Archive for February, 2010

You’re playing a game with Death. He tells you that you have a day left to live. What do you do?

Nickelback’s hit song (If Today Was Your Last Day – shown below) got me thinking about that old success quote the song is titled after. I think many of you would agree the principle carries a lot of truth. You shouldn’t spend time doing something that disinterests you or leads to a monotonous routine.

As I’m sure many of you have realized, there is a slight flaw in this idea. If we lived each day as if it were truly our last day, we probably would skirt some of our important responsibilities. This would not have an immediate impact but would directly affect us in the future. Wouldn’t you skip a test or a few extra hours at work if you knew you had one day left?

Instead, look at each individual day as a game of Russian roulette, except you do not know the odds. The possibility of death is ever present and yet completely intangible. Pause for a moment and reflect on the last two sentences. Isn’t that what life really is?  Plan with uncertainty and you will be pushed to make the best decisions for the short and the potential long run.

You’re playing a game with Death. What’s your next move?

This is a story I first heard from Jamie Kraft, Managing Director at the UF Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. This story details what I consider to be one of the clearest reasons why the vast majority of people will not reach their goals in life.
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Start with a cage containing five monkeys. Inside the cage, hang a banana on a string and place a set of stairs under it. Before long, a monkey will go to the stairs and start to climb towards the bananas. As soon as he touches the stairs, spray all the monkeys with cold water.

After a while, another monkey makes an attempt with the same result – again all the monkeys are sprayed with cold water. This continues until pretty soon whenever another monkey tries to climb the stairs all the other monkeys will try to prevent it from doing so.

Now put away the cold water. Remove one of the monkeys from the cage and replace it with a new one. The new monkey will see the banana and will attempt to climb the stairs. To his surprise and horror all of the other monkeys attack him. After another attempt, and attack, he knows that if he climbs the stairs he will be assaulted.

Next, remove another of the original five monkeys and replace it with a new one. The newcomer takes part in the punishment with enthusiasm! Likewise replace a third original monkey with a new one, then a fourth and then a fifth one. Every time a new monkey goes to the stairs it is attacked. The monkeys that are beating him up have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs or why they are participating in the beating of the newest monkey.

After replacing all of the original monkeys none of the remaining monkeys have ever been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless no monkey ever again approaches the stairs to try for the bananas. Why not? Because as far as they know that’s the way we’ve always done it around here. We call this TTWWADI.
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This brings up the important question you need to ask yourself: What are you doing because you are expected to? This can be anything from your study habits to the way you exercise. Chances are you learned it from someone, who learned it from someone else…who learned it from yet another person. Innovation has ceased a long time ago and you have been left with an unimproved method or way of doing things.

Here is my challenge to you:

1. Spend one day writing down every important action you take
2. Sit down at the end of the day and analyze why you did certain things and who taught you to do them that way
3. Ask yourself if there is potentially a better way to do something
4. Think! Take at least 30 minutes to just sit by yourself and explore the different alternatives and limitless possibilities
5. Enjoy your newfound effectiveness and happiness

For a deeper reflection ask yourself where your current scholastic or career path is leading you. Are you heading down that path because you chose it as the optimal path to happiness? Or did you pick it because you are blindly following in the footsteps of someone else? Do not let society dictate your actions.

As Steve Jobs said, “Those who are crazy enough to think they can change the world….are usually the ones that do.”

If Will Smith were to decide to stop acting, he could quickly find a job as a Success Guru. After listening to the video below I am convinced he knows the secret to success in life and has clearly used it to reach extraordinary heights. It is one of the most enlightening videos around from one of the least likely sources, or so I thought. Below are some of my favorite quotes from the video and then the video in its entirety.

On Being Realistic:

“Being realistic is the most commonly traveled road to mediocrity. Why would you be realistic? I’m going to do it. It’s already done. The second I decide it’s done, it’s already done. Now I just have to wait for all of you to see.”

“It’s unrealistic to walk in a room, flip the switch, and watch the lights come on. Fortunately, Edison didn’t think so.”

On Work Ethic:

“I’m not afraid to die on a treadmill. I will not be outworked. You may be more talented than me. You might be smarter than me. And you may be better looking than me. But if we get on a treadmill together, you are going to get off first or I’m going to die. It’s really that simple. I’m not going to be outworked.”

On Talent vs Skill:

“I’ve never really viewed myself as particularly talented. I’ve viewed myself as slightly above average in talent. And where I excel is ridiculous, sickening, work ethic. You know, while the other guy’s sleeping? I’m working. While the other guy’s eatin’? I’m working. While the other guy’s making love, I mean, I’m making love, too. But I’m working really hard at it.”

On Having a Plan B:

“There is no reason to have a plan B because it distracts from plan A.”

On Doing the Impossible

One summer, his dad tore down a brick wall in the front of his business and told 12-year-old Will and his 9-year-old brother to rebuild it, a job they said was impossible. It took them a year and a half, but they did it.

“And he said, ‘Now, don’t you ever tell me there’s somethin’ that you can’t do.’ And walked right through that door, went inside. And me and my brother stood here and looked. And said, ‘Daddy crazy as hell, ain’t he?’” Smith recalls, laughing.

The wall is still there, and so is the lesson he learned from building it. “I just put my head down and lay the first brick,” Smith explains.

On the Universe:

“Make a choice. Just decide what it’s going to be, who you’re going to be, how you’re going to do it. Just DECIDE! And then from that point the universe is going to get out of your way.”

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41% of people check their email before they do anything else in the morning. This can be attributed to the task dominant lifestyle we tend to lead. In a strange way, we look for new tasks we need to perform without considering the fact that there are plenty of important tasks left undone. This leads to increased stress as our pile of work grows the second we wake up. This habit sets the tone for the rest of the day. If you do this every day (as most do), then you are setting that tone for the rest of your life.

Here is a simple plan to get off this habit:

1. Gather your inspirational resources

iPhone and iTouch users – Download the Solace and Courage Iphone App by Ajnaware. For those of you who are not familiar with this app, I consider it to be one of the best applications out there and easily the most inspirational.

Non iPhone or iTouch users – Print quotes from either Third Minds or another website with inspirational quotes. On a side note, we promise to keep updating our quotes section!

2. Read at least 3 quotes on either the app or the paper the second you wake up. Then pause for exactly one minute and think about them.

If you follow this habit I guarantee you will find yourself leading happier days and sleeping better. What has been your experience doing this? Any other tips you use to start the day off successfully?