"Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday and avoiding today." - Dr. Wayne Dyer
"People who are way out of sync with the digital maelstrom of the moment aren't always bad followers. They might be great leaders.” - Seth Godin
(7:00 a.m. Friday) I wanted to write about this subject weeks ago, however, I just couldn’t. I intended to, even started it a few times, but something pulled me away, filled the gap, diverted my attention and drive for action. Just not sure what …
(8:46 a.m. Friday) I often delve into daily news stories on various subjects compiled by Google. Regularly I found myself scanning business leaders on Twitter who choose to condense wisdom into 140 characters. Repeatedly, I am viewing the extremely critical life messages left on friend’s Facebook pages, about what they were eating, pictures of their kids, the outfit they “had to have” or the movie they felt compelled to review. I am connected to various RSS feeds and others blogs and newsletters so I am instantly “in the know.” Nearly 45 minutes of one day was spent watching YouTube videos, transfixed by a laughing baby. There are numerous daily texts I receive and send (yes, I’m a giver), office gossip, longer than needed meetings and lunches, thousand or so emails I engage in weekly and countless phone calls. At night there is always some compelling television show about grown adults acting like Lord of the Flies, and if cable is out, there is always vital pop culture information in Us Weekly, InStyle and People magazine that is beckoning to be read.
(10:08 a.m. Friday) Do you think? Nah, couldn’t be….
(11:22 a.m. Friday) Today's technologically dependent society can opt for hyper efficiency, boundless achievements, unrivaled progression, yet mindless procrastination continues, often manifested through electronics. Procrastination has moved from a bad habit state to a behavioral trait, thriving on a cycle of blame shifting and avoidance. Falling victim to this "habit" myself, I have been on a personal mission to seek out the cause of procrastination. Alright not the cause, who has time for that, but at least some imperative information. It’s not like I have anything else to do.
(12:46 p.m. Friday) The traits of procrastination are obvious, more interesting are the traits of the procrastinator. Chronic procrastinators avoid revealing information about their abilities, prefer menial tasks, make poor time estimates, tend to focus on the past and do not act on their intentions. These characteristics have been related to low self-esteem, perfectionism, non-competitiveness, self-deception, self-control, self-confidence, depression and anxiety.
Wait a second; didn’t the proliferation of numerous medications for those very symptoms arrive in the past decade as technological advancements have been at its height? Haven't children been diagnosed with ADD and variations of same at an alarming rate during this time period? Is this new form of procrastination just an internal cry for help to give our brains some quiet time? Just spit-balling here folks …
(4:30 p.m. Friday) Behavioral procrastination is equated with self-handicap. Essentially, this self-handicap provides a means for further blame shifting, as could be seen in an example of a student doing poorly on an exam and using procrastination as an excuse. The second type of procrastination, decisional, is the pattern of postponing a decision when dealing with conflicts and choices. People with high decisional procrastination display tendencies of perfectionism in taking longer to make decisions.
Research done by Dr. R.L. Strub, an expert on the brain, links procrastination to physical disorders and lesions in the brain, particularly in the frontal lobe, specifically the bilateral hemisphere in Globus Pallidus.
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) of the frontal lobe controls cognitive processes. Many of its functions are routinely used in daily life (i.e. judgment, planning, critical thinking, empathy, attention span, organization, etc.). As the most evolved part of the brain, the PFC is responsible for necessary behavior in a social sphere, consequently affecting our personalities.
"The capacity of the individual to generate goals and to achieve them is considered to be an essential aspect of a mature and effective personality. It is not a social convention or an artifact of culture. It is hard wired in the construction of the prefrontal cortex and its connections,” says Dr. Strub.
When a person needs to focus, the PFC decreases the distracting input from the other brain areas. Therefore, if there is a problem with the PFC, there is no filter mechanism at work or life.
So, you’re saying I may need a brain scan…
(7:20 p.m. Friday) There is yet to be any treatment offered for biological procrastination. However, for those people who subscribe to psychological explanation, there is help after all. Researchers offer an oversimplified solution that recommends procrastinators change the way they think. On a more individual basis, to tackle the universal problem of procrastination, people can try becoming aware of internal excuses, breaking up difficult tasks, focus on the negative consequences, make lists and most importantly question the rationale behind procrastination.
(8:22 a.m. Saturday) At STIR-Communications we have and continue to incorporate processes that help curtail procrastination. Employees are requested to work in at least two 90 min blocks of time per day where phones, text, all social network devices, and nonessential conversations are curtailed. In addition, all projects and clients are placed in a systematic task list and focused on in specific blocks of time. This allows for employees to not be distracted by the enormities of tasks at hand, but rather provide a keen focus at precise missions. This coming week we will take that even further by implementing technology to further assist our production.
(11:05 a.m. Saturday) That is, if we can all find the time to take the tutorial.
All my best,
Greg
Greg Salsburg
The Big STIR
STIR-Communications
Miami | New York | London
c: (561) 386-8064
o: (305) 407-1723
e: Greg@STIR-Communications.com
Monday, August 30, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
Growth
Growth refers to an increase in some quantity over time. The quantity can be:
Our dreams are never myopic. We can all clearly visualize our end results, conjure feelings of euphoria delivered by our definition of transcendent success, and even feel the breeze as we are being fanned, sprawled out on our private beach.
However, knowing how to chart the course towards that achievement and capitalize on the consequential, but often subtle “growth moments” in your life, is where the magic lies.
"Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.” - Benjamin Franklin
My past week was filled with “growth moments.” I spent less time working but immersing myself into the lives of clients and friends, as well as integrating needed self-actualization.
It opened with a journalist and formidable marketer in his own right, whom I respect, asking me to explain the process of being me. More to the point the process of writing this very blog and why I felt compelled to join “the fraternity of ranting blowhards, force-feeding their pontifications upon unwilling and unsuspecting masses.” OK, he didn’t say that last part, but that’s how I felt when the focus was positioned on me. All answers provided could have been recapitulated with responding “growth.”
Introspective growth.
"Write to be understood, speak to be heard, read to grow...” - Lawrence Clark Powell
I spent personal time with an artisan baker. She has somehow been able to incorporate nirvana within bite size morsels of desserts and other baked goodness. With her legions of followers and cult-like status, she has been able to build an impressive business. She is also an entrepreneurial role model, a terrific mother and wonderful wife. So, what’s the issue?
Growth.
From a business perspective, how to build the processes to handle any capacity needed? Where to expand and can the product and brand attributes remain intact? What type of business do we want to become? What is our ultimate goal? From a personal perspective, how do you give more, when you are already giving a lot? Why do we want to build? What effect and affect will this have on our family? What is our ultimate goal? Yes, that last one always needs to be placed on both regions.
Growth assessment.
"Don't wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.” - Mark Victor Hansen
A friend and client will be named to the 2010 Inc. 5000 list this week. This is not a validation of company validity or vitality but a confirmation of tremendous growth. What an amazing accomplishment in its own right, but couple it with the fact the company was only two persons deep a little over 5 years ago and in an industry that is small and doesn’t allow for entrants to invade the sector easily, this is amazing. This growth was deliberate. Innovative processes where employed to witness these results and the growth was not made for self indulgence but for survival. This growth will be met with more growth and this company will become a behemoth.
Achievement growth.
“There are no such things as limits to growth, because there are no limits to the human capacity for intelligence, imagination, and wonder.” - Ronald Reagan
My youngest child started kindergarten this week. Although he has been in school for the past two years, this seemed more real, more monumental and a reminder you cannot squelch the inevitable. After getting him situated in his class and grappling with personal concern about his readiness to tackle the new challenges ahead, he leaned in and said, “Daddy, I think it’s time for you to go, and remember to do something good at work today.”
Personal growth.
“I'm a big believer in growth. Life is not about achievement, it's about learning and growth, and developing qualities like compassion, patience, perseverance, love, and joy, and so forth. And so if that is the case, then I think our goals should include something which stretches us.” - Jack Canfield
All my best,
Greg
Greg Salsburg
The Big STIR
STIR-Communications
Miami | New York | London
c: (561) 386-8064
o: (305) 407-1723
e: Greg@STIR-Communications.com
- Physical (e.g., growth in height, growth in an amount of money)
- Abstract (e.g., a system becoming more complex, an organism becoming more mature)
Our dreams are never myopic. We can all clearly visualize our end results, conjure feelings of euphoria delivered by our definition of transcendent success, and even feel the breeze as we are being fanned, sprawled out on our private beach.
However, knowing how to chart the course towards that achievement and capitalize on the consequential, but often subtle “growth moments” in your life, is where the magic lies.
"Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.” - Benjamin Franklin
My past week was filled with “growth moments.” I spent less time working but immersing myself into the lives of clients and friends, as well as integrating needed self-actualization.
It opened with a journalist and formidable marketer in his own right, whom I respect, asking me to explain the process of being me. More to the point the process of writing this very blog and why I felt compelled to join “the fraternity of ranting blowhards, force-feeding their pontifications upon unwilling and unsuspecting masses.” OK, he didn’t say that last part, but that’s how I felt when the focus was positioned on me. All answers provided could have been recapitulated with responding “growth.”
Introspective growth.
"Write to be understood, speak to be heard, read to grow...” - Lawrence Clark Powell
I spent personal time with an artisan baker. She has somehow been able to incorporate nirvana within bite size morsels of desserts and other baked goodness. With her legions of followers and cult-like status, she has been able to build an impressive business. She is also an entrepreneurial role model, a terrific mother and wonderful wife. So, what’s the issue?
Growth.
From a business perspective, how to build the processes to handle any capacity needed? Where to expand and can the product and brand attributes remain intact? What type of business do we want to become? What is our ultimate goal? From a personal perspective, how do you give more, when you are already giving a lot? Why do we want to build? What effect and affect will this have on our family? What is our ultimate goal? Yes, that last one always needs to be placed on both regions.
Growth assessment.
"Don't wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.” - Mark Victor Hansen
A friend and client will be named to the 2010 Inc. 5000 list this week. This is not a validation of company validity or vitality but a confirmation of tremendous growth. What an amazing accomplishment in its own right, but couple it with the fact the company was only two persons deep a little over 5 years ago and in an industry that is small and doesn’t allow for entrants to invade the sector easily, this is amazing. This growth was deliberate. Innovative processes where employed to witness these results and the growth was not made for self indulgence but for survival. This growth will be met with more growth and this company will become a behemoth.
Achievement growth.
“There are no such things as limits to growth, because there are no limits to the human capacity for intelligence, imagination, and wonder.” - Ronald Reagan
My youngest child started kindergarten this week. Although he has been in school for the past two years, this seemed more real, more monumental and a reminder you cannot squelch the inevitable. After getting him situated in his class and grappling with personal concern about his readiness to tackle the new challenges ahead, he leaned in and said, “Daddy, I think it’s time for you to go, and remember to do something good at work today.”
Personal growth.
“I'm a big believer in growth. Life is not about achievement, it's about learning and growth, and developing qualities like compassion, patience, perseverance, love, and joy, and so forth. And so if that is the case, then I think our goals should include something which stretches us.” - Jack Canfield
All my best,
Greg
Greg Salsburg
The Big STIR
STIR-Communications
Miami | New York | London
c: (561) 386-8064
o: (305) 407-1723
e: Greg@STIR-Communications.com
Monday, August 16, 2010
The power of “RE”
(6:00 AM August 16, 2010 - REfilling cup of coffee, second time.)
I try to write my blog the week prior, not the morning of. However work at STIR-Communications and my other ventures have been excitedly busy and time got away from me. I am trying to be REsourceful and find a direction for some quick thoughts. Sorry for the brevity. If this doesn’t move you, REread one prior.
I admit it. I am an internal optimist. I love the new, the uphill, the challenge and the underdog. I believe in a bright future, where dreams come true and anything is possible. I wake up daily filled with joy, count my blessings and ensure I engage in life. This is not to say I am not faced with counter emotions of sadness and even tragedy, but even in those moments as well as in my daily business life, I lean on the power of “RE.”
“RE” allows me to change a point of view, fail and begin again, succeed and strive to become even better. “RE” gives me hope, allows me to wish. “R” and “E” are the two most powerful letters in the English language when placed together. “RE” should be a staple in your business and life’s arsenal.
I recently spent some time in New York City with family and friends REconnecting, REabsorbing and REdiscovering the city I called home the majority of my life. REtracing old patterns, I visited some of my favorite spots, REenacting days gone by and REincarnating emotions I had long thought buried. I spent private moments with my father REacting and REaddressing his current life battle. I REassured him I would stay close to family members who were in the middle of REassessing their personal directions. I left my vacation with a REdivivus spirit and REkindled sense of purpose.
My return home was met with all business, I needed to REfocus and the power of “RE” helped me through. First stop was with the President of a development company, who, when it’s all said and done, will deliver the most significant property in the entire Southeast. This has not been an easy task and in many ways mirrors the exact development patterns and hurdles of the famed Rockefeller Center in the early 1900’s. I admire this man, if for nothing else, his determination to succeed. To wake each day facing the slings and arrows from all, with the only hope of one day basking in a REfutable state is not easy. He has never once REcoiled from public perception, even if most has be pure REgurgitation of inaccurate hearsay. Our talks ending with a decision to REevaluate current direction and possibly REcast anew.
Much of my time last week was spent with the Chairman of a national consumer product company. We have been hired to REcreate a product and sector category. To REvive a brand and REestablish market dominance and move the masses to REthink about their current way of life. I will be telling you more about this in the coming weeks.
Whatever you may be faced with this week be confident in your success, get REenergized.
For now, I need to take out the garbage and REnew, REuse and REcycle.
All my best,
Greg
Greg Salsburg
The Big STIR
STIR-Communications
Miami | New York | London
c: (561) 386-8064
o: (305) 407-1723
e: Greg@STIR-Communications.com
I try to write my blog the week prior, not the morning of. However work at STIR-Communications and my other ventures have been excitedly busy and time got away from me. I am trying to be REsourceful and find a direction for some quick thoughts. Sorry for the brevity. If this doesn’t move you, REread one prior.
I admit it. I am an internal optimist. I love the new, the uphill, the challenge and the underdog. I believe in a bright future, where dreams come true and anything is possible. I wake up daily filled with joy, count my blessings and ensure I engage in life. This is not to say I am not faced with counter emotions of sadness and even tragedy, but even in those moments as well as in my daily business life, I lean on the power of “RE.”
“RE” allows me to change a point of view, fail and begin again, succeed and strive to become even better. “RE” gives me hope, allows me to wish. “R” and “E” are the two most powerful letters in the English language when placed together. “RE” should be a staple in your business and life’s arsenal.
I recently spent some time in New York City with family and friends REconnecting, REabsorbing and REdiscovering the city I called home the majority of my life. REtracing old patterns, I visited some of my favorite spots, REenacting days gone by and REincarnating emotions I had long thought buried. I spent private moments with my father REacting and REaddressing his current life battle. I REassured him I would stay close to family members who were in the middle of REassessing their personal directions. I left my vacation with a REdivivus spirit and REkindled sense of purpose.
My return home was met with all business, I needed to REfocus and the power of “RE” helped me through. First stop was with the President of a development company, who, when it’s all said and done, will deliver the most significant property in the entire Southeast. This has not been an easy task and in many ways mirrors the exact development patterns and hurdles of the famed Rockefeller Center in the early 1900’s. I admire this man, if for nothing else, his determination to succeed. To wake each day facing the slings and arrows from all, with the only hope of one day basking in a REfutable state is not easy. He has never once REcoiled from public perception, even if most has be pure REgurgitation of inaccurate hearsay. Our talks ending with a decision to REevaluate current direction and possibly REcast anew.
Much of my time last week was spent with the Chairman of a national consumer product company. We have been hired to REcreate a product and sector category. To REvive a brand and REestablish market dominance and move the masses to REthink about their current way of life. I will be telling you more about this in the coming weeks.
Whatever you may be faced with this week be confident in your success, get REenergized.
For now, I need to take out the garbage and REnew, REuse and REcycle.
All my best,
Greg
Greg Salsburg
The Big STIR
STIR-Communications
Miami | New York | London
c: (561) 386-8064
o: (305) 407-1723
e: Greg@STIR-Communications.com
Monday, August 9, 2010
One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish
One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish
Funny things are everywhere.
Everything that mattered to me in life, much of which formulated my directional existence, I learned from Theodor S. Geisel. He showed me life has a glorious rhythmic cadence. Life’s laughter should be loud, uncontrollable and often. Words are powerful and emotions more so. Life’s levity should be taken seriously, and seriousness, with a touch of levity.
Ted did much in his life, but the areas that touched me greatly were born below deck on a battle ship, while Ted listened to the rhythm of the ship’s engine in an attempt to distract himself from the terrifying storm. Ted began to write nonsensical poems to the motors pounding beat. With the rhythm still persisting in his head about a week after leaving the ship, and as a form of personal therapy, he began to set words to the beat. When completed, instead of signing with his real name, he opted instead to use his middle name as well as take the liberty to bestow a doctorate to boot. At that moment, the world welcomed Dr. Seuss, and my life was forever changed because of it.
His words were unpredictable and grouped in unusual combinations. Often his words were his own creations all together. His sounds resonated in the phonological loop of working memory with echoic retention. He never bounced outside the world of propriety, but also never paid attention to established rules. He never worried about what was, but concentrated on what was not.
I admired his sensibilities and fall back on them often.
He decided he would publish his works. However, he was rejected by the first 28 publishing houses he encountered. Their reasoning was that the writing, “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street,” was just too different from the other books on the market.
Sorry my blog wasn’t around back then …
Luckily, the 29th publisher realized that different was the point, and by the time of his death in 1991, the 46 books written and illustrated by Ted had sold more than 200 million copies and translated into 20 languages.
This week, bring a little “Suessian” to your life and business. Buy a book or two or go online and read them again. If you have the opportunity, read one to a child and watch their synapses fire. Remember that its fine to think out OR inside the box, as long as you do it with a fox, wearing oranges socks and eating bagels and lox.
Mostly, just be creative. Here, there, and everywhere.
All my best,
Greg
Greg Salsburg
The Big STIR
STIR-Communications
Miami | New York | London
c: (561) 386-8064
o: (305) 407-1723
e: Greg@STIR-Communications.com
By. Dr. Seuss
Funny things are everywhere.Here are some who like to run.
They run for fun in the hot, hot sun.
Oh me! Oh my! Oh me! oh my!
What a lot of funny things go by.
Today is gone. Today was fun.
Tomorrow is another one.
Every day, from here to there.
funny things are everywhere.
Ted did much in his life, but the areas that touched me greatly were born below deck on a battle ship, while Ted listened to the rhythm of the ship’s engine in an attempt to distract himself from the terrifying storm. Ted began to write nonsensical poems to the motors pounding beat. With the rhythm still persisting in his head about a week after leaving the ship, and as a form of personal therapy, he began to set words to the beat. When completed, instead of signing with his real name, he opted instead to use his middle name as well as take the liberty to bestow a doctorate to boot. At that moment, the world welcomed Dr. Seuss, and my life was forever changed because of it.
His words were unpredictable and grouped in unusual combinations. Often his words were his own creations all together. His sounds resonated in the phonological loop of working memory with echoic retention. He never bounced outside the world of propriety, but also never paid attention to established rules. He never worried about what was, but concentrated on what was not.
I admired his sensibilities and fall back on them often.
He decided he would publish his works. However, he was rejected by the first 28 publishing houses he encountered. Their reasoning was that the writing, “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street,” was just too different from the other books on the market.
Sorry my blog wasn’t around back then …
Luckily, the 29th publisher realized that different was the point, and by the time of his death in 1991, the 46 books written and illustrated by Ted had sold more than 200 million copies and translated into 20 languages.
This week, bring a little “Suessian” to your life and business. Buy a book or two or go online and read them again. If you have the opportunity, read one to a child and watch their synapses fire. Remember that its fine to think out OR inside the box, as long as you do it with a fox, wearing oranges socks and eating bagels and lox.
Mostly, just be creative. Here, there, and everywhere.
All my best,
Greg
Greg Salsburg
The Big STIR
STIR-Communications
Miami | New York | London
c: (561) 386-8064
o: (305) 407-1723
e: Greg@STIR-Communications.com
Monday, August 2, 2010
The Meaning
We, as a society, try so hard to fit in that we have forgotten the power that lies in standing out.
Firstly let me say, THANK YOU ALL. Since starting this blog, we have grown twofold with those requesting to be placed on our email list. In addition, many of you have written comments to me directly. Those have been unexpected and nothing short of touching. When I decided to write this blog, the hardest part was to determine the subject matter I would tackle weekly. I was advised to stick to areas directly tied to my vocation in a linear, a “how to” approach or discuss business issues in general and then try to tie them in with our company, STIR-Communications, seamlessly showing you all the high level services we provide to drive business. Ultimately, neither felt true to my own personal brand. I didn’t what to use this to be a shill OR some expert blogger.
I have no truths, only opinions. I wanted to place perspectives on paper, insights into my personal life lenses. I hoped it would resonate, but I knew more often I would be judged, ignored, or ridiculed. I wanted to feel the pressures of deadlines, new ideas and introspection. I wanted to shed facades and I needed to break predictability.
We, as a society, try so hard to fit in that we have forgotten the power that lies in standing out.
Claude Monet was the Impressionist Movement. His blurry, bright, slightly inaccurate and short of complete detailed paintings broke all traditions prior. His idea was to capture an image on first impression and prior to the lens of focus. He said he was striving for “instantaneity.” He also determined life was color and eliminated black from his pallet. Instead, he created shades with varying contrasting colors being influenced by surrounding other colors.
This blog is an attempt to eliminate the empty space and black from sentences. Like Monet, we believe words are influenced by surrounding words.
This blog, like my life may:
a) Ignore details
b) Exaggerate color
c) Remove the black
At times, it may not make perfect sense nor should it. I hope its left brain conceived, but with right brain language, impressionistic and dazzling.
We, as a society, try so hard to fit in that we have forgotten the power that lies in standing out.
All my best,
Greg
Greg Salsburg
The Big STIR
STIR-Communications
Miami | New York | London
c: (561) 386-8064
o: (305) 407-1723
e: Greg@STIR-Communications.com
Firstly let me say, THANK YOU ALL. Since starting this blog, we have grown twofold with those requesting to be placed on our email list. In addition, many of you have written comments to me directly. Those have been unexpected and nothing short of touching. When I decided to write this blog, the hardest part was to determine the subject matter I would tackle weekly. I was advised to stick to areas directly tied to my vocation in a linear, a “how to” approach or discuss business issues in general and then try to tie them in with our company, STIR-Communications, seamlessly showing you all the high level services we provide to drive business. Ultimately, neither felt true to my own personal brand. I didn’t what to use this to be a shill OR some expert blogger.
I have no truths, only opinions. I wanted to place perspectives on paper, insights into my personal life lenses. I hoped it would resonate, but I knew more often I would be judged, ignored, or ridiculed. I wanted to feel the pressures of deadlines, new ideas and introspection. I wanted to shed facades and I needed to break predictability.
We, as a society, try so hard to fit in that we have forgotten the power that lies in standing out.
Claude Monet was the Impressionist Movement. His blurry, bright, slightly inaccurate and short of complete detailed paintings broke all traditions prior. His idea was to capture an image on first impression and prior to the lens of focus. He said he was striving for “instantaneity.” He also determined life was color and eliminated black from his pallet. Instead, he created shades with varying contrasting colors being influenced by surrounding other colors.
This blog is an attempt to eliminate the empty space and black from sentences. Like Monet, we believe words are influenced by surrounding words.
This blog, like my life may:
a) Ignore details
b) Exaggerate color
c) Remove the black
At times, it may not make perfect sense nor should it. I hope its left brain conceived, but with right brain language, impressionistic and dazzling.
We, as a society, try so hard to fit in that we have forgotten the power that lies in standing out.
All my best,
Greg
Greg Salsburg
The Big STIR
STIR-Communications
Miami | New York | London
c: (561) 386-8064
o: (305) 407-1723
e: Greg@STIR-Communications.com
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