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Knowledge for Knowledge’s Sake Is a Waste of Time

By Royale on May 9, 2012 in Lessons, Personal Growth, Work

Are you an information junkie like me?

I confess, I’m a knowledge addict. I read books, magazine articles, numerous blogs, listen to podcasts and watch videos like a sponge hoping to soak up every pearl of wisdom that might make me happier, more successful, smarter, healthier, and calmer. OK, full-disclosure, wealthier too.

We can’t help it. I think we’re programmed that way, to be constantly seeking to improve ourselves. That isn’t a bad thing, unless we become obsessed with it.

The problem

The problem as my wise husband pointed out to me in a recent conversation, is that we keep seeking and acquiring the knowledge, but rarely do we actually apply it. Instead, we keep seeking more and more, until we have a wealth of knowledge, but nothing to show for it, other than a stack of books and some conversation starters.

Better solution

Better to acquire a bit of knowledge, a few tools, and one blinding flash of insight and put our effort into applying this new understanding to improve our lives right now. There will always be time to go back to knowledge seeking later.

As my husband so eloquently put it, “Stop preparing and practicing for the game, GET IN THE GAME.” Did I mention my husband is military? He would have made a great drill sergeant, don’t you think?

Since I am the writer in the family, I’ll put it this way:

The value of knowledge is not simply in the acquiring of it, but in the application of it and the effect it has on our lives and the lives of others.

Though I suspect my husband’s version may have more impact.

Your turn

What are your thoughts on this?

Are you a knowledge junkie too? Or maybe you’re on the other end, a forge ahead type who doesn’t bother looking for new knowledge? Maybe you’re one of the elite few, who’s more evolved than the rest of us and has already perfected this system?

Care to share?

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7 Types Of Effective Communication And Why You Need To Know Them

By Royale on February 1, 2012 in Personal Growth, Relationships, Work

It’s not enough to know whom you are talking to, communicate, influence, and in the case of our children perhaps teach. If you want to be effective in your communication, you need to understand the best way to reach them. This has been proven time and time again.

This is the key to success, better relationships, and higher productivity at work. In fact, this strategy has been shown to lower stress by minimizing conflict and encourage camaraderie and teamwork, whether personal or professional.

Roosevelt and Churchill in conversation (Zorba the Geek) / CC BY-SA 2.0

It doesn’t matter whether it’s a customer, client, child, spouse, co-worker, or members of a board or committee. You must connect in the manner that resonates with them. It sounds difficult, but it really isn’t once you start practicing it.

Types of communication:

Informing – Some people just want the facts laid out for them. They pay attention to facts and figures, studies and other concrete data.

Analyzing – These people don’t want specific facts, but rather a summary. You need to offer an analysis and boil down the information or request in a meaningful matter.

Persuasive – This type of person wants to know what’s in it for them. Why should they agree to act in a certain way or perform a specific action? They must be convinced. Present your argument.

Mediating – Compromise, compromise. With these people, you have to be willing to give a little. They need to feel heard and respected. Find the common ground and find the solution that satisfies you both.

Emotional – This kind of communication is all about feelings. Knowing what is important and what touches these people is the key. Appeal to their emotions and connect on a compassionate and understanding level.

Entertaining – Wit, humor and levity influences these people. Serious facts are useless, be interesting and lighthearted when possible.

Inspiring – Offer motivation, inspiration, and big picture results. These people need to feel as though they are making a difference, some kind of impact.

The way to practice communication that is more effective requires that you improve your observation and listening skills. Pay attention to the people around you and be more interested in general. We could all use a little more of that.

What type of communicator are you? It helps to understand that too.

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Consider the School of “Higher Unlearning” For the Most Valuable Education

By Royale on September 22, 2011 in Books, Lessons

Good Reads

One of my favorite rebel thinkers, Jack Uldrich, “Chief Unlearning Officer” at The School of Unlearning has written a thought-provoking, potentially game changing book that takes thinking outside the box to a whole new level. Higher Unlearning: 39 Post-Requisite Lessons for Achieving a Successful Future examines many of those well entrenched beliefs that we cling to, turns them inside out and shows us how and why we need to master the art of unlearning before we can

move forward and be successful both in business and in life.

A few of my favorite gems:

Argue with yourself (Lesson 4)
Question the wisdom of experts (Lesson 7)
Practice Intentional Imperfection (Lesson 13)
Know Doubt (Lesson 21)
Don’t Just Do Something, Sit There (Lesson 32)
Put on Some Rose Colored Glasses (Lesson 35)

This is one of those books that you will want to highlight, write in the margins and re-read while you take some time to digest all of Jack’s many pearls of wisdom. The key to success might not lie in acquiring more knowledge and skills; it might be found in unlearning much of what you already think you know.

A fabulous read that has earned a prominent spot on my office bookshelf.

Question everything, move forward, enjoy the journey.

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Important Question: Ask What You Know First

By Royale on June 20, 2011 in Personal Growth, Questions, Work

Image via Wikipedia

I have been following and participating in the #Trust30 online initiative and 30-day writing challenge over the past few weeks on Twitter. Today’s writing prompt from Jen Louden inspired me to share this question with you.

What do I know about this?

When we are confronted with a problem that needs to be solved, a decision that needs to be made or a conflict that needs to be resolved we need to first ask ourselves:

What do I know about this?

Do I know what is fact and what is simply a story manufactured in my own mind or the minds of others?

Do I know what the true problem is? The real decision? Or the actual heart of the conflict?

Do I know what I feel? Not what I should feel, but what I actually feel in my gut.

Do I know what my authentic opinion is? Not what others tell me I ought to think, do or believe, but what I genuinely think about the situation.

Do I know what I can do? What possible action I can take that is not dependent upon others?

Only when we have answered all of these questions will we be able to make the best possible choices. As we go forward in our lives and in our work we can use this thought process to clarify and get to the heart of the underlying question and to aid us in making considered, authentic choices and taking effective action.

Sift out the fact from the fiction.

Drill down and identify the real issue.

Get in touch and listen to your gut.

Think for yourself and know your own mind.

Know what you can do that is not dependent on others actions.

Give it a try and let me know if it helps.

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Becoming Wise

By Royale on May 20, 2011 in Inspiration, Lessons, Personal Growth

The great thing about getting older is that you don’t lose all the other ages is you’ve been. – Madelyn L’Engle

Life is a progression. We are a work in progress and an accumulation of experiences. Everything that has previously occurred in our lives has happened for a reason and is an essential part of our development. One of the challenges of our lives is to integrate and absorb the pieces of our lives as we experience them. It is sometimes tempting to try to deny difficult periods of our lives or put out of our minds significant events, especially if they have been painful or unflattering. When we try to erase or re-write our past we deprive ourselves of our own hard-earned wisdom.

When we realize that some of our most valuable strengths have developed not in spite of, but because of the life experiences we have had; then we can begin to fully appreciate the depth and breadth of the wise person we have become.

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Are You Living Consciously?

By Royale on May 13, 2011 in Inspiration, Mood, Personal Growth, Relationships

What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday, and our present thoughts build our life of tomorrow: Our life is the creation of our mind.– Buddha

Do we live our days to the fullest? Or are we to caught up in the ‘daily grind’ of just getting by and forget to appreciate the blessings that we have been given. Do we pay attention to our words and actions; and the effects they have on the people around us and the world in general?

When you start to live consciously, you expand on all levels: your mind, body, and emotions. You will become aware of things that were previously unseen, unknown, unrecognized or unappreciated. Your actions will become mindful as you learn to understand how your behavior affects the physical, the immaterial and the emotional state of yourself and those you interact with. By Living Consciously you will soon be able to see the truth more clearly, and learn how to take complete responsibility for the choices you make — enabling you to reach your full potential and live a life of wonder and marvelous adventure.

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Have You Lost Your Perspective?

By Royale on April 29, 2011 in Lessons, Mood, Personal Growth, Relationships, Work

Image via Wikipedia

Little things can mean a lot, especially when we focus of all our attention on them, obsess and ruminate about them, and can’t seem to let them go. Sometimes we just keep turning disturbing thoughts over and over in our minds, believing that we will surely figure out a solution if we just think about them long enough and hard enough.

When we engage in this kind of behavior, it is a sure sign that we’re thinking ourselves to death. When I do this obsessing, I know that I have lost perspective. I suddenly become the center of the universe, and my problems are the only ones that exist.

It always helps me to step back and realize that whatever problem I am having is probably not of universal proportions. This perspective helps me to see that I am powerless over my crazy thinking, and that it is making my life insane.

Ask yourself:

Will this matter in 10 years? 10 months? 10 days even?

Then give it the perspective it deserves!

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Are You Asking the Important Questions?

By Royale on April 20, 2011 in Goals, Habits, Personal Growth, Questions, Work

We get so caught up in day to day living that sometimes we forget that we need to stop for a minute and take our pulse. To put it in business terms, have you looked at your “business plan for your life?” It does not have to be a lengthy process, just a quick assessment to make sure you are on track, still heading in the right direction and aren’t dragging any debris along with you.

What is cluttering my life (things, people, commitments)?

Who do I have relationships with that are no longer fulfilling?

Where could I be making better use of my money?

What do I find rewarding in my job or career?

How can I give back or contribute?

Why am I doing (or not doing) what I do?

That last is the most important question in my view. Many of us know what we want to do, how we want to behave, the kind of person we’d like to be, but we just can’t seem to do what we know needs to be done on a consistent basis. Ask yourself why. It’s a good question. Isn’t it?

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3 Pieces of Advice You Would Like Your Children to Remember

By Royale on April 8, 2011 in Lessons, Life Balance, Personal Growth

I recently ran across a note regarding an email conversation that I had with my husband last year while he was away on military deployment. We had started asking each other daily questions to stay connected and one of them was:

What are 3 pieces of advice you would like our children to remember?

I was struck by how profound our answers were even in retrospect. In the hopes of initiating a valuable discussion I will bravely share:

Mine:

Do the right thing even when nobody is looking.
Life is not about the big moments; it’s how you live every day that counts.
Live with respect, kindness, honesty and a sense a humor and surround yourself with others who do the same.

His: