Quote - Glenn Turner - Rocking Chair

 Love this quote. I'm not the type to worry about things, I find it's wasted energy I can put someplace else. So when I read this quote I was glad to find someone else thought so too.

“Worrying is like a rocking chair; it gives you something to do, but gets you nowhere.” - Glenn Turner

The only thing, a rocking chair can be relaxing, worrying is not...

Avoidance Controlling Lives

In trying to be more aware of my own actions I noticed one pattern. Then I started looking at others thought process and I noticed the same pattern as well. And this pattern was less evident in a few persons.

A lot of our choices are based on avoidance instead of eagerness to experience. This avoidance pattern tries to elude us from unknown experiences or experiences we predict as being bad for ourselves or simply to avoid the experience which will require an effort from us.

This is a perfectly normal sub-conscious behavior, one day in the past we had a bad experience and our sub-conscious mind as taken note of it. We can't do everything consciously and our sub-conscious mind tries it's best to make the best choices for us based on experiences. But leaving all our choices to our sub-conscious mind mean we'll never experience new things. If we cease to experience new things we'll stop improving ourselves. Life will become boring and repetitive.

As a little exercise, for the next 24 hours, try to ask yourself why you take mundane irrelevant choices. For example, there are two paths to get to the washrooms from my office, why do I take one and not the other? To avoid boring chatter in front of the elevator maybe? Try to put a little consciousness in all those little actions you do during your day and when you don't find a logical reason to your sub-conscious choice, try another option.

Step outside your comfort zone. Experience life differently. New experiences are not limited to bungee jumping and eating ethnic food. Little tiny experiences are part of what we are every day.



P.s.: As opposed to my last blog on uncertainties, I'm not saying the date and time of my next post. You'll have to live with mystery this time!

Quote - Eliminating Doubts

I realized I haven't posted any quotes in a while. I also know that since I'm typing with one hand I haven't posted many entries in general. Of all the inconveniences of having an injured hand, I think not being able to type my thoughts with ease is what I miss the most.

This one comes from my bank of saved quotes. If I remember correctly it's from Paulo Coelho's blog. Piggy backing on the master's work.

“Modern man tried to eliminate life’s uncertainties and doubts. And in doing so he left his soul dying of hunger; the soul feeds off mysteries” – says the dean of Saint Francis Cathedral.

 It's true that we thrive to make everything certain. We purchase warranties because products should not fail. We try to predict tomorrows weather. We try to control the flu viruses. We try to estimate the size of the universe when we don't even know our neighbor. We ask a groundhog if spring will come early. We try to make every single interaction we have with anything as predictable as possible...

So my next blog entry will be Monday, February the 13th at 1pm Eastern time and I'll be discussing avoidance.

No mysteries for your soul today! Or maybe not...

Is it worth the risk?

Recently I had a major sport injury. I broke some bones in my hand and dislocated a finger. It was an horrible sight, but I had to look at it at some point. It's my hand and it's attached to my body. After some pain, long waits in hospitals and surgery I'm back to "normal" life, if trying to be functional with one hand can be considered normal.

On my side everything is fine. There is a considerable amount of adjustments to do to my daily life. For example, I can't put peanut butter on my toasts in the morning without a yoga ceremony. But I kinda like the new life, it's challenging and it forces me to re-align certain things.

People often seems more discouraged about my situation than myself. And the one question that I got many many times and which puzzles me is:

Was it worth it?

Yes. Of course it was. I'm not sure I completely understand the question. Was that particular game worth playing? Or was it worth playing sport all your life? I have to admit that if, let's say, God came to me before the game and told me that would happen, I would have side lined and watch the game from there.

But if God would have told me "In your life, if you play sport you will one day break a whole bunch of stuff in your hand." Then I would have still played. Why? Because that's simply life as it is. There are risks in the game of life, if you want to enjoy life you have to face risks. It's inevitable. Using very conservative numbers, I've calculated that I've played well over 10000 hours of sports in my life* saying those hours were worthless would be like saying I had a miserable life so far. Those hours provided me with too much fun and pleasure to be tossed aside because of a single injury.

What now?

Right now, I'm enjoying my new life. I don't like typing at turtle speed with one hand but I manage fine. I have to accept the fact I'll be like that for two months. I'm taking it positively, embracing the challenges that come with it. Trying to think about the solution instead of focusing on the problem.

Will I play again?

Yes. And I sincerely hope that nobody will stop themselves from engaging in fun life activities because they saw my injury. Life exist to be enjoyed and not to be sidelined (notice how I stick to the blog theme? That's cool writing, don't you think?) out of fear.


* If you want to compare there is 8760 hours in a year.

Video: People Are Awesome 2

As promised, here the video I had in store for January.

To start the year, how about a video of people pushing their limits to the max. I love these videos. If after seeing what those people are doing you still don't believe you can lose 5 pounds in 2012 or stop smoking you need to figure out a way to motivate yourself and fast. These people are doing the unthinkable so you can believe in your own ability to improve.



I've posted a similar video in the past, in case you need extra motivation.

Writing Motivation, The Secret - It's Been Too Long

It's been too long. When people randomly ask you if you are still writing you blog, you know it's time to get back at it.

Most of you are probably familiar with The Secret. If not, I can't tell you because it's a secret. But a few Google searches will tell you all about it. There's is also a movie which will tell you all about this well guarded secret. Also millions of book copies on any book store or library shelves explain this secret in every little details. You can also ask the people beside you, chances are they know all about it.

Part of The Secret is to think about what we want and it'll manifest in some way. So many people randomly asking me if I'm still writing my blog obviously are thinking about my blog hence for it to manifest, I need to get my act together and write. That Secret thing is putting pressure on me!

So, why did I stop writing for so long? You may be asking yourself.  To be precise, 18 days without writing a blog. I don't have a clear answer to your question but I intent on keeping maintaining my blog. I have a whole bunch of blog entries in "Draft" right now which I can (and will) finish up. One of them was even kept in Draft so I could publish it in January for the new year. Stay tuned for that one, a cool video which is a follow up to a previous video I've posted.

If you made New Year Resolutions, don't give up there's only 349 days to go, thanks to 2012 being a leap year you have one more day to discipline yourself.

If any of you want me to write about particular topics, feel free to leave a comment with your feedback. I have a lot (I think it's the first time I've ever written "a lot" correctly on the first type. For some reasons I always write "alot" in one word.) of topics to discuss in 2012, I have a constant flow of ideas but sometimes just don't have a computer on hand to write it down. I guess you can put the last part to the past tense since I now have a Macbook Air which lives on my lap 24/7. Almost.

Wishing you all a great year!

2012: The Year YOU Are At YOUR best

This is it. My last post of 2011. It's been a great year. I've matured in so many ways. I've also kept my blog alive all year long, improving along the way, which was one of my 2011 resolutions. I want to thank everyone who has read my posts and given me feedback. You are the reason I keep writing my entries.

For great inspiration from 2011, search #2011highs on twitter and read the great things people did in this great year.

(http://twitter.com/#!/search/%232011highs)

But enough of the past. One can't stop when he has attained a goal, the journey must continue. What will be 2012 for you? Do you see a great year ahead? Do you see changes? Or do you see the same old routine again?

I'm not going to tell you what would be a great resolution for you, you must find that yourself. Loosing weight, stop smoking, eating healthier... these are our society's resolution. Dig deeper and find your own.

One piece of advice. I've mentioned this quote in one of my very first blog entries. It's an advice I got from Neil Strauss a long way back and it stuck in my mind like Wile E. Coyote sticks to an Acme Corporation giant magnet.

"It's not enough to just be yourself, you must be your best self." - Neil Strauss

If you apply the best self principle to everything you do, great things are going to happen in 2012 no matter what your objectives are.

I wish you all a great year.

50 best photos of the Natural World

We live in a wonderful world, sometimes we need to remind ourselves.

Here's the 50 best photos of the Natural World from the Boston Globe, I believe.

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/12/50_best_photos_of_the_natural.html

Animals are magnificent in so many ways. These photos shows them at there very best.

Just a few days left before the new year starts. I hope these reminds you of the beauty of this world and pushes you to fulfill your dearest dreams in 2012.

Steve Jobs' 2005 Stanford University Commencement Address

Great speech by a great man.

Steve Jobs goes through 3 of the most marking experiences of his life. There are many great advices to learn from his words.

Connecting the dots. You can't connect the dots going forward but only backward which means you need to have trust in what you do, in your heart and intuitions.

Microsoft just always copies Apple.

Ask yourself if this was my last day on earth would I want to do what I'm doing today and if the answer is no for multiple days then it's time to re-align your life.

And many wise words can be found in this short message.

A Friendly Reminder

Good day,

2011 is coming to an end. December, people start getting ready for Christmas while others are ready and waiting impatiently to give the outdated gifts they bought months ago. December for some is the only month they cook well prepared meals and desert, to redeem them selves or to impress relatives. December is a very busy month for many reasons we all know too well.

My reminder to you is that December is the last chance you'll ever get to fulfill your 2011 resolutions. Admit it that you did not maintained or accomplish them. If you did, I think you've set the bar a little to low. Finish the year on a high note, complete all those resolutions and get ready for 2012. Yearly resolutions are not made to be transferable from one year to the next, or else they'd be called life resolutions.

Unfortunately, this does not seems to be the case. Each January, gym subscriptions skyrocket. Abs King Pro, Roller, Disintegrator 3000 or what ever they are called fly off the shelves. Get over with it now and set new objectives for next year. Realistic and measurable one.

30 days left to make 2011 worth while if you haven't done it yet. We'll talk again in a month when it's time to set new ones for 2012.

Video: A Liter Of Light

Here's an example that great ideas are not always complex. When there is a need, people find ways to overcome them. Just as I discussed in an earlier blog about how the need to have easy to build and warm houses in the cold Arctic.

Watch this video to see how these people found a way to lighten their lives with a simple solution, yet not common.

7 Billion: Are You Typical?

A follow up video from my earlier 7 billion post.

Today, October 31, 2011, there are 7 Billion us.

Are you a typical person? What is a typical person in the 7 billion of us? What does the typical person looks like? Male or Female? Where does that person live? Find out...

"Our choices make a big difference... when multiplied by 7 Billion"

You can now download the free 7 Billion iPad app with all the articles, videos and interactive maps and charts from the Apple App Store.

7 Billion, National Geographic Magazine

According to the United Nations the world's population is projected to pass 7 BILLION on October 31, 2011. National Geographic Magazine as put together a collection of articles exploring what that means for all of us.

Here's their promo video, extremely well put together and eye opening. Give some thought to what you'll see.





You can now download the free 7 Billion iPad app with all the articles, videos and interactive maps and charts from the Apple App Store. You'll be just amazed at the facts they've gathered. I strongly recommend this app. I'm sure it's also available in paper.

"The challenge: How to share and sustain the planet while lifting even more people into a better life."

Following in the same direction as my latest post on accountability,

"How big will the population actually grow? What will the planet look like in 2045 [projected 9 billion]? ... The answers will depend on the decisions each of us makes."

Each of us.

When it's everyone else's fault

ac·count·a·bil·i·ty   noun /əˌkountəˈbilitē/  1. To be liable to account for one's actions;

This word of simple meaning is slowly fading away from people's thoughts as society makes it easier and easier to blame others. In almost all situations it is pretty easy to point at someone else or something else for being the cause for our misfortunes.

Before I write anymore, I am aware that I told you I'd have a post about conflicts later this week. It is on it's way, I felt I needed a little more preparation to write a good blog entry. And tonight something, which I'll talk about shortly sparked my interest in the increasing lack of accountability from all of us. That being said let me continue...

Even though my example, the one which sparked my thoughts, is about a very sensitive subject my intent is not to point or judge any group of people by color, language, disability or any other minority. In fact, I love to see the weaker groups strive for excellence. In sports I'm often found cheering for the underdogs. It's often the way people battle for their rights I find misleading and unrepresentative of their true nature or even degrading to their peers.

I'm French Canadian and proud to be. I also live in a bilingual community and I am even more proud of that, to see the progress and how both French and English can co-exists. There are some moments of frictions which is perfectly normal but beyond that it's an harmonious relationship between both entities.

French being the minority, we sometimes have to fight our way. Which again is normal. Today on the News, they announced that a law (it may have been in probation for a while but I think it's just starting to be enforced) forcing billboards to be bilingual. This part of town is a bit more Francophone and some billboard were advertising in English only. To some, this may sound like a victory. To me, it's a poor way to force something on people. And I also find it stupid to force, in example, a radio station to post advertisement in two languages when it's a uni-lingual business.

This brings me to my initial definition of accountability. Maybe, just maybe, that if French people around here would talk French when dealing with businesses that businesses would notice how many of their clients are actually French. Or maybe instead of petitioning for bilingual advertisement French folks would only deal with businesses who makes an effort to offer service in both languages. I've personally stopped going at a certain coffee shop because I didn't get understand when I ordered a "Moyen café" in a part of town that's largely French (I also don't like their coffee much).

I would rather see both groups get along by nature, in a much more organic fashion. It takes time, it may be frustrating at some point but in the end there would be a mutual respect from both sides. Forcing matters rarely brings people closer.

All this being said. Lets take more responsibility for our own faith. Blaming the city for slipping on ice won't repair any broken hips, be careful when you put your own feet. Don't blame others for what's under your feet. Oh!! I should put that in a quote...

"Don't blame others for what's under your own feet."
- Me

 Start being accountable for your actions, your feelings, your moods and your thoughts. When you feel sad look for the reason within and not outside of you. When you make a mistake, it's not your neighbor's fault take responsibility for it. And the most important of all (yes, I kept the best for last)...

Don't wait for others to make you happy, be the happiness in you own life and the rest will follow.

I challenge you all to be accountable for your own lives.

Thought of the day - Balance

"The center is not always the point of balance. When you find that place where balance is achieved, peace will result in all situations. There is no conflict, for everything rests without stain." - Author Unknown

 



A very nice thought. Find balance and you will find peace. Life needs a little of everything but nothing in excess. 

Stay tuned this week for another quote on conflict. Unfortunately, conflicts are common but they are also avoidable. 



 

Righting skils of teh 21st centery - Part 2: Digital Communication

Back in April I wrote a blog about the writing skills of people nowadays. Specifically about how we rely on tools like auto-completion and auto-correction to review our spelling. Google being the leader of information came out with an even more advance writing tool, Google Scribe. This tool not only try to complete the word you are typing but even try to figure the next word (yes, word you have not even started typing or have not even start thinking of yet). Meaning that technically I can now write entire blogs without even thinking. Let's try that...

Today I am going to be a part of the products name and address of the person who is not a valid stream resource in D minor for two violins and a cello player and a great deal of time. But the fact that the two are not the only one who can not afford to pay for the cost of the project is to develop a new method for the determination of the amount of the compound of formula I wherein R is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group at the University of California. In the end, the first and second portions of the first and second portions of the first and second portions of the first and second...

Hmm, I think I got into a loop at the end. I also think I'll keep writing my own blogs until Google finds something more interesting to say. The idea of the tool is not to tell you what to write but help you find the next word in case you have a blank. It does propose words which relates to the preceding terms, in which is does somewhat succeed.

So this is the future of auto-complete. So this is the future of writing. I'm not talking about literature writing, but common day to day writing. Messages, emails and chat. Type in a few keys and a whole paragraph has been completely written for you. How much time will we save? We'll become communicating machines, producing more and more mechanical interactions at an increasing rate of automation.

Keywords in my last sentence were machines, mechanical and automation. All organic form of communication will decrease to be replaced by digital communication. Digitization is the removal of imperfections, removing bits of reality to a degree perceivable by humans. Digital music sounds perfect to our ear by removing noises and frequencies not consciously perceived by humans. Digital videos presents vivid images by removing small details the human eyes can't perceive and presenting images not faster than the normal human perception rate. Digital communication while presenting a better and richer vocabulary will remove ideas not normally perceived by society and limit our communication to socially acceptable discussions without human creativity.

Google Scribe can be (and will be) a great tool but as any tool it's how you use it that matters. It's still in beta mode and can do impressive things. Soon it'll be on smart phones and people will use it to text and message each other relying more and more on it. Leaving it to their devices to formulate their ideas into words.

Will the digitization of communication occur? It is up to me, you and all of us to keep our mind free and to keep being creative in our daily lives.

Internet Candy - Draw a Stick Man

It's hard nowadays to find a really creative website, it affirms the statement I made earlier in September in my Ridley Scott director contest blog entry (go watch that movie short if you haven't) that creativity often emerges from a limited context. The web is not really limited and hence we seldom see creative web content.

Here's an exception. Not only it is creative in itself but it'll ask creativity back from you!

http://www.drawastickman.com/

I couldn't find credit about the makers on the website, anyhow I raise my hat to you Anonymous Creator.

September Overview: In case you missed it!

September, end of summer and beginning of fall, has been a very pleasant month. Nice weather around here, a lot of interesting blog subject and even a "video week" of blog.


* We started the month with a Woody Allen quote that thought us that being present represent about seventy percent of successes in life.

* I discussed the four steps to master any thing. According to NLP, all things we learn goes through four essential steps before we master them. I pointed the step of conscience incompetence as being the hardest of the four steps to overcome and that we tend to want to skip. It's not always easy to admit we suck at some task.

"Happiness comes from within. If you choose to be happy, no one and no thing can ever take that happiness from you."

* Luck, coincidence and faith. Following some event that happened to me I found this very interesting video of best seller author Paulo Coelho discussing luck, coincidence and faith. I also discuss a video I didn't like on the subject.

* I felt a motivational video from Chris Cade added an essential missing piece from the popular "Secret" video and book. The fact that things are there for us if and only if we act upon them. Thinking about our dream life and living a passive life just won't bring us far.

* Creativity in humans always comes forth when pushed by limited resources. This winning video is the perfect example of that. Simply a must see.


Finally, remember that...

"No one is coming".

Quote - A Small Quote With a Big Meaning

Some quotes are complex, some are funny, some have hidden meanings while others are straight to the point. Today's quote is short and right to the point.

"No one is coming"

I'd put an author but many people must have said those words at one time or another. But the inspired meaning of the quote, which I'll explain my view in a bit, came to me from Nathaniel Branden in his book The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem, which by the way is a must read for anyone conscious about their life.

"No one is coming" does not mean we'll forever be alone. It does not mean we'll never get help. It does not mean love does not exist. It simply means that if somebody truly wants something, they are the ones who'll have to put the effort to get it. No one is going to come do it for them. If Andy wants a great job, he can leave it to luck but chances are much better if does everything in his power to get it. No one is coming to save anyone, make others life right or even exercise for strangers. Waiting for miracles to happen on there own can be comforting but rarely yields to good results. Everyone is responsible for it's own existence.

Video: Ridley Scott Director Contest Winner

Since it is apparently video week. I have another very interesting video.

The following is the winner of a contest run by the popular movie director Ridley Scott and Phillips (as a sort of promotion for their television I assume). The challenge was to create a three-minute short using only 6 lines of dialogue. The six lines had to be used in the exact same order and could not be altered in any way (Except language, but had to be subtitled in that case). The phrases were: “What is that?,” “It’s a unicorn,” “Never seen one up close before,” “Beautiful,” “Get Away, Get away,” and “I’m sorry.”

It seems very limiting at first. Three minutes, 6 phrases. But it is often when confronted with limitation that the surprising human race comes up with the most original ideas and inventions. I discussed a similar concept earlier this year when talking about igloos and how hundreds of years ago humans stranded in the cold, with very limited resources found not just a way to build houses out of snow, but the BEST way know to man to build them which even today with all the engineers and computers have not found a better way.

Take a minute or two to think of a story using the above phrases.

And now look at what the winner, director Keegan Wilcox, has constructed with so little.



Visit the contest page for more surprising videos.