One of my guiding principles and one that I try to emulate is the need to make the most of ones opportunity at life. Many who have been on the receiving end of my some say misguided advice have probably heard my oft used "you're only here once" line. Which leads me to consider what life activities would be on my bucket list of things to do before my one chance at life passes me by. Here are a couple f entries for starters.
1) Embark on a world culinary tour sampling the national dish of every country. I would also accept a food lovers oddysey to the USA as a perhaps more realistic alternative - unless of course I manage to win the lottery!
2) Captain a jetliner. Ok perhaps that might be a tad unrealistic so I will settle for obtaining my pilots license..
More on the bucket list in coming days!
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Kill the snake
Ros Perot is an American businessman who's greatest claim to fame was running (unsuccessfully) for President of the US of A. Perot was also the architect of a saying that I have recently come across which is "when you see a snake you kill it - you do not appoint a committee!" Essentially what this means is that sometimes we just need to be decisive. Not everything requires a "committee" as Perot puts it. As leaders, we must be able to decipher whether we are confronted by a snake and then act accordingly. Decisive leadership - something Perot would have needed in spades if he had reached the white house!!
Monday, July 4, 2011
The Pragmatist
The older I get the more aware I am of the pragmatic streak in me. I call it logic and common sense and it is in on these two virtues that I will hang my life's proverbial hat!!
Pragmatism to me means accepting what’s real and making the best of it. Pragmatism is figuring out how to fulfill our values and mission in the real world rather than spending our energy complaining that things should be different. As former US President Theodore Roosevelt once said "do what you can where you are with what you have". Pragmatism means that we look at our own behaviors and ideas and ask ourselves—Do they work? Are they getting us to where we want to go? Pragmatism and flexibility go hand in hand, because the world keeps changing around us.
For instance if I apply my pragmatism to the carbon tax debate in Australia then my view is that ok as humans we probably do impact the environment in some way and given this likelihood then we therefore by extension must address our collective behavior in this regard. But this must be balanced against the reality that (a) we must test the science of climate change in a robust manner (isn't science all about testing a hypothesis?) and (b) that the world must approach the issue on a collective basis (let's face it any reduction that Australian achieves will mean nothing if the worlds biggest emitters do not reduce theirs). I believe that these two elements are paramount in any movement to address this issue.
Pragmatism to me means accepting what’s real and making the best of it. Pragmatism is figuring out how to fulfill our values and mission in the real world rather than spending our energy complaining that things should be different. As former US President Theodore Roosevelt once said "do what you can where you are with what you have". Pragmatism means that we look at our own behaviors and ideas and ask ourselves—Do they work? Are they getting us to where we want to go? Pragmatism and flexibility go hand in hand, because the world keeps changing around us.
For instance if I apply my pragmatism to the carbon tax debate in Australia then my view is that ok as humans we probably do impact the environment in some way and given this likelihood then we therefore by extension must address our collective behavior in this regard. But this must be balanced against the reality that (a) we must test the science of climate change in a robust manner (isn't science all about testing a hypothesis?) and (b) that the world must approach the issue on a collective basis (let's face it any reduction that Australian achieves will mean nothing if the worlds biggest emitters do not reduce theirs). I believe that these two elements are paramount in any movement to address this issue.
Let's try again
Well it's been a long time between drinks. My recent acquisition of an iPad should theoretically mean that I can now apply myself in a more diligent manner to the upkeep of my blog. Or perhaps I should just show a bit of discipline and commitment!!
I have decided to take a different tact with my blog by using it as an online reflective learning journal. The use of learning journals are a useful way to aid ones learning by using the power of reflection. The title of my blog In hindsight really does lend itself to this approach so perhaps I am finally on the right track.
Ok so will post again soon.
Lukim
I have decided to take a different tact with my blog by using it as an online reflective learning journal. The use of learning journals are a useful way to aid ones learning by using the power of reflection. The title of my blog In hindsight really does lend itself to this approach so perhaps I am finally on the right track.
Ok so will post again soon.
Lukim
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