Vanished

I was going to share my grandiose and well thought out List to Live By, but the last point on my list is all about NOT living by lists so thought it foolish to post, hence a one week hiatus in posting anything and the question, are blogs worthwhile? There’s an index of blogs, whatever you want it’s out there, there are sarcastic bloggers, serious ones, creative, provocative, you name it there’s someone posting something on it…there are no new ideas.

I had a friend who wrote his Masters thesis in philosophy around the idea of just that, no idea is a new one. His wife, my very good friend, was so tired of hearing him talk about his theories and how the great thinkers of the world; Plato, Socrates, surmised that all the ideas and theories were present, had the beginnings, or had been reshaped and revamped, she refused to talk with him until it was finished because it dragged on and on and on. Anything anyone comes up with has already been ‘thought about’ by someone else. Not new!

Today, I captured my innovative, creative self and vanished from the picture. When you’re thinking about something, so are others. Likely what you’ve been incubating, nurturing, creating in your mad scientist lab in the basement, is already being stimulated, actioned, and played with in other circles, parts of the globe, and minds. Ahhh, vanish the ego and create the connections. Is it that simple? First some good food and a little wine to stimulate the brain. Okay a brisk walk in -20 degree weather and sleep. Now back to the dialogue.

Case in point. A couple of years ago I taught a leadership class and used values cards as a way for people to connect with their values and to encourage living and breathing their own personal values. I’ve used the idea numerous times and in various ways. The idea is to write out your top 3 to 5 values on a recipe card, carry it with you, change and update it as you move through your life. On the other side write out 3 to 5 goals and combine the two to refresh and enhance your actions with your inner motivations. I still do this from time to time and have a couple of old values cards kicking around my wallet to remind me, kick start me, challenge what I’m doing on an every day basis. Just this morning I read an article by two friends and colleagues who are using a values card idea to help others connect with their values. For an instant I felt ownership over the idea, but laughed as I sat to write this, that’s exactly it. They’ve got a great spin on the same idea and have generated more thought on my part as to how it can be put into practice. I’m sure there are many of us using a similar exercise.

Sure we’re innovative, creative thinkers who learn from those who have been before us (do we really learn from the past? That’s gotta be another discussion), it’s about highlighting the synergies that are taking place right under our noses. It’s about expanding our view, the playing field, the precision of our ear, our ability to soak in what’s around us, massage it and generate excitement and movement as a result. This is the surface for further thought, pick out the red and mix it with other colors to see a different result each and every moment. Go beyond the emergent colours to analyse, synthesize and embody revolution.

Later my friends,