2 Percent

2 Percent

 

It takes immense amounts of energy trying to be right 100% of the time. Try doing 100% of the workload all on your own. Can you possibly analyze 100% of the data and information you are subjected to daily? It’s hard to give 100% all of the time in everything you do. The common measurement for life’s grading system essentially comes down to trying to get 100%. Now what really happens with this 100%mentality is we start to compare ourselves to everyone else. Then the mean standard becomes the target, and that leads to the herd mentality.

 

Here is what I find invigorating and productive, try looking at the 2% of things that are on the fringe of the common denominator thinking. This 2% is doing some really cool and fresh stuff. At first glance this stuff may appear to be radical, bizarre and bordering on the crazy. This is where change is found by not falling into a predetermined mindset which is brought on by previous conditioning.

 

It takes great courage to be different out on the fringe and to think in new ways. It may mean facing fears and allowing yourself to break through to a new dimension of growth. It can be scary breaking free of the herd mentality. The 2% have discovered new and novel ways to create and live. This 2% doesn’t focus on the possibility of failure even though it can happen; they focus on what the possibility of this 2% thinking can have on life.

 

Stepping into anew threshold of 2% thinking creates a new playing field. If you make this a daily commitment you will find yourself breaking old habits and patterns. You determine what the 2% is for you. It will be based on what you find fresh and cool, in business, baking, fitness, heck it applies to anything. Now here is the beauty about thinking this way. If your competitors are focusing on the same common denominator 100% as they usually do, your not part of the herd but are an explorer. Your 2% thinking is a great way to differentiate yourself.

 

P.S It is good to surround yourself with people who excel at this 2% mentality. I have been blessed and fortunate in my life to have some amazing people who fit into this category who I have learned from.

 

“Live remarkable and follow the Spirit in your heart.”

 

 

Reality Check

Lately I have been consumed with trying to grasp reality; true reality, not just my concept of it. I am looking for quantifiable evidence of the reality I am actually experiencing. I want this opposed to a mental model of my own that may seem like reality but is based on personal bias and prejudices. With personal experience and societal conditioning it is not difficult to have a few of these. It is also not difficult to have a skewed perception of reality.

My focus has been on looking at reality through an Organizational lens. The idea that the status quo can remain intact when your organization is faced with realities the status quo can no longer handle is archaic. The status quo is what created the realities that are creating the organizational pains your organization is suffering from. Come on, this isn't rocket science. I don't care if you claim it is not just your organization that is suffering. Your excuse is this reality is happening all across the industry. It is a cop out of an excuse to keep you from changing yourself, its fear based and by the way, its killing your organization.

When the reality facing your organization is not positive and optimal, this is the opportunity to move out of past practises that have run their course. You as the Leader of your organization can take charge of creating a new reality based on what you learn as an organization. (That is if you want to be a learning organization.) This may cause you and your organization some discomfort. However, the pain of this discomfort will be less than the pain of staying the course your on. As the leader of the organization you set the tone for all those who you want to perform. Drop the title and actually steer the ship.

I have experienced the organization where the leader has surrounded himself by YES men. They value their positions and perceived power more than they actually know what is happening in their departments. They will give you the reality they value, not true reality. The well is deep, if you truly want to know how to turn your negative, unhealthy, underachieving reality around you need to speak to everyone in the organization. Right from your Personal Assistant down to the Janitor. Your front line staff are a goldmine of information, solutions and answers that will show you the reality of your organization and more often than not how to turn your fortunes around.

A new reality is only possible when you are committed to fixing the one you have currently created.

"Live remarkable and follow the Spirit in your heart."