Friday, November 30, 2012
Checklist Principles
The Financial Advisor Guide to Checklist Principles
Stephen Wershing in Checklist principles
A financial advisor will improve practice management performance by incorporating effective checklists into office processes. But, how does an advisor create them? And do they differ between a financial advisor focusing on portfolio management versus financial planning?
I don't think there can be a good step-by-step method for designing checklists. (A meta-checklist?) When I consider the different types of lists there are, and the different situations in which they can be employed, the process of creating each will likely be unique.
There are, however, some great and valuable checklists, and others that are a waste of time of counterproductive. What accounts for the difference? I believe there are principles that are common to effective checklists, at least for the financial advisor.
These are the principles I have drawn from what I have observed through research and my work in financial advisor practice management. I will elaborate on each in subsequent posts. There may be more. What do you think? Are there other rules? Have you followed guidelines in creating them for your own practice?
Effective, successful checklists are:
- Short and precisely worded
- Limited to between five and nine items
- Provide reminders, not explanations
- Focused on steps that are dangerous to miss, and can be easily overlooked
- Simple and exact, written in the language of the professionals who will use them
- Practical
- Written or edited by practitioners
- Rigorously tested
Article originally appeared on The Client Driven Practice (http://www.theclientdrivenpractice.com/).
See website for complete article licensing information.
LINK:
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Success For Life - Have Fun. Make Money. Change the World.
“Smile, breathe, go slowly.”
Thich Nhat Hanh
Thich Nhat Hanh
“There is no charge for awesomeness, or attractiveness.”
Po ~ Kungfu PandaLife flies by. And the older we get the faster it seems to go.
There never seems to be enough time in the day to get everything done. Let alone squeek out a moment of peace for ourselves.
So with all of responsibilities and obligations is there something that can help us?
What can we do to not feel overwhelmed, overworked, or overtired?
Maybe it’s time for a different approach to life.
Source:
3 Keys To An Awesome Life From A Zen Master | Success For Life - Have Fun. Make Money. Change the World.
Link:
http://ianpaulmarshall.com/3-keys-to-an-awesome-life-from-a-zen-master/
3 Keys To An Awesome Life From A Zen Master | Success For Life - Have Fun. Make Money. Change the World.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Attitude is everything
Optimist: Person who travels on nothing from nowhere to happiness.
“The average pencil is seven inches long, with just a half-inch eraser – in case you thought optimism was dead.”
Is there any proof that optimism leads to better results?
Walter Isaacson says, “[Steve Jobs] taught himself to stare without blinking so he could talk people into things — they called it the reality distortion field….He would make people believe they could do the impossible, which is why he was such a charismatic business leader.”
Is Optimism detrimental?
Generally, ‘optimism’ is not detrimental but is a good positive mental attitude.
However, blind optimism, obsessively optimistic, optimism with arrogance, irrational optimism, etc. can backfire on the individual.
In philosophy, ‘optimism’ can refer to ‘optimistic’ on the existence of god and going to heaven after physical death. The non-theistic would then be taking a ‘pessimistic’ stance in contra to this sense of ‘theistic optimism’. This theistic optimism can be detrimental to humanity arising from the excesses of theism.
Optimism – A short story:
There was a king who once went to the jungle for hunting. He was accompanied by one of his ministers. While the minister was trying to arrow down a peacock, he happens to hurt the king’s index finger unknowingly. The king turns very furious. He decides to maroon the minister deep in the forest.
Doing so, he starts off to his palace. On the way, he encounters some tribal inhabitants. They immediately take custody of the king and prepare him for a ritual sacrifice.
While just about to kill the king, one of them notices the king’s bleeding finger. He informs this to all his fellowmen. They then let the king go, saying that an incomplete life can not be given as a sacrifice to the God.
The king realizes that the mistake committed by the minister has now saved him. He goes back to the minister, narrates to him what had happened, apologizes and thanks him. The minister being very optimistic says that it is he who has to thank the king for marooning him.
Bewildered, the king asks what for he is thanked? The minister replies that if he had not been marooned by the king, the tribal would have killed him for being perfectly healthy.
The minister concluded that there is always something good in whatever happens.
Source:
Attitude, after all, is everything – Optimism
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Organize For A Fresh Start - Certified Organizer Coach Sue West
Life’s big changes. We all get overwhelmed sometimes.
Change, time management, organization and transitions work is our focus.
You’re stuck and want to move forward but how?
Adult ADHD diagnosis and … now what?
Want more time but you’re not sure where the problem is?
Tired of running in circles?
Build on what you already know about yourself and collaborate with me – a coach, professional organizer, teacher and change-lover.
Discover new ways to:
organize your life,
deal with these changes and move on,
in ways that make sense to you and how you’re wired.
Quick Tips to Keep Your Sanity In Tact This Week
November 21st, 2012 Feeling a little crazy? Some quick tips to keep calm are below.- Make a list. If your head feels like it’s going to explode with all you need to remember, write down everything. Yes, I know it will look overwhelming, but I promise that there’s actually less to do than you think, when you keep it all in your head. Preferably use a big, hard to lose binder rather than a sheet of paper. Keep it with you for the next few days, so it’s easy to add items to (and cross off, which lowers stress, too.).
- Decide on the “bare minimum,” the “needs” versus “wants,” the “deal breakers.” However you say it, this means the top top top things that need to get done. THE most important. Because if you run out of time, at least you know that the good stuff got done.
- Anchor yourself. Take 5-10 minutes in the morning and throughout the day. Leave wherever you are. If you have to, hide in the bathroom. But take a break from the people, the noise, the expectations, the higher-than-usual-activity levels. You don’t have to announce that you’re taking a break; there is probably enough going on that you’ll not be missed. Go and refresh.
- Hug your dog, cat, donkey – the one who gives the unconditional love and has no idea about the holidays and what “should” be happening.
- Decide on who you most want to talk to. Figure that out today so you’ll focus and not miss out on what you most want to have happen.
- Do something nice for someone else. That always takes the focus off you and somehow is stress-reducing.
See you after the long relaxing weekend I hope you all get to have.
Organize For A Fresh Start - Certified Organizer Coach Sue West
Link: http://organizeforafreshstart.com/
Organize for A Fresh Start
There are more than 76.1 million Baby Boomers in the U.S. who are undergoing various major life transitions including empty nesting, second career or retirement and caregiving for elderly parents.
Organizing titles continue to be well received.
Organize Now Updated & Expanded edition has sold 19,535 copies and Organized Simplicity has sold 10,229 copies in their first three months.
Readers will find practical, step-by-step instructions for reorganizing their homes and techniques for keeping their homes organized.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sue West lives on a lake with her lifelong friend, Donna, her Entlebucher Swiss Mountain dog, Sanford (born in the same year as her organizing business), a gaggle of geese, one lone lake turtle, and a few other animal friends. In a period of roughly eighteen months, she struggled through more than a few major life changes and transitions, and came out quite happy on the other side. Organizing was a key player along the way of course. And so it became her passion to assist others at midlife and beyond, to move on from change, taking the best along for the journey into the next chapter of life. Sue owns Space4U, Organizing Services, LLC, independently. She is a Certifi ed Organizer Coach® and Certifi ed Professional Organizer®. Th rough organizing services, classes, and organizing coaching, Sue works with people in their second half of life to downsize, organize, and simplify their life, their belongings, and their time. Her specialty is supporting clients through change and transitions, such as downsizing, loss of a partner/spouse, health issues, adult ADHD diagnosis, caregiving, the empty-nest stage, pre-retirement, and into retirement. She also holds specialty certifi cates in life transitions, ADHD, and chronic disorganization from the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is currently pursuing her level three certifi cation from the ICD. She has an MBA from Babson Coll
Organize for A Fresh Start | Vancouver Island Regional Library | BiblioCommons
Organizing titles continue to be well received.
Organize Now Updated & Expanded edition has sold 19,535 copies and Organized Simplicity has sold 10,229 copies in their first three months.
Readers will find practical, step-by-step instructions for reorganizing their homes and techniques for keeping their homes organized.
Transform your home and your schedule so they perfectly meet your current needs and reflect who you are and what you value now. Changes and life transitions often leave people with unbalanced schedules and homes full of obsolete items. Certified Professional Organizer® Susan Fay West shows you how to make room for your new interests and responsibilities while honoring your past.
Inside you'll find:
Inside you'll find:
- Step-by-step advice for decluttering and reorganizing every room in the home
- Specific tips for where to start and how to stay motivated
- Reflective questions and exercises to help you make "no-regrets" decisions
- Time-management strategies to create and maintain a regular schedule
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sue West lives on a lake with her lifelong friend, Donna, her Entlebucher Swiss Mountain dog, Sanford (born in the same year as her organizing business), a gaggle of geese, one lone lake turtle, and a few other animal friends. In a period of roughly eighteen months, she struggled through more than a few major life changes and transitions, and came out quite happy on the other side. Organizing was a key player along the way of course. And so it became her passion to assist others at midlife and beyond, to move on from change, taking the best along for the journey into the next chapter of life. Sue owns Space4U, Organizing Services, LLC, independently. She is a Certifi ed Organizer Coach® and Certifi ed Professional Organizer®. Th rough organizing services, classes, and organizing coaching, Sue works with people in their second half of life to downsize, organize, and simplify their life, their belongings, and their time. Her specialty is supporting clients through change and transitions, such as downsizing, loss of a partner/spouse, health issues, adult ADHD diagnosis, caregiving, the empty-nest stage, pre-retirement, and into retirement. She also holds specialty certifi cates in life transitions, ADHD, and chronic disorganization from the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is currently pursuing her level three certifi cation from the ICD. She has an MBA from Babson Coll
Organize for A Fresh Start | Vancouver Island Regional Library | BiblioCommons
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Saturday, November 24, 2012
The Dude and the Zen Master
Zen master Bernie Glassman compares Jeff Bridges's iconic role in The Big Lebowski to a Lamad Vav--one of those men in Jewish mysticism who "are simple and unassuming, and so good that, on account of them, God lets the world go on."
His buddy Jeff puts it a different way: The wonderful thing about The Dude, he says, is that he'd always rather hug it out than slug it out. For more than a decade, Academy Award--winning actor Jeff Bridges and world-renowned Roshi Bernie Glassman have been close friends.
In The Dude and the Zen Master ,they offer an intimate glimpse into the conversations between a student and his teacher, a shared philosophy of life and spirituality, and the everyday wisdom of Buddhism. Inspiring, insightful, and often hilarious,
The Dude and the Zen Master captures a freewheeling dialogue about life, laughter, and the movies, from two men whose charm and bonhomie never fail to enlighten and entertain--and their remarkable humanism reminds us of the importance of doing good in a difficult world.
Source:
http://sweepingzen.com/the-dude-and-the-zen-master-by-jeff-bridges-author-bernie-glassman-author/
Sweeping Zen
The mission of Sweeping Zen is to bring truth and integrity to Buddhist media. To achieve our goal, Sweeping Zen offers a carefully blended mix of resources offered to the Zen community by teachers themselves, news items that keep you up-to-date and informed on events in the Western Zen community and articles that enliven and deepen your Zen practice.
A flower falls, even though we love it; and a weed grows, even though we do not love it. – Zen Master DogenSweeping Zen has grown from a simple index of Buddhist biographies to become a leader in the wider world of Buddhist publications. The website reaches between 15–20k visitors each month and continues growing.
Sweeping Zen is a grassroots Dharma endeavor that relies exclusively on donations for support. Founded in the summer of 2009, we seek to continue our outreach through an embrace of cutting edge technologies. In the online environment, change is critical to the health and longevity of a website. Those who fail to change and adapt will fast-become relics of the Digital Age.
Without accepting the fact that everything changes, we cannot find perfect composure. But unfortunately, although it is true, it is difficult for us to accept it. Because we cannot accept the truth of transience, we suffer. – Shunryu Suzuki Roshi
Established in 2009 as a grassroots initiative, Sweeping Zen is a digital archive of information on Zen Buddhism. Featuring in-depth interviews, an extensive database of biographies, news, articles, podcasts, teacher blogs, events, directories and more, this site is dedicated to offering the public a range of views in the sphere of Zen Buddhist thought. We are also endeavoring to continue creating lineage charts for all Western Zen lines, doing our own small part in advancing historical documentation on this fabulous import of an ancient tradition. Come on in with a tea or coffee. You're always bound to find something new.
Sweeping Zen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.
Re: Know which side your bread is buttered on
This is an example of providing a service for which there is a large audience but there is no clear money-making angle.....
......................................
phrases, sayings, idioms and expressions at
In Reply to: Re: Know which side your bread is buttered?? posted by R. Berg on February 15, 2003
: : Could somebody please settle this dispute between myself and my wife regarding this old saying?
....................................................
: To know which side your bread is buttered on means to know what's advantageous for you and what isn't.
It means you know how to select courses of action to pursue, people to cultivate, and so forth that are in your interest and might be useful to you. (Metaphorically, you choose the side with the butter.)
KNOWS WHICH SIDE HIS BREAD IS BUTTERED ON - "Keeps in mind where his interest lies, where his income comes from. Bread is tastier with butter than without it, and one would take pains to see that at least one side was buttered.
The saying is old enough to have been included in John Heywood's 'Proverbs' : 'I knowe on whiche syde my breade is buttred.'"
-- From the "Dictionary of Cliches" by James Rogers (Wings Books, Originally New York: Facts on File Publications, 1985).
"The Phrase Finder" provides an explanation of the origin of a commonly-used English phrase or saying.
The origins of phrases are researched continuously and published in this site's phrase origins section.
Here are some recent additions:
Re: Know which side your bread is buttered on
Re: Know which side your bread is buttered onLink: http://www.phrases.org.uk/a-phrase-a-week/index.html
Friday, November 23, 2012
Five Ways to Learn How to Be Patient - wikiHow
Figure Out What Makes You Impatient
1Try to figure out why you are in such a hurry. For example: waiting for an important party to start! We tend to lose our patience when we're multitasking or when we're on a tight schedule, expecting the day to pass within (what it seems like...) only a few short minutes of busyness and chaos. If you're stretching yourself too thin, you should reconsider your to-do list before you attempt to change your natural reaction to an overwhelming situation. Try to spread out your tasks so that you're doing only one thing at a time, without leaving yourself twiddling your thumbs in eagerness of something to busy yourself with. Delegate responsibilities to others if you can; this in itself may be a test of your patience, but you have to learn to share the load.
2Pinpoint the triggers that often influence you to lose your patience. For example: When you are not doing anything! Impatience creeps in insidiously, and if you feel anxious, worried, or unhappy you may not even realize that the underlying cause of these feelings is impatience. To reduce the frequency of impatience, it helps to be aware of it. Which events, people, phrases or circumstances always seem to influence you lose your cool? Sit down and make a list of all the things which cause you anxiety, tension, or frustration. At the core of most triggers is a reality that we have a hard time accepting. What are those realities for you?
3Look for patterns. Being aware of your impatience also gives you a chance to learn from it and perhaps uncover a relationship or circumstance that is simply not healthy or constructive, and that you may have the power to change. Figure that out, and you can then think logically about the problem issue and decide whether or not your impatience is warranted or helpful. It usually isn't, but when it is you can then figure out ways to fix the root problem rather than simply feeling stressed about it.
Write it Down
1Keep a journal. For one to two weeks, whenever you get that rushed feeling and the sense of impatience, write down whatever it is that feeling is associated with (Example: July 1 - astronomy class). Make sure that you take notes consistently and consecutively each time the feeling occurs. You will notice that you are more aware of (and subsequently more prepared for) the feeling of impatience. You will also be able to observe the sense of impatience objectively and which events give rise to it. You may come to the conclusion that circumstances surrounding the feeling are not causing you angst - the feeling itself is. In these ways, you will be able to better control impatience when it besets you.
Overcoming Impatience
1Overcome bouts of impatience. In the long run, developing patience requires a change in your attitude about life, but you can immediately make progress by learning to relax whenever you feel impatient. Take a few deep breaths and just try to clear your mind. Concentrate on breathing and you'll be able to get your bearings.
2Let go if you can't do anything about the impatience trigger. If there isn't anything that you can do to resolve whatever has triggered your impatience, just let it go. Easier said than done, yes, but it's possible, and it's the only healthy thing to do. Initially, you will probably find it difficult to let go if the matter is important to you - waiting to hear back after a job interview, for instance - but you should be able to alleviate impatience that's caused by issues of less consequence (i.e. waiting in line at the grocery store). If you make a concerted effort to be more patient in relatively inconsequential, short-term situations, you'll gradually develop the strength to remain patient in even the most trying and enduring situations.
See the Big Picture
1Remind yourself that things take time. People who are impatient are people who insist on getting things done now and don't like to waste time. However, some things just can't be rushed. Think about your happiest memories. Chances are, they were instances when your patience paid off, like when you worked steadily toward a goal that wasn't immediately gratifying, or took a little extra time to spend leisurely with a loved one. Would you have those memories if you had been impatient? Probably not. Almost anything really good in life takes time and dedication, and if you're impatient, you're more likely to give up on relationships, goals, and other things that are important to you. Good things may not always come to those who wait, but most good things that do come don't come right away.
2Remember what matters. Not focusing on what matters most in this life fuels impatience. Move the world toward peace by being kind, generous in forgiveness of others, being grateful for what is, and taking full advantage of what matters most. When other less important things fuel our impatience, taking time to remember any one of these items reduces our tendency to want something different right now.
3Always remember that you will eventually get what you want. (This requires maturity and patience to understand and accept!) If you work hard at something, this may be the truth, but most of the time you have to be patient to get what you want. For others, this may come as easy, but the only thing that matters is that you know how to occupy yourself, even in the dead of times. Just remember, patience is a mental skill that you will never forget, so cherish patience as a major step for you in life. Impatience is something not to be proud of, but something that you should attempt to train yourself out of, before it is something that overthrows your life.
4Always have a positive outlook in life. Being always positive is very imperative as possessing a sense of patience. Remember that life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way.
Step Back
1Expect the unexpected. Yes, you have plans, but things don't always work out as planned. Accept the twist and turns in life gracefully. Keep your expectations realistic. This applies not only to circumstances, but also the behavior of those around you. If you find yourself blowing up over your child or your spouse accidentally spilling a drink, you're not in touch with the fact that people aren't perfect. Even if the occasion is not an isolated incident but is instead caused by their repeated neglect and carelessness, losing your patience isn't going to make it any better. That's something to be addressed with discussion and self-control.
2Give yourself a break. The meaning of this is twofold. First, take a few minutes to do absolutely nothing. Just sit quietly and think. Don't watch television; don't even read. Do nothing. It may be hard at first, and you may even feel impatient after a minute or two, but by taking some time out you can essentially slow your world down, and that's important to develop the attitude necessary to develop patience. Second, stop holding yourself and the world around you to unreachable standards. Sure, we'd all be more patient if babies didn't cry, dishes didn't break, computers didn't crash, and people didn't make mistakes - but that's never going to happen. Expecting the world to run smoothly is like beating your head against the wall. Give yourself a break!
Boredom can make it difficult to be patient. If you're waiting in the doctor's office and the only thing you can concentrate on is the ticking clock, good luck trying to be patient. If, however, you can read a book or do a crossword puzzle, time will fly by (or at least creep less slowly). If you've nothing to do while you're waiting, just try to appreciate the fact that you have nothing to do. In a fast-paced world, opportunities to do nothing are rare and should be cherished for their time to be un~bothered by minor things.
Once you are able to change your attitude so that you are a patient person, you will find that patience can help you endure any tribulation, no matter how long-lasting or difficult. More importantly, perhaps, patience can help you achieve your goals.
Many people find that meditation and yoga helps patience.
Being patient with others is a form of respect for them. Nobody is perfect, and if you want to be a good parent, boss, spouse, or friend, it's important to recognize this and to be patient with people. "Don't sweat the small stuff" is a good motto. You and everyone around you will be more relaxed and able to get along much better.
Developing patience is not easy, and you've got to be motivated to become more patient. You can do it, however, and you should. Patience can reduce your stress levels and improve your health and longevity, and patience can actually make you happier. Whenever you find yourself growing impatient, think about the positive effects of patience, and remember that impatience only makes things worse.
Instead of becoming annoyed by a distraction (such as a crying baby on a long flight), try just being a passive observer. If you make it daily practice to observe things and events without judging or forming an opinion, being able to acknowledge something without allowing it to annoy you will become easier with time.
Remember, for every minute you are angry you lose 60 seconds of happiness.
One way to release stress is to write about it. Studies have shown that people who write about their emotions tend to become more calm and learn to accept the emotions that they are experiencing. so, the next time you feel angry, just write about it and try to meditate over why you would be so angry.
A quote from James Clavell's novel, Shogun: “Karma is the beginning of knowledge. Next is patience. Patience is very important. The strong are the patient ones. Patience means holding back your inclination to the seven emotions: Hate, adoration, joy, anxiety, anger, grief, fear. If you don’t give way to the seven, you’re patient, then you’ll soon understand all manner of things and be in harmony with eternity.”
Edit Warnings
Patience should be no excuse for procrastination. While patience can help you be okay with doing nothing, it's important to understand that idleness breeds impatience and stress.
Be patient with others who display little patience. If you seemed to feel bothered too much by them, make an excuse to locate yourself somewhere else and take a break from their anxiety-inducing behavior.
Five Ways to Learn How to Be Patient - wikiHow
Sonja Lyubomirsky
The majority of my research career has been devoted to studying human happiness. Why is the scientific study of happiness important? In short, because most people believe happiness is meaningful, desirable, and an important, worthy goal, because happiness is one of the most salient and significant dimensions of human experience and emotional life, because happiness yields numerous rewards for the individual, and because it makes for a better, healthier, stronger society. Along these lines, my current research addresses three critical questions - 1) What makes people happy?; 2) Is happiness a good thing?; and 3) How and why can people learn to lead happier and more flourishing lives?
Why Are Some People Happier Than Others?
I have always been struck by the capacity of some individuals to be remarkably happy, even in the face of stress, trauma, or adversity. Thus, my earlier research efforts had been focused on trying to understand why some people are happier than others (for a review, see Lyubomirsky, 2001). To this end, my approach had been to explore the cognitive and motivational processes that distinguish individuals who show exceptionally high and low levels of happiness. These processes include social comparison (how people compare themselves to peers), dissonance reduction (how people justify both trivial and important choices in their lives), self-evaluation (how people judge themselves), and person perception (how people think about others). All of these processes, it turns out, have hedonic implications - that is, positive or negative consequences for happiness and self-regard - and thus are relevant to elucidating individual differences in enduring well-being. My students and I have found that truly happy individuals construe life events and daily situations in ways that seem to maintain their happiness, while unhappy individuals construe experiences in ways that seem to reinforce unhappiness. In essence, our research shows that happy individuals experience and react to events and circumstances in relatively more positive and more adaptive ways. For example, we found that happy individuals are relatively more likely than their less happy peers to "endow" positive memories (i.e., store them in their emotional "bank accounts") but to "contrast" negative memories (i.e., "life is so much better now") (Liberman, Boehm, Lyubomirsky, & Ross, 2011).
On-going studies in my laboratory are exploring additional cognitive and motivational processes that support the differing worlds of enduring happiness versus chronic unhappiness. For example, several investigations have revealed that unhappy individuals are more likely than happy ones to dwell on negative or ambiguous events (Lyubomirsky, Boehm, Kasri, & Zehm, 2011). Such "dwelling" or rumination may drain cognitive resources and thus bring to bear a variety of negative consequences, which could further reinforce unhappiness. These findings demonstrate some of the maladaptive by-products of self-reflection, suggesting that not only is the "unexamined life" worth living, but it is potentially full of happiness and joy.
To cast our work on happiness in a broader framework, we have also been exploring the meaning, expression, and pursuit of happiness across cultures, subcultures, and age groups (e.g., Boehm, Lyubomirsky, & Sheldon, 2011). For example, despite media reports, do parents actually experience more happiness and meaning than do non-parents? Furthermore, we are currently carrying out happiness-increasing interventions among Japanese technical workers, Korean undergraduates, Spanish professionals, Australian blue collar workers, Canadian elementary school students, and British teens.
What Are the Benefits of Happiness?
A recent interest has steered me from the search of the roots of happiness to an examination of its consequences. Is happiness a good thing? Or, does it just simply feel good? A review of all the available literature has revealed that happiness does indeed have numerous positive byproducts, which appear to benefit not only individuals, but families, communities, and the society at large (Lyubomirsky, King, & Diener, 2005). The benefits of happiness include higher income and superior work outcomes (e.g., greater productivity and higher quality of work), larger social rewards (e.g., more satisfying and longer marriages, more friends, stronger social support, and richer social interactions), more activity, energy, and flow, and better physical health (e.g., a bolstered immune system, lowered stress levels, and less pain) and even longer life. The literature, my colleagues and I have found, also suggests that happy individuals are more creative, helpful, charitable, and self-confident, have better self-control, and show greater self-regulatory and coping abilities. On-going and future experimental and longitudinal studies that attempt to increase the long-term happiness of students and working adults will give us the opportunity to assess whether increases in durable happiness predict changes in other positive outcomes, such as altruistic behavior, creativity, work performance, physical health, and social relationships. We are investigating whether both happiness and generosity propagate across social networks (funded by Notre Dame University's Science of Generosity Initiative), and whether happiness is associated with more physical movement and greater social interactions (funded by Hitachi's Central Research Laboratory).
The Architecture of Sustainable Happiness
An ongoing program of research with my students and collaborator Ken Sheldon is asking the question, "How can happiness be reliably increased?" (for reviews, see Boehm & Lyubomirsky, 2009; Lyubomirsky, 2008; Lyubomirsky, Sheldon, & Schkade, 2005; Sin & Lyubomirsky, 2009). Despite pessimism from the current literature that the pursuit of happiness may be largely futile, my colleagues and I believe that durable increases in happiness are indeed possible and within the average person's reach. Thus, following my construal theory of happiness, I am exploring how the cognitive and motivational processes and biases associated with relatively greater happiness can be nurtured, acquired, or directly taught. To this end, my current research is investigating the mechanisms by which a chronic happiness level higher than one's genetically-determined set point can be achieved and sustained. My colleagues and I believe that sustainable increases in happiness are possible through the practice of intentional cognitive, motivational, and behavioral activities that are feasible to deploy but require daily and concerted effort and commitment.
We are presently conducting multiple experimental intervention studies in which participants' cognitive and behavioral strategies are systematically retrained. For example, intervention studies with students, community members, workers, depressed individuals, and hospital patients are testing the efficacy of five cognitive and behavioral volitional strategies:
1) regularly setting aside time to recall moments of gratitude (i.e., keeping a journal in which one "counts one's blessings" or writing a gratitude letter),
2) engaging in self-regulatory and positive thinking about oneself (i.e., reflecting, writing, and talking about one's happiest and unhappiest life events or one's goals for the future),
3) practicing altruism and kindness (i.e., routinely committing acts of kindness),
4) pursuing significant, intrinsic life goals (e.g., listing and taking action on "baby steps" towards goals), and
5) savoring positive experiences (e.g., using one's five senses to relish daily moments).
Most important, we are testing whether the benefits of such activities differ across cultures (see above), and whether they are influenced by such factors as person-activity "fit," motivation, persistence, social support, social comparison, face-to-face delivery, variety, timing, and expectations (e.g., Boehm et al., 2011; Lyubomirsky, Dickerhoof, Boehm, & Sheldon, 2011; Lyubomirsky, Sousa, & Dickerhoof, 2006; Sheldon et al., 2010).
We are also examining the "why" of happiness-boosting interventions by testing the mediating role of positive experiences, need satisfaction, flow, intrinsic motivation, and positive thoughts.
Finally, we are investigating genetic and environmental influences on individual differences in responses to happiness-increasing interventions.
Thwarting Hedonic Adaptation
Finally, a line of research with my students and Ken Sheldon focuses on hedonic adaptation to positive experience as a critical barrier to raising happiness (Lyubomirsky, 2011; Sheldon & Lyubomirsky, in press).
After all, if people become accustomed to (and take for granted) anything positive that happens to them, then how can they ever become happier?
A new model suggests that adaptation to positive experience proceeds via two paths:
1) through diminished positive emotions and
2) through increased aspirations.
The key to achieving increased and lasting well-being thereby lies in effortful, intentional activities that slow down or preclude the positive adaptation process.
Current studies are testing the hypothesis that such activities share several properties that potentially help them to effectively forestall adaptation:
they are dynamic, episodic, novel, and attention-enticing.
We are presently applying our model to understand what produces materialism and consumerism, and how to design interventions that significantly depress people's aspirations and bolster their humility, thereby allowing them to step off the hedonic treadmill and become more thrifty.
(e.g., Chancellor & Lyubomirsky, 2011).
Source:Why Are Some People Happier Than Others?
I have always been struck by the capacity of some individuals to be remarkably happy, even in the face of stress, trauma, or adversity. Thus, my earlier research efforts had been focused on trying to understand why some people are happier than others (for a review, see Lyubomirsky, 2001). To this end, my approach had been to explore the cognitive and motivational processes that distinguish individuals who show exceptionally high and low levels of happiness. These processes include social comparison (how people compare themselves to peers), dissonance reduction (how people justify both trivial and important choices in their lives), self-evaluation (how people judge themselves), and person perception (how people think about others). All of these processes, it turns out, have hedonic implications - that is, positive or negative consequences for happiness and self-regard - and thus are relevant to elucidating individual differences in enduring well-being. My students and I have found that truly happy individuals construe life events and daily situations in ways that seem to maintain their happiness, while unhappy individuals construe experiences in ways that seem to reinforce unhappiness. In essence, our research shows that happy individuals experience and react to events and circumstances in relatively more positive and more adaptive ways. For example, we found that happy individuals are relatively more likely than their less happy peers to "endow" positive memories (i.e., store them in their emotional "bank accounts") but to "contrast" negative memories (i.e., "life is so much better now") (Liberman, Boehm, Lyubomirsky, & Ross, 2011).
On-going studies in my laboratory are exploring additional cognitive and motivational processes that support the differing worlds of enduring happiness versus chronic unhappiness. For example, several investigations have revealed that unhappy individuals are more likely than happy ones to dwell on negative or ambiguous events (Lyubomirsky, Boehm, Kasri, & Zehm, 2011). Such "dwelling" or rumination may drain cognitive resources and thus bring to bear a variety of negative consequences, which could further reinforce unhappiness. These findings demonstrate some of the maladaptive by-products of self-reflection, suggesting that not only is the "unexamined life" worth living, but it is potentially full of happiness and joy.
To cast our work on happiness in a broader framework, we have also been exploring the meaning, expression, and pursuit of happiness across cultures, subcultures, and age groups (e.g., Boehm, Lyubomirsky, & Sheldon, 2011). For example, despite media reports, do parents actually experience more happiness and meaning than do non-parents? Furthermore, we are currently carrying out happiness-increasing interventions among Japanese technical workers, Korean undergraduates, Spanish professionals, Australian blue collar workers, Canadian elementary school students, and British teens.
What Are the Benefits of Happiness?
A recent interest has steered me from the search of the roots of happiness to an examination of its consequences. Is happiness a good thing? Or, does it just simply feel good? A review of all the available literature has revealed that happiness does indeed have numerous positive byproducts, which appear to benefit not only individuals, but families, communities, and the society at large (Lyubomirsky, King, & Diener, 2005). The benefits of happiness include higher income and superior work outcomes (e.g., greater productivity and higher quality of work), larger social rewards (e.g., more satisfying and longer marriages, more friends, stronger social support, and richer social interactions), more activity, energy, and flow, and better physical health (e.g., a bolstered immune system, lowered stress levels, and less pain) and even longer life. The literature, my colleagues and I have found, also suggests that happy individuals are more creative, helpful, charitable, and self-confident, have better self-control, and show greater self-regulatory and coping abilities. On-going and future experimental and longitudinal studies that attempt to increase the long-term happiness of students and working adults will give us the opportunity to assess whether increases in durable happiness predict changes in other positive outcomes, such as altruistic behavior, creativity, work performance, physical health, and social relationships. We are investigating whether both happiness and generosity propagate across social networks (funded by Notre Dame University's Science of Generosity Initiative), and whether happiness is associated with more physical movement and greater social interactions (funded by Hitachi's Central Research Laboratory).
The Architecture of Sustainable Happiness
An ongoing program of research with my students and collaborator Ken Sheldon is asking the question, "How can happiness be reliably increased?" (for reviews, see Boehm & Lyubomirsky, 2009; Lyubomirsky, 2008; Lyubomirsky, Sheldon, & Schkade, 2005; Sin & Lyubomirsky, 2009). Despite pessimism from the current literature that the pursuit of happiness may be largely futile, my colleagues and I believe that durable increases in happiness are indeed possible and within the average person's reach. Thus, following my construal theory of happiness, I am exploring how the cognitive and motivational processes and biases associated with relatively greater happiness can be nurtured, acquired, or directly taught. To this end, my current research is investigating the mechanisms by which a chronic happiness level higher than one's genetically-determined set point can be achieved and sustained. My colleagues and I believe that sustainable increases in happiness are possible through the practice of intentional cognitive, motivational, and behavioral activities that are feasible to deploy but require daily and concerted effort and commitment.
We are presently conducting multiple experimental intervention studies in which participants' cognitive and behavioral strategies are systematically retrained. For example, intervention studies with students, community members, workers, depressed individuals, and hospital patients are testing the efficacy of five cognitive and behavioral volitional strategies:
1) regularly setting aside time to recall moments of gratitude (i.e., keeping a journal in which one "counts one's blessings" or writing a gratitude letter),
2) engaging in self-regulatory and positive thinking about oneself (i.e., reflecting, writing, and talking about one's happiest and unhappiest life events or one's goals for the future),
3) practicing altruism and kindness (i.e., routinely committing acts of kindness),
4) pursuing significant, intrinsic life goals (e.g., listing and taking action on "baby steps" towards goals), and
5) savoring positive experiences (e.g., using one's five senses to relish daily moments).
Most important, we are testing whether the benefits of such activities differ across cultures (see above), and whether they are influenced by such factors as person-activity "fit," motivation, persistence, social support, social comparison, face-to-face delivery, variety, timing, and expectations (e.g., Boehm et al., 2011; Lyubomirsky, Dickerhoof, Boehm, & Sheldon, 2011; Lyubomirsky, Sousa, & Dickerhoof, 2006; Sheldon et al., 2010).
We are also examining the "why" of happiness-boosting interventions by testing the mediating role of positive experiences, need satisfaction, flow, intrinsic motivation, and positive thoughts.
Finally, we are investigating genetic and environmental influences on individual differences in responses to happiness-increasing interventions.
Thwarting Hedonic Adaptation
Finally, a line of research with my students and Ken Sheldon focuses on hedonic adaptation to positive experience as a critical barrier to raising happiness (Lyubomirsky, 2011; Sheldon & Lyubomirsky, in press).
After all, if people become accustomed to (and take for granted) anything positive that happens to them, then how can they ever become happier?
A new model suggests that adaptation to positive experience proceeds via two paths:
1) through diminished positive emotions and
2) through increased aspirations.
The key to achieving increased and lasting well-being thereby lies in effortful, intentional activities that slow down or preclude the positive adaptation process.
Current studies are testing the hypothesis that such activities share several properties that potentially help them to effectively forestall adaptation:
they are dynamic, episodic, novel, and attention-enticing.
We are presently applying our model to understand what produces materialism and consumerism, and how to design interventions that significantly depress people's aspirations and bolster their humility, thereby allowing them to step off the hedonic treadmill and become more thrifty.
(e.g., Chancellor & Lyubomirsky, 2011).
Sonja Lyubomirsky
The Cry for Meaning
Evil Deeds
UFO's, Close Encounters, and the Cry for Meaning
What is the psychospiritual significance of the UFO phenomenon?
"Man cannot stand a meaningless life." -- C.G. Jung
Strange objects have reportedly been seen flying, floating and, at least in one famous incident five centuries ago in Nuremberg, Germany, apparently fighting in our skies for thousands of years.
Stunning eye-witness accounts of what happened one early morning above sixteenth-century Nuremberg on April 14, 1561, describe numerous multi-colored spherical "globes," disc-like "plates," blood-red "crosses," larger "rods" or cylindrical "tubes" containing round objects and one massive triangular or spear-shaped black object doing fierce aerial battle for more than an hour until some flew off "into the sun" while others crashed to earth in a cloud of smoke or "steam."
Hallucination? Waking vision? If so, it was shared and attested to by many medieval Nuremberg residents that extraordinary day. (See two different artist's renderings around that time of what was witnessed and documented in the Nuremberg Gazette above and below.
Five years later, an almost identical incident allegedly took place in Basel, Switzerland.) While obviously one of the most dramatic and remarkable of such widely reported phenomena, the Nuremberg event is but one of countless sightings of similarly oddly shaped spherical, saucer-like, triangular and cylindrical objects over the past five-hundred years, sometimes by highly credible witnesses such as commercial or military pilots and police officers.
What really is it that they are seeing?
In 1958, the year Swiss psychiatrist and depth psychologist C.G. Jung celebrated his 83rd birthday three years before his death, he published a very controversial work about UFO's, at that time popularly referred to as "flying saucers."
Later titled Flying Saucers: A Modern Myth of Things Seen in the Sky (Princeton University Press, 1979), Jung's concern was less whether or not these UFO's objectively, physically or materially exist than with their subjective, phenomenological inner reality, psychological meaning and spiritual significance.
(See my prior posts on subjective and objective reality.)
Jung's emphasis on our fundamental human need for meaning in the face of a seemingly meaningless universe is something he shared with existential analysts like Otto Rank, Viktor Frankl and Rollo May.
Meaning and the problem of meaninglessness is one of the ultimate concerns of existential psychotherapy.
Psychiatrist Viktor Frankl felt that we all possess an innate, instinctual "will to meaning": an inherent need to make sense of life, to find some purpose.
When this innate need is unmet or frustrated, when we find ourselves living in what Frankl called an "existential vacuum," despair, rage, depression and embitterment ensue. (See my prior posts on anger disorder.)
Indeed, Dr. Frankl proposed the following somewhat simplistic formula: D = S - M.
Despair equals suffering without meaning.
Meaning makes suffering more bearable. So naturally, we tend to seek meaning in life as much as possible. We want to make sense of the seemingly senseless.
Attribute meaning to the apparently absurd. Assign significance to the insignificant.
Both Jung and Rank, unlike their mutual mentor, Sigmund Freud, believed we need meaningful illusions, myths or religious beliefs to improve or preserve mental health.
Rollo May, in his last work, The Cry for Myth (1991), clearly illustrates the vital psychological importance of myths that help give meaning to human existence.
Soren Kierkegaard, a philosophical forerunner of existential therapy, felt that life is fundamentally meaningful, and that it is our task to discover that mysterious spiritual meaning.
At the same time, like French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, existential therapy recognizes the possibility that life may be basically meaningless except to the extent we bravely imbue it with meaning.
That life holds no hidden meaning other than that which we choose to give it.
And that without the courageous capacity to tolerate life's partial or complete meaninglessness, we are, as Freud held regarding religious dogma, susceptible to believing almost anything in order to allay our anxiety about the unknown and satisfy our insatiable need for meaning.
Now, more than fifty years following the original publication of Jung's essay about the depth psychology of UFO's, this enigmatic mystery remains both vital and fascinating: If UFO's are objectively real, what does their persisting existence and presence on this planet signify?
And if they are not real in any physical sense, mere mirages, misperceptions or misinterpretations, fantastic figments of our fertile and meaning-making imagination, what does this say about us?
As Pablo Picasso put it, "Everything you can imagine is real."
Could UFO's turn out to be phenomena of our own creation? Deeply embedded archetypal images stored in and stemming from what Jung called our "collective unconscious"?
Of course, given the greatly enhanced ability today to capture and document (as well as fake using sophisticated computer programs like Photoshop) such sightings with video and cell phone cameras, and the cumulative collection of photographic and other evidence available, to totally deny their physical existence out of hand seems not merely skeptical, but somewhat naive and defensive.
A solipsistic, hyper-psychological, one-sided explanation.
On the other hand, their continued elusiveness, evasiveness, rarity and the lack of unequivocal validation requires, much like religion, a significant leap of faith to overcome the absence of irrefutable proof of their reality.
Why do some enthusiastically take this leap of faith, while others refuse to do so? Gullibility? Hypersuggestibility? Psychopathology? Desperation for something otherworldly to believe in?
And why do we so strongly feel the need to somehow identify and rationally explain these, by definition, unidentified and irrational phenomena? Is it simply human curiosity?
The unknown is a frightening thing. As with primitive man and natural phenomena such as solar or lunar eclipses, fire, floods, thunder, lightning, volcanoes, earthquakes or tornadoes, we tend to fear the unknown and create stories or myths to explain them.
This serves the purpose of assuaging our existential anxiety in the face of these terrifying phenomena.
Science today has succeeded in explaining such formerly inexplicable phenomena.
But UFO's are something modern science cannot yet explain. Their reported characteristics and behavior defy physics, seem more organismic than mechanical, and transcend any anthropomorphic projections we place upon them.
Are they, as most believe, brilliantly engineered space ships controlled by humanoid pilots?
Or rather some organic form of intelligent life we cannot comprehend?
While tales of such visitations have been occurring for millennia if not longer, our collective postmodern fascination took off in the 1950's following the now infamous 1947 Roswell, New Mexico case, and came to a cinematic climax in 1977 with director Steven Spielberg's classic Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Hundreds if not thousands of sightings and photographs of strange objects in the skies over every continent around the world are officially filed annually.
For decades, starting notably during the 1950's and taking off with the alleged 1961 Barney and Betty Hill alien abduction case in Massachusetts, otherwise sober and quite rational individuals have recounted being abducted by such alien crafts and their non-human occupants.
What's up? Mass hysteria? Archetypal nightmares? Psychosis?
Fact or fiction?
The late Harvard psychiatrist and psychoanalyst John E. Mack took a special interest in this bizarre yet, to him, not necessarily pathological phenomenon, taking and treating seriously sufferers of so-called traumatic alien abduction in his private practice and clinical research.
Whether real physical phenomena or no less subjectively real to those who experience such alien encounters and sightings, we instinctively seek to make meaning of them.
Science is one way of imposing rational meaning on unknown phenomena. Religion is another. Mythology is a third.
Indeed, it can be said that both science and religion are forms of mythology.
Myths express existential truths that defy logical or rational explanations. Myths, however, are by no means necessarily untrue, as common usage has it.
Myths contain archetypal truths about human existence and experience. Myth is how we attribute meaning to our existence and experience--no myth, no meaning.
Myth is a way of looking at the world, the cosmos, ourselves and our place in and relationship to reality.
UFO's, in this sense, are very much part of our collective mythology, both past and present.
The UFO phenomenon (like the "possession syndrome" discussed in a previous post) is one of the few profound existential mysteries modern science has yet to explain away, despite its best efforts.
As Spielberg so skillfully and insightfully demonstrates in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, witnessing UFO's is associated with a profoundly numinous, spiritual or religious experience. An existential quest for meaning. An unforgettable experience of awe, wonder and even child-like joy. A life-altering and mind-opening confirmation of Shakespeare's hint in Hamlet that "there are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
At the same time, there is a dark side to this potently numinous experience, a deep fear and dread of the UFO phenomenon, as can be seen in these terrifying tales of abduction by monstrous grey-skinned, insect-eyed aliens conducting torturous testing on their confused, disoriented and helpless victims.
And the threat of invasion, colonization and interplanetary war as depicted in H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds and movies like Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Independence Day.
Alternately, films like The Day the Earth Stood Still, Cocoon, and ET depict the inhabitants of UFO's to be beneficent, peaceful beings with god-like powers capable of benefitting mankind immensely-- depending upon how we relate to them.
Like good guardian angels, they are sent here to save us from ourselves or to deliver some life-saving cosmic message or warning to divert disaster. But they are typically met with suspicion, hostility and aggression, further endangering and impoverishing the world.
Yet an equally dangerous response would be to naively deny the potential evil such powerful foreign phenomena could actually visit upon us, a possibility evidently not lost on our various governments world-wide.
It may be that our combined fascination and dread of what's "out there" waiting to be discovered in our universe is a metaphor or mirror for how we feel about our inner universe: that unknown territory depth psychologists refer to as the "unconscious."
Perhaps, as in dreams, we project our own personal or collective devils and demons onto the phenomena known as UFO's, deeming them a direct threat to our sense of self and belief system.
Seeing them as something evil that must be resisted, attacked and exterminated at all costs rather than met, understood and assimilated into our rigid Weltanschauung or world-view.
Surely for some, the perceived aliens serve defensively as scapegoats from outer space onto which dissociated traumatic life events like childhood abuse can be conveniently and unconsciously projected and experienced as being perpetrated by these demonic, all-powerful foreign devils rather than the offending evil parents or child molesters from the past.
The archetypal imagery of invasive flying entities--be they winged demons or aliens in spaceships--is quite commonly found in dreams and the waking delusions of psychosis, serving as symbolic representations of evil forces felt to be influencing the patient against his or her will.
Yet, from the standpoint of depth psychology, these disturbing "evil forces," unacceptable feelings or unfamiliar impulses originate not from some external source such as aliens, demons or the devil, but rather from within our disowned unconscious psyche. Seizing upon the idea of alien abduction or remote telepathic manipulation serves as a way of making meaning of massive internal chaos and confusion.
There is no doubt that the perception of UFO's is experientially similar to other miraculous events recorded in religious history, like Moses seeing the burning bush on Mt. Sinai, visitations by angels, ghosts or a god's physical manifestation on Earth. In this sense, we need, even crave such dream-like visionary phenomena: UFO's, whatever they really are or are not, from wherever they come and the purpose, if any, of their presence, remind us that there is still much we don't know about ourselves and our environment.
That we may not be completely and utterly alone in this vast universe. That we can not necessarily continue to narcissistically consider ourselves the unique, superior pinnacle of life and center of the cosmos.
That there are far greater powers at play in the universe, for better or worse. And that, luckily, we are still capable of experiencing something that lifts us out of our everyday, mundane, ordinary, banal, often seemingly purposeless lives, and reminds us, if only momentarily, what it means to be fully, ecstatically alive in a universe filled with beauty, mystery, terror, danger and wonder.
Indeed, it is precisely the profoundly mysterious and mythic nature of UFO's that, like dreams, makes them so psychologically powerful. As with all natural or metaphysical phenomena, once science dissects, analyzes and mechanistically explains such mysteries, their numinous, spiritual, potentially healing power is deadened or lost.
Like religion, faith in the reality of UFO's provides something to believe in for many in need of more meaningful lives.
Today, in a time of cultural chaos and economic crisis, when many are prone to lose or question their faith, sense of purpose, and capacity to find life meaningful and worth living, we may need UFO's--whatever their origin, nature, enigmatic mission or psychological meaning may be--more than they need us.
Source:
UFO's, Close Encounters, and the Cry for Meaning | Psychology Today
Link:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evil-deeds/201010/ufos-close-encounters-and-the-cry-meaning?page=3
Viktor Frankl on Procrastination | Psychology Today
Viktor Frankl on Procrastination
Frankl's principles to defeat procrastination
For readers of this blog, it won't surprise you that Frankl's ideas have been an influence in my life. I first became acquainted with his work during my undergrad years in the 1970's, and his existentially-based philosophies have continued to surface in numerous ways. Even popular books such has Stephen Covey's Seven Habits of Highly Effective People begin with Frankl's focus on individual choice in the creation of a meaningful life.
Although Frankl's understanding of the central importance of meaning in an individual's life was developed prior to the Second World War, it was Frankl's experiences in the Nazi concentration camps that galvanized this theory and the attention of those who have read of Frankl's life. As you will see, these experiences were a turning point for Frankl even in relation to his work habits and potential for procrastination.
Logotherapy and meaning are too much for a blog entry, and, in fact, they're not my focus today. Instead, I want to write about three short paragraphs in Frankl's autobiography where he speaks about his work habits.
He writes,
"Another thing: I try to do everything as soon as possible, and not at the last moment. This ensures that, when I am overburdened with work, I will not face the added pressure of knowing that something is still to be done. There is yet a third principle that has guided my work and it is this: I do the unpleasant tasks before I do the pleasant ones. As I have said, I do not always follow my principles. For example, as a young physician I worked in the large Steinhof Mental Hospital and I often spent my Sundays at vaudeville shows. I enjoyed them, but I always regretted that I had not stayed at home to work on my ideas and writing.
Since my years in the concentration camps, this pattern has changed. How many weekends I have sacrificed in order to dictate my books. I have learned to spend my time more wisely, indeed to make every minute count. I do this so that I have time for the things that are really important" (Frankl, 2000; p. 34, emphasis added).
"Do everything as soon as possible" and "Do the unpleasant tasks first"
Readers of this Don't Delay blog have seen these conclusions emerge before based on more recent psychological research. It is reassuring to see the lived wisdom of Frankl's life concur. What Frankl certainly realized was that the unpleasant tasks had the most potential for procrastination, and rather than "giving in to feel good" , he faced the unpleasant tasks (and associated emotions) directly, first. Progress on these goals is particularly rewarding.
Frankl's closing thought
Nevertheless, I must confess that I do not always hold to my principles. But then I am angry with myself - so angry at times that I do not even speak to myself for days. (Frankl, 2000; p. 34,)
No one is perfect, not even this legend of the 20th century. ☺
We're not called to be perfect, but we can think carefully about making time for things that are really important in our lives, and doing this requires that we "just get started" - particularly with the unpleasant tasks we're facing. We have much to learn from Viktor Frankl. I hope you'll take time to read more.
But right now, my 3-year old daughter is calling to me from the other room to dance with her. It's time for the important stuff. I'm glad I've got my work done.
Reference
Frankl, V. (2000). Victor Frankl recollections: An autobiography. Cambridge, MA: Basic Books.
Note: Originally published in German in 1995 under the title Was nicht in meinen Büchern steht, Psychologie Verlags Union, Weinheim, Germany. This English edition was translated by Joseph and Judith Fabry.
Related Articles
Source:
Viktor Frankl on Procrastination | Psychology Today
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/dont-delay/200808/viktor-frankl-procrastination
Gratitude Quotes
Gratitude is an integral part of a spiritual practice
"For each new morning with its light, For rest and shelter of the night, For health and food, for love and friends, For everything Thy goodness sends."
--Ralph Waldo Emerson
Gratitude Quotes
"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." - Marcel Proust
"We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures." - Thornton Wilder
As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. -- John F. Kennedy
At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us. Albert Schweitzer
The deepest craving of human nature is the need to be appreciated. -- WIlliam James
"Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough." -- Oprah Winfrey
He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has." -- Epictetus
Source:
The Seven Best Gratitude Quotes | Psychology Today
Link:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-mindful-self-express/201111/the-seven-best-gratitude-quotes
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Procrastination and the Power of Habit
Habits, what can we do about them?
Published on April 10, 2012 by Timothy A. Pychyl, Ph.D.
Don't Delay (Understanding procrastination and how to achieve our goals.)
(http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/dont-delay)
It’s typical to speak about procrastination as a habit. There are self-help books with this title in fact. Here are some key ideas from Charles Duhigg that I want to echo when we think about habits.
I often get criticized when I say that a key strategy to beat procrastination is to “just get started.” Most recently, an editor of a magazine said that it reminded him of Nancy Reagan’s slogan: "Just say no” to drugs. He didn’t believe either Reagan’s or my advice was helpful or effective. I disagree strongly.
Breaking habits requires establishing a new behavioral pattern, a new prepotent response; a new habit. A predecision to “just get started” or “just say no” can be a very effective first step in this process of change. It is not the only step, but it is a key first one. In fact, I think it’s the only possible first step for procrastination or drug abuse, respectively. It's just that we might all develop different ways to do this.
I’m not alone in my opinion about how this responsibility lies with the individual in question.
Recently, I listened to the audio edition of Charles Duhigg’s book, The Power of Habit.
Although I didn’t agree with how widely he cast the conceptual net of “habit,” I did agree with most of what he said as he summarized recent research about habits, habit formation and how we change habits.
Interestingly, he saved a key statement to the very end of his book (the last nine minutes of the audio book). I’ve transcribed key ideas of these statements below. I added the emphasis with bold font.
"Once you know a habit exists, you have the responsibility to change it . . . others have done so . . . That, in some ways, is the point of this book. Perhaps a sleep-walking murderer can plausibly argue that he wasn’t aware of his habit, and so he doesn’t bear responsibility for his crime, but almost all of the other patterns that exist in most people’s lives — how we eat and sleep and talk to our kids, how we unthinkingly spend our time, attention and money — those are habits that we know exist. And once you understand that habits can change, you have the freedom and the responsibility to remake them. Once you understand that habits can be rebuilt, the power of habit becomes easier to grasp and the only option left is to get to work."
Duhigg then goes on to quote William James, and while it is tempting to add this, it isn’t necessary. The key points were well said above.
“Once you understand that habits can change, you have the freedom and the responsibility to remake them . . . Once you understand that habits can be rebuilt, the power of habit becomes easier to grasp and the only option left is to get to work.”
The procrastination habit can change, and it is through learning about why we procrastinate and how that relates to your particular habit that you can find that keystone habit that will be central to change. Perhaps your procrastination hinges on internalized unrealistic expectations of others and an irrational dialogue that this has set up in your own mind.
Perhaps it’s your unwillingness to tolerate frustration or delay of gratification, you always want to feel good now. Perhaps it’s chronic disorganization. Whatever it is, it is something, and it can change. Find that keystone habit, and you will leverage change to more life-giving as opposed to self-defeating habits like procrastination.
I write about procrastination research here in my blog and interview colleagues for my iProcrastinate podcasts as a resource for this self-exploration, but the final step is always our own, as we take seriously our own freedom and responsibility for change. What a wonderful promise our agency holds for us, as we autonomously shape our own lives and enhance our well being.
The power of habit can be a life-giving, even life-saving, force in our lives.
As Duhigg concludes,
"Once we choose who we want to be, people grow to the way in which they have been exercised . . . If you believe you can change, if you make it a habit, the change becomes real. This is the real power of habit. The insight that your habits are what you choose them to be. Once that choice occurs, and becomes automatic, habitual, it's not only real, it starts to seem inevitable."
So, let's just get started. That's a keystone habit.
Understanding procrastination and how to achieve our goals.
Link:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/dont-delay/200803/just-get-started
Procrastination Research Group:
http://http-server.carleton.ca/~tpychyl/
Source:
The Power of Habit | Psychology Today
Link:
www.psychologytoday.com/blog/dont-delay/201204/the-power-habit
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Personal Barriers to Good Health
To Name it is to Tame It
Implementation Intentions Facilitate Action Control
Viktor Frankl on Procrastination
"I am a procrastinator!" The ongoing story of one person's struggle to stop putting stuff off (Episode 1)
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