How do people climb trees? - Part 2

After reading my article a friend of mine told me something amazing

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Among native Americans there is a saying about "how to climb trees" (remember this is about all kinds of "trees" - social, economical, knowledge etc.):

You can climb the biggest trees* in two ways:
1) you choose one of the oldest trees (and the tallest) and try to conquer it ... is a difficult task ... but, in the end, you might succeed it.
2) you can choose to plant a seed, take care of the new plant and stick with her while growing in a tree. All this time they remain on top. The results are amazing - if you take really good care of the tree it can beat any of the already known tall trees, it's your own achievement and its easy to gain altitude - you grow in height together with the tree
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*Please note that "the biggest trees" were, for native Americans, sequoias
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With some extent we can try to describe a characteristic of the well known dual model "manager - leadership".

Managers try to achieve the best from the already existing, are attracted more about easy or short terms achievements. For short periods of time they might reach the top ...but they have a constantly endangered position, which, today, rarely can be defended for more than 3-5 years.

Leaders grow their own ideas, are attracted more towards a vision, which usually involves long term, sustained, inspired effort. It's easier for them to remain on top, because they are always on top on their own creation, and usually have a broader view ...being always on top ... they can see the hole picture ...at least for their business.

Now ask yourself ... you usually go for the results, or for the ideas? Do you prefer improving, or you prefer improvising? You want to reach the highest of what is ...or you stubbornly and passionately try to reach the highest of what might be?

We are all motivated by success and none of the two ways is wrong - is just a matter of choices and personality.

And remember: "Success is a measure of how high you bounce when you hit bottom" (George S. Patton)

Forgive and Forget

“Forgive and Forget”, we hear a lot lately of this phrase in the American movies, it may be right as it may be wrong.

I wanted to start this article with forgiving and forgetting as in my view this words are connected, From my experience I can state that a man in order to be efficient and organized has to forget. What? Yes, has to forget non-meaningful activities in order to concentrate on top-of-mind activities. Forgiving comes into this story as “forgive those who forget, don’t forgive those who don’t plan”.

Going further in this action takes as to the willing and determination that makes us to make a step. Take a minute and think what will make you try to take an adventure trip in the mountains in a team you don’t know anyone, although you’ve been presented with a presentation of the trip.

Did you think? Do you have a short list of at least three?

In order to help you I’ve stated my short list of three:
- do something interesting; having fun and learning;
- making new friends;
- have a life experience which I will probably like.

Now we have to move this experience in the business area. Let’s say that the adventure trip is the new workplace, with a new team, you already have a shallow idea of what you’ll do and what we’ll happen.

Now take the upper short list and see if fits the new challenge. It must, because the person who will take the new adventure is the same, and if you start optimistic you have a far better chance to succeed. Though our values at MindSmith we enjoy on taking any new challenge and we want to find with you what to forget and who to forgive in our lifespan. And for sure MindSmith means to help you take on an adventure you would have never taken.

Make this step.
Just do it.

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Mihai A. Pop

Fear

“If we love fear for the simple tool it offers of controlling people, we will be amazed by the power of people when they master their fears.”

Fear, a frightful word, even when thinking why we are pronouncing it, should make you shiver. Take a moment and think what “fear” was when you were a four year old.

Do not cheat. Take a moment to really find out who you are. That was the moment when you found out that a part of your life had rules. Sadly as it might appear fear is the first rule you take into consideration consciously. That’s the first limitation you can’t fully understand and, take my word, if you can’t understand it is even worst than a law.

The first step of seeing the problem is over, that’s the problem – fear, we dislike it, don’t understand it and probably is useful for those in the jungle now, not in social jungle, like we are. The second step is to realize the influence of fear over our lives, what fear brought and what would live when it disappears.

Fear has brought over the years limitations, limits to ourselves, explanations when explanations weren’t needed, step-backs when going ahead was meant, not taking responsibilities when it was in our power to do so, and lots of other mishaps. Also fear has covered our abilities to go further, doing extra efforts as we might fell short, and you know the say “You lose 100% of all the opportunities you don’t take”. Worst of all, fear has made us, average people, committed willfully to do nothing extraordinary as we might fell.

I will not emphasis the need to experience the world though failing in your activities, which is as precious as winning, and I will try to find solution to this problem.

MindSmith and the team of professionals who are standing behind the name are spending countless hours in trying to improve the life of various people. Improvement is to us the right way in life, and improving touches “fear” in many places. I can state, that humans do not need fear, we would do better without, but as we don’t get to choose in this area, the solution comes from a equilibrium, were fear doesn’t interfere in our daily life, but still being able to feel fear when jay walking.

At this moment you either decided to think we need fear, and you don’t have to change, or you chose to say I’d need less fear and I want to make the next step in doing so.

If you chose to change than this is what you should do. Ask yourself “How can I get rid of fear?” and you would have made the first significant step, wanting and accepting change is the first breaking of the natural rules of non-improvement.

Note this: The rule of non-improvement or of status conservation is to consider that you have reached the highest point of evolution and it more effective, as a cost to effort ratio, to try to remain at this level that to reach higher in the evolution.

That means that you want to reach further, you want to change and to adapt to the new environment. I want to add here that this self governing policy helps you, on the long run, to change the environment you are working in.

Steps we generally follow in overcoming fear:
• Realize that you are afraid
• Manage your fears
• Separate your logic fears from you subconscious fears
• Deal with your logic fears to become top 10% performing people
• Understand your subconscious fears
• Take a “chase your fear” couching program
• Outperform 99% of people by going faster, further with higher ethics and better quality
• Matching your inner person with your life targets

This material is written in order to serve you as a starting point from where to begin in overcoming fear.

You subdue fear or fear will subdue you. Don’t be afraid, make the first step.

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Mihai A. Pop

How do people climb trees?

First let me explain the question:
People = you, me …anyone
Climb = accession, achieving smth
Trees = can be just trees, or it can be knowledge, social status, friendship, a better job, a skill etc.

So, how do people climb trees?

I think that facing this problem / question we can work on 4 main scenarios:
1. I am not interested in climbing trees, I just go with the flow / I am interested in something else

2. They get a ladder and just climb it (to get a ladder = shortcut gave by chance or a 3rd party)

3. They study it for a long time (think about if it is good to climb that tree or should I go for another, am I able enough to climb trees, do I really want to climb it etc…), they try to study how others approach the climbing, eventually make a plan, gather resources and in the end very few implement the plan. At every one of these steps there are a lot that simply give up and head for another tree or they abandon climbing.

4. They a have a look at the tree how tall is it, how is it structure, focus the objective (where exactly they have to reach) gather any nearby resources and try to climb it …Mainly …they JUST DO IT. They not necessarily get it on the first try, but they usually reach the top well before the 3’s and learn a lot more than the 2‘s.

What is the main difference between 4’s and 3’s? 4’s focus on performance and on getting the things done … The 3’s focus more on how it should be done, what can get wrong and a lots of other things that eventually means to late or never. “An obstacle is something you see when you take your eyes off the goal”.

What is the main difference between 4’s and 2’s? 2’s usually fall out of the tree because they are not yet used with the height. 4’s remain on top of the tree and get an easier climbing for other trees.

And above all is the feeling … When you put all your energy, your ideas, your strength in one thing you head for a feeling that the “universe itself conspires in achieving your goal”.

So focus on your values, find out which are the trees (objectives) that you want to climb and DO IT. Don’t wait for tomorrow because today doesn’t waits for you.