The Root Problem

How many problems do you have?

Which problems do you have?

Why do you have them?

How many root problems are there?

We may have many problems.

Yet, deeper, there are only a few root problems.

Often, one root is the cause of a dozen problems.

It is paramount to take time and identify these roots.

One root solved is worth hundreds of hours.

You will be surprised by how few root issues you have.

Stonewall vs Meltdown

How often do you get stonewalled?

How does this make you feel?

Why is the other person stonewalling you?

Or are they having a meltdown instead?

People’s behaviour often seems a certain way.

Yet, in truth, what seems may be mistaken.

Intent and action are often not aligned.

Panic on the inside can seem toxic on the outside.

But also toxic on the inside, can seem sweet outside.

Before you judge in finality, ask the other party.

Details are the Devil

How much attention do you pay to details?

What happens when you do not?

How often do they trip you up?

How often are they used against you purposefully?

The devil lies in the details.

Often, details are used against us.

If we do not pay attention, they will trip us up.

If you are weak in the details, find someone who is strong.

Use details to your own advantage wherever you can.

Details can be your guardian angels, just as they are the devil.

The Beauty of Nature

How much do you appreciate nature?

How beautiful do you rate it?

How often do you enjoy the beauty of nature?

How do you feel when you do?

Most of us walk through life obliviously.

Oblivious to what is around us and its beauty.

Nature, when enjoyed, is wonderful.

Yet, society sees no productivity in it.

Still, the level of relaxation is second to none.

Will this not fuel greater productivity thereafter?

Short-term Loss for Long-term Gain

How do you balance opportunities?

What do you focus on more?

Short-term gain or long-term gain?

How much short-term loss is worth a long-term gain?

Often, we need to take a short-term loss,

so that we can produce long-term gains.

Yet the immediate loss is painful.

But the long-term pain is ever more so.

We often lack the capacity to imagine future gain.

Thus, we overly focus on the short-term pain.

Cut the losses and focus on the future.

Waiting

How often do you need to wait?

How do you react to waiting?

How productive can you be while waiting?

What happens while you wait?

Waiting is part of life.

Some of us cannot focus while we wait.

Others are unfazed by waiting.

Some of us enjoy waiting.

Others lack patience.

Learn to be productive.

Learn to enjoy it.

We are powerless inface of waiting.

Disruptions

How often do you face disruptions?

How much do they disturb you?

How do you react to them?

What could you do better?

Disruptions are part of life.

Often, we are powerless in the face of them.

We need to go with the flow.

And control our inner self.

Whatever happens happens.

Deal with it one step at a time.

Freshening Up

How regularly do you freshen up?

How important is your appearance?

How much do you value it?

How do you feel after freshening up?

Some value their appearance highly,

Others less so.

Yet, appearance is important.

When we neglect it, it influences us.

Once we freshen up, we lighten up.

A well-maintained machine functions better.

The same is true for you, and much more.

Ignorance is bliss?

How often do you feel something is off?

How often do you ignore your gut feeling?

How often was it correct, though?

Why do you ignore your gut?

Often we feel something is off,

yet we ignore it and keep on going.

Usually, our subconscious mind is right.

When you feel something is off,

you'd better stop and think about it.

Ignorance is bliss until it isn’t anymore.

New vs Old Habits

How well do you introduce new habits?

How well do they integrate with the old ones?

How often do you forget about the old ones?

How do you manage around this?

Introducing new habits is tricky.

There is a period of chaos where,

We focus on the new and forget the old.

Be gentle with yourself; it is normal.

Adjust where needed.

Often, the old needs to evolve,

so that the new can flourish.

Sudden Progress

How gradual is your progress?

How often is it sudden?

How long do you go without any?

Which is more common?

Most of the time, progress is sudden.

Yet, the work input needs to be consistent.

Progress can remain flat for extended periods.

Sudden jumps are rare,

flat non-progress is common,

regress happens constantly.

Focus on the process and reap the results.

World Events

How much do world events occupy you?

How much influence do you have over them?

How well have you positioned yourself?

What can you do today to improve this?

The world is a chaotic place.

Surprises and black swans happen.

Most of us have no influence over this.

Many are busy worrying about this.

Take the energy to position yourself.

Do what you can to be prepared and profit.

Focused Forgetfulness

How often are you in deep focus?

How often do you then forget things?

How does that make you feel?

What are the things you forget then?

When in deep focus,

we will forget tasks,

we will forget events,

we will forget others,

and so on.

Forget not only chores, but also important things.

In deep focus, the thing in front is the only thing.

Selling yourself

How well do you sell yourself?

How well does someone else sell you?

What is the difference?

What might be standing in your way?

For most, selling themselves is awkward.

Selling another person is always easier.

It is a job with an objective.

So, make selling yourself the same.

Ask someone else to sell you, watch, and learn.

Then be as shameless as they are.

Stressors

Which tasks stress you?

Which situations stress you?

Why are they stressful for you?

Why are you faced with them?

How can you improve this?

Things can stress us for many reasons.

Bad experiences,

lack of skills,

lack of interest,

emotional knots,

and so on.

Listen to yourself and pause when you feel stress.

Take a moment to take note.

Then find the root cause.

Then there is a solution in you.

Success Recipe

How often do you get it right?

How often do you get it wrong?

What is the difference?

How can you increase your success ratio?

The right thing at the wrong time.

The wrong thing at the right time.

The right thing at the right time.

Timing is crucial to success.

Being in the right place is one ingredient.

Grasping the opportunity is the second.

Making it right for you is the third.

Finishing things…

When do you not finish things?

What are the reasons for it?

Who was involved?

What were the tasks?

What were the goals?

“I finish what I start” is misguided.

It is not always worth finishing.

People may behave toxically.

Goals might have been set poorly.

You might not be right for the task.

Know when to stop — it is pure power.

Relaxation Criteria

When are you deeply relaxed?

What are you doing?

Whom are you with?

Where are you at?

What we do,

in which place,

with whom,

is crucial for our relaxation.

There is the perfect place.

There are the perfect people.

There are the perfect activities.

Identify them and relaxation can be planned.

Stay unmindful and it is pure chance.

Action Information

How do you deal with indecision?

Why are you indecisive when you are?

How does indecision make you feel?

How does action make you feel?

We are indecisive for many reasons:

lack of information,

lack of confidence,

lack of experience.

Action produces information, confidence and experience.

Often, any action is better than inaction.

Especially planned and experimental action.

There is no real downside — so act now.

Year Review

How do you review your last year?

How deep do you go?

Which areas of life do you assess?

How does it make you feel?

Some people don’t review at all.

Some will review in too great detail.

Some will review the wrong things.

Some will cherry-pick in their review.

What went well this year?

What did not go so well?

How did I do compared to my goals?

That is all you need — for all areas.