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Name of author Rick Baker, P.Eng.

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Anxiety is in our genes...it is the legacy of fight or flight, which allowed our ancestors to bring us us.

by Rick Baker
On Apr 2, 2020

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

Anxiety: be present, don't fret over it, observe it in real time, & learn what it takes to control it if it gets out of hand.

In right-sized doses, anxiety energizes and hones focus.

In too-large doses, anxiety becomes a demon and destroys quality of life.

Embrace the realities of life...and do not be too disappointed in results.

by Rick Baker
On Apr 1, 2020

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

Paraphrasing one of the messages Charles Haanel placed in 'The Master Key' (1917). 

My take-aways...

When we focus too much on results we lose the connection between 'causes' and 'effects'. Best to focus and concentrate on 'causes' and when results are undesirable accept them as lessons.

The realities of life run deep...beyond the range of human understanding.

Avoid victim-think.

Tags:

Attitude: Creating Positive Attitude | Thought Tweets

When people tell you they are giving 110%, do you think they are talking in superduperlatives?

by Rick Baker
On Jan 17, 2020

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

When I was a child neighbourhood parents had a habit of stopping me and asking me to answer math questions. [At one point I thought none of the adults in our subdivision knew how to count their money.] I suppose I was naturally talented at math. Later in life I found myself answering math questions during university level exams...dozens of exams. So, I understand I developed a habit of knowing math.

That knowledge of math has a few side-effects. One side-effect is, when people make claims like they are doing things beyond 100% it catches my attention and my thoughts. I have thoughts like, "Don't these people know when you've got 100% you've got it all & when you've given 100% you've given it all?

Giving 100% is superlative territory....that's the limit of your giving.

Giving more than 100% - well, that's defying the laws of at least mathematics...probably, the laws of physics...and even the Laws of Nature.

How can you trust a person who makes claims like, "Boss - I'm giving 110%!"? [Some go even higher. You hear 150% regularly and some people have the habit of claiming a preposterous 1000%!

Don't you think all of these people going overboard?...being excessive?...being exorbitant?...over-killing their point and beating it to death too?

Tags:

Communication: Improving Communication | Thought Tweets

Do you spend more time (A) annoying people or (B) watching TV people you don't know annoying people you don't know?

by Rick Baker
On Jan 14, 2020

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

The mob loves reality TV. As technology advances the mob watches real TV people decorate cakes, dance with stars, and catch alligators. The mob has an insatiable appetite for annoying other people - both doing it and watching it being done.

As the techies and academics work away at bringing us the Singularity, the mob gorges itself on a wide range of TV reality shows. What a juxtaposition. 

Listen to what people say...are their words the words of Victims or Initiators?

by Rick Baker
On Jan 13, 2020

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

We do better with people when we understand them...as Stephen Covey taught - 'Seek First to Understand'.

We all go through ups and downs and the ups and downs can skew our day-to-day personalities. So, yes - it is rash to judge personality too quickly.

Setting day-to-day variances aside, we all have predominant tendencies. While we do not want to pretend we are armchair psychologists, our success in this world of other people increases when we observe people and develop an ability to understand them.

And, people do have predominant tendencies. One of those tendencies has been captured by psychologists and labelled locus of control. Some of us 'have' an internal locus of control while some of us 'have' an external locus of control. People who 'have' the internal locus of control believe they can affect change and outcomes. They tend to be Initiators. People who 'have' the external locus of control believe they have little ability to influence change or outcomes. They are fatalists or Victims. 

Victims tend to complain about their lot in life. Victims tend to blame others. Victims tend to blame situations. Victims are pessimistic. Victims make excuses. Feelings of envy and jealousy hang around the shadows of Victims.

Initiators are the opposite.

[Give Victims comfort. Give Initiators latitude.]

You are the smartest person you really know.

by Rick Baker
On Jan 12, 2020

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

You are the only person you really know. That assumes you take the time and make the effort

After all...you spend so much time with yourself...you might as well:

  • Trust yourself.
  • Be yourself.
  • Enjoy yourself.

Tags:

Beyond Business | Thought Tweets

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