Yeah, but …

No.

We tried that before.

Because I said so.

Did you fill out all the forms?

That will never work.

The system requires it.

Micromanagement.

Have you got all the approvals?

That’s not my job.

It’s the policy.

It’s not in the policy.

Because we’ve always done it that way.

Okay, now let’s remove those barriers and get on with it.

“90% of what we call management consists of making it difficult for people to get things done.” – Peter Drucker

“There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.” – Peter Drucker

Someone saw something in you.

Something you couldn’t see yourself.

A capability or the aptitude to do more.

They may have mentored and coached.

Perhaps without you realising it.

They stretched and challenged.

Enabled you to reach your full potential.

Can you see the potential in someone else?

Time to pay it forward.

“Sometimes you can’t pay it back, so you just have to pay it forward.” – Randy Pausch

“The upside of paying it forward far exceeds the downside of being exploited.” – Guy Kawasaki

Someone has done what you want to do.

Someone else is doing it.

Someone knows someone that can help.

Someone has the experience.

Someone has the knack.

Someone has developed a model.

Someone has learnt and adapted.

Someone has written the book.

Someone has the knowledge.

Someone has left clues.

Someone has gone before you.

Find that someone.

Learn from them.

You’ll then be much further along than you are now.

“Is there anyone so wise as to learn by the experience of others.” – Voltaire

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” – Mahatma Gandhi

The world has so much to offer.

Where do you want to go?

What do you want to see?

What do you want to experience?

How do you want to make an impact?

What do you want to be?

Okay … by when?

“Oh, the places you’ll go!” – Dr. Seuss

“Travel is never a matter of money but of courage.” – Paulo Coelho

Be playful.

Be enthusiastic.

Keep the heart and mind young.

Keep being curious.

Daydream.

Release your inner child.

The world is full of wonder.

“That’s the real trouble with the world. Too many people grow up.” – Walt Disney

“Do not grow old, no matter how old you live. Never cease to stand like curious children before the great mystery into which we were born.” – Albert Einstein

“When you are curious, you find lots of interesting things to do.” – Walt Disney

A guest post … provided by a long time HorrieM Blog subscriber. Thank you Ray Thomas.

The answer has always been in the question!

But the question can always be misleading, especially when your eyes are asking the question!

You see something and act.

You look at things in a clear way.

What you see is what you get.

It is correct because you have just seen it.

You must head in the direction you can see.

It is obvious because it is there before your eyes.

However, stand back, wait a minute.

Is the path as clear as you can see?

Is there more to what is in front of you?

Will you be just one of many to take the same predictable path?

The answer is always in front of you, you just need to look deeper into it.

“To see is to realise! To see further is to find realisation.” – Ray Thomas (2014)

It was organised well in advance.

It has been something to look forward to.

Going far away seemed so far away.

And now it’s here.

Time to travel.

Time to explore.

Time for some new experiences.

Even better if you can give those experiences to someone else.

“Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s OK. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.” – Anthony Bourdain

“The world is a book and those that do not travel read only a page.” – St Augustine

Note: The next few HorrieM posts will very likely and unapologetically have a travel flavour to them. Adiós, Au revoir, Cheers!

Why does it have to be so complicated?

So complex?

The policy.

The report.

The process.

The form.

The plan.

The website.

The technology.

It started small and has now grown into a monster.

Look to make it simple.

Embrace simplicity.

“Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” – Confucius

“Out of intense complexities, intense simplicities emerge.” – Winston Churchill

“Complexity is your enemy.  Any fool can make something complicated. It is hard to keep things simple.” – Richard Branson

You made it.

Just in time.

Along with some self-inflicted stress and pressure.

Plus, some unwelcome tension and trauma.

You just made the meeting.

Just made the delivery.

Made it to the presentation.

The one you were giving.

You nearly missed boarding the plane.

Catching the last bus.

Making the train.

You only just made the submission.

Got the tender in.

Sent the proposal.

Made the deadline.

That was close.

Too close.

You could do without the drama next time.

What are you going to do differently?

You have been gathering expertise.

You have been building it along your journey.

You have been assembling knowledge.

You have been developing skills.

You’ve had experiences.

You’ve been learning.

Your expertise has been accumulating.

The value of your expertise is not in holding on to it.

That actually destroys it.

Your expertise is more valuable when you give it away.

Then more will be created.

For your expertise is unlimited.

“Never become so much of an expert that you stop gaining expertise. View life as a continuous learning experience.” – Denis Waitley