The Workedge Blog
Mark's RemarksHang On To Your Shot
Recently, we lost the legendary Gene Hackman, a star of many incredible movies. One of the favorites among movie fans is Hoosiers, a classic tale based on a true story about an underdog high school basketball team in a small town in 1950s Indiana.
Maris Valainis, who grew up in Indiana, loved basketball like many boys his age. He had a very good shot, but his size and poor defensive skills undermined his attempts to make his high school basketball team. Every year, he attended tryouts, and every year, he was cut.
But he hung on to his shot…
Conscious + Subconscious = Problem Solved
The next time you encounter a complex problem, consider writing it out, brainstorming, researching solutions, and then stepping back. There’s a good chance your subconscious mind will come up with a resolution—even if your conscious mind has not.*
Daydreams and Stories
How much time do you spend daydreaming? In his book Business Made Simple, Donald Miller states that people typically spend 30 percent of their day daydreaming. As a matter of fact, he writes that “much of the time we are talking with others, listening to speeches, scrolling through our phones, and even eating a meal, we are completely checked out”….
Hurt and Be Hurt
The clue that this was a bigger deal than I thought came at his passing. I usually feel some emotion when a person passes away—sadness, relief if they were suffering, or even a sentimental sorrow for someone I did not know, along with their surviving family. But in this case, I felt…nothing.
All of this reminded me of something I have learned. In a fallen world, it is hard to navigate life without someone else hurting you. It’s just going to happen. It’s a given.
Why Complacency is Bad and What to Change Now
Complacency is one of the most sinister of all human weaknesses. It undermines productivity and prevents us from achieving important goals.
Complacency begins in that moment after a triumph when we want to savor our victory. Initially, we just need a little time to rest and recover from our efforts. Before long, satisfaction with our success turns into self-satisfaction. After that, it becomes harder and harder to do the things that originally helped us succeed….
Strive!
I want to tell you a story about a very sick boy. There were times when his lungs would constrict so much that he could barely breathe….Following doctors’ advice, his parents tried various treatments to help him. These included enemas, plunging him in cold baths, the consumption of whiskey and gin, smoking cigarettes, cigars, and marijuana. Drinking black coffee seemed to have had the best effect on him, but it was no cure….