Egoless Clarity [A Tyro's Mindset]

Are you good at what you do? Chances are, unless you are completely new at what you are doing you have gotten good, perhaps you have even became an expert in your field. In one recent conversation with a client, he told me that after an average of 2 months most of his sales guys are 'great' at what they do and at that point are creating their own desired income. He says that it only takes a little time to learn their clients, their computer system and organizational expectations. Typically in my professional past experiences, I would say it was a 2-6 month time frame before I felt comfortable and in some cases good at what I was doing. Of course if there was previous experience in that industry then that 2-6 months could be mere weeks.

On one hand it is good… it's even great when a leader gets good at what they do or who they are. However, this can have an equal and opposite reaction that may not be beneficial to their personal leadership or their organization. When new directions and decisions need to be made the expert may be blind to new possibilities because they are an expert at what they have done. Notice the use of 'have done' as past tense. This can be the biggest setback for many seasoned veteran leaders as well as the novice leader due to the 'book knowledge' and previous wins that he has championed into his portfolio as another point on the scoreboard.

Often times the expert leader is bound to the the previous successes, she is bound to the past, and many times not open to the new and different ideas; the (un)tried.

Do you have an expert mind? Are you limited to the small closed world of an expert? Are you buckled down from the less concrete world of spacial creativity? Perhaps you need to think like a 'tyro', a beginner in learning. Tyro's have that child-like outlook on things. A child looks at a problem and thinks that some markers, mud, and G.I. Joes will fix it. They don't always think rationally. Think about a new hire, some young fresh college kid who has no experience. If you were to ask him an executive question that is too much for him to entertain you may get an answer that is not the status quo. Remember as an expert you might find yourself where the status quo only makes sense because that is what has always worked, so why shouldn't it now? Could the perception of his sub-par status quo thought actually be a new viable option, something (un)tried?

Here is the complication; your expert mind says, "this can't be done" or " this shouldn't be done." This is not beneficial to any situation. However when you begin to think like a tyro your beginner mind says, "How can this be done?" or "I wonder if this can be done?" What might you need to change in order to get your mind youth-enized? How might you get your thoughts in control so that you can think like a young tyro, a fresh college kid, child-like mindset, with new ideas and perspectives, yet maintain balance keeping your measurables and goals in perspective? Will your ego stand in the way, the ego that tells others that your success comes form your knowledge and your knowledge comes from your experience? Our ego treats us like a crooked accountant that shows a modest profit while lining his own pockets with wealth. This ego says, "because of who I am and what I have done proves that my ideas are superior." The need here is an egoless clarity.

Now the question to begin to reframe your thinking is, "How can this be done?" Can you perhaps gain an egoless clarity to the unseen?

Also be sure to read this post that deals with an egoless clarity.

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Carpe Diem - What Does Your Life Mean?

Jeff, a disbarred lawyer, on a TV show called, Community, signs up for a class at a community college that he heard was an easy ‘A’. When Professor Whitman tells the class to throw their textbooks away and simply "seize the day and live in the moment" to get an 'A', Jeff thinks he has hit the jackpot. Jeff encourages his study group to take a class that is supposed to be a breeze. This class has no tests, quizzes, papers, and appears to be no homework in the modern sense, except to ‘Carpe Diem’, Seize the day.

Professor Whitman catches on to Jeff’s carelessness and freewill desire for an ‘A’ and tells him he must ‘live life’ or face an ‘F’. Jeff begins doing all kinds of acts in front of Whitman to get caught living the moment, flying kites, dressing funny, etc. However Whitman calls him out each time. Professor Whitman finally tells him that he must,

“Live for yourself and not anyone else.”

Jeff gets upset and challenges his professor saying, “Have you seen the amount of work I am putting into this?” as he is trying to live the moment that he is setting up. Whitman then asks him,

“What do you mean, what does your life mean? How long does it take you in the morning to make it look like you have bed head? How many sports jacket combos did it take you trying on to finally find the one that says, ‘I don’t care’? Seize that day, go running naked in a hail storm, kiss a girl in the middle of a day, go fly a kite, BUT DO IT FOR YOURSELF or you won’t just fail my class you will fail life.”

Jeff is so caught up with himself that he doesn’t know how to live the moment and seize the day. He is so preoccupied with his image and stature that he bypasses formalities to gain free opportunities. I know so many people like this in the professional business world as well as the church community and many times even myself. What is unfortunate are the people who follow these self-absorbed individuals blowing them up and puffing their small egos and in a sick way justifies their inability to live for the moment.

So how do you live the moment:

1. Be Authentic_ You can’t be a sell out. You have got to be the real deal. There are enough Guchi impostors out there and not enough Rembrandts. I remember back in the day my posse and me loved to sport ‘Folexs’, you remember, fake Rolex watches. We were big time because we had a $10 watch that looked like a couple grand. Zane Anderson said, “pumped up people always leak but built up people take the city.
2. Be Excellent_ Quit settling for mediocrity. There is more competition for mediocrity then for excellence. Don’t focus on perfection, focus on excellence. Matthew E. May said, “Imperfection drives innovation.” Don’t allow your imperfection to compete for your excellence.
3. Be Direct_ Don’t beat around the bush. Stop weaseling around people to get where you want. The chief cause of failure is exchanging what you want most for what you want at the moment. Soon everything you go through will be seen as nothing more than preparation for the next step. However, the more you scheme for opportunities the sooner you deflate.
4. Seize the Moment_ How sad it is when we devalue real life while gambling our energies on the facade of what could be. You must be focused because there is a point where talent is meaningless or at least minimized if not accompanied by concentration. Take the opportunity, seize it and don’t let go!

What do you mean, what does your life mean? Seize that day, BUT DO IT FOR YOURSELF or you will fail life.

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Analize Vs. Criticize

I have a friend(s), and I am sure you do to... hopefully you are not that friend, who is very critical. This type of person looks at the negative in people and then feels the option to talk openly to me about all the flaws of that individual. When I meet with this person(s) I generally find myself looking for the opportunity to apply a different style approach to the perspective he is sharing. The great thing is this person(s) is open to listening, some person(s) aren't, don't be that friend that isn't open. The approach I apply is analyzing. So what is the difference? The difference is as big as it is small.


The largest concept that has taught me the most in life is learning to observe. It has become an art of mine. Here is a post from a while back of a conversation between me and a great friend of mine, RC.

RC: wow... dang dude... how'd you get so smart? like, I'm still shocked. for lack of a better term.
SM: lol, no idea
i dont see my self as smart as much as i would say i am an observer
learn to watch your world and learn from it
RC: ahhhh
SM: be experiential and allow everything to be a moment of Ahaa!
RC: I like that.

I would NEVER brag about being smart, however I would claim the skill of observing. You see, learning to observe is such a large part of my life that I put claim to the knowledge I have obtained as largely from the power of observation as much or more than study, reading and learning I have done over my lifetime. Now I would like to compare and contrast the difference between an analytical mindset and a critical mindset.

One comparison of the analytical vs. critical mindsets is - when we analyze we bring value to something, however a critical mindset tends to devalue and bring meaningless to something. See, when you are being critical of a person/system/program you begin to degrade it and reduce its value. One does this because their entire focus centers around the aspect of what doesn't work, what isn't great, etc... and almost always how they could do it better! So not only does this devalue someone/something it is also arrogant. This is not proper 'kaizen', a Japanese word for always understanding that you are doing the worst currently and there is a better way to do it for the sake of making small improvements to the whole for the better of all. Also 'hansei', which is a central idea in Japanese culture, meaning to acknowledge your own mistake and pledge improvement. Talk about the power of cultural language... to stop hansei means to stop learning altogether. This helps one to never become convinced of your own superiority so that you feel the openness to criticize others/systems/programs.

Analyzing is one of the main components of observation. Another comparison between the two is that observation creates self-worth in the one whom is observing because they are using the resources around them to view their world. They are not simply assuming nor asking someone else just to get a 'simple' answer, they are taking it upon themselves to observe what is the possible scenarios to analyze instead of assuming and criticizing. My dad use to always ask me if I assumed something wrong, "You know what happens when you assume?" I will not attempt to answer that question in the detail he would. However, I will say that flagrant assuming is asinine, but on the flip side there is power to assumption. In the world of observation I deduce the obvious to only a few relational options. How does the original attitude/act/scenario relate to the options? Then from there is where an act of common sense would be applied to our deduction, therefore not making a complete flagrant assumption, but instead a well-educated guess.

So how does this apply to how you observe a person/program/system? Maybe that boss isn't such an (insert explicative), maybe the program isn't the worst in the world, maybe the system isn't full of obvious flaws. Don't short-sight yourself for the sake of feeling mighty in criticism. You might want to read that previous line again. Criticism without corrective options is really inexcusable. So the boss/subordinate who has a bad attitude one day or never looks you in the eye, or whatever else "failure" he has in your eye, begin to see his/her strengths, focus on that. What would happen in your environment if you began to honor that person in their strength and then support them in their weakness. We tend to only see others weaknesses where we are strong. Take responsibility to the your own strength and be Aaron and Hur who held up Moses' arms as they were in battle. Just possibly you are gifted with strength exactly where your leaders is lacking in strength, just maybe that was not by accident, be responsible! Maybe he has unfair expectations, fine. Rise to those expectations and help him see the value in your reality instead of criticizing him and running your mouth to others to let them know how terrible of a leader he is. God knows he/she is in your life as your leader for a reason, what greater opportunity for you to learn and grow and develop your leadership skills. Don't ever take for granted the things that don't make sense, seem stupid or just meaningless!

Criticism without constructive corrective options is futile and unproductive!

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Weakness Produces Anger and Desperation?!?

I was watching Heroes last week and they had lost there powers for a while. The father of Nathan, Arthur Patrelli made the comment that when one loses their power they become:

• Desperate
• Angry
• Weak

Here is my thought, what happens when we are not on top of our game? What happens when you as a creative/pastor/leader isn't on top of it and you are being slightly subjective in your approach? I know there are times when life is going tough I get desperate for things to go right. Maybe I get irritable and even angry at people easier. Maybe my weakness causes my desperation and anger to leak out... no, no, maybe even poor out. So what do I got? What can I do to overcome my anger and desperation when I am weak? I must recognize where I find my strength, for me it is in God. In my weakness it gives me the opportunity to delve into the position of humility and seek God to be strong and give me the adequate strength, the endurance I need. Could it be pride that cause me to become desperate? I can't lose so I must fight to get what I want, I get desperate. Pride. Maybe I get angry when things aren't going my way and in the time that I want it to happen. What brings humility? When I choose to! It's when I choose to say I can't do it on my own, I have no more available. I can only win if I allow humility to rush in. God holds his hand back to force us to do what he wants. He hopes that we "tap out" so that he can allow his strength to be ours.

What about you? How do you help from becoming weak, then allowing your desperation and anger to come out?

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My Abilities Are Gone?!?

On this Monday night's TV show, Heroes, the individuals with powers lost them as they experienced an eclipse. Here were a couple notes of interest:

• An interesting thought was the people without the powers were actually stronger because they live normally without powers, they are practiced daily.
• The heroes have only practiced their powers but forgot their carnal strengths/weaknesses.

BUT...

• What happens when you, a speaker, can no longer speak with your voice? Will you still have a platform?
  
• If you are an athlete and can no longer walk do you still have a sport and fans?
  
• If you as a creative suffers a brain injury on your frontal cortex on the right side and your ability to create and dream goes away then can you still imagine in color and be able to paint masterpieces?

What happens when we lose our powers, the talents and items that make us strong? Just an interesting thought I had, do you have any thoughts? What's your backup plan?

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