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Name of author Rick Baker, P.Eng.

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Time, Self & Action Management

by Rick Baker
On Apr 19, 2011
While listening to audio book 'The Now Habit At Work’, it occurred to me the words time management may be stalling people.
 
I mean, most people can not manage time nor would they even try to manage time. Time is a concept. Time is a concept most people either take for granted or don’t think about. Time is a concept most people don’t want to dwell on let alone manage.
 
When we use the words 'time management' we are not speaking accurately.
 
And, we may be stalling people, which, of course, is the exact opposite of our goal.
 
I am not saying people may be consciously aware we are stalling them.
 
I am saying, when other people experience us using that word combination – time management – maybe we are setting off a subconscious reaction that causes them to stall.
 
Regardless, I think that word combination is just plain wrong. Few human beings have the ability to manage time. Maybe some monks or yogis probably can manage time? Perhaps Albert Einstein could manage time? [He knew a lot more about time than most of us.] We hear stories about people who face extreme danger and, somehow, their subconscious mind slows time for them. Or, at least, they manage to cram a huge amount of indelible perception into a small amount of time. Maybe those are some examples of time management? There are other examples like that...if they are examples of time management then time management is rare.
 
So, for most people the words 'time management' set a confusing ‘bar’. Maybe that bar is set too high or maybe that bar doesn’t make sense at all. I think it is the latter.
 
So, we need to use other words when we want people to ‘manage their time’.
 
We could use self-management but that is not ideal because that’s a broad topic that goes beyond the ‘management of time’.
 
From now on, I intend to use the words ‘action management’. That’s what we want to do and that’s what we want other people to do. We want to manage our actions.
 
Back to that audio book, 'The Now Habit At Work’…
 
It mentions 'strategic cramming', i.e., leaving some things to the last minute. I like that strategy because it is a way to Procrastinate For Success. I believe you can build 'action strength' by using methods like strategic cramming. You can - and at least some of the time you should - intentionally refrain from doing tasks until the very last minute. Then, when you [finally] do the task you should concentrate, focus, and expedite your action. Build this strength. It is a valuable strength.
 
Teach yourself you can do it – teach yourself you can handle last-minute crunches.
 
This is a sample of Procrastinate For Success.  Methods like strategic cramming help you gain skill (concentration) and it help you gain something more important - confidence. When we Procrastinate For Success that skill and the benefits it provides snowball...the more you do it the better you get at it.
Maybe your skill will become so great you will want to leave everything to the last minute?
 
Maybe you will be a Master of Procrastinate For Success?

Sales Tweet #197

by Rick Baker
On Apr 19, 2011
Sales Tweet #197 You must Click with other people.
 
The Thinking Behind the Sales Tweet
When other people like you they will be much more inclined to meet you half way…at least, some of the time. And, the opposite is true. Bottom line: a pleasing personality is a key to success. Clicking is the elite area of interpersonal relationships. For more on Clicking check out the book ‘Click’ by Ori and Rom Brafman: http://www.brafmanbrothers.com

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Beyond Business | Thought Tweets

Sales Tweet #196

by Rick Baker
On Apr 18, 2011
Sales Tweet #196 Ernest was a Jokester during his public school years. One year he brought home a report card and…
 
The Thinking Behind the Sales Tweet
Last week, at Sales Tweet #195 we introduced Miss Rechnen, Ernest Seller’s Grade 5 math teacher. Here is a little story…After his 1st term with Miss Rechnen, Ernest brought home a report card. It contained some low marks and some comments about his being a bit of a troublemaker in class. Ernest was blessed with natural sales talent. When he brought that report card home he asked his Dad if he could write in the dark. His Dad said, “Yes son, I think I could do that…what would you like me to write?” Ernest replied, “Your name on this report card.”

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Ernest Seller | Thought Tweets

Sales Tweet #195

by Rick Baker
On Apr 15, 2011
Sales Tweet #195 When Ernest Seller was in Grade 5 he had trouble with mathematics – a conversation with his teacher…
 
The Thinking Behind the Sales Tweet
Yes – young Ernest Seller had a problem with math problems. So, he asked his teacher for help. It went like this….Ernest: “Miss Rechnen, I don’t know how to solve this problem”. His teacher, Miss Rechnen, was very stressed out that day [as was rather common] and without thinking she said, “Ernest, any eight year old can answer that question”. And, Ernest replied, “Oh, no wonder I can't do it…I am almost eleven.”

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Ernest Seller | Thought Tweets

One of those Synchronicities

by Rick Baker
On Apr 14, 2011
The other day I was returning to the office. As usual, I was listening to an educational CD book.
 
The CD book was 'The Spontaneous Healing of Belief' by Gregg Braden:
 
The author was describing a fellow named Konrad Zuse, a pioneer in the computing industry.
 
Apparently, at one point Konrad Zuse posed questions (something like), “Does the universe operate on the same principles as a computer?" and "Is our reality actually a simulation?"
 
Apparently, these questions were posed 50 or more years ago.
 
The author then mentioned these Konrad Zuse thoughts were a precursor to the 1999 movie "The Matrix".
 
I remember that movie, my memory is - my sons watched it over and over….and over.
 
While I was thinking about Konrad Zuse and the Matrix movie, I was in a Tim Horton’s drive thru line...about to order. So, I turned off the CD so I could place my coffee order.
 
After my order was placed I returned to thinking about the movie "The Matrix". I was deep in thought and forgot to pull ahead...I looked up at the car in front of me and was amazed to see its model name - Matrix. It was a Toyota Matrix.
 
I was captured by the synchronicity so I took a picture of the car in front of me…here it is [with the licence number blacked out]:
 
 
Then I got my coffee and headed to the office.
 
Synchronicities always slow me down.
 
And I talk about them…this time with Robin.
 
Robin suggested I look at what I was holding in my hand.
 
I did that.
 
Here is what I saw…
 
 
When that happened I was really paying attention to this synchronicity.
 
So I started to tell Cecil my Matrix-synchronicity story.
 
As I started to tell the story Cecil warned me the Matrix-synchronicity wasn’t over…
 
When I finished telling him my story he told me he had bought a copy of the Matrix movie the night before I had my Matrix-synchronicity.
 
So…what do you figure all that means!
 
PS: do any of you know…
Is the universe a massive computer-program-generated simulation…like in that Matrix movie?

Tags:

Beyond Business

Sales Tweet #194

by Rick Baker
On Apr 14, 2011
Sales Tweet #194 Dr J. Haidt says people behave like - Riders [logic], on Elephants [emotions], on Paths [situations].
 
The Thinking Behind the Sales Tweet
Elephants are huge – they weigh 3 or 4 tonnes. Riders are about 1/40th the size of an elephants. 40-to-1. Elephants-to-Riders. Emotions-to-Logic. Yes – that is a good way to look at thre causes of behaviour. http://www.happinesshypothesis.com ‘The Happiness Hypothesis’, Dr Jonathan Haidt.

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Emotions & Feelings @ Work | Thought Tweets

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