

You have to      c  h  a  s  e     i  t  .  .  .

And sometimes when you get it, it was not what you wanted. Just ask Don Rabbit.

[NB I think this is a post about being appealing, just in case you wondered]

Born or made?

We share the conclusion with others that the right answer is between these two extremes ...

There is no question that some people come into the world endowed with self-confidence and a keen intellect. That is clearly an advantage. But of that group, only a small number move on to remarkable achievements as leaders. The difference appears to be hard work, thoughtful and tenacious effort, zeal for learning, and a willingness to extend beyond one's normal comfort zone.

The Extraordinary Leader pg 231

Something profound that someone just said to me...

Its amazing how things are waiting for you to make the right step and then the other things will just fall into place.

Great Leaders

Love, desire, motivation, inspiration, and passion are in the final analysis the greatest differences between good leaders and great leaders.

- The Extraordinary Leader pg 136

Living Quote

We are always getting ready to live, but never living.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

I like the quote. Emerson himself believed some wacky stuff.

Training

In 2004, Starbucks spent more money on training and recruitment than on advertising. It understood that customer experience and positive word of mouth would do more for the brand than lots of ads.

- Simon Young (Idealog Jan/Feb 08)

Highly Predictable

There is a standard rule in communication theory. It goes like this: when predictability is high, impact is low. If I think I know what you are going to say and you go ahead and say it, I am not likely to be very affected by your message. The inverse is also true: when predictability is low, impact is high.

- Michael Frost (Jesus the fool) pg 27

One life

Friends, in what other life are you going to go all out? We all have one shot and one shot only to leave a lasting legacy - a definitive mark on this world that reflects our decision to lean into, not away from, our areas of holy discontent.

- Bill Hybels: Holy Discontent (pg 136)

Continuous Improvement

Anything that doesn't add value is waste. Good business managers have an obiligation to constantly eliminate it.

- Pat Lancaster, chairman, Lantech

Whats your hobbie?

There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."

- Dave Barry

A wise life?

When you boil it all down, this is what you've got.
... You can live a wasted life.
... Or you can live a wise life.

Getting There - Steve Farrar (Pg 11)

Getting on board

In response to the question "How long would an executive last who didn't agree with where the organization was headed?" the answers range from days to minutes.

- Less is more (pg 31)

Do you love life?

Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of.

- Benjamin Franklin

Grafism

Grafism (Gr' af 'ism) – noun

Used to describe someone with one or more of the following traits;

1. casually changeable,
2. overexcited; overstimulated; flamboyant;
3. resulting from originality of thought, expression, etc
4. obstinate in your opinions

And I didn't even know it was a real word.

Doing good part 2...

This from Indexed today.

Faith means doing good stuff

So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.

– James

Give it a try

If you didn't want anything in return, nothing at all, what's the most generous thing you could do for your best customer, your best friend, your most important prospect? Give it a try.

- Seth Godin

Planning for growth

Planning growth these days involves a greater focus on resource acquisition, retention and improvement.

- Tony Alexander (BNZ)

Productivity in NZ

By international standards New Zealand has a poor record of productivity - that is, we are not as efficent as other developed countries in turning the hours we work and our investments in equipment into products and services.

- Phil Lough (Chairman NZTE)

Never be afraid to try something new

Remember that amateurs built the Ark. Professionals built the Titanic

- Dave Barry

Talk is cheap!

If you claim to be religious but don't control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.

- James

Saying and doing

If someone has to explain to you the things he is doing; he probably isn't doing them!

- Alf's dad.

Free Prize Below

Come to the edge. We might fall.
Come to the edge. It's too high!
Come to the edge! And they came,
and he pushed ...... and they flew.  - Christopher Logue

I have just finished my sixth book for the year, Seth Godins "Free Prize Inside" (and it actually has one). It is a book that challenges business to go to the edges and beyond.

The key implication for me: Ideas are worthless if no one owns them and makes them happen.

To read the full review and get your free prize click here. If you post a comment on viewpoint.net.nz, I'll email you a free prize.

Random Thoughts

I love mornings like this morning. You can hear the rain falling like a thousand tiny water falls on the tin roof. The house is quiet because most houses are at 5am. And I have time to reflect and think and scheme a little. As I do that my mind is drawn to a couple of quotes I read recently that are quite deep but v cool.

"The best way to predict the future is to invent it" - Alan Kay

"The kind of thinking that will solve the worlds problems will be different to the kind of thinking that created them" - Albert Einstein.

INNOVATE

You owe it to yourself to create something remarkable one day!

Seth Godin

YOUR FUTURE

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

Mark Twain

THE LAZY EMPLOYEE

Lazy people irriate their employers, like vinegar to the teeth or smoke in the eyes.

King Solomon

BEING REAL

Blessed are they that laugh at themselves, they shall never cease to be entertained.

Anon

Hard Work

Alan McDiarmid, a Kiwi and Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry, died today aged 79.

I saw an interview with him last year on Campbell live and he said this quote

" I am a very lucky person. And the harder I work, they luckier I seem to be"

Alan McDiarmid - 2006

CONQUERING

“It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.”

Sir Edmund Hillary

THIS GENERATION

"This generation will be remembered for three things: the Internet, the war on terror, and how we let an entire continent go up in flames while we stood around with watering cans. Or not."

Bono

[Hat Tip - Ben]

DREAMING

"Dreaming permits each and every one of us to be quietly and safely insane every night of our lives."

William Dement - sleep researcher

CONTRADICTION

"I’ve always thought smack in the middle of a contradiction is a great place to be!"

Bono - U2

TIME FOR CHANGE

"If we always do what we have always done. We will always get what we have always got"

Anon

BEING REMARKABLE

"Services that are worth getting talked about, get talked about"

Quote from Seth Godin

AIDS IS OUR LEPROSY

Today 8000 people will die of aids. Today 11000 people will become infected with aids (mainly women and children). 115,000,000 people will die by 2015 (just 7 years away)

Aids is our generations leprosy www.one.org

THREE RULES OF WORK

"Out of clutter find simplicity; From discord find harmony; In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity"

Quote from Albert Einstein

AGOGE MEANS BEING

It means more than just saying something, or telling others to do something, it means 'being what you say and teach'. I want to be true to the word Agoge, and true to the way I live my life. True to the company and people that make up Agoge.

Quote from Andrew

TIME SLOWS

"Scientists have played with atomic clocks, matched exactly, setting one in a plane to fly around the world, and another motionless, waiting for the return of its partner. When they reunite, the one that traveled rests milliseconds behind the fixed one. The faster you move, physicists have found, the less you experience time."

Quote from "Painted Deserts"