Learn to control money but do not allow it to control you

Firewalker

Yep, having finished something is a great feeling. Today, I have been working on something entirely different with a Swedish colleague (a different one). This one is very important and success will mean rather a lot. Please, please wishings in support! I am busily visioning.

I have been so busy with all that that I did not publish a post last Friday; slippery slope this...But last night we had great time seeing friends.

Now I shall sleep and tomorrow is another day!

FW

gilligansyle

Hope you've finally managed to get some sleep, and are finally relaxing a bit.

Well done on finishing

savingwannabe

Gilliganstyle we all know Firewalker, she isn't though is she? Firewalker you must rest a bit or you will become exhausted.

I am ironing in the garden! (to make it more glamorous:rotfl::rotfl:).

Have a good day, Firewalker i am sure your project will go well. Good luck.

Firewalker

What a month I’ve had! I probably worked 10-12 hour days for 16 days without a break and at least half of this time I was not at home. Now, most critical projects are ‘put to bed’ and I’ll be waiting to hear. Of course, there is more to be done but after the ‘interval training with no recovery’ working I have just done, I am really determined to apply my running technique to life and particularly to working life. I may have mentioned before but long distance running (marathons and ultra-marathons) follows these rules:
1) It is a head game; you don’t have to cover the whole distance in training – this is likely to make you tired and injure you.
2) It is about pacing – getting to the finish line means that running should be easy till mile 21 at least; after that it is hard but there is still more energy left.
3) What gets you through the last mile is knowing exactly where you are and where the finish line is. So, always walk the last mile the day before the race and soak the markers.
How do these translate for life and work, you may think? This is how:
1) Plans are OK but there will always be uncertainty, change and gaffs. Accept it and instead of wasting time preparing just keep on the ball and ready to act when and if necessary.
2) Pacing is essential in life and work – doing a bit everyday and then leaving time for other things is more creative and produces higher level output. Plan backwards, set a realistic timeframe and pace activities along it.
3) Keep the desired outcome in mind – this raises motivation and avoids confusion (you won’t end up with something other than what you set out to get or achieve).
Now, that I have sorted this one for myself I better start acting on it – both running and working. I am a long distance runner and a long term work achiever. And whilst I am at it, can I say that next time someone tells you (or you tell someone) that you ‘underperform’ you should remind them that performance is an organisational characteristic – you achieve if the performance conditions are in place.
Right! Now I’ll read a book or something....
Firewalker

savingwannabe

Firewalker - no, no more reading or studying. Run a hot bath and play happy music. Please rest. hugs, sw.

Firewalker

When I am going to learn, I wonder! But then again, some things have to be experienced to be able to realise their full power and the truth they contain. What is this about? - you may think – ‘Has she gone off again?’
No, something really amazing just happened. You know that most books on taking risk, having ideas or even about the way in which learning works tell us that the way it happens is through a long initial process of preparation when nothing seemingly happens; and then BANG – you have this idea that you have been waiting for and that makes your tummy flutter with excitement. The one where you can’t wait to start on it!
This morning, OH and I were having a coffee break and chatting and the BANG happened. I know where I can take the blog and I know what its core is; I know where I want to be in one year, five years and ten years; and I have a pretty good idea of how to get there. No more worries about direction, niche and the rest – all that came together in a flash solved by a an idea that is great and simple. The kind of idea that gives focus and excitement!
What have I learned? Just keep going and keep focused! People fail mainly because they give up too early (before they are absolutely certain that this is the wrong track) – they never get to this wonderful point of enlightenment. Develop the patience needed to get through the boring time when nothing happens without losing the imagination needed for things to happen and ideas to start bouncing around.
Great, I say! I am on my way and may the Universe be with me!
Firewalker

Lara44

That's great FW!! I am very excited to see how it will develop. I can look back at my life and see so many things that if I had just stuck at I would have been good at by now. (Am determined not to fall into the same trap this time around).

On your previous post, I think I am pacing myself for the first time. I have been working back from the end, and making a realistic timetable. And I plan to stick to it. Some new working practices are in place as of last month. I am no longer afraid to go through the 'writing rubbish' phase and am trying to stick my neck out and make some arguments. I have decided that it doesn't matter now if these are decent or not - first they have to be crafted and then reflected upon. I remember your earlier post about the dreamer and the accountant (was there another character?) I have been bringing the accountant in too early. Anyway, on Friday we will see what my supervisors think about the first chapter draft. I am nervous, but I guess all that means is that it is important. It is very encouraging to read your diary. You have been particularly 'on fire' lately!! The end I am looking forward to most is holding a bound copy of my phd - can't wait to see the title in gold letters down the spine.

Firewalker

Hi Lara, yep, I was thinking of wiritng something about the Disney approach to creativity for the blog. It is the dreamer, than the critic and after that the accountant. But the important thing is to keep them separate - and not to let the critic in whilst the dreamer is at work.

Good luck with moving forward - PhDs are very hard; we see them as so personal that separating the quality of your work and the core of your being seems to be impossible (in social sciences and humanities at least). This is the impirtant thing to remember - it is just a degree; it doesn't have to define who you are.

FW

Firewalker

Today I had a wonderful day, resting a bit (or shall I say not rushing about a bit), thinking, reflecting and planning backwards. Yep, Memorygirl, if you are reading I have a mind-map with branches for ‘in five years’, in ‘one year’, in ‘three months’, ‘this month’, ‘this week’ and ‘next week’. Feeling very proud of myself!
Yes, some of the entries for in five years time look ambitious but: a) I would rather think big and underachieve than think small and underachieve (one underachieves anyway); and 2) once I chunked some of them down they did not look that impossible. More importantly, there is a connecting line between the situation(s) in five years time and what I am going to be doing tomorrow. Claudiac, are you ready to move towards World Domination?
On a more mundane note I completed two practical things. First, sorry to say that most of our ‘emergency fund’ really had to go into our current account – I thought we could recover from my middle age expenditure without this but no, I have succumbed. But now that I can see and my leg is (well I have to say it) looking like Julia Robert’s I can do a lot to recover the emergency pot and some.
And two, I swept the leafs – this was getting on my nerves and of course living with so many men means that they don’t even notice; though they all tread on them. Sometimes delegation is simply not worth it and I got some exercise.
This reminds me that I have to walk more and that very soon I’ll be running again.
Sleep well, my friends.
Firewalker

claudiac_2

Yay to Julia Robert legs! Just remember to take it easy on that leg, you need to walk before you start running (marathons).
You really are on fire tonight FW!! When are you going to let us all in on HOW to achieve World Domination? It may sound a bit strange, but I can almost feel your energy, and it feels good. I just hope we can all live up to it.