Author: jrlsage

Finding center can mean being away mentally – We need a break sometimes. Vacations rejuvenate us. Sometimes we need to be disconnected from everything to get back to who we are. The difference between healthy separation and unhealthy separation is boundaries and communication. If you need to go, tell people you do. Be up front. Own your time.

Risk management means different things – Risk is such a fungible word. What it means to me is not what it means to you. I’ve seen this play out a bunch of times in my career, in completely different contexts. When I led new mainframe projects at DTCC (conservative financial services), I saw the same things I saw as a product strategist at Philosophie (an innovation consultancy). One thing I know that breaks this is someone of trust and authority telling folks where the lines are, and how far you expect them to cross certain ones and avoid others.

Basically, tell them what they will get fired for, and then tell them where you expect failure, then get out of the way.

New Month – June is warmth, Juneteenth, and travel. Family and friends are ready to be out and about, cool morning and nights make it great to just take a walk. Say hi to someone this month that you haven’t seen in a while. Good time to get some lunch.

Coffee and Tea – Coffee is great to connect with, and if you aren’t looking for caffeine – tea is not far behind. If it isn’t time for lunch, maybe a drink will cover it instead!

Art is right in front of us -Every time, all the time. When I was younger, I thought “art is everywhere” was pretty corny. Lately though, watching my work, my life, and just the world around me, I see more beauty. We’re here. We are the artists. The world is our canvas. What can you do today?

Good Sleep – Is hard to find. Go get it please. And if you want to annoy me, please say you’ll “sleep when you’re dead.” Leave the hustle porn to rich kids who need some sort of drive in life. For most of us, we’ve already got it. So get to bed.

Is a lie.

Generally, “objectivity” is propaganda given to the people through money and means. Ever notice that “objective” thought always seems to side with power?

The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he doesn’t exist.

Curiosity – What are you curious about? What is driving your mental energy? Is it good or useful? Is it self-destructive? The ability to control that energy guides your growth. We’ve got a limited time.

Cleaning – New day, fresh opportunity, and fun are all ahead, once you clean. Do it early, do it often, and opportunity arrives. The chefs have the mise en place. What is yours?

Hard Work – The work is hard. We need to get to it. So let’s get to it. Our work is important so it’s going to be hard. Nothing much else to say here.

I keep forgetting that breaks are super restorative – Did a lot of travel this weekend and had a routine that was completely out of the ordinary. Breaks make your brain better.

You Practice How You Play – Every time you try something is building muscle memory for the next time. Human beings go downhill most of the time. The best take advantage of momentum by doing it right every time.

Absent-minded – I don’t mean to forget, but I forget. I love the big picture but there is a fifty percent change I forgot my socks when I pack for trips. Checklists help, but I apologize in advance.

Happy Memorial Day – I come from a family full of military folks, and I always appreciated today not as a memorial to war, but one of sacrifice for the troops themselves and families affected by their loss. My thoughts are to them today.

Holidays are a natural break. Breaks give you an option to pivot. Are you ready to pivot? Why not today? What are you planning to change?

Try it twice. That one thing that sucked that one time? Why not give it another shot? I tried to make avocados and failed miserably. Before the end of the summer I’ll give them another shot. Why? Because one experience shouldn’t define us, and for god sakes, they are just avocados!

“Ignorant Time” isn’t as bad as you think it is.

In fact, it is the key to your growth.

Whenever we try something new, for things to stick, we have to acknowledge our ignorance and feel “ok” with being dumb.

This is what I call “Ignorant Time.”

Knowing you aren’t supposed to know and have the free reign to ask questions, reread, and write notes unlocks so much more learning opportunity than when you “need to look smart.”

Can’t think and know at the same time.

So lets get ignorant.

Feel free to wait for tomorrow.

As long as it doesn’t turn into the next day and the next.

Enjoy the moment when you can.

If you haven’t assessed yourself and ask for help then odds are you are stagnant.

If I asked you to look at your performance in the last six months and you can’t start finding lessons and noticing things you’ve done better, you’ve failed.

So, where have you been better?