How I’m Doing on my 2010 Goals

Some time back I posted about my goals for 2010.

In another post, I mentioned holding public Groundhog Day Reassessments to review my progress.

Then 04-04-2010 rolled around and …. nuthin’.

It seems either…

1. I accomplished nothing toward these goals or,
2. I plumb forgot.

The latter was the case. Unfortunately, that seems to be happening more and more these days.  I’m unsure if it’s an organic brain issue or if I’m just scattered in my focus, but I sense the latter.

The Official First Groundhog Day Goal Reassessment

So now that it’s May 5, Cinco de Mayo, 05/05…whatever suits your fancy, it’s time I publicly accounted for what I’ve been doing to further my goals for 2010.

Progress to Date

Here’s a snapshot of my progress thus far:

1. Business Goal: I mentioned in the post referenced above that I began reading Gary Vaynerchuk’s ‘Crush It.‘ Unfortunately, I haven’t read any additional material in this book.  Most of my reading has been devoted to my spiritual goal. More on that in a second. But one of the positive elements about the Groundhog Day Goal Reassessment is that you see what needs to change as well as what you’ve accomplished to date. Both are beneficial and necessary. I also mentioned that I’d set up a new blog for this purpose.  But that has changed also. The new blog seemed like a good idea at first, but as time passed and I reflected on it more I felt that an existing blog with an established audience was probably a better choice. The blog I chose is BlogAsReligion.com.  I’ve been scant on contributions to this blog as of late and really…have no good reason for it. I could say I’ve been busy traveling for work; that Justin needs more of my time; that my social life has been a distraction; all would be true.  But the fact remains – I need to work on this area.
2. Personal Goal: I reported previously that I’d lost 11 pounds (net) according my doctor’s scales (15 by my own). I said it was largely a factor of  walking once or twice daily. Nothing much to report in this area.  Although I’ve been more conscious of what I’m eating and drinking. I have come to the realization that nothing is going to change much unless I change my habits in a dramatic way. I’ve been looking at Brad Pilon’s Eat-Stop-Eat as a possibility. I’ll read his book and see if it’s for me. The reason I’m choosing this is that some time ago I had to undergo a day of fasting to prepare for a medical procedure.  I’d dreaded it for weeks but pleasantly found that I actually felt pretty good all day.  I drank a lot of fluids but generally didn’t feel all that hungry.  This convinced me that eating three times a day is largely habit and not a metabolic necessity. By next month, I hope to have chosen a definitive path for accelerating my weight loss and reaching my goal weight of 185 pounds.
3. Spiritual Goal: When I last mention this goal, I’d begun practicing meditation again. This time, I’ve doing simple Buddhist mediation, as described in Steve Hagen’s ‘Meditation Now or Never,’ that focuses on momentary awakening and mindfulness. My track record here is not so good.  I wanted to schedule three meditation session per week but haven’t been keeping this appointment with myself. Perhaps the traveling back and forth to Alaska had something to do with it.  Perhaps I’m just lazy.  Again, the latter is probably closer to the truth. As I mentioned in this post, I purchased and began reading How To Practice: The Way to a Meaningful Life by His Holiness the Dalai Lama for my Kindle. It’s been a bit slow going, but very insightful as well.  I need to become more regular in my meditation. Perhaps one way is to check out the  Zen Center Santa Cruz. I’ve found in the past that it’s easier and beneficial to meditate with others.  Not sure about taking that step yet, but I’ll continue to think about it.

OK, that wasn’t so hard.

See you on 06-06-2010 for the next reassessment!

I have to admit I was initially skeptical about the eReaders that began flooding the market a few years ago.

The first one I held and played with was Sony’s eReader.  Then an acquaintance, (actually, Ex #1′s husband) got a Kindle and I saw it in action. The clarity was interesting but I still wasn’t sold.

Besides, he paid $350 for the first generation Kindle: too much for me.

Then came the Kindle 2, its redesigned exterior and some real improvements on the inside like a PDF viewer, a music player function, and better annotating tools (highlighting, underlining, inserting notes) and the lower price ($259). That sold me.

If you’re an iPod owner, the first thing you notice about it is its packaging: Sleek, well-planned, a definite anticipation builder. Then once you unwrap the iPod you hold it and are immediately impressed with it’s simplicity.

Amazon must have taken a lesson from Apple on that one because the Kindle 2′s packaging is no different. It’s impressive, simple, and green (in the environmental sense).  The product itself is just as impressive, almost Zen-like in its appearance.

Holding the Kindle for the first time is like holding an iPod. I was afraid I’d drop it. But since I also ordered the leather (hardback like) cover for it, I inserted it into the cover and felt better about its ability to withstand a jolt.

The screen is not back-lit and though you might think it would be hard to read, it’s actually easier to read than a computer screen or an iPod Touch.  Amazon calls this ‘Ink On Paper’ technology and I’ve tested it in the direct sunlight as well as in the shade and it makes no difference in my ability to read, focus, or enjoy the visual presentation of the display.

My Top 5 Likes…so far.

1. Whispernet delivery of eBooks. Silent and fast -a 300 page novel delivered in under 35 seconds via a 3G wireless network. And (this is a big advantage over the Sony eReader) I don’t have to shop with my computer or download the books to the laptop. I could, but why would I?
2. Intuitive Navigation. It does function just like a book.  I thought I’d have difficulty adjusting but I haven’t. The ‘Next Page’ button is on the right side and the ‘Previous Page’ button is on the left.  Lefties will appreciate the location of a second ‘Next Page’ button on the left as well.
3. Ease of Annotation. I love underlining and writing in the margins of my paper books.  With the Kindle 2, I can do the same. Underline and even insert a note using the QWERTY keyboard on the unit.
4. Switching Books.  It’s my practice to have 3-4 books going at once.  I used to pack a couple of books in my briefcase to read at lunch or on planes depending on what I felt like that day. Now I can easily choose any one of my books simply by pressing the Home button. Each time I access a book I’m taken back to the page I last read whether or not I inserted a bookmark.
5. Native PDF Viewer. I have a lot of eBooks and I work with huge PDF documents that are sometimes bulky and inconvenient to carry on trips. By plugging into my laptop using the USB connection (that doubles as a battery charging device) I can load any number of PDFs on my Kindle 2 and they show up on the Home page TOC as a PDF.  The only drawback to this is I can’t manipulate the font size on a PDF. A small inconvenience but it sure beats carrying a 3-inch binder containing a 900 page RFP on the plane with me.

My 1 Unofficial Like

• The MP3 Player. I can also upload MP3 files and plug in my 3.5mm ear buds from my iPod. But that seems like overkill to me.  Besides, I have iTunes on my laptop and the Kindle 2 won’t play ACC or other iTune formats.  But if I wanted to read and listen to music, I could.  But that doesn’t work for me. It distracts my uni-tasking mind. It doesn’t quite make the list of likes at this point.

Apple iPad is sure to provide some competition for the Kindle 2.  It’s got a color display and it’s an Apple. The jury’s still out on that one for me.

But, so far I love my Kindle 2. Can you tell?

For more information on the Kindle 2, click here!

Less is more in many ways.

It’s certainly the case when speaking of the effects I experienced after reading Leo Babauta’s book, The Power of Less: the fine art of limiting yourself to the essential…in business and in life.

If you’re not familiar with Leo Babauta, he’s the author behind ZenHabits.net, a blog that is a must read if you’re interested in living simply, efficiently, and productively.

Leo is also the author of Zen To Done, an eBook that teaches Leo’s simple yet effective system of managing time, projects, and everything else on your plate.  (You can check out my review of ZTD here.)

Practical Lessons from The Power of Less (TPoL)

Remember when you were a kid and life seemed so simple? You were free to play whenever you wanted and free to choose who you wanted to spend time with.

Taking a moment to reflect on the simplicity of those years, don’t you wish your life was that simple and carefree today?

TPoL is about making your life simple again. It may not ever be as carefree as it once was, but life can be a lot less stressful and complicated by returning to its inherent simplicity.

Leo’s approach to returning to the simplicity you once enjoyed in life focuses on making conscious choices. And there are only two.

Choice #1: Identify the Essential

There is so much clutter in our lives today.  We are continually bombarded by choices of all kinds.  Just walk down the cereal aisle at the grocery store and you’re confronted with a myriad of possibilities…and that’s only breakfast!

But our lives become cluttered at light speed. Before long we’ve collected a lot of physical stuff as well as way too much mental clutter.

So how do you get back to that simple existence of your childhood? Identifying only what it essential is the place to begin.

Choice #2: Eliminate the Rest

After you’ve chosen only what’s essential, you’re free to jettison the rest.

Take my briefcase. One day not too long ago I realized that I was carrying all kinds of needless items to and from the office. I decided to take Leo’s advice and pare down my daily load to only the essentials.

When I eliminated what wasn’t essential, not only was my briefcase lighter (which meant my neck didn’t hurt any longer from carrying around all that crap), but the energy around it was more positive.

You know that feeling when you walk into your teenager’s room and you can’t see the floor? Or open a ‘junk drawer’ and close it immediately because the thought of sifting through all the junk is intimidating?  That’s what it felt like each time I opened my briefcase. Yuk.

TPoL TOC

Here’s how Leo has organized the book:

Part One – The Principles In this section Leo lays out the principles behind TPoL approach to life. Each chapter needs to be read carefully because though Leo write in a simple, straightforward manner, each sentence is packed with meaning.

1. Why Less is Powerful
2. The Art of Setting Limits
3. Choosing the Essential, and Simplifying
4. Simple Focus
5. Create New Habits, and TPoL Challenge

Part Two – In Practice Here’s where the rubber meets the road.  Putting TPoL principles into practice is at once liberating and relaxing.  I say relaxing because I’ve found that when I reduce to what’s essential and lest the rest go, my energy is more positive and my attitude is more relaxed.

1. Simple Goals and Projects
2. Simple Tasks
3. Simple Time Management
4. Simple Email
5. Simple Internet
6. Simple Filing
7. Simple Commitments
8. Simple Daily Routine
9. Declutter Your Workspace
10. Slow Down
11. Simple Health and Fitness
12. On Motivation

TPoL is a great read, especially during  summer when most of us have a lot of projects that need to be completed before fall. It’s a slim volume, only 170 pages and packaged in a simple, yet elegant, hardback cover.  It’s even available on the Kindle for just $9.99.

I urge you to read TPol and put into practice it’s simple, direct teachings. I’m glad I did!

Preview the Hardback Book Here on Amazon.com

When that happens, I’m usually pretty quick to tell my readers about it.

One such gem is Leo Babauta’s eBook, Zen To Done . Leo writes one of my favorite blogs, Zen Habits.

The funny thing is, Leo isn’t a Buddhist or a Zen practitioner. He’s simply a regular guy who lives in Guam, holds down a full-time job, helps his wife Eva raise their six kids, and somehow manages to write a phenomenally practical blog (that reads like prose) on a regular basis.

Zen To Done (ZTD) is based on the work of David Allen and the Getting Things Done (GTD) planning and work-flow system. You might wonder how anyone could improve upon the GTD system, but Leo has done it. As Leo points out…

“GTD is a brilliant system, and works very well. But ZTD takes some of the problems that people have implementing it, adds other powerful concepts, and adapts the system for real life.”

I’ve been around the time management block a few times in me 50 years. I used to teach time management at the college level in the 90s. I’m familiar with the Franklin system, Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits system, and a whole host of others.

Zen To Done is unique in that it aids your efforts to get things accomplished quickly and efficiently without focusing on the system itself.

In that way, it’s brilliant.

Too many systems (GTD included) focus the user so much on getting the system right that they lose touch with or never gain access to the results the system makes possible.

Here’s why I love ZTD:

• It’s simple – I was using it within minutes
• It’s paper based – Yes! I get to use my fountain pen again
• I’m free to choose the paper, the notebook, or even not to choose one
• It’s efficient and promotes more in your work and life
• It’s a pleasure to use and to read

Here’s what I recommend..

• Subscribe to Zen Habits

• Get ZTD (at only $9.50 (US), it’s a superior value

Click here to view more details