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Name of author Rick Baker, P.Eng.

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Multi-task for mediocrity or focus for excellence.

by Rick Baker
On Apr 20, 2020

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

Brain experts are telling us: The uptrend in multi-tasking, especially multi-tasking involving high-tech communication devices, is changing neural patterns by strengthening some paths and weakening others. The neural paths that allow us to talk on the cell phone while surfing the web or creating a spreadsheet are strengthening while the neural paths that allow us to focus and concentrate are taking a back seat.

As this trend continues huge numbers of human beings will be able to do huge amounts of mediocre stuff.

We have a choice: we can choose to multi-task our way to mediocrity or we can focus & concentrate for work-performance excellence.

Put another way: we can choose to multi-task or we can choose to task-multi. [And major success only happens when we choose the latter.]

 

With Courage we are able to truly know what we believe in and what we don't believe in.

by Rick Baker
On Apr 15, 2020

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

We speak too infrequently about Courage, the #1 Value for Spirited Leaders.

This is a step toward fixing that problem.

 

 

Tags:

Spirited Leaders | Thought Tweets | Values: Personal Values

Curiosity sits close to Spirit...always envisioning and whispering ideas.

by Rick Baker
On Apr 14, 2020

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

When Spirit is vibrant, it listens intently and allows Curiosity free rein to explore.


 

Do you commit to being useful every day from here to eternity? Has making yourself useful become one of your good habits?

by Rick Baker
On Apr 10, 2020

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

We all have good days and bad days; our internal drive-energy ebbs and flows.

Regardless, we can commit to thinking and doing useful things...every day...for the rest of our lives.

[Why wouldn't we commit to thinking and doing useful things?]

[What reason could we possibly have for not committing to that?]

What awesome power lies in the combination of strong willpower guided by strong definite life-purpose.

by Rick Baker
On May 22, 2017

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

Willpower is wonderful, but without proper guidance it consumes energy without purpose.

Definite purpose is wonderful, but without willpower to guide and control action it is unattainable.

Criticism, Adrenalin Spikes & Improving Relationships

by Rick Baker
On May 15, 2017

Some people naturally repulse criticism. These people may show outward signs of their repulsion. These people may not show outward signs, or their repulsion may hide so well it would take a professional observer to notice it. Regardless, internally, these people churn in reaction to criticism. For these people - even small, innocuous pieces of feedback can trigger intense internal reactions, floods of adrenalin – adrenalin spikes.

  1. Do you know people who show vehement reaction to tiny criticisms…people who have zero tolerance for incoming criticism?
  2. Do you know people who, at first, show no outward reaction to criticism then, later, strike excessive reactionary blows against the person who delivered the criticism?
  3. Do you know people who have the habit of claiming they are the victim of undue criticism?
  4. Do you know people who repulse criticism yet deliver it to others with gusto and righteousness?

These are four common reactions to criticism.

I have personally exhibited at least three of these four reactions to criticism…and, probably, many people would think I’m selling myself short by not admitting to all four.

Why?

Why would I have had such reactions to criticism?

Not having much knowledge of physiology or biology and only dabbling experience with psychology I answer that question this way:

  • When people criticized me, I experienced adrenalin spikes [or was that cortisol?]. I felt strong, churning, tightening sensations in the gut…quickly followed by combinations of anxiety and anger, often intense anger...then excessive negative thoughts and behaviour.
  • This reaction must have started when I was a very young child. I have no memory of reacting any other way to criticism [until the last decade, that is].
  • Perhaps, my criticism-repulsion was are due to genetics? Perhaps, my childhood environment? Perhaps, my early experiences with authority figures? I expect it was some combination of these things.

Here’s a curious thing. When you experience criticism-repulsion as a child you can be quite oblivious to other people. And, this can cause challenges…a large variety of interpersonal challenges. Left unattended, these interpersonal challenges can last a lifetime.

Here’s some good news. It is possible to gain self-understanding and create strategies to overcome the interpersonal challenges. The starting point, or at least one starting point, is recognition of the physiological changes that signal less-than-ideal reactions to criticism. People, perhaps most people, can alter their bad habits [including adrenalin spikes] if they choose to make the changes and do the work required.

 

PS: Perhaps, the people who experience the criticism-repulsion I have described are most capable of identifying it in other people? ... and helping others?  

Copyright © 2012. W.F.C (Rick) Baker. All Rights Reserved.