According to author James Clear, it might be the most productive thing to eliminate a task.

James’ advice

“Downsize. The rooms you don’t have, don’t need to be cleaned.

Donate. The items you don’t own, don’t need to be organized.

Delete. The projects you don’t take on, don’t need to be finished.

James recommends we ask ourselves: “Is this a problem that needs to be solved? Or is it a problem that can be eliminated all together?”

Great questions, don’t you think?

PS I think he means ‘altogether’ = ‘completely’ or ‘in total’ . ‘All together’ means ‘with each other’. 

Did you know there’s a “Museum of Failure” in Sweden?

It has more than 150 failed products and services from some of the world’s best-known companies.

Take a look at some of them in this short YouTube video.

The idea behind the museum is to show people that innovation needs risk-taking and failure.

The museum’s motto: “Learning is the only way to turn failure into success.” 

We just need to remind ourselves again and again; it’s okay to share our failures.

Perhaps you think others will laugh at you.

So you speak English, for example, only when you really have to.

But there are bound to be times when you make mistakes.

And, of course, you’ll never be able to speak English fluently if you let that fear silence you.

Wee all moke mistacks. 

(Come along to one of my free Speed Networking sessions. You can test your English with someone else in a breakout session. No one will laugh at you.)

Have you ever been to the theatre or the cinema and felt like leaving before the end of the performance or the film?

Of course, you could have left and done something more enjoyable. 

But you didn’t.

Why? Because you had already paid for the ticket.

This is what is known as the sunk cost fallacy.

The “sunk cost fallacy” describes our tendency to continue with something we’ve invested time, money or effort into it—even if the current costs outweigh the benefits.

It’s that feeling of wanting to “get your money’s worth”.

Do you know it?

“Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.”
John Steinbeck

Have you experienced this?

If you’re like me, you might go through several days without having one good idea. Perhaps your mind is focused on other things. And then, suddenly, ideas will come to you one after another. 

Ideas need time.

Someone asks, “How are you?”

What do you say?

Do you react automatically with: “I’m fine thanks.” “Not so bad.” “Could be better.” “I’m doing well, thank you.”

Vanessa Van Edwards suggests we ‘break the social script’, and try some funny ways to respond. Especially if we want more fun in our social interactions.

Some ideas for responses

• “Better inside than outside.”  (You might say this if you think you don’t look too good!) Or even, “Better outside than inside”.
• “I still haven’t figured that out.”
• “Amazinggggggg.” Or, “I’m g-r-e-a-t”. (It adds a lovely theatrical touch!)
• “I’m 20 but I feel like 70!” “I’m 50 but I feel like 21”.

And instead of asking, “How are you?” back, try something different.

Some ideas for different questions

• “Have you been keeping well?”
• “Have you been well?”
• “How have things been going for you lately?”
• “What have you been up to lately?”

Do you have any favourite questions and/or responses?