Procrastination is not a habit.
It’s not laziness either.
It’s merely a way to put anxiety at rest.
Think of something special to do, figure out the worst-case scenario, and then just do it.
Facebook equals fear.
Category Archives: Business
Morning news
I’ve written a million articles on what NOT to do first thing in the morning.
Why?
Because I need to be reminded how much better days are when I avoid email, news, social media, etc. first thing in the morning.
Despite my own best advice, I still found myself indulging.
Finally, I found something that resonated.
One song.
One line.
One time, instead of falling into the information overload abyss.
Simon & Garfunkel.
“I get the news I need from the weather report.”
So now, I check the weather.
And I start the day:
- More relaxed.
- More focused.
- Less rushed.
Where do YOU get the news you need in the morning?
Your best banker
People talk about “investing in yourself.” The concept says to save some money now and you’ll have it when you’re retired.
But, what about the opposite?
Borrow from yourself today for the things you won’t need when you’re retired.
Bachelor / bachelorette parties, out-of-town weddings, family vacations, motorcycles are all good examples.
Easy to say you can’t afford these things today.
But chances are, your retired self will be happy to issue a loan for them so you can enjoy them in memory down the road.
Friendly reminder
Three things to remember today:
- Nobody ever laid on their death bed and said they wish they would have worked harder.
- We’re halfway through August, 2014.
- It’s Friday.
You’re welcome.
Pro tip
Pro tip: Don’t use the phrase “Pro tip.”
You may, in fact, be a pro at whatever you’re recommending.
But it also makes you a pro at sounding like a giant douche who puts him or herself above others without any real desire to help.
Something to consider.
Following Uncle Jake
There’s a legendary story about my late Uncle Jake.
He was clumsy, clueless and confidently matter-of-fact.
Plus he was legally blind.
His glasses only made him slightly less blind.
Yes, he was a character.
But here’s the story:
Uncle Jake went to a funeral service. Afterwards, Uncle Jake got in his car and joined the the funeral procession to the gravesite. He and his car were near the front of the procession.
Sometime along the way, Uncle Jake started following the wrong car.
Classic Uncle Jake.
But the cars behind continued to follow Uncle Jake.
All. Over. Town.
Moral of the story:
Just because everyone is going a certain direction or using a certain method or saying a certain thing, it’s not necessarily the right direction or method or message.
It might be Uncle Jake leading the procession.
Figuring it out
So you’re good at figuring stuff out.
That doesn’t mean your co-worker or student or spouse isn’t.
Of course, you’ll never know unless you let him or her try.
And chances are, they want to.
Difference between Facebook and Google
Two tech giants are in the news lately for making big changes to their products.
- Facebook. They’re FORCING users to download their messaging app. It’s now the only way to send messages across their network. Facebook says it’s to improve the user experience. Many, however, are finding it tough to see the benefit for anybody other than Facebook and its shareholders. Privacy and unwanted, direct solicitations are a main concern.
- Google. They’re RECOMMENDING websites switch to SSL encrypted URLs (green verified https) to get preferential treatment on organic page rank. Google says it’s to improve user experience. They’re citing more secure, identity-verified sites makes a better internet. It also means fewer spammy sites (unwilling to pay for SSL encryption) and better privacy for your (now encrypted) information.
Users are strongly against the former and are racing to adopt the latter.
I know my site will have SSL encryption (https) in the next couple weeks.
So many lessons here…
But the bottom line?
Which tech company will your business be like?
Human humans
Perfection, resilience, and underdoggedness runs its course.
After a certain point, perception of such successes turns.
So it’s okay to tell the world you made a come back. Or that you sell awesome apparel. Or that you have some good really good advice.
But once in a while, people love to see you be vulnerable, look ugly or fail again.
Humans like human humans (and businesses).
An investment idea
Investments usually cost money.
Stocks. Bonds. Mutual funds.
The return isn’t guaranteed, but it’s expected.
So could there be an investment that, instead, saves you money and has a guaranteed return?
Yup!
Fire your cable company.
You’ll get an extra $100 per month and yield incredible returns.