Some people might have a lot of requests, they could insist, they could be complaining, and talk a lot.
Yet, I don’t consider that „energy vampires” actually exist.
I think that each of us has some weak points in our communication styles.
I also think that we should try to be receptive to constructive feedback.
Yet, at the end of the day, an annoying person could have good results, while a people-pleaser might not be a productive person.
Some buyers from Romania do not trust the order process of a regular online store, so some stores add a field „order comments”. (via »)
In general, this should not happen, you should not need to mention things to the seller.
You do not elect by democratic vote: your friends, your wife, Pythagoras’ theorem, your country of birth, your career.
So, you don’t choose based on the vote – rational or emotional.
It’s your choice, and you go with it.
Similarly, you do not vote for deciding a website template for a website.
You find someone with an eye for aesthetics, and you let that person decide.
If you allow for voting, you get a risk – you might end up with a good result or not.
On the other hand, if you choose automatically, based on your intuition, you almost get a certitude – you’ll likely end up with something good.
There’s a story about a Colibri that keeps trying to put out a fire, even if it has little resources (Pasarea Colibri | arta si natura).
In my opinion, you should try a lot and do good.
It’s like voting.
Stubbornly, do good, even if you don’t see results.
Do your part.
Recycle, even if your neighbors don’t do so.
Fight for the truth, keep pushing, insist, be a better you than you were yesterday.
Seinfeld once shared the story of his calendar and the chain of red X’s with a young comic. His main advice:
Don’t break the chain!
Do something related to your craft every day, no matter how small the action is.
Jerry Seinfeld’s Productivity Hack: Don’t Break the Chain! | by Bob Baker | Medium
One day, said the legend, there was a huge forest fire. All the terrified, aghast animals watched the disaster helplessly. Only the little hummingbird was activated, fetching a few drops with its beak to throw them on the fire. After a moment, the armadillo, annoyed by this derisory agitation, said to him: “Hummingbird! Aren’t you crazy? It is not with these drops of water that you will extinguish the fire! ”
And the hummingbird replied, “I know it, but I’m doing my part”.
(via »)
I used to think – „Hmm, people who play blind chess (without looking at the pieces) are some great chess players!”.
In time, I discovered that, while for certain a player playing blind chess knows some things, the ability to play blind is a consequence of a high-level play, not a target.
So, first, you’ll need to learn how to play at a high level, and then you’ll be able to play blind chess.
If you put it as a target – „I must play blind”, you might learn, but with little success.
In a video I am not able to find at the moment (it might be this one – Despre bătrînețe: întrebări, neliniști, bucurii – YouTube), perhaps between Andrei Pleșu and Gabriel Liiceanu, one of them (I think) spoke about a quote: „After a certain age, you’re responsible for the way you look”.
I find it surprisingly true. What a person does for a job and has a habit of thinking about influences their looks.
After the age of 30, you should control your emotions and body (how you look). You are also responsible for your internal states, you can no longer blame your parents, and how you look on the outside.
The growth is constant from year to year, which is surprising. You know a man at 20, at 30 he’s a middle manager, at 40 he has a big position. You’ve known him since he took office, now he’s managing others.
Sometimes, I think of this:
Are you willing to lie, in order to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
I think that the truth needs some lying.
You can’t be the mirror in Snow White, that constantly tells people they’re ugly.
You need to refrain from telling some truths.
Some truths need to be kept hidden.
Being honest doesn’t give you the right to be rude.
I think I heard two times in my life this saying: „We’re not an NGO, we need profit!”.
I didn’t like it at all.
Of course, you’re not an NGO, but this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t focus on the good thing.
Of course, you won’t dedicate your life to others, but you’re not an opposite of an NGO, you just have some different aims.
Any institution requires values and a purpose.
Every person has a set of motifs.
There’s a clip in Romanian (🔴 Despre Prezent – Horia-Roman Patapievici în dialog cu Nadine Vlădescu – YouTube):
If you pay attention to what you do, you grow more. You tend to do self-development easier if you are able to focus.
I feel like if I let my mind fly, I’m fine.
But if I focus on the present moment, on food, on washing dishes as Horia-Roman Patapievici says, more ideas come to me.