Important question

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May 1, 2010

Seneca & Benjamin Franklin

Posted by stephenlafond under 36525 days, Aware, Awareness, Choices, Decision, Important question, Life, Life leadership, Procrastination, Results, Time, Time magagement, Wasting time, Wisdom | Tags: , , , , |
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“It is not that we have a short life to live but we waste a lot of it”

Seneca

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Sometimes we waste our time because we don’t have much control over what is happening to us. In this case, there’s not much we can do about it.

At other times we waste our time because we lack a definite purpose in our lives.
This we can do something about. We must take the time to ask ourselves the important questions, the ones that concern only us.

It may look like a waste of time at first, but in the long run, it will save us time.

Benjamin Franklin used to ask himself these important questions every night before he went to sleep.

What did I do wrong today?
What did I do right ?
What can I improve tomorrow?

Apparently, he did this for most of his life.

If you want to learn more about this, I recommend that you read his autobiography. It will make you realize that even if he had lived more than 250 years ago, he was facing similar challenges like the ones we have to deal with today.

Great weekend to all of you!

 

April 29, 2010

Under which influence are you living ?

Posted by stephenlafond under 36525 days, Aware, Awareness, Choices, Clarity, Decision, Here, Important question, Life, Life leadership, Results, Time, Time magagement, Wasting time, Wisdom | Tags: , , , |
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Some of us live under the influence of alcohol.

The influence is good as long as we are under the influence. The next morning, the influence can be quite different.

Some of us live under the influence of shopping, and the influence is good until as we receive the credit card monthly statement…

Some of us live under the influence of gambling, and the influence is good until as we realize that the house always wins against most of us.

Some of us live under the influence of buying expensive toys to impress others who don’t care at all. This influence is gone when we realize that we become a slave of this habit.

Some of us are under the influence of a new religion, and the influence seems to disappear when that special God of ours doesn’t answer our requests.

Some of us indulge in sexual escapism, and the influence is gone when the temporary thrill is over.

Some of us will study philosophy and believe that they have found the Way, only to wake up later and realize that their particular philosophy can fail them.

Some of us will swear by the world of reason and science, only to discover the actual limitations of our understanding. At least at this point of our evolution.

Some of us will invest in the joy of parenthood only to realize later that our kids will be entitled to their own lives.

Some of us will want to earn a lot of money until they realize that money can’t buy love.

And while most of us live under one kind of influence or another, Time goes by.

Under what kind of influence are you living ?

Is this the kind of influence that you enjoy?

It’s up to you!

 

April 27, 2010

What Is Life?

Posted by stephenlafond under 36525 days, Aware, Choices, Important question, Life leadership, Procrastination, Results, Success, Time, Time magagement, Wisdom | Tags: , , , |
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“Life is just one damned thing after another”

Frank Ward O’Malley (1875-1932)
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It’s true for most of us, at least until we choose to do OUR own damned thing.
I suppose that we feel like this when we lose the balance between how much time and effort we invest for others compared to the time we invest for ourselves.

When we spend a lot of time doing OUR own thing, others may think or say that we are selfish, however, when we invest a lot of time for others, ( I’m thinking of mothers with young children or when we are taking care of family member in need) it can lead us to becoming frustrated or irritable.

Our challenge is to find the right amount of time between what we do for ourselves and what we do for others.

Why is it so important to think of ourselves before we think of others?

The answer is; How can we give to others what we don’t have?

How can you give money if you don’t have enough for your own needs?

How can you give time when you don’t even have time for yourself?

How can you share your knowledge when you are ignorant?

It seems to me that the most generous people of today who are able to give back used to be the people who were thinking of themselves not long ago.

An example? Bill Gates with his philantropy and his Foundation. One of the richest man in the world is becoming one of the most generous in his lifetime.

Do you feel that you invest enough time for others?

Do you feel that you invest enough time for yourself?

Do you ever struggle with these questions?

 

April 24, 2010

Julius Caesar on worrying

Posted by stephenlafond under 36525 days, Courage, Fear, Important question, Life, Procrastination, Time, Time magagement, Wasting time, Wisdom | Tags: , , , |
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“As a rule, men worry more about what they can’t see than about what they can.”

Julius Caesar

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Why do we worry so much?

What do we get out of it?

What’s in it for us?

It is true that we worry more about the unseen and the unknown.

Many people who have written or spoken about worry have told the statistics story. The earliest source that we could find of the story and most probable author was Thomas S. Kepler. He wrote about a woman who realized fears were ruining her life. She began to keep track of what was worrying her and she found:

40% of the things she worried about were about things that would never happen.

30% of the things she worried about were about things that had already happened, water under the bridge.

12% of the things she worried about were about others’ opinion. When she thought about it, she realized that criticisms are often made by those that are jealous or insecure; therefore unjust criticism is a disguised compliment.

10% of the things she worried about were needless health worries, which made her health worse as she worried.

8% of the things she worried about were “legitimate,” since life has some real problems to meet.

If you consider the above as probable statistics, it would seem that only 8% of the things that you worry about are worth the worry. Next time you are worried about something, perform a check to see if the worry is in a category other then the 8% category and if it is, perhaps logic will help free you from the worry.

Will This Matter a Year from Now?

How much quality time do I spend worrying?

 

April 20, 2010

Are You Afraid of Dying ?

Posted by stephenlafond under 36525 days, Courage, Death, Fear, Important question, Life, Time, Wasting time | Tags: , , , , , |
[7] Comments 

Most people I know prefer to avoid the subject of their own mortality. I know , it’s not the most exciting subject, but I think it’s a mistake not to look at death straight in the face for what it really is. Why? Because if we would dare to look at death , most of us would change a lot of things that we are currently procrastinating about.

We have seen this happen many times: when someone gets diagnosed with an incurable disease, when they learn how much time they have left to live , they change a lot of things in their life.

Some of the people who went through this extreme experience said that it was the most intense, fulfilling genuine experience they ever had.

My question to you is: Why wait until you have no time left before making significant changes in your life?

 

April 16, 2010

A life of quiet desperation

Posted by stephenlafond under 36525 days, Aware, Awareness, Choices, Clarity, Complaining, Control, Courage, Failure, Fear, Illusion, Important question, Serenity, Time, Time magagement, Wasting time | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |
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“The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation”

Henry David Thoreau

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If this is how you feel, there is still a chance to change it. It’s up to you.

Will you?

 

 

April 13, 2010

What teachers make?

Posted by stephenlafond under 36525 days, Choices, Clarity, Consequence, Courage, Criticism, Important question, Socrates | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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Apparently, Socrates never wrote anything , the knowledge of the man, his life, and his philosophy are based on writings by his students, one of which was Plato who was amongst the most popular. Plato himself was the teacher of Aristotle, and  Aristotle later on became the teacher of Alexander the Great.

We can see how an original thinker (Socrates) had influence on the poet & dreamer (Plato) who in turn had influence on the man of Logic (Aristotle) who finally influenced the man of action (Alexander the Great). The teachings of Socrates still resonate with us directly and indirectly 24 centuries later.

We can see with the previous succession of great people the importance of teaching.

Some of the greatest teachers often work in relative obscurity, it is their own personal passion that helps to shape some of the greatest individuals of the future.

Could you be one of them?

Could Taylor Mali be one of them?

 

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I  really like this guy ( Taylor Mali). Check it out.

 

April 10, 2010

Unimportant Things

Posted by stephenlafond under 36525 days, Choices, Consequence, Control, Courage, Decision, Important question, Life, Life leadership, Results, Serenity, Time, Time magagement, Wasting time | Tags: , , , , , , , |
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“No matter how small and unimportant what we are doing may seem, if we do it well, it may become the step that will lead us to better things.”

Channing Pollock

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This is encouraging and inspiring ! Why ? Because there is always room for improvement

Don’t you think so?

 

April 9, 2010

Stay hungry , stay foolish

Posted by stephenlafond under 36525 days, Aware, Awareness, Courage, Death, Decision, Fear, Here, Important question, Life, Life expectancy, Time, Time magagement, Wasting time, Wisdom | Tags: , , , , , , |
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 I really enjoyed this clip and I’m sharing it with you.

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April 8, 2010

Preparation is essential

Posted by stephenlafond under 36525 days, Aware, Awareness, Choices, Clarity, Important question, Results, Time, Time magagement, Wasting time | Tags: , , , , , , |
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Preparation is essential, but even more essential is the willingness to let go of a plan in a flash and off in a revised direction.

Tom Peters  ( perhaps influenced by John Boyd United States Air Force fighter pilot and military strategist)

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If you want to use your time in the most productive way, it is important to plan and prepare, then start and finish.But you have to keep your eyes and your options open to new opportunities when they arise. Your biggest opportunity could turn out to be life changing and life enhancing.

How do you make sure to keep your eyes open so that opportunities don’t pass you by?

 

March 31, 2010

Marcus Aurelius

Posted by stephenlafond under Consequence, Decision, Illusion, Important question, Life leadership, Thing | Tags: , , , , , |
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“The first rule is, to keep an untroubled spirit.”

“The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are.”

Marcus Aurelius (121–180)
Roman emperor and philosopher

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When I try to live each day like if it was be my last, it gives me “an untroubled spirit” because of the satisfaction of having done the best that I could with the resources and the opportunities that were given to me.

When I try to look things in the face, it forces realism on me, it is not what happens to me, it is how I react to what happens to me.

Do you find it difficult to look at things for what they really are?  

                                                 OR                                             

 Do you INSIST on seeing things AS YOU WANT to see them? 

 

March 29, 2010

Why are they kvetching all the time?

Posted by stephenlafond under Choices, Complaining, Important question, Kvetching, Life leadership, Time magagement, Wasting time | Tags: , , , , |
[4] Comments 

It seems to me that some people are complaining and complaining and do nothing else.

If only they would realize how short life really is, they would come to the conclusion that their complaining is a waste of precious time, time that will never come back.

Since our time is so limited, doesn’t it make sense to figure out what we really enjoy and try to spend as much time as possible doing it? Again, I know, it is so obvious, so why are there so few people doing it?We all have responsibilities, but we also have spare time, and it is in that spare time that we can improve our quality of life.  

 Shouldn’t we all try to find a way to make a living while having fun?

Do you find yourself complaining too much?

Do you think it’s a waste of time and energy?

 

March 28, 2010

Happy or unhappy?

Posted by stephenlafond under 36525 days, Choices, Consequence, Decision, Important question, Results | Tags: , , , , , |
[2] Comments 

Why do a lot of people keep doing the same things over and over even when it makes them unhappy? They complain but change nothing.

They focus on the externals and neglect what is going on inside their minds.

They invest money on their houses, on their cars, on their swimming pools, on their boats and don’t invest money in their minds, on their skills and on their personal development.

They sit on their couch in the living room watching other people on television live their lives  and make money doing it when they could be living their own lives fully.

They talk about diets and health  endlessly without realizing they are sitting on the couch with a bag of chips and soda. All talk and no action.

This is just a personal observation.

And then again, without being aware of time going by…

What is YOUR relation between happiness and how you invest your free time?

 

March 27, 2010

Advice from the great Socrates

Posted by stephenlafond under 36525 days, Control, Important question, Socrates, Time magagement | Tags: , , , , , |
[2] Comments 

Socrates said many years ago “A life unexamined is not worth living”

Well, why is it that most people don’t take the time to quiet their minds and take a look at their lives?

Why don’t they don’t ask themselves some important questions like;

Who am I?

What do I want to do with my life?

What are my natural talents or skills?

What makes me happy or unhappy?

What am I afraid of and why?

Who do I like to spend time with?

Do I like my job and why?  Why not?

Why am I afraid to change my job?

What can I do to improve my circumstances?

What do I control and what don’t I control?

How much time do you invest trying to answer YOUR important questions?

 

 

January 27, 2010

How Long Do You Expect To Live?

Posted by stephenlafond under 36525 days, Choices, Consequence, Important question, Life expectancy, Life leadership, Results, Time magagement, Wasting time | Tags: , , , , , |
[3] Comments 

 

How many days do you or I have left to live on this planet?

Life goes quickly and the clock is ticking.

Time is life’s most precious asset.

A human life has a potential of approximately 36525 days to live. (100 years)

Did you ever stop your daily activities to think about that?

Every night when I go to bed, when I fall asleep , I have one less  day to live.

Yes I know, It sounds obvious, but when was the last time  you really considered that? Were you ever aware of this?

This is what it looks like.

36525,36524,36523,36522 if I am a newborn.

27395,27394,27393,27393 if I am 25 years old

18263,18262,18261,18260 if I am 50 years old

9131,9130,9129,9128 if I am 75 years old

1826,1825,1824,1823 if I am 95 years old

365,364,363,362 if I am 99 years old

This scenario is based on a perfect life potential, in a perfect world.

Now, in reality, my life expectancy will be influenced by which part of the world I am born in. It also depends on whether I am born a male or a female.

Life expectancy may vary between 35 and 85 years old depending on which country I am born in.

For example if the life expectancy in my country of origin is 35 years old , I should expect to live 12780 days as a potential.

If the life expectancy in my country is 85 years old , I should expect to live approximatively 31046 days.

Next comes the hereditary factors on which I have very little control over, like an unexpected and unforgiving cancer and other uncontrollable circumstances such as car accidents, sport accidents, plane crashes …….I’ll let you meditate on this matter until next time.

How long do you expect to live?                         

 

 

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