The Little Book of Less=More (How
to change your life by doing less)
January Subjects
for Less=More: FUN, 85 Years Old, Visualisations, Affirmations, My
Possibility, Change Now! Have a Break, Roles in Life, My Updates, Organic
Growth, More, Self Promotion, More of the Less Bit, Organic Goals, Goals,
Vision and Action, Newspapers, TV, Sleep, Less, Introduction.
Feb Subjects for
Less=More: Attributional Thinking, Success Motivates, Motivation and Luck,
Mind Maps, Priorities, Word Strings, Conscious Competence, Morning Pages,
Unblocking The Artist (Creative Expression), Mix with Positive People, Winning
Formula – If you want something doing then do it yourself, Confidence,
Perspective, Work Patterns, People, Awareness, Synchronicity, Breaking
Promises!, Equal =, Play Big in Life and Shine Your Light, What’s the Worst
that can Happen?, Perception, Good Days and Bad Days.
March Subjects
for Less=More: Perfectionism, More Georgia, He’s Stupid Enough to be
Neutral, Move On, Anti-Role Models, Role Models, Sunshine and Vitamin D, Risk
and Failure, Twix, Doing Less Again!, Fitting it all In, Family, Paradox of
Leadership, Commit, Timetable, Neuro
Linguistic Programming (Six Step Reframing Outline),
FreeCell, Quality of Time, 2 Chairs, 3 Perspectives, Motivation Again!.
April Subjects
for Less=More:
May Subjects for
Less=More: Having a Child, Group Psychology, Peer Mentoring, More Chaos
Theory, Pain to Change, Repeated Patterns, Tension for Change, Don’t believe
the Hype, Looking Forward, Be Careful of What You Ask For, Nothing, Coaching,
Rhythm, Energy Level, Hitting the Low, and Dreams, Give it a Go, Change, Can
You Face What You’ve Become?, Just one good thing each day, Yet More of the
Less, Degrees of Separation, Give and
Take, Bad Hours, Be Honest with Yourself, Sleep, Chaos Theory, Dreams Coming
True Again, Draw a line now and Start Again, What is it You Really Want in
Life?, You are what you Eat, Roller Coaster, Commit and all else will follow.
June Subjects for
Less=More: Fate, Motivation
Quote, Call Reluctance and
Motivation, Kick Start, What Colour is Your Parachute?, Best Use of Time, Nothing to write about. Baby Grounding, Have a Dream, and Put in the hard
work and it pays off later, Possibility Again,
Open your mind, Easy
Networking, Luck, Joy, Money, Beating Oneself Up,
How to be an Artist, More Chaos Theory, Having
a Child, Group Psychology, Peer Mentoring, More
Chaos Theory, Pain to Change, Repeated Patterns, Tension
for Change, Don’t believe the Hype.
Sunday 30th 2002
It’s amazing that
fate creates a situation where Ronaldo of Brazil, after the heart break of 4
years ago in
He’s been injured
for nearly 4 years, and still he comes back to claim the World Cup.
The team nearly
didn’t qualify, and still they win the World Cup.
Fate, History,
Destiny.
I don’t know what
it is, but this whole thing about team sports reflects what’s possible.
Self belief from
history.
Watching Pele
congratulate all the players with such joy.
It seems to be
the destiny of
The rest
including
What does it take
to do it?
Fate and history.
Why does history
play such a big part in success in the present?
Bit stuck for
something to write about today so I put a search into the quote software I have
installed (45,000 quotes for all occasions) and this one caught me.
I have come to the
conclusion that my subjective account of my motivation is largely mythical on
almost all occasions. I don't know why I
do things.
- John Burdon Sanderson Haldane
(1892–1964) English geneticist
The reason is
caught me it because I was reading the book Earning
What You’re Worth – The Psychology of Sales Call Reluctance, and it too
says that many successful salespeople don’t have a masterplan or amazing
motivation, they just get on with it.
They don’t know why they get on with it, they just do.
Not much help to
those that don’t get on with it!
Just did my SPQ Gold, Sales Call
Reluctance test and I was struck by how high my Motivation is.
One of the themes
of the SPQ Gold and Fear Free Prospecting is, it doesn’t try to raise your
motivation level, but measures it and checks how much of it you are using to
achieving your goals. Any deflection
away from using all of your motivation to achieve all of your goals, is called
Call Reluctance.
The point I’m
getting to is that the test and workshop doesn’t try to raise you motivation
level.
Is there anything
that can raise your motivation level and keep it up for a sustained or permanent
time.
That’s why I’m
writing all this stuff and have such an interest in motivation, especially in
Sports Psychology where you can see it at work.
I don’t know if
it’s possible to grow people’s motivation.
Mine certainly seems to have grown over the last 10 years, if the 3 same
tests I’ve taken over that time are to be believed.
Why has this
happened?
I think nowadays
I’m more aligned with doing what I want to do.
I have more
knowledge and wisdom gathered up over those years.
I’m more content
and settled.
I’ve seen many if
not all of my dreams come true, so I know what’s possible.
I have a much
wider view of the world now.
But does all that
lead to greater motivation?
I must ask the guys who developed the test
when they’re over here in
Just having a
read of their book, they seem to think, Motivation is a physical thing. I’m sure it largely is, but I don’t care how
well Tim Henman physically trains and practises, when it comes down to it, he
chokes on his serve. That’s in his
mind. What is he telling himself
mentally that’s physically effecting him?
Can Tim Henman
change his mental dialogue and hence his serve?
Sometimes you
need to break that big task down into such small pieces that the first task to
get you going might be,
“Switch on
computer” or
“Open and name
spreadsheet”
It’s overcoming
all the reluctance and excuses and starting the big thing with a really really
small thing.
Hey, I should
know, I’ve started doing my tax return by naming the rows and column in my
spreadsheet, and then getting distracted for the rest of the day!!
Just bought the
book today.
Love the name and
I’ve heard it mentioned a few times.
Haven’t read it
yet but glances through it.
Looks good, and
is “The Best Selling Job Hunting Book in the World!”
Not that I’m
looking for a job in terms of being employed, but actually what I effectively
do is sell myself to deliver training on short-term contracts to employers.
I’m also using to
define what I really want from a job long term.
I love the
training I do, and I want to know what else to get into.
I’ll let you know
more about the book when I’ve read some more.
Damn, just
realised that the other book may be even more up my street, “What Colour is
Your Parachute? Workbook -How to Create a
Picture of Your Ideal Job or Next Career”
Also bought ”Dealing with People You Can’t Stand”
I loved the title
so much, I bought the book!!
Are you making
best use of time right now?
A Brian Tracey thing,
about asking yourself if what your doing today, right now, is best use of time.
Only you really
know that.
A good example I
heard today is whether you should fly to a place in say
Is using up a
whole day for a 1-2 hour presentation, best use of time? Probably not, unless the presentation will
definitely lead to something.
Or combine the
presentation with other work in
It is a problem
of doing business in
As somebody said
to her husband recently,
“You work 7 days
a week from
Good point about
time and priorities.
What’s important?
What do write
about when you have nothing to write about?
I’ve learnt from
doing The Artist’s Way, to just write and see what happens.
So this is what
I’m doing, this is what I’ve done in my morning pages.
Just write and
write and write and see what happens.
See if
inspiration hits me.
Not yet!
But I bet when I
read through the titles of each day, this will be one of the ones I come to.
Sometimes we hit
these blockages and either we need to take a rest or a break, and sometimes we
need to crack on through the barrier.
Persist. Tenacity.
So this morning,
I picked her up put her on my chest and rocked her to sleep for half an hour.
Nothing like a
baby on your chest asleep to help you ground yourself, relax, and have a think
about what’s really important in life.
I had a meeting
today, which paid off for the work I’ve put in over the last year.
Almost everything
I’ve wanted to happen around this area has come true.
I was going to
write about my possibility that I developed a few years ago.
Who I am is the
possibility of Integrity, Creativity, Inspiration, Love, Fun. This is who I am.
I see that
possibility in myself, in others, in the world.
It’s possible.
But I’ve already
written about this.
But tonight, “12
Angry Men” with Henry Fonda is on and I just watched the start.
Initially, 11
vote guilty and Henry Fonda votes not guilty, not because he thinks the kid is
innocent but he can see the possibility of innocent/not guilty.
And on that
possibility, one by one, the 11-1 vote reverses.
All things are
possible, like
The mind is like
a parachute,
It only works
when open!
Can’t think of
anything inspirational to write today except to remind myself and others to
keep networking.
Who do you
know? Who do you know who knows?
Don’t make it
onerous or difficult, go for easy soft networking with people you like and
know.
Some people and
teams are just destined to be lucky.
It’s the World
Cup so yet more analogies.
I can’t see the
difference in chances created from
Who cares?
Yes, Yes, Yes!
Role on
Actually, I think
mentally,
They’ve done it
with
I hope on the
advice of many (but certainly not a majority) that,
“Give money away. Do it now. The money will follow.”
actually works!
I must say that
in the past, when I’ve been generous, it returns in other ways.
Lord knows I’m
about to give enough money away.
Here’s hoping!
It’s sometimes
easy to beat oneself up and spot all the things one isn’t doing, instead of
appreciating the things one is doing.
At least I’m
writing this!
Having a real
nothing day.
Can’t seem to get
going, keep putting the big tasks off, and yet I’m finding this writing easy,
because I don’t have to get on with the other stuff whilst I write this.
Mind you, I’ve
said this before with Cycling and Windsurfing.
Pick two things
which run counter to each other and do the other when you don’t feel like doing
the current thing.
Windsurf when
it’s windy, and cycle when it’s calm.
Stop fretting
about windsurfing when there’s no wind!
So I guess
writing this whilst I wait for inspiration to do all my other stuff is one way
out of it.
Also, as I’ve
said in my Lazy Salesman
today, if I can do just one thing of value today, then today will have been
worth it.
Actually, I’ve
already done several small things today which I’ve been putting off.
Mind you, I’ve
only done them so I don’t have to do the bigger things I keep putting off.
But there is a
lesson there.
If you want to do
something you keep putting off, find something even bigger and more onerous to
do, and you’ll do the thing you keep putting off!
by the artist know as Sark
Just been reading
an article today on Aboriginal medicine and healing, and the holistic approach
it takes to include the mental and circumstantial as well as the physical.
One of the
examples the writer gives is a use of chaos theory, whereby everything is
connected to everything else.
For example, A
woman is diagnosed with cancer. This
causes her husband to suffer from depression, which in turn causes his business
to struggle. He has to lay people off
and make them redundant. One of the
redundant employees the suffers from eczema.
If this person goes to see a conventional doctor, would the doctor link
the eczema to the cancer of the employers wife?
No.
But it makes you
think about chains of consequence.
I was reading the
article because I had an appointment with a herbalist. He was late in his appointment because his
receptionist was off sick.
This meant that
my appointment started 25 minutes late, and I was late to meet my appointment
after.
So the illness of
the receptionist which may also have been set off by something, caused me to be
late for my appointment.
The more I’m
writing about this and thinking about it, the more I’m beginning to believe
that when we dream of what we want and write it down, we begin to set off lots
small butterfly flaps that cause things to happen so that our dream comes true.
Having a child
sure reminds me of the important things in life.
It doesn’t make
me work harder. On the contrary, it
reminds me to make time to be with family and friends.
To not be a slave
to work.
“Daddy, you
didn’t earn enough for me.”
She may say,
“Daddy you didn’t
spend enough time with me, or listen to me.”
Groups have a
psychology.
What I mean is
that DNA of a group seems to continue well after every member of the group has
been replaced.
What I mean is
sports teams, even countries seem to have a DNA carried generation after
generation.
What I mean is
Maybe this will
be the resurgence of English sport.
Maybe Sven-Goran Eriksson the
I look at the
resurgence of Aussie sports, and I reckon it started with the touring Rugby
League and
I think it’s important
to understand this group DNA and what goes on and how we as individuals
contribute to the way a group thinks.
Do we have
control over it?
Can we change it?
I think it’s very
difficult to change the DNA of a group.
In fact almost impossible.
I don’t know why
that is but it just seems so.
In football terms
one event can set history off for decades.
Only know has
Have a read of
his book Sven-Goran Eriksson on Football.
It gives keys to
more than just football.
If you can’t motivate yourself then try peer/buddy mentoring.
Peer up with someone and help each other.
Discuss, brainstorm, talk, ask, question, challenge.
Some of my best goal setting and personal planning and follow through has
come when I’ve taken half a day to a day with a colleague to help each other
plan our lives.
You have to find that special person that you can do it with, but when
you do, it’s amazing all the things that come out of that meeting.
I can still remember things I discussed from such a meeting 3 years ago,
and even from 8 years ago.
And some of those big things are coming true.
Napoleon Hill in his book “Think and Grow Rich” suggests mentor groups.
Groups of people who can help each other develop.
Or having a mentor group just to help you develop.
I think I’m on to something with this idea of getting more butterfly wings to flap in order to create more storms on the other side of the world.
Or the Gary Player quote, “The more I practise the luckier I get.”
Once you have dream and then a goal, I’m guessing that you start to set
the butterflies flapping to attain what you want.
That seems to be happening for me recently.
Every time I decide exactly what it is I want, short or long term, I seem
to create situations and coincidences to enable the dream to happen.
I wanted to work in
I wanted to work in
I didn’t mean it in quite the way it’s worked out, so be careful of what
you ask for, but
Let’s just hope the Big Home by the sea, more kids with Annie, and loads
of money also come true soon.
And of course good health and time to spend the money!
Is it, that there needs to be enough pain to change?
Will you only change if there’s enough motivation to change?
And does that motivation have to come from pain?
Where do people get their motivation to change things?
What prompts them to suddenly do things and keep doing things?
What stops them standing still?
What happens when they lose momentum?
Why do they keep going?
What if the status quo gets comfortable again, will you continue to
change things?
Answers please.
Do you repeat the same pattern of behaviour again and again?
Do you find yourself in the same situation time and time again?
Are you attracted to the same type of person time and time again, with
the same disastrous outcome?
Me? I’ve sorted myself out!! Almost.
I missed the
I’m missing the
Damn. Repeated pattern of
behaviour.
Will I ever learn?!!
There has to be a tension for change, a reason to change.
Otherwise, you won’t change. Will
you?
You either have to be dissatisfied with your situation and have the
motivation to change it,
Or create a tension for change.
Seek out change and somehow stick with it.
It’s always struck me that even with terrible toothache, some people
won’t go to the dentist.
Objectively they know the pain of the dentist is less than the pain of
the toothache, but subjectively they still fear the dentist more.
So objectivity doesn’t come into it always.
Or common sense.
So what Tension for Change are you going to create?
And how will you stick with it and remain motivated to change?
We see people in one light, and then if we fall out with them we see them
in a different light.
They go from Good to Evil in one event.
I guess largely they don’t change just our perception of them.
Equally do we sometimes believe too much the good things said about us,
and make too much of the bad things said about us?
Similarly it's somewhere in between.
We’re often not as good as we think we are, nor as bad.