Are you Super-Productive or Sort-Of Productive?

Lately I've been tinkering around with the idea that being busy, doesn't necessarily mean you’re productive. So I put it to the test. I set up two scenarios for myself.

Scenario #1 (S1) – Super-Productive

I put myself in a situation where I had no distractions, to keep my focus at an all time high. I deactivated my Facebook, I turned off my phone, I went to the library, and organized and listed everything I wanted to accomplish that particular day. I was setting myself up to be Super-Productive.

Scenario #2 (S2) – Sort-of Productive

Obviously the opposite of #1; Facebook was in front of me (even Twitter), I had a book out, I was on Google Reader catching up on my subscriptions, I was texting friends and I was at my favorite coffee shop. My work was still laid out in an organized and listed fashion to be accomplished that day. I was set-up to be Sort-of Productive.

I know what you want to ask me, “So which Scenario allowed you to get the most work done?”

“It’s obviously Scenario #1 right?”

Well the answer is NEITHER surprisingly and I’ll tell you why.

S1 did keep me away from all the distractions I mentioned above except for one; CRAVING! I was craving to check my Facebook and my phone which took a lot of my focus away from actually doing my work. When I would start to work on something, I’d get distracted by my craving to do something else. And I know I’m not the only one that goes through this craving.

On the flip side S2 is an obvious one. Since I had all these distractions readily available, I was distracted 80% of the time I was trying to work. I would be reading feeds, glancing over my book, responding to my text messages and drinking a boat load amounts of coffee, so I was wired to be distracted.

So since the first 2 scenarios didn’t work, I had to find another way; bringing me to Scenario #3.

Scenario #3 – Rewarductive

Back when I was 8-9 years old, my parents bought a poster that they posted on my room door. It was a Chores Poster. They listed chores they wanted me to do and once I accomplished it for the day, week or month, I would receive a reward that I wanted. Based on how extensive the chore, the reward became awesome! 

So I decided to follow this same system now, just a bit simpler to boost my motivation. I would work for 1 hour straight, and reward myself with something I wanted to do. Believe me when I say that my productivity increased tenfold in that 1 hour that I worked!

I organized and listed “mini” manageable projects within my project that would take an hour (give or take a few minutes) and once completed, checked and re-checked. I would grab a coffee, or watch an episode of Two and Half Men, or take a powernap, and sometimes even play some Call of Duty.

The idea behind the third scenario is to create a system where there is less work, with high productivity without limiting yourself from doing the fun stuff. This built motivation to work hard during the hour and maintained efficiency, because I didn’t want to look over it during my reward periods, I wanted to play hard also.

Since you don’t limit yourself from success by working hard, why should you limit yourself from doing fun stuff by playing hard?

30oz Steak Productivity!

Reminiscing back when I was talking to a brilliant friend of mine, he altered my belief about staying productive through consistency rather than urgency.

He said…

“I don’t see why many people allow themselves to get caught up in such urgency to do many things at the same time and have really nothing to show for it in the end. Why not just take small incremental steps that are consistent, so that it’s manageable for you to see it through to the end, then move on to the next one.”

Recently I’ve been bombarded with tons of work projects and self projects; from engineering designs for work and lifestyle engineering for myself. Yes I’m busy with all these activities, and yes I got some things done, yet somehow I still felt unproductive because my main goals are still yet to be accomplished.

That’s when my brain quickly went to flashback mode and picked out what my friend told me about taking “…small incremental steps that are consistent…” I love how memories just appear out of nowhere and it completely reminds you what you have forgotten to help you out, it’s magical really.

Just like eating a nice 30oz steak cooked to perfection. You don't pull the whole piece in your mouth right away. First of all it's impossible, and worse of all you'll choke and probably kill yourself if you manage to force it all in at once.

Rather you take a steak knife, cut up the steak into little chewable nibblets and you savor the flavor of each piece you bite into. Consistently repeat this process of cutting small steak pieces, before you know it, you've managed to eat and enjoy a whole 30oz steak.

So ask yourself…

“Are you a victim of urgent activities with little to no desired results to show for it?”

If so, momentarily re-evaluate your current situation and pick just one activity or project to stay productive in and see it through to the end. Not only will you decrease your workload and stress, you'll enjoy doing it to the point where you will stay motivated to tackle what's next in line.

Bon Appetit! 

Fall into Commitment

You’re standing on the edge of a cliff 10,000 feet high. 

You look down and gauge the depth that you are about to fall into. Yikes!! Your heart is pumping so fast it feels like it’s going to explode out of your chest any moment. Your forehead and palms are drenched in sweat. Your mind is racing a million miles an hour. In a split second, you open your eyes and leaped off the cliff to conquer your fear. There is no going back at this point. There is no magical rewind button to take you back up to the cliff so you can walk away. You committed to the jump, so at this point all you can do is enjoy the experience.

Many of you might ask…

“Why would anyone risk their life by jumping off a cliff? You could severely break your arms, legs, back, and penis! Not to mention fall to your death!”

Let's get something straight, I'm not telling you to jump off a cliff after you read this, not at all! Jumping off a cliff that’s 10,000 feet high is extremely dangerous and is no easy task. It’s going to require full preparation both mentally and physically. Most importantly, it’s going to require full commitment; the commitment to risk it all.

So why would anyone take a leap to risk it all? 

The reward! 

The reward of overcoming any obstacle because of your full commitment to the task will be satisfying, if you ask me.

“If you’re going to work, work hard. That way you’ll have something to show for it.” – Seth Godin

I believe that saying goes for everything you do in life. It can be work directed towards your studies, relationships, hobbies, fitness, whatever it is your doing. Commit yourself 100%. Because like Seth said, you’ll have something to show for it. Whether it’s an A+, a strong and lasting relationship, a creative idea, or a six-pack, you will receive greater results by giving it your all.

"What are the chances of you failing if you’re fully committing yourself to what you are doing? Chances are very slim, so why not give it your full 100%?" My buddies would always say.

Be aware that we tend to regret the things we didn't commit ourselves to doing, than committing ourselves into doing something.

What's Your Flavor?

"You're an asshole!" She said, back when we didn't get along.

Now she shouts, "Did I ever tell you you're awesome?!"

Funny how sometimes the person you didn't get along with, becomes a lifelong friend.

The past couple days I pondered why some relationships die and some relationships blossom. And last night after talking to my new friend, the simplest explanation occurred to me, individuality. The fact that all of us are unique individuals means that we all have something unique to offer each other.

I’m not just talking about an intimate relationship between a man and a woman. It can be a relationship with your friends, family, pet, co-workers or even that barista at Starbucks you always have a morning chit-chat with. The relationships we have with each other revolve around sharing our individuality.

Remember I said that we all have something unique offer each other? I believe we all have certain needs that have to be met. Most of the time we are not even aware of what we need, until that need is met by someone, then BAM! You’re in that relationship.

"Would you like some salt & pepper on your steak?" 

Ever been ask that question after you received the food you ordered? Salt and Pepper have their own distinct flavor separately. But add them together, and they complement each other; giving food a whole new combination of flavor to enjoy. Since salt can over power the taste of food, adding pepper counters the power of salt, balancing the taste. With that said, I believe people are like spices. We all have our own exclusive flavor. Combine our flavors together and we create a totally different kind of flavor mix to complement each other.

To simply to put it, if you were missing happiness in a certain part of your life and someone was able to fill you with that happiness, I believe that certain someone became a part of you. The two of you formed a new mix of flavor or a relationship. That doesn’t necessarily mean your relationship is at a level where it is strong and lasting at that particular moment. It will require time, effort and energy to build that relationship, and that’s gonna be up to both of you to pursue.

Opportunities for new relationships will happen every second of the day. By being aware of that fact, forming new relationships with anyone can become simple and fun! Sharing your uniqueness to those around you attracts the uniqueness of others to you, therefore creating opportunities for new relationships. Sometimes you just don’t know what opportunities others hold for you and what you hold for others, and ultimately what type of flavors opportunities can mix. 

The possibilities for the different types of flavors to mix are limitless

Five Lessons About How To Treat People
-- Author Unknown
1. First Important Lesson - "Know The Cleaning Lady"

During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I read the last one: "What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?"

Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade.

"Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say "hello."

I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.


2. Second Important Lesson - "Pickup In The Rain"

One night, at 11:30 p.m., an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rainstorm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car.

A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960s. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab.

She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home.

A special note was attached. It read: "Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's bedside just before he passed away. God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others."

Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole.


3. Third Important Lesson - "Remember Those Who Serve"

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10 year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him. "How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked. "50¢," replied the waitress.

The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it.

"Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired. By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient. "35¢!" she brusquely replied.

The little boy again counted his coins. "I'll have the plain ice cream," he said. The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left.

When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies. 


You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.


4. Fourth Important Lesson - "The Obstacles In Our Path"

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way.

Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. 


The peasant learned what many of us never understand - "Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition."


5. Fifth Important Lesson - "Giving When It Counts"

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year-old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes, I'll do it if it will save her."

As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away?".

Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.

When you're a Dirty Asshole...

...you'll always have shitty situations.

Being an asshole is hard work. It takes a lot of energy.

How much energy?

Imagine the time when you pushed a big piece off doo doo out. You gasped for air, held your breath and focused all your energy in getting that crap out. Sometimes you focused so hard you even bled! haha

Good news is, with all your effort you successfully pushed all your crap out and you had a sigh of relief.

Bad news is that relief became temporary. Because after your war with the toilet, you realized that you made a huge mess and there aren't any toilet papers around.

There you are stuck in the miserable smell of your own shit and you have no way of cleaning up.

Trust me; I know that experience very well...

...because I admit, I'm an asshole.

I'm not proud to say it, but I've been a "shit pusher" for most of my adolescent/adult life. I've even graduated as a bullshitter as some would say.

If you don't know me on a personal level, you're probably thinking that I'm not an ass because of my few previous posts.

Well let me enlighten you. If you knew me, I can guarantee that you would've called me an asshole at least 10 times in the lifetime of our acquaintance.

So why am I writing such a negative post on a "Aspiring to Inspire" blog? Am I trying to inspire you to be an asshole?

Absolutely NOT!

I'm writing this because the best way for me to start "cleaning shit up" is to admit that I`m a dirty asshole. And I admitted it twice, about 30 seconds ago and 5 seconds ago.

You're probably wondering, "So how do I know you're not bullshitting about this?"

Well, you won't know. But what you do know is that you can only take in so much of your own bad stench, until you yourself get disgusted from it.

And I became disgusted from it.

Because when you're a Dirty Asshole and you're all alone with no toilet paper around, you'll find out the hard and often messy way to clean yourself up.

Broke, Budgeted, Baller – Classification of Your Financial Status

I personally believe that all of us fall into one of these classes, but aren't permanently limited to just one of them. You may be broke now, but later on you could be wiping your ass with $100 bills. Or you could have millions of dollars in your bank account, but lose it all in an instant due to unforeseen circumstances. Our financial situation can change at any moment, and it’s up to you to be aware on how you will cope up with it.

Here's my journey so far…

Let’s time travel back to 2008. Freshly graduated from Technical College, I was relieved, motivated, proud, and oh yes...Broke. Student loan, multiple credit card debts, I owed friends and family money, and my checking account was in the negative. Talk about a bittersweet moment.

Nonetheless, my morale was high since I believed that having my college diploma, I would go places and get my career going. And I did, I landed a job which utilized what I went to school for and did my thing. I could finally take care of business and go from Broke to Baller!

Boy was I in for a surprise...and this next statement isn’t far from how I felt back then...

“...It's like the more money we come across, the more problems we see...”

– Mo Money Mo Problems – Notorious B.I.G.

After landing the job I wanted, I was extravagantly getting new things; new car, new clothes, new phone, new computer, and yep you guessed it…new debt. I was able to pay off my student loan after a few months, I started to pay down my credit card debts, and my friends and family know this...I was cautiously paying them back by taking them out or buying them small things. I use the word cautiously because (I’m not going to lie because my nose will grow) I was pretty selfish with my money due to the fact that I was more concerned about paying off all these new debts and bills than spending it on what mattered. I was frugal, cheap, and still Broke.

Fast forward to January 2011, New Year, new beginning, new hope. The year before (2010, for those not following) was a pretty rough year for me; personally and financially. But as I like to call 2010, “Blessing in Disguise Year” If you’re a close enough friend of mine, you would know every detail of what happened to me in 2010. Moving on to the “Blessing in Disguise”, 2010 was an experience to be had in order for me to be where I am today; a stronger individual mentally and financially. The first two months of 2011, I was applying what I knew about budgeting. I was paying my debts off quicker by sacrificing and selling a few of my things. I was able to pay off a few things, but to what expense? I was letting go of things that I considered valuable and fun, like going out with my friends, vacations, my camera lenses, gadgets, etc. I was paying off my debts, but I was miserable.

A few weeks ago, I ran into a website, www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com, a financial blog ran by Ramit Sethi. At first I was skeptical, I mean come on, his website is “I Will Teach You To Be Rich”, no offense Ramit, my first impressions were, “This is a scam!” and “What’s the catch?” But I looked into it further and started reading post after post until I eventually signed up to his newsletter via email and finally bought his book, and immediately put it to work.

And the result is...*Drum Roll*... 4 months in 2011, my financial situation is now is Budgeted; bills are paid on time, I have multiple savings accounts, I have investments and my debts are slowly but surely on their way to being paid off. Oh and did I mention I’m left a little (a few hundred dollars) extra to spend on what I want, guilt free! Thanks to the great information on Ramit Sethi's website and book, I was able to organize and manage my finances in a simple yet effective method. This moment of my life is called Budgeted.

As far as moving up in class to Baller...well we’ll get to that. I’m working on a little project to move up in class, so...Stay Tuned!

So, what about you? Which class are you in, at this very moment? If you’re Broke, what are you doing to help yourself become Budgeted? If you’re Budgeted, what are you doing to maintain it or to move up to being a Baller? If you’re a Baller, what did you do to get there and to stay there?

Share the story of your journey and success to inspire us all!

Image Reference : http://finance-moneymatters.com/images/financial-freedom-500x331.jpg