Digital Common Sense

First, happy birthday to my friend Shel Israel, one of the nicest guys I know.
Shel posted 6 Observations on my 63rd birthday, and I think these are so important, so valuable, that I wanted to add my own thoughts to Shel’s points. He said six points then listed nine. Some triggered some quick thoughts I want to share.

Stay curious - Or in the words of an old psychology professor of mine be awake. There’s an innate curiousity and awareness in all of us, but we too easily suppress it and focus on less important things that we allow to become more important. An inquisitive, childlike curiousity about everything is perhaps the most powerful tool we possess.

The 10% factor - This is much like a project where 10% of the progress can require 90% of the effort. 10% of the world who are assholes can suck the life out of us if we let them. They are our cross to bear, but we can’t let them ever take the forefront in our daily lives, our conversations, or our thinking.

Life is a limited time only deal - Shel said it best…choose wisely. But I think we also need accept that we’re human. We screw up and make mistakes. We need to get over them more easily that we often do and move on. Tedium is our enemy. Carpe diem should be our daily motto (and carpe noctum at the end of the day. It reminds me of an old Calvin and Hobbes cartoon. We cannot simply seize the day. We need to grab it by the neck and throttle it.

Disruption is more interesting that incumbency - Change is inevitable. Change is the only constant. Life is change. Incumbent technologies are boring. Incumbent businesses are boring. Incumbent politicians are boring. Boredom leads to a death spiral of apathy. Be a disruptor.

Be useful and generous - Reminds me of a quote from Rex Hudler - “Be a fountain, not a drain.” We need to add value.

Exercise is medicine - And the older we get the more we need to take our medicine. We get one body, and in the end, how we take care of it largely determines how it will take care of us.

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Filed by Ken at 5:12 pm under General