Category: English

There is a palpable pressure in society to be “perfect.” We praise people who are efficient. From an early age we learn to do things well. Perfection is a worthy ideal and we should always aim to improve ourselves. Perfection, as such, through extreme efficiency can be a double-edged sword. It’s worthwhile to consider:

Is what I am doing in this instant efficient or effective?

The definitions in the dictionary of efficiency and effectiveness are very similar. Depending on your perspective, there are significant differences. In his essay “Effective versus Efficient Decisions”, Dr. Donald Burton offers this definition:

Efficiency – To do things right
Effectiveness – To do the right things

Let’s take a look at a couple of examples:

First, let’s suppose today is our first day of work for the year. We know our existing clients will play a fundamental role in successfully achieving our business plan. We look at our client files and find they are a mess. We decide to organize and analyze each file by creating an Excel program referencing the following items: who bought our product, why did they buy it and with whose approval, where was each product purchased, and at what time. To efficiently complete the task takes us two weeks working from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

Our boss and our colleagues are impressed by our “efficiency.” The hyperlinks between documents and the color coded graphs with each color representing one of our clients will be very useful. During these same two weeks, while we have been “efficient,” a new competitor has been more “effective” and has set meetings with each of our clients to sell them a new product, which we also will be launching. Being effective and doing the right thing is much more important than being efficient.

Now, imagine taking 10 minutes at the end of each day to make a list of to do’s for the following day. This habit is very “efficient” though not necessarily “effective.” The tasks we normally place on our list are those which have to be done and not necessarily those that should be done.

We obtain immense personal satisfaction, which is reinforced in the work place with congratulatory comments about a job well done. By its very nature, doing what should be done is more difficult because often it implies taking a risk and doing something we have never done before. In addition, it opens the door to possible failure. Our challenge is to be effective and efficient at the same time. We can make a list of to do’s which starts with what should be done and then with what has to be done. Effectiveness and efficiency are not mutually exclusive; they can work well together.

Great accomplishments have been made by paving new paths. The pleasure of being efficient in something we already know how to do is momentary. The delight of doing something we have never done before requires additional effort and can be extraordinary. We can be more effective by doing the right thing and thus determine our direction and our destiny.

It’s the Bounce that Counts!

∞ Rob McBride ∞
LL I 32

The difference between achieving and dreaming is the specific action we take toward our objectives. We can create, imagine, innovate and desire but without taking concrete steps toward our intention, we are left high and dry.

If it’s so simple, why don’t we all take positive action toward our desires?

Although it is simple to understand, it is certainly not easy to put into practice. Taking action frequently requires a leap of faith. When we wait for everything to be perfect before taking action, we fall into the paralysis of analysis.

The fear of failure is an enemy we all face when we decide to move toward a specific purpose. A leap of faith often implies facing our fears, uncertainties and doubts and requires a high degree of faith, preparation and flexibility.

The most important faith many of us have is our faith in God or our beliefs. This faith allows us to know, in some way, shape or form, we will be taken care of during our journey. Also extremely important is the faith we have in our own ability to achieve a specific mission. Dr. Albert Bandura has studied this type of faith extensively and calls it “Self Efficacy.” Scientific studies link our faith in our ability to complete a given task to our capacity to do so.

Preparation is also key factor to our achieving success when taking a leap of faith. When we are well prepared, does this still mean we are taking a leap of faith? While some may argue otherwise, making a decision which moves us out of our “comfort zone” always creates significant change. The distance we must leap is a function of our preparation. We can diminish the gap from where we currently stand and where we want to go with comprehensive analysis and preparation.

When we take a leap of faith without taking into account the obstacles we are likely to encounter, it is likely we will face significant difficulties which hinder our progress and desire to continue in the face of adversity. On the contrary, when we take a leap of faith with flexibility to adjust our path when inconveniences are encountered, we possess a fundamental tool to persevere until we achieve our objective.

Developing a profound belief in a positive outcome, preparing extensively and contemplating a high degree of flexibility in our plans, allows us to take a leap of faith knowing it to be the best way to achieve, enjoy and delight in all we desire in this magnificent journey we call life.

It’s the Bounce that Counts!

∞ Rob McBride ∞
LL I 31

Our daily actions determine our direction and destiny. Cultivating definite purpose and intention puts us on course to attain all we desire professionally and personally. In his book Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill suggests the following:

“Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”

Each of the following elements forms an integral part of leading a more prosperous material and spiritual life.

CONCEIVE: The power of our mind has no limits. Utilizing our creative energy awakens our mind, a magnificent machine establishing new ways of thinking to break with routine.

Our creativity, fed by an honest and dignified purpose, can create incredible change. Creating solutions to the problems and challenges facing humanity assures our effort and work will be justly rewarded. One of the most valuable gifts we all possess and which costs absolutely nothing is our creative energy. We can use this extraordinary power to live a life full of intention and meaning.

BELIEVE: A deep belief in our ability to achieve a specific objective is critical to our success. Our mind is our greatest ally and our worst enemy. We construct a base of triumph, or are lost in a hole of defeat, depending on our conviction in our capabilities.

Often the difference between the ecstasy of success and the agony of defeat is the faith we have in successfully completing a task. Confidence in our ability to reach our objectives is critical if we are to prevail through the gusts of adversity threatening to rock and destroy the foundation we have so carefully created.

ACHIEVE: To succeed in the sea of day to day events isn’t easy. Our lives can be likened to a ship on the ocean in the middle of a storm. The swirling winds of destiny and peril test our determination and purpose.

Our daily activities are the rudder leading us and allowing us to maintain our sight firmly on the horizon as the waves of change crash against us threatening the integrity of our purpose. A firm and honorable purpose assures our path remains constant and unwavering towards our objective.

We can enhance this wonderful journey we call life by stimulating our creative power to generate a worthy purpose, by believing firmly in its realization and by taking action to guarantee implementation. To conceive, believe and achieve is to assure we will not waddle in waves of self pity but rather flourish with the energy of burning desire.

∞ Rob McBride ∞
LL I 30

Feeling motivated, inspired and as if we can conquer the world is a worthy ideal. Nonetheless, there will be times when we are unmotivated, uninspired and as if the weight of the world is on our shoulders.

When we are in the depths of defeat and feel down and dilapidated, we can say we are at “the bottom of a bounce.” While it is preferable to sail smoothly on a wave of inspirational paradise, agony and defeat are ever-present threats lurking around the corner.

No one acquires outstanding success without dealing with the bottom of a bounce. More often than not, success is determined not by the absence of adversity, but rather by the way we face events which deplete our energy and drain our desire.

The beauty of being in the bottom of a bounce is that we can in fact be back!

How is this possible?

Think for a moment of life’s most trying times. We have all experienced trials and tribulations testing our patience and perseverance. There comes a time in each and every one of these moments when we truly come to the bottom of the bounce.

If things continue to get worse, it simply means we haven’t reached the bottom of the bounce, yet. When things cannot get any worse, they will in fact get better.

Therefore, the beauty of being at the bottom of a bounce is that we can and will be back better than ever!

So the next time somebody gives you a hard time about being down in the dumps, you can look them straight in the eye and say:

“Don’t bug me, I’m at the bottom of a bounce, but I will be back!”

It’s the Bounce that Counts!

∞ Rob McBride ∞
LL I 29

From the day we enter this wonderful world until they day we depart to a reality yet unknown, we face problems and challenges.

How do we react to a problem?

What is our attitude toward a challenge?

When a problem presents itself, we often ask:

What did I do to deserve this little gem?

Why does this always happen to me?

Fears, uncertainties and doubt whine in a whirlwind of emotion. We doubt the reason a problem arises; we question our uncertainty regarding our ability to resolve it and fear we will fail in the process.

In contrast, for a challenge, we inquire:

How can I solve this situation?

What alternatives do I have?

Our reaction is a function of our perception and our perspective. If we see something as a problem, it is common to bathe in a banquet of self pity. Conversely, when we see something as a challenge, we generally confront it with energy and enthusiasm.

What is the difference between a problem and a challenge?

They are in fact one in the same!  It’s a question of attitude and vision. What appears to be a problem without resolution today, often results in a challenge fostering growth and creativity.

Instead of wallowing in the “why” of a problem, we can challenge it! Challenging a problem allows us to see it from a different perspective. When we see difficult situations as challenges with solutions instead of insoluble problems, we design our direction and direct our destiny.

∞ Rob McBride ∞
LL I 28

Sometimes we are up and inspired; at other times we are down and uninspired.

Can we keep the flame blazing all the time?

While many argue it is possible to be positive at any given moment, life is cyclical and there will be times when we will be less energetic and happy. The trick then is to bounce back from difficult moments rather than to strive to be jumping with joy all the time.

Those who are most successful in life are those who are able to see and meet their problems as challenges rather than those who seemingly have no problems. Being inspired and motivated is not a one time thing. We must continually view problems as challenges on our road to success and happiness.

The difference between a problem and a challenge is merely one of perception. We can see obstacles in life as problems, which hinder our progress, or as challenges, which allow us to grow and prosper. Inspiration and motivation create a flame which gives us warmth and sustenance, as it did for our ancestors thousands of years ago.

Once the fire is going, we must continually fan and feed it to keep it going. As long as we have coals in our internal fire, we have hope. Once the embers in the fire of life are extinguished, it is the beginning of the end. Rain, sleet and snow will appear in our lives and temporarily dampen the fire which burns brightly within. When we clarify our burning desire, we realize how important it is to fan and care for that fire.

As we learn to feed and nurture our burning desire on a daily basis, problems and obstacles wither and die. Each of us has been inspired and motivated by different elements at one time or another. There is no quick fix and no one recipe which works for everyone to fan the fire. For some it is religion, for some it is reading a book and for others it may be realizing the importance of facing life’s challenges to care for our children. We each have an inner drive we use to get us motivated when we are down in the doldrums.

We must continually fan the burning desire which blazes within in order to bounce back from life’s difficult moments. When we consciously feed and nurture the smoldering coals within our souls, we create our destiny and determine our direction.

∞ Rob McBride ∞
LL I 27

Life is a work of art in progress. We can relate it to a book whose pages are written with the events of each day. The years are chapters; the months, paragraphs; the days, sentences and the hours, words.

We have the power to “write” the words which describe our every moment. The words we write each day influence our character and even our appearance. Some pages are filled with adventure and action; others with terror and tragedy.

Our journey through life is similar to a walk through a bookstore. The people we see are the books on the shelves and tables. Each book evokes a different emotion and sensation. Some are old friends. We recognize their covers each time we pass by and open them to see what has been recently written in their pages. Others entice us with their creative and innovative designs, inviting us to open them and browse their pages. Others are a conglomeration of colors and textures, simply part of the background.

Each of us is a book, a work of art in progress. The years, months, days and hours form the plot of the book. Some contain direction and intention; others are haphazard, without meaning or significance.

Sometimes we are drawn to the cover of a book and later dissatisfied when we begin to read because our experience and background tell us it lacks content. Other books have covers which do not attract our attention; yet, when we begin to read the pages we realize the wonderful wealth and wisdom the words provide. When we find a book which is pleasing to our mind and our eye, it becomes a friend or soul mate.

Action defines the words we write in our pages daily. A life full of mindless routine assures a piece of art lacking content and character. A life full of action assures a book with meaning and adventure.

For better and for worse, action leads us to our destiny. Frequently, we fail to take action because we fear failure. Sometimes the only way to triumph with the ecstasy of success is to fly in the face of failure. Our book includes our successes and our failures, all which give meaning to our lives.

Let’s take control of each word, sentence, paragraph and chapter which form our work of art – our lives. When we take action today, we energize our experience; determine our destiny and define the creative genius we each possess.

∞ Rob McBride ∞
LL I 26

Communication is the only tool we have to understand others and to express our ideas.  Unfortunately, it tends to be a skill we learn only by trial and error and not through formal schooling.  The art of effective communication is seldom part of our educational curriculum.

When we think of communication, we immediately think of our ability to clearly present our ideas and intentions.  To communicate effectively, however, we need to first understand the other’s point of view and situation.  Stephen Covey in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People suggests:

“Seek first to understand….”

Seeking first to understand is in theory easy; in practice, much more difficult.  Studies have shown our minds can think at a rate which exceeds 500 words per minute while normal conversation moves at about 100 to 150 words per minute. This difference can be distracting while we listen to others speak.

As we “listen,” our minds are inundated with many thoughts such as:

How we are going to respond

What the noise in the background is

What we have to accomplish later in the day

What we should have done and haven’t completed

To find the calm in the eye of the hurricane of ideas which our mind generates isn’t easy.  It is natural for our minds to generate thousands of thoughts while we listen.  How then can we focus and calm the mind in order to become better communicators?  An analogy may be helpful.

When we want to listen to a particular type of music on the radio, we tune into a specific station.  If we tune into the wrong station, the message may or may not be what we desire.  If we fail to clearly select the station, we will hear only static.

To communicate more effectively, we should act as if we were an antenna and direct 100% of our attention to the person with whom we are talking.  Our sight, hearing and touch are all elements we can utilize to “tune in” our antenna and focus our attention.

When we “tune in” to others and “tune out” distractions, we can more effectively capture the essence and content of the message and enhance our ability to communicate.

∞ Rob McBride ∞
LL I 25