Greg's Right FIT #504 - This week: Moving, Expecting, Threes

Quick notes to help you grow your business in less time with less effort. . . sometime next week. 

In this issue: 

- Thoughts on Moving
- Being Human
- Random Stuff

Thoughts on Moving

• This is the weekend for getting physical. Walking, riding a bike, hitting the gym, even scratching around the property will do wonders for your brain. Get moving.
• You've heard speaker's advice on being productive. It's usually a variation of, "Ask yourself, is what I'm doing right now moving me closer to my goals or taking me further away?" Good advice, but only if you know where you want to go.
• Dr. Henry Louis Gates talking to Edward Norton on "Finding Your Roots":
  NORTON: I'm fascinated by...what drives people to leave one place and go to another.
  GATES: Usually something bad.
  NORTON: Often.
  GATES: Rich people don't migrate.
  (laughter)
• This is Labor Day weekend in the USA. As Roman poet Ovid wrote, “Take rest. A field that has rested gives a bountiful crop."

Being Human –  This needs something, just not sure what

“Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed.” —Alexander Pope

The refrain, "we need more" is common in my world. Growth = more, so it makes sense. What's also common is not saying exactly what "more" is. I've found there are two reasons for this:

• Management knows what "more" is, but thinks committing to it might put limits on what gets done.
• Management doesn't know what "more" is, but will know it when they see it.

Both reasons are real, but to get the most with the least effort and expense, "more" needs to be defined. The reason defining helps you get the most with the least is because going through the exercise of defining outcomes gives leadership an opportunity to consider existing processes and personnel. This consideration almost always results in a quick win or two towards the goal.

Get clear on a destination. It makes the trip easier to plan. (and you can always change it later)

Random Stuff

“Mr Bond, they have a saying in Chicago: ‘Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action.’” — Ian Fleming, Goldfinger

When hearing three people say basically the same thing to me, I take note. It’s why I’ve watched movies that I missed the first time around, listened to certain music, or read particular books.

Last weekend, people were in town for a baby shower to help launch a new baby into the world. This child, my future grand-something, will be surrounded not only by people who love it, but lots of diapers and new baby gear. Before and after the party we hosted some of the same party goers at our house. The weather was perfect for porch sitting and people milled about, chitting and chatting.

Three different people said our gardens looked great. It was very flattering, and it’s forced me to look at the gardens a little closer because all I see are weeds. And things that didn’t take. And things that are dying for no apparent reason. I can’t see the good for the bad. The third party compliments are giving me energy to tackle the late summer work ahead.

On a semi-related note, I am going on a short trip and needed a haircut. A hedge trim you might say. It’s short notice so I take the first appointment I can find at a place I’ve driven by a hundred times. It looks like an old school barbershop, but inside I am greeted by a giant tv with what looks like video game footage playing, hear reggaeton pumped from the speakers, and see a fridge full of energy drinks. 2X More Energy! No Sugar! The barbers are wearing their tools on front backpacks, and a couple young men are getting a “line up.” Not my usual place. It looks like the future, if the future is a fan of Scarface memorabilia on the walls.

The young man who will cut my hair asks, “what’s it gonna be boss?” and wraps a Biggie Smalls The New York King cape around my neck. I say clean me up, and I trust you, or something like that. The young man takes a lot of time and gives me a cut that is, well, high and tight as they say. Leaving, I am unsure of this new look, but thinking “funny story.”

My lovely bride said, oh, short but I like it.

A friend said, ooh, I really like your new haircut.

And when I demonstrated the strange way the barber styled it as I left the chair, a third said, yeah, you should wear it like that.

Three. There it is. I guess I'll go back to reggaeton-world once I get done weeding.