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Showing posts with label Goals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Goals. Show all posts
8.02.2012
7.18.2012
Time Enough for My Friends
In a recent couple of blog posts, Diana Hsieh at Philosophy in Action and I have articulated different takes on a "Central Purpose in Life".
But it got me to thinking about how my values interact on a daily basis. Let me give you a quick run down of my day:
So what was the point of this narrative? Throughout my day, my central purpose guided my actions while working. I took time for other important values in my life, my wife, my kids, my friends. Although I spent the majority of my time working on my central purpose, there was time enough for my friends, my family, my hobbies, and my health.
The way I see it, a central productive purpose does not preclude other values. Rather, a central productive purpose makes the other values possible. It is the work you do, the specific value you are creating and focusing your energies on, that makes all the other values possible to both afford and enjoy. Certainly, my family is a huge value to me. But I agree with Rand that it is not my top value.
But that being said, Diana has a point about some major values that don't integrate. My family and my career do not. When I'm doing one, I'm not doing the other. My wife and my kids cannot help me with my research or my teaching. And my research and teaching do not help me enjoy my family. If I decide to return to my hobby of woodworking, that again will have little or no relationship to my CPL. But as I have discussed before, my hierarchy of values puts my career first, specifically my passion to help others to make better decisions using information technologies.
I also consider that sometimes life requires several jobs just to make ends meet. Often times these jobs have no relationship to one another other than you can make money doing them. You may even have a passion you desperately want to pursue, but cannot make enough money doing so. There is no shame in not having a CPL or being unable to pursue one should you have it. But if you can integrate your life around a more centralized theme, the potential for success greatly expands.
But it got me to thinking about how my values interact on a daily basis. Let me give you a quick run down of my day:
This morning I woke up at 7 AM. I let the dog out, made coffee, ate breakfast, fed the kids, took a shower, and then jumped on the computer to start working. A little after 8 AM, my wife ran to the gym, leaving me in charge of the kids (since it's summer and all). I kissed her goodbye and went back to my computer until my kids started yelling for me. With my full attention, I helped my kids with their life threatening dilemma (something about asking the neighbor kids to play which I empathized with before telling them to wait for their mom). Then, I went back to my work. When Brenda got back from the gym, I headed to the office. Around 3 PM, I got a personal message from a good friend about a medical problem he was having. I dropped everything I was working on and responded to his message. Relieved to find out that he was okay, I finished my work, went to the gym myself, then headed home. I ate dinner with the family, played a game of Crazy 8s with my kids, chugged some trains around, then sent the kids to bed. My youngest, who skipped his nap today, needed extra help calming himself sufficiently to fall asleep. By 9, I was free, so I jumped back on the computer to do some more work.
So what was the point of this narrative? Throughout my day, my central purpose guided my actions while working. I took time for other important values in my life, my wife, my kids, my friends. Although I spent the majority of my time working on my central purpose, there was time enough for my friends, my family, my hobbies, and my health.
The way I see it, a central productive purpose does not preclude other values. Rather, a central productive purpose makes the other values possible. It is the work you do, the specific value you are creating and focusing your energies on, that makes all the other values possible to both afford and enjoy. Certainly, my family is a huge value to me. But I agree with Rand that it is not my top value.
But that being said, Diana has a point about some major values that don't integrate. My family and my career do not. When I'm doing one, I'm not doing the other. My wife and my kids cannot help me with my research or my teaching. And my research and teaching do not help me enjoy my family. If I decide to return to my hobby of woodworking, that again will have little or no relationship to my CPL. But as I have discussed before, my hierarchy of values puts my career first, specifically my passion to help others to make better decisions using information technologies.
I also consider that sometimes life requires several jobs just to make ends meet. Often times these jobs have no relationship to one another other than you can make money doing them. You may even have a passion you desperately want to pursue, but cannot make enough money doing so. There is no shame in not having a CPL or being unable to pursue one should you have it. But if you can integrate your life around a more centralized theme, the potential for success greatly expands.
7.09.2012
Central Purpose in Life - Another Look
In a recent podcast at Philosophy in Action, Diana Hsieh questions the role of a central purpose in life (CPL) as articulated by various Objectivists (listen to the Parenting as Central Purpose question). From her podcast, I only have a partial idea what she find troubling about the concept. But I hope that by revisiting the idea, I can shed some light on what it is and why its useful. To the best of my knowledge, Burgess Laughlin was the first Objectivist to write an in-depth article about CPL, while a variety of others including myself have added to it.
In Diana's critique, she finds one quote by Ayn Rand that pertains to this subject:
The latter quote does suggest an integrating function to productive work is ideal. She says "A central purpose..." suggesting that their is a singular purpose that integrates everything else. This focused purpose to the type of work you do helps create a hierarchy of values and enables you to enjoy life more fully.
I have written about my search for an integrating purpose to my life and the enjoyment I have received from the resulting career. It has helped me to resolve inner conflicts and define my hierarchy of values. For me, defining a CPL is not a moral issue, but a useful tool for actualizing my full potential. I can and do have many interests. I could potentially pursue a wide variety of projects and enjoy them all. But when I focus on an integrating idea, when I search for a value-dense purpose, I find greater enjoyment in life in general.
Are you immoral without a CPL? No, but you're missing out. I see a well defined CPL as a tool for achieving a satisfying and enriching career. It is a tool that helps identify our hierarchy of values. You shouldn't beat yourself up if you don't have one, but spending some time reflecting on your passions and your purpose can help you to achieve more.
Is a CPL obvious? For some it is, for many it is not. I took me until I was 27 until I discovered my CPL implicitly and until 33 before I could explicitly write it down. It involved identifying and integrating all of the things that had happened in my life and all the jobs I had loved and hated, until I finally saw how they all related. And it was hard work! But I know of other people who knew from an early age what they wanted to do (like Ayn Rand). For them it was obvious.
Can multiple major purposes exist? Absolutely. I know of people that have multiple interests and live happy lives. Is it the best way to live? I liken it to a business that has multiple lines of business. The greater the similarities between those lines of business, the greater the synergies that will emerge, which can lead to greater success. The business owners may indulge in multiple lines of business that have no relationship to one another and enjoy each thoroughly. They can even create a positive cash-flow in each line of business. But how easy would it be to run such a business? If a hierarchy of values is not established, which line of business would get what resources? Which would get the most attention, money, time, or effort? With a hierarchy of values, something must be at the top. That top value is your central purpose. The more projects and activities that support that highest value, the less conflict and confusion you'll have. That's not to say you can't enjoy hobbies, your family, your friends, or your own body. But what is central? What is most important? There is a bunch I can say about how other values fit in with the CPL, but I'll save that for another post.
Could you be happy without defining a CPL? Yes. But the better you can find an integrating purpose, the less inner conflicts you will experience and the better equipped you will be for directing your life. Again, it's about degrees of enjoyment and does not preclude other values that you can enjoy as well.
Can a CPL change? Yes, but if it changes often or deeply then it probably was not well defined. I remember when I was much younger, interviewing for a job in web development. The interviewer asked how my previous employment in tutoring and teaching related to web development. She wanted to be sure that web development wasn't some passing whim. That I had some integrating purpose to my life. I immediately saw the connection, in both cases, I wanted to facilitate the transfer of knowledge. In one case through face-to-face classroom instruction and in the other case through electronic medium. The connection between the two jobs was not vast to me, because I was already starting to identify and integrate my passions. The interviewer was very impressed with my answer and eventually offered me the job.
Can parenting be a CPL? As a nanny, yes. As a stay at home parent who homeschool, maybe, if it is something that consumes the parent's productive efforts. And even then, the purpose shifts from parenting to education. Otherwise, no. A mom who takes a 5 year break from her career to raise her kids, while doing something extremely commendable, is not pursing a central purpose, but rather taking a break from it. Raising children can become the highest value temporarily, until they are old enough to care for themselves. But from what I've seen, moms (not the homeschooling variety) tend to be far happier if they can return to working on their CPL after that break. Any women out there want to correct me on this observation???
Given my understanding of CPL and its value to our lives, I would recommend people attempt to define and live by one. To me, this is your highest value and the most important concern. If this value is not carefully defined, it is easy to slip into careers you either don't enjoy or feel indifferent about. And that, to me is a travesty.
In Diana's critique, she finds one quote by Ayn Rand that pertains to this subject:
"Productive work is the central purpose of a rational man’s life, the central value that integrates and determines the hierarchy of all his other values. Reason is the source, the precondition of his productive work—pride is the result."She then notes that this definition of central purpose should simply be productive work, that an integrating theme to productive work is not necessary, just that productive work in and of itself should be central. She doesn't see an integrating theme or a singular passion as necessary for happiness. While I agree with much of what she says, there is second quote on central purpose that drives my understanding of the idea, which seems to differ from her take. The quote comes from her Playboy interview:
"A central purpose serves to integrate all the other concerns of a man’s life. It establishes the hierarchy, the relative importance, of his values, it saves him from pointless inner conflicts, it permits him to enjoy life on a wide scale and to carry that enjoyment into any area open to his mind; whereas a man without a purpose is lost in chaos. He does not know what his values are. He does not know how to judge. He cannot tell what is or is not important to him, and, therefore, he drifts helplessly at the mercy of any chance stimulus or any whim of the moment. He can enjoy nothing. He spends his life searching for some value which he will never find . . . ." [emphasis mine]
The latter quote does suggest an integrating function to productive work is ideal. She says "A central purpose..." suggesting that their is a singular purpose that integrates everything else. This focused purpose to the type of work you do helps create a hierarchy of values and enables you to enjoy life more fully.
I have written about my search for an integrating purpose to my life and the enjoyment I have received from the resulting career. It has helped me to resolve inner conflicts and define my hierarchy of values. For me, defining a CPL is not a moral issue, but a useful tool for actualizing my full potential. I can and do have many interests. I could potentially pursue a wide variety of projects and enjoy them all. But when I focus on an integrating idea, when I search for a value-dense purpose, I find greater enjoyment in life in general.
Are you immoral without a CPL? No, but you're missing out. I see a well defined CPL as a tool for achieving a satisfying and enriching career. It is a tool that helps identify our hierarchy of values. You shouldn't beat yourself up if you don't have one, but spending some time reflecting on your passions and your purpose can help you to achieve more.
Is a CPL obvious? For some it is, for many it is not. I took me until I was 27 until I discovered my CPL implicitly and until 33 before I could explicitly write it down. It involved identifying and integrating all of the things that had happened in my life and all the jobs I had loved and hated, until I finally saw how they all related. And it was hard work! But I know of other people who knew from an early age what they wanted to do (like Ayn Rand). For them it was obvious.
Can multiple major purposes exist? Absolutely. I know of people that have multiple interests and live happy lives. Is it the best way to live? I liken it to a business that has multiple lines of business. The greater the similarities between those lines of business, the greater the synergies that will emerge, which can lead to greater success. The business owners may indulge in multiple lines of business that have no relationship to one another and enjoy each thoroughly. They can even create a positive cash-flow in each line of business. But how easy would it be to run such a business? If a hierarchy of values is not established, which line of business would get what resources? Which would get the most attention, money, time, or effort? With a hierarchy of values, something must be at the top. That top value is your central purpose. The more projects and activities that support that highest value, the less conflict and confusion you'll have. That's not to say you can't enjoy hobbies, your family, your friends, or your own body. But what is central? What is most important? There is a bunch I can say about how other values fit in with the CPL, but I'll save that for another post.
Could you be happy without defining a CPL? Yes. But the better you can find an integrating purpose, the less inner conflicts you will experience and the better equipped you will be for directing your life. Again, it's about degrees of enjoyment and does not preclude other values that you can enjoy as well.
Can a CPL change? Yes, but if it changes often or deeply then it probably was not well defined. I remember when I was much younger, interviewing for a job in web development. The interviewer asked how my previous employment in tutoring and teaching related to web development. She wanted to be sure that web development wasn't some passing whim. That I had some integrating purpose to my life. I immediately saw the connection, in both cases, I wanted to facilitate the transfer of knowledge. In one case through face-to-face classroom instruction and in the other case through electronic medium. The connection between the two jobs was not vast to me, because I was already starting to identify and integrate my passions. The interviewer was very impressed with my answer and eventually offered me the job.
Can parenting be a CPL? As a nanny, yes. As a stay at home parent who homeschool, maybe, if it is something that consumes the parent's productive efforts. And even then, the purpose shifts from parenting to education. Otherwise, no. A mom who takes a 5 year break from her career to raise her kids, while doing something extremely commendable, is not pursing a central purpose, but rather taking a break from it. Raising children can become the highest value temporarily, until they are old enough to care for themselves. But from what I've seen, moms (not the homeschooling variety) tend to be far happier if they can return to working on their CPL after that break. Any women out there want to correct me on this observation???
Given my understanding of CPL and its value to our lives, I would recommend people attempt to define and live by one. To me, this is your highest value and the most important concern. If this value is not carefully defined, it is easy to slip into careers you either don't enjoy or feel indifferent about. And that, to me is a travesty.
6.26.2012
Starting a Project with Zero Resources
I have been given hints to this the last few months, but I'm finally moving forward with a new blog and book project on goal setting and productivity. It seemed like I had a set of impossible requirements for this project and that's why it was floundering for so long. I have no money to put into it and no time to devote to it. Yet, I want a highly successful, highly ranked blog and a blockbuster book. Impossible? It may seem that way, but I found a way.
So, how did I find the time to write? I didn't. I hired a writer.
But didn't I just say I had no money? How can I afford a writer? I can't. He's agreed to work on commission.
Luckily, the guy I'm hiring has such confidence in my ability to monetize his writing, that he's willing to work without getting paid up front. Boy do I have my work cut-out for me to realize his expectations. But he's also going to skin me alive if the money does come in, so he judged it worth risking his time early for the payoff later. What's best, we both win. We both get richer by this arrangement, and both realize our goals.
Yes, I need to put time into organizing the management of the project and marketing of the blog and book. But depending how quickly we can start making money, I might be able to outsource some of that as well. But with my new house settled, my new job going well, and my family happy and healthy, it was time to get this project under way.
So, how did I find the time to write? I didn't. I hired a writer.
But didn't I just say I had no money? How can I afford a writer? I can't. He's agreed to work on commission.
Luckily, the guy I'm hiring has such confidence in my ability to monetize his writing, that he's willing to work without getting paid up front. Boy do I have my work cut-out for me to realize his expectations. But he's also going to skin me alive if the money does come in, so he judged it worth risking his time early for the payoff later. What's best, we both win. We both get richer by this arrangement, and both realize our goals.
Yes, I need to put time into organizing the management of the project and marketing of the blog and book. But depending how quickly we can start making money, I might be able to outsource some of that as well. But with my new house settled, my new job going well, and my family happy and healthy, it was time to get this project under way.
5.24.2012
3 Keys to Picking a Career
All things being equal most of us want more money. All things being equal most of us want a career that brings immense personal satisfaction. What if those two things do not align? What if the career that you would love to pursue makes it extremely difficult to make money. Some common examples come to mind - teachers, artists, philosophers, and musicians. They all can be fulfilling careers, if only they would pay more. That's not to say that some of those jobs don't pay a lot in some instances, but for the majority of people who attempt them, the pay is miniscule. What can be done about that? What if you're one of the 50% of Americans that hate their jobs?
Read the rest of this post on Reason for Success.
Read the rest of this post on Reason for Success.
5.05.2012
5 year goals update
Time to revisit my 5 year goals. Lately, there have been two major interconnecting questions consuming my plans for the future - 1) How should I focus my career? and 2) How to establish my financial security?
As I have mentioned several times before, I have been contemplating how to focus my career for the past year. I have now come to a clear direction - developing myself into web technology guru helping others make good decisions with web technologies. I'm not interested in being a specialist, like Facebook app guy or a eBay store expert. Instead, I want to be knowledgeable enough across the e-commerce domain to be an effective consultant, researcher, and educator in utilizing web technologies strategically to improve business processes. This is significantly different than my research agenda just 2 years ago, which included significant research in ethics. While I'm still interested in ethics and will still does some research in that area, the switch to e-commerce aligns my research with my teaching and with my financial goals.
In the financial realm, I want to develop a system for wealth generation that is more recession proof and less dependent on stock fluctuations. I am still worried about the economic condition of our country and where we might be 20-30 years from now. There is also a large unknown as to how the university system might change in the coming years. To address those concerns, I need to develop a system for wealth generation that can both build wealth rapidly and withstand economic upheaval, should it occur.
SMART 5 year goals:
The trick will be to devote enough time in my evenings and weekends to get the web businesses up and running. To get there, I plan on using what I learn from 100grandbrand.com, internetbusinessmastery.com, smartpassiveincome.com, and whatever other resources I discover along the way. In the process, I'll be developing knowledge to help with my classroom instruction and research. The training modules are part of my e-commerce class I teach at ECU, so the time spent on those classes are part of my normal job responsibilities. If they are successful, I might push myself to develop more modules above and beyond what's necessary for class. Those modules could then be encapsulated into package deals to sell for aspiring small business owners and/or web developers. In the real estate investments, I currently own a house in Michigan that I'm renting. I also have experience with owning a duplex. I plan to capitalize on that knowledge and expand my investments. If I spend time setting things up right and only investing in high ROI items, I should be able to make descent returns with minimal effort.
And then there are my nice to get to goals, but not high priorities:
As I have mentioned several times before, I have been contemplating how to focus my career for the past year. I have now come to a clear direction - developing myself into web technology guru helping others make good decisions with web technologies. I'm not interested in being a specialist, like Facebook app guy or a eBay store expert. Instead, I want to be knowledgeable enough across the e-commerce domain to be an effective consultant, researcher, and educator in utilizing web technologies strategically to improve business processes. This is significantly different than my research agenda just 2 years ago, which included significant research in ethics. While I'm still interested in ethics and will still does some research in that area, the switch to e-commerce aligns my research with my teaching and with my financial goals.
In the financial realm, I want to develop a system for wealth generation that is more recession proof and less dependent on stock fluctuations. I am still worried about the economic condition of our country and where we might be 20-30 years from now. There is also a large unknown as to how the university system might change in the coming years. To address those concerns, I need to develop a system for wealth generation that can both build wealth rapidly and withstand economic upheaval, should it occur.
SMART 5 year goals:
- Research and publish at least 10 articles in e-commerce. 2 were done this year, so only 8 more to go.
- Get promoted to Associate Professor. The research above will help with the above goal. It will also help establish myself as an expert for my later initiatives, listed below.
- Establish and promote several web based businesses generating at least $20k a year passive income.
- Develop and market high quality training modules in e-commerce for my classes and to publish on YouTube. I start my first round of recordings this summer.
- Establish and promote a consulting/education business using the above training modules for marketing and earning at least $36k a year.
- Establish a real estate investment business to invest earnings from other businesses.
- Double household income - from the above initiatives and my wife returning to work.
- Support and encourage my family with their goals.
The trick will be to devote enough time in my evenings and weekends to get the web businesses up and running. To get there, I plan on using what I learn from 100grandbrand.com, internetbusinessmastery.com, smartpassiveincome.com, and whatever other resources I discover along the way. In the process, I'll be developing knowledge to help with my classroom instruction and research. The training modules are part of my e-commerce class I teach at ECU, so the time spent on those classes are part of my normal job responsibilities. If they are successful, I might push myself to develop more modules above and beyond what's necessary for class. Those modules could then be encapsulated into package deals to sell for aspiring small business owners and/or web developers. In the real estate investments, I currently own a house in Michigan that I'm renting. I also have experience with owning a duplex. I plan to capitalize on that knowledge and expand my investments. If I spend time setting things up right and only investing in high ROI items, I should be able to make descent returns with minimal effort.
And then there are my nice to get to goals, but not high priorities:
- Write a book on productivity and goals
- Write a autobiography on one of my major life decisions (Not saying what it is yet :)
- Write a textbook or two
- Publish an article in a top journal in my field
I have an endless supply of ideas and not nearly enough time to do them. It's a great feeling.
4.27.2012
3 down - 2 to go
In this my 300th post, I'm going to do a little happy dance. I just received news that a 3rd article of mine this year was accepted for publication. Only two more to go to reach my 2012 goal. With two additional articles already under review, two articles over 75% complete, and several new projects in the works, I feel like a research rock star.
What's even better, I am getting to the point where I can read my own research and objectively evaluate its quality. It's a great feeling to be able to critically evaluate it, identify problem areas, and know how to fix those problem areas. Pretty soon, I might actually be good at writing.
This summer my time will be split between up to 3 research projects. That's not counting any time I may throw at a revise and resubmit should one arise. Today, I'm working on Evaluating Information Systems Ethically: A Case for Objectivism." My goal is to finish and submit this article by the end of May. My social media project is also a top priority for me. Although, we're in a holding pattern waiting to hear back from a potential sponsor. Depending on how these two projects go, I have a third project in ethical decision making I can work on as well.
What's even better, I am getting to the point where I can read my own research and objectively evaluate its quality. It's a great feeling to be able to critically evaluate it, identify problem areas, and know how to fix those problem areas. Pretty soon, I might actually be good at writing.
This summer my time will be split between up to 3 research projects. That's not counting any time I may throw at a revise and resubmit should one arise. Today, I'm working on Evaluating Information Systems Ethically: A Case for Objectivism." My goal is to finish and submit this article by the end of May. My social media project is also a top priority for me. Although, we're in a holding pattern waiting to hear back from a potential sponsor. Depending on how these two projects go, I have a third project in ethical decision making I can work on as well.
1.17.2012
SMART goals and philosophy
In Why Businessmen Need Philosophy, Dr. Harry Binswanger identifies the ultimate CEO in your life is your philosophy. What does that mean in practice? Take goal-setting. Based on what I understand about philosophy, I would suspect that an ideal approach to goal-setting would be based on your values - clearly identified, objectively defined, and do not contradict reality. How does Objectivism relate industry best standards for goal-setting - to create SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound)? Below, I discuss specific quotes from Rand that relate to these best practices...
Read the updated version on Reason for Success.
Read the updated version on Reason for Success.
1.10.2012
Tenacity in Goal Pursuit
I just finished watching this great video on how to tenaciously pursue difficult goals.
There is really little have I have to add to what Dr. Hsieh mentions, except perhaps to expand on one of her suggestions - the usefulness of sharing your goals with others. Amongst many entrepreneurs and business owners, the concept of a master mind group essentially performs the same purpose. I don't like the name, but the concept is sound and I have been using it myself over the past year. Essentially, in a master mind group, you gather together a group of 2-5 individuals with similar goals and regularly discuss progress towards those goals. It informally creates a system of accountability. There have been months where, before we met, I start feeling rather sheepish because I did not complete the goals I had set for myself. Knowing that I was to meet and discuss my failure prompted me to get my butt in gear and actively work in ernest.
I really liked her disclaimer at the beginning though, about how tenacity is important, but only if you have the right goals. Tenacity toward bad goals is still bad. One of the reasons I have written so much about goal setting is because I realize just how important the selection of goals is to a happy, successful life.
There is really little have I have to add to what Dr. Hsieh mentions, except perhaps to expand on one of her suggestions - the usefulness of sharing your goals with others. Amongst many entrepreneurs and business owners, the concept of a master mind group essentially performs the same purpose. I don't like the name, but the concept is sound and I have been using it myself over the past year. Essentially, in a master mind group, you gather together a group of 2-5 individuals with similar goals and regularly discuss progress towards those goals. It informally creates a system of accountability. There have been months where, before we met, I start feeling rather sheepish because I did not complete the goals I had set for myself. Knowing that I was to meet and discuss my failure prompted me to get my butt in gear and actively work in ernest.
I really liked her disclaimer at the beginning though, about how tenacity is important, but only if you have the right goals. Tenacity toward bad goals is still bad. One of the reasons I have written so much about goal setting is because I realize just how important the selection of goals is to a happy, successful life.
1.04.2012
When goals flounder - review your Central Purpose
This past week, I've been avoiding a thorough review of my goals as I had a sneaky suspicion that I had failed at a number of them. That seemed debilitating and counter-productive. But as I forced myself to start writing this post, I began to realize just how much I had accomplished and more importantly, I came to realize that most of the failed goals floundered because I had not stayed true to myself. In the end, I had a major revelation. By confronting my anxiety, I destroyed it.
Last January, I had 3 major goals that were in part contingent on a number of factors. One of course was the pending job candidacy with ECU. As to those three goals, all were accomplished.
After our move to North Carolina, I re-wrote my year end goals (why? I'm not quite sure.) A number of those goals I did not accomplish. It left me wondering why not. Had I lost my mo-jo? Were the goals unrealistic? Was I not motivated to accomplish them? The truth is mostly the latter in part because I have been misleading myself away from my central purpose in life (CPL).
After numerous talks with some friends of mine, I have been re-conceptualizing the direction of my career to integrate my research, teaching, consulting, service, blog writing, and potential business ventures. Until just about 30 minutes ago, I had been considering two different directions, each of which seemed plausible for establishing that integration. I thought that by focusing on one of those two directions, I could stay true to my CPL. I was wrong! My original CPL already established the direction - to teach others how to make better decisions, specifically in designing, building, maintaining, and using information systems. Today, I see no reason to pick one of the two different directions. The goals I was failing were all connected with choosing between these two directions. I need to web development knowledge in order to make better decisions. I need philosophic knowledge in order to make better decision. I need to understand how habits, information technologies, values, analysis and design techniques, epistemology, rationality, psychology, and productiveness can impact decision making. In short, my CPL already integrates these two passions of mine. Instead of picking one, I just need to remind myself of my ultimate passion - helping others to make better decisions. The rest follows.
So why did I fail at these goals? They failed because they met a mental block. Although crafted with my best intentions, I couldn't find the motivation to pursue them with the passion they deserved. Something just didn't seem right, although I couldn't put my finger on exactly what. The cognitive dissonance I experienced (and hence my failure to act on a number of projects/goals) stemmed from my mismatch between the reality of my CPL and the inappropriate goals I was setting. Contradictions cannot exist. My subconscious identified the contradiction first. It wasn't until today that my consciousness caught up.
So how to move forward? Rather than being frustrated with myself for not accomplishing my goals or falling behind in projects, I need to review all my projects and decide which ones will help me accomplish my CPL best and cut the rest. And that is my very next project!
Last January, I had 3 major goals that were in part contingent on a number of factors. One of course was the pending job candidacy with ECU. As to those three goals, all were accomplished.
After our move to North Carolina, I re-wrote my year end goals (why? I'm not quite sure.) A number of those goals I did not accomplish. It left me wondering why not. Had I lost my mo-jo? Were the goals unrealistic? Was I not motivated to accomplish them? The truth is mostly the latter in part because I have been misleading myself away from my central purpose in life (CPL).
After numerous talks with some friends of mine, I have been re-conceptualizing the direction of my career to integrate my research, teaching, consulting, service, blog writing, and potential business ventures. Until just about 30 minutes ago, I had been considering two different directions, each of which seemed plausible for establishing that integration. I thought that by focusing on one of those two directions, I could stay true to my CPL. I was wrong! My original CPL already established the direction - to teach others how to make better decisions, specifically in designing, building, maintaining, and using information systems. Today, I see no reason to pick one of the two different directions. The goals I was failing were all connected with choosing between these two directions. I need to web development knowledge in order to make better decisions. I need philosophic knowledge in order to make better decision. I need to understand how habits, information technologies, values, analysis and design techniques, epistemology, rationality, psychology, and productiveness can impact decision making. In short, my CPL already integrates these two passions of mine. Instead of picking one, I just need to remind myself of my ultimate passion - helping others to make better decisions. The rest follows.
So why did I fail at these goals? They failed because they met a mental block. Although crafted with my best intentions, I couldn't find the motivation to pursue them with the passion they deserved. Something just didn't seem right, although I couldn't put my finger on exactly what. The cognitive dissonance I experienced (and hence my failure to act on a number of projects/goals) stemmed from my mismatch between the reality of my CPL and the inappropriate goals I was setting. Contradictions cannot exist. My subconscious identified the contradiction first. It wasn't until today that my consciousness caught up.
So how to move forward? Rather than being frustrated with myself for not accomplishing my goals or falling behind in projects, I need to review all my projects and decide which ones will help me accomplish my CPL best and cut the rest. And that is my very next project!
11.10.2011
The tale of two passions
What should you do when you can't decide between two equally passionate directions for your career? For many of us, there are many things we could do that would make us happy. Sometimes, you can whittle down that list to one or two great passions. Sometimes a great opportunity comes along that diverges from your current career. What happens when you cannot decide between your two highest passions. Should you do both? Unfortunately, splitting your efforts between two careers usually ends up with failure in both. The more directed and focused you can be in your career, the greater success you will reach along with a deeper happiness from a job well done. So, how can one decide? Here is I dealt with this issue.
First the background. For a while now, I have struggled with deciding between two different career tracks. I attempted to integrate those passions in my career as an academic, but I am still drawn to specializing in one or the other. Both passions fall in line with my central purpose in life. Both passions have long-term viability in my career as an academic. Both have potential for a consulting/expert business beyond academy. The first of these passions is to think, write, and educate about making decisions using applied philosophy, particularly extending Objectivism's moral and epistemological foundations. The second passion is to think, write, and educate about making decisions for developing a web presence, particularly with emerging web technologies. I have tried, unsuccessfully, for the past couple months to decide which career tracks offers the most potential happiness and financial gain.
Here is how I propose to deal with this dilemma.
For a short time, I will do both - equally. I will set up two dueling frameworks. Two blogs, two twitter accounts, and two facebook pages interconnected so that I can hit maximum exposure of my ideas with minimal effort. I will then set up dual marketing schemes, targeted at the appropriate audiences. Then I will proceed to blog once a week in each framework and post status updates/ micro-blog 5 times a week for one month. At the end of the first month, I will evaluate three things for both passions 1. market response 2. difficulty in finding and writing content and 3. how much did I enjoy the process. The last of which being the most important. If there is no clear winner after the first month, I will continue for a second month and re-evaluate again - perhaps even a third and fourth month, if needed. I need to convenience myself which career track focus will create the greatest enduring value for me. The other passion will be regulated to a hobby.
While I am in a unique position to try both career tracks simultaneously, not everyone has that luxury. In cases where decisions have to made quickly (as in the case of once in a lifetime opportunities that expire in a few days), developing a weighted average matrix might help. Essentially, that is what I'm doing, but collecting real data rather than just estimates. In a weighted average matrix, you first identify the most important criteria to be used in your decision. If you were buying a house, you might identify criteria such as size, location, layout, etc. Then, for each criteria, you provide a weight as to how important that criteria is compared to the other criteria. Size might be 50% of your decision, location might be 25%, layout might be 10% and so on. After you have thought through how important each criteria is, you look at each option and measure how well it meets each criteria. When exact measures cannot be found, best guess estimates have to suffice. You put these measurements into a matrix and calculate the weighted average. The option with the highest score is the winner.
First the background. For a while now, I have struggled with deciding between two different career tracks. I attempted to integrate those passions in my career as an academic, but I am still drawn to specializing in one or the other. Both passions fall in line with my central purpose in life. Both passions have long-term viability in my career as an academic. Both have potential for a consulting/expert business beyond academy. The first of these passions is to think, write, and educate about making decisions using applied philosophy, particularly extending Objectivism's moral and epistemological foundations. The second passion is to think, write, and educate about making decisions for developing a web presence, particularly with emerging web technologies. I have tried, unsuccessfully, for the past couple months to decide which career tracks offers the most potential happiness and financial gain.
Here is how I propose to deal with this dilemma.
For a short time, I will do both - equally. I will set up two dueling frameworks. Two blogs, two twitter accounts, and two facebook pages interconnected so that I can hit maximum exposure of my ideas with minimal effort. I will then set up dual marketing schemes, targeted at the appropriate audiences. Then I will proceed to blog once a week in each framework and post status updates/ micro-blog 5 times a week for one month. At the end of the first month, I will evaluate three things for both passions 1. market response 2. difficulty in finding and writing content and 3. how much did I enjoy the process. The last of which being the most important. If there is no clear winner after the first month, I will continue for a second month and re-evaluate again - perhaps even a third and fourth month, if needed. I need to convenience myself which career track focus will create the greatest enduring value for me. The other passion will be regulated to a hobby.
While I am in a unique position to try both career tracks simultaneously, not everyone has that luxury. In cases where decisions have to made quickly (as in the case of once in a lifetime opportunities that expire in a few days), developing a weighted average matrix might help. Essentially, that is what I'm doing, but collecting real data rather than just estimates. In a weighted average matrix, you first identify the most important criteria to be used in your decision. If you were buying a house, you might identify criteria such as size, location, layout, etc. Then, for each criteria, you provide a weight as to how important that criteria is compared to the other criteria. Size might be 50% of your decision, location might be 25%, layout might be 10% and so on. After you have thought through how important each criteria is, you look at each option and measure how well it meets each criteria. When exact measures cannot be found, best guess estimates have to suffice. You put these measurements into a matrix and calculate the weighted average. The option with the highest score is the winner.
9.07.2011
Measuring productivity
One of my 5 year goals is to improve my productivity by 20%. How will I measure success with this goal? Well, the most obvious place to start is with my other two goals in Research and Instruction excellence.
How to measure research productivity? I could measure the number of publications per year. I can always crank up the number of hours devoted to research. But that does not mean I have increased my productivity. It definitely means I have increased my time commitment, but it must be done at the expense of other values. I consider productivity as output/input, but for me, my input is primarily time, so we can simplify productivity as output/time. To improve productivity, I either have to increase my output in the same amount of time or decrease the time it takes to output the same amount. Output in this case can include both quality and quantity. My options:
Instruction excellence was also an interesting. How should I measure productivity in instruction? For me, the output is similar to research. I can:
How to measure research productivity? I could measure the number of publications per year. I can always crank up the number of hours devoted to research. But that does not mean I have increased my productivity. It definitely means I have increased my time commitment, but it must be done at the expense of other values. I consider productivity as output/input, but for me, my input is primarily time, so we can simplify productivity as output/time. To improve productivity, I either have to increase my output in the same amount of time or decrease the time it takes to output the same amount. Output in this case can include both quality and quantity. My options:
- I can improve the quality of my research - measured by publications in higher quality journals.
- I can improve the quantity of my research - measured by the number of publications.
- I can reduce the time it takes to complete my research - measured in the time spent researching.
- A combination of all three.
Instruction excellence was also an interesting. How should I measure productivity in instruction? For me, the output is similar to research. I can:
- I can improve the quality of my instruction - measured with current conceptual understanding and long-term rention.
- I can improve the quantity of my instruction - measured with my reach to more students. If I can extend conceptual understanding to more students simultaneously, the more productive my instruction efforts will be.
- I can reduce the time to prepare the classroom environment and evaluate results.
- A combintation of all three.
7.23.2011
Vision, I don't need no stinking vision
Well, yes! Actually I do.
You see, there are many things I want in life. A boat, a $300,000 home, a camper, a mountain retreat, a summer beach house, a new computer, etc. And its not just physical things that I want. I want to live in a land where people respect individual rights, where everyone takes responsibility for their own thoughts and actions, where people are motivated to make the best out of their lives, where my kids are free to become the adults they dream they can be, where my wife and I live happily ever after, etc.
Well, all of these things require a vision of the life that I want. And before I can start acting towards that life, I need to clearly identify what it is I want. Otherwise, my actions could lead me anywhere. How could I tell if a particular thing I'm doing today will help me get the things I want for tomorrow? By what standard? Should I buy a new car or a used car? Do I want broadband Internet access or dial-up? In my free time, should I go camping with my family, read a book on architecture, or write an op-ed for my local newspaper? The answer to these questions all depend on the vision I hold. The clearer my vision, the better I can define my goals. The better I can define my goals, the easier it is to identify the actions necessary to complete those goals and actuate my vision.
Without a clear vision, I could not define my goals. Goals require an awareness in the difference between where I am now and where I want to be. If I don't know where I want to be, I can't define a goal. Without goals, any action is equally valid. No one action can be considered more important than any other. By default, actions without goals tend to gravitate toward short term satisfaction and momentary pleasures. Getting drunk with your friends every weekend. Blowing your paycheck on frivolous entertainment. Extreme adrenaline rushing thrills. While occasional indulgences are useful for relaxing or making life interesting, they should not occupy one's central purpose in life.
So, yes, I do need a vision. Yes, I do need a clear view of the world I want to live in so that I can direct my actions. And yes, I will work toward that vision.
You see, there are many things I want in life. A boat, a $300,000 home, a camper, a mountain retreat, a summer beach house, a new computer, etc. And its not just physical things that I want. I want to live in a land where people respect individual rights, where everyone takes responsibility for their own thoughts and actions, where people are motivated to make the best out of their lives, where my kids are free to become the adults they dream they can be, where my wife and I live happily ever after, etc.
Well, all of these things require a vision of the life that I want. And before I can start acting towards that life, I need to clearly identify what it is I want. Otherwise, my actions could lead me anywhere. How could I tell if a particular thing I'm doing today will help me get the things I want for tomorrow? By what standard? Should I buy a new car or a used car? Do I want broadband Internet access or dial-up? In my free time, should I go camping with my family, read a book on architecture, or write an op-ed for my local newspaper? The answer to these questions all depend on the vision I hold. The clearer my vision, the better I can define my goals. The better I can define my goals, the easier it is to identify the actions necessary to complete those goals and actuate my vision.
Without a clear vision, I could not define my goals. Goals require an awareness in the difference between where I am now and where I want to be. If I don't know where I want to be, I can't define a goal. Without goals, any action is equally valid. No one action can be considered more important than any other. By default, actions without goals tend to gravitate toward short term satisfaction and momentary pleasures. Getting drunk with your friends every weekend. Blowing your paycheck on frivolous entertainment. Extreme adrenaline rushing thrills. While occasional indulgences are useful for relaxing or making life interesting, they should not occupy one's central purpose in life.
So, yes, I do need a vision. Yes, I do need a clear view of the world I want to live in so that I can direct my actions. And yes, I will work toward that vision.
7.19.2011
What will the Fall bring?
With the move complete and the boxes mostly unpacked, its time to start thinking about what to do this Fall. My home office is mostly organized and, shortly, my work office will be ready for action. With the right tools and determination, my goals will become accomplishments that I can talk about this Christmas.
Here are the things I will accomplish at work:
1. Submit AMR article on Alternative solution selection
2. Complete Data Governance and Ethics research plan/proposal
3. Have a smaller research project designed for off time
4. Have designed and executed a web development/ e-commerce curriculum
5. Build friendships/networks within ECU and Greenville/Raleigh business community.
Personal:
1. Develop and execute a workout regime that I enjoy, improves my overall fitness, and reduces my aches and pains. Find a triathlon to complete next spring.
2. Decide on the top 3-5 subdivisions/areas to purchase a home
3. Establish productive habits for continuous improvements
4. Complete the outline and write first 3 chapters of my book
5. Redefine and execute my investment strategy/financial plan
6. Reduce the amount of TV/movies watched to less than 5 hours per week
7. Depending on budget, enroll each child in at least 1 extra curricular activity
8. Write will
That sounds like a respectable start for the fall. It should be a good time!
Here are the things I will accomplish at work:
1. Submit AMR article on Alternative solution selection
2. Complete Data Governance and Ethics research plan/proposal
3. Have a smaller research project designed for off time
4. Have designed and executed a web development/ e-commerce curriculum
5. Build friendships/networks within ECU and Greenville/Raleigh business community.
Personal:
1. Develop and execute a workout regime that I enjoy, improves my overall fitness, and reduces my aches and pains. Find a triathlon to complete next spring.
2. Decide on the top 3-5 subdivisions/areas to purchase a home
3. Establish productive habits for continuous improvements
4. Complete the outline and write first 3 chapters of my book
5. Redefine and execute my investment strategy/financial plan
6. Reduce the amount of TV/movies watched to less than 5 hours per week
7. Depending on budget, enroll each child in at least 1 extra curricular activity
8. Write will
That sounds like a respectable start for the fall. It should be a good time!
5.10.2011
Yep - I'm on track
I've started using ActionComplete for the Web and Android to much success. ActionComplete complements the Getting Things Done (GTD) productivity methodology. In this app, I have created tags for all of my major career and personal goals. I try to tag every project, activity, and idea with at least 1 tag. This provides me with a means to quickly review my goals to determine what I am currently doing to accomplish them. Because I had some down time between prepping for class and lunch, I did a quick review to see how well my day-to-day activities match these goals. Here's where I'm at:
My three career goals:
Personal goals:
My three career goals:
- Improve productivity - Only 1 project currently, focusing on improving my writing skills, with associated activities. Because writing has a big impact on my research goal, its a great syntheses project.
- Research - 9 current projects (3 active) and consuming most of my time. In part, my overemphasis on this area is because I'm playing catch up. But I'm starting to get where I want to be... which is good.
- Instructional excellence - 3 projects - 1 dealing with my current class, 1 pushing me toward advanced skills, and 1 for class this fall.
Personal goals:
- Home maintenance - There always seems to be something here and will probably stay that way as long as I live in a home.
- Financial independence - Long-term, I would like to achieve a state of passive income that allows me and my family to enjoy life without major financial limits. I have a couple projects in the works now (like selling our house) and some larger ideas that I may try to implement in a few years (like writing books or starting businesses).
- Build relationships - While my relationships are important for me, I don't currently have a project or many activities designed specifically for this. Generally, I treat this as an ongoing habit, so there is nothing big I want to accomplish at the moment. But I may want to brainstorm projects and activities that help facilitate relationship building, especially after we move.
- Health - Again, no current projects. I try to eat well and workout occasionally, but I have no major projects and only occasional activities marked in my to-do list. I've considered running in a 5k or training until I can break a 6:00 mile, but nothing definitive yet. I hope to add some emphasis back in this area after we move.
- Personal happiness - Basically, my everything else list. While all of my other goals bring me personal happiness, this tag is applied for any other project or activity that I enjoy. Our move to NC meets this category quite well.
What a great way to live consciously!
4.18.2011
The end of the weekly goals
While I have been good about writing my goals every week, I think I'll stop posting them to my blog for now. Its not that the weekly goals haven't helped me direct my week (they have), but I've found posting to my blog does not keep the goals visible enough for me. So I'll likely use my wipe board for tracking weekly goals.
Instead, I want to write at least once a week on other topics (yet to be determined).
Instead, I want to write at least once a week on other topics (yet to be determined).
4.15.2011
What are you doing this summer?
Next week, final will be done and my summer vacation officially begins. I do have one class to teach in May-June, but its one I've taught before so it will require minimal time and effort (8-10 hours per week). Unfortunately, I'm not quite as ambitious as Phineas and Ferb, but here is what I'm going to do this summer.
My number 1 project this summer - Move to North Carolina.
That's right - for those of you who haven't heard yet, I have accepted a position at East Carolina University as an Assistant Professor of Information Systems. This move will likely be our last for a very long time. So my primary goal for the summer is managing our move and handling our house. While ideally we will sell our house, the market in southeast Michigan is horrendous for sellers. So there is a distinct possibility that our house will not sell. In which case, option two is to rent it. Either way, we have lots to keep us on our toes. And then, when move time comes, we have to finish packing, drive cross country, and settle into our new home. Lots and lots of stress, but worth it in the end.
My second most important project this summer - Improve my writing skills.
I consider myself an okay writer, but not great. What I lack is the capability of writing fast and with high quality. Too often, I find myself writing a blog post or a research article that upon review, contains numerous mistakes and/or poorly worded sentences. When I attempt to edit these mistakes, I rush through it, leaving additional problems. With practice, focus, and feedback, I am confident I can improve my skills in writing. The Art of Non-fiction by Ayn Rand, Writing in the Disciplines
, and Brief Holt Handbook
will guide my study. Blog posts and research articles (I have two in mind) will provide material for practice. And hopefully I can work with various friends to perform copy-editing on my completed materials (I will pay if you are interested). As our budget allows, I may follow this summer project with an effective writing/communication class. Eventually, I would like to write a book or two, so the better my skills, the greater the payoff!
My third project this summer - Improve my skills in advanced web development.
I am still debating between PHP and ASP.NET. One the basics of each, but have not actively built websites in a number of years. Whichever one I choose, I want to experiment and improve my ability to create new, slick, high quality websites quickly. If I focus on PHP, I will probably combine that project with learning the content management system called Drupal. Perhaps I will even create a web site for making a little money on the side. There is also a 9 hour video on learning Flash sitting on my desk. Watching those videos and practicing some Flash programming might be rocking good fun too!
So those are my plans. What are you doing this summer?
My number 1 project this summer - Move to North Carolina.
That's right - for those of you who haven't heard yet, I have accepted a position at East Carolina University as an Assistant Professor of Information Systems. This move will likely be our last for a very long time. So my primary goal for the summer is managing our move and handling our house. While ideally we will sell our house, the market in southeast Michigan is horrendous for sellers. So there is a distinct possibility that our house will not sell. In which case, option two is to rent it. Either way, we have lots to keep us on our toes. And then, when move time comes, we have to finish packing, drive cross country, and settle into our new home. Lots and lots of stress, but worth it in the end.
My second most important project this summer - Improve my writing skills.
I consider myself an okay writer, but not great. What I lack is the capability of writing fast and with high quality. Too often, I find myself writing a blog post or a research article that upon review, contains numerous mistakes and/or poorly worded sentences. When I attempt to edit these mistakes, I rush through it, leaving additional problems. With practice, focus, and feedback, I am confident I can improve my skills in writing. The Art of Non-fiction by Ayn Rand, Writing in the Disciplines
, and Brief Holt Handbook will guide my study. Blog posts and research articles (I have two in mind) will provide material for practice. And hopefully I can work with various friends to perform copy-editing on my completed materials (I will pay if you are interested). As our budget allows, I may follow this summer project with an effective writing/communication class. Eventually, I would like to write a book or two, so the better my skills, the greater the payoff!My third project this summer - Improve my skills in advanced web development.
I am still debating between PHP and ASP.NET. One the basics of each, but have not actively built websites in a number of years. Whichever one I choose, I want to experiment and improve my ability to create new, slick, high quality websites quickly. If I focus on PHP, I will probably combine that project with learning the content management system called Drupal. Perhaps I will even create a web site for making a little money on the side. There is also a 9 hour video on learning Flash sitting on my desk. Watching those videos and practicing some Flash programming might be rocking good fun too!
So those are my plans. What are you doing this summer?
4.13.2011
Productivity software
I've finally found something that is meeting my needs in organizing my productivity. The program ActionComplete, designed to facilitate the Getting Things Done (GTD) methodology, syncs a web based and Android based software that allows me to work from my desktop and my phone. The software does not fully implement GTD, but does a reasonably good job meeting my most pressing needs.
One positive practice that I've gained by using ActionComplete has been requiring myself to add at least one action item or wait time for projects on my list (currently 15 projects strong). This practice helps me to focus on moving all of my projects forward and identifying projects that are languishing. It also gives me the confidence to add more projects to my list without overwhelming myself. If I keep this up, I'll meet my goal of 20% increase in productivity in a very short time.
One positive practice that I've gained by using ActionComplete has been requiring myself to add at least one action item or wait time for projects on my list (currently 15 projects strong). This practice helps me to focus on moving all of my projects forward and identifying projects that are languishing. It also gives me the confidence to add more projects to my list without overwhelming myself. If I keep this up, I'll meet my goal of 20% increase in productivity in a very short time.
4.11.2011
Weekly goals
End of the semester grading and re-conceptualizing an old paper - the two major focuses for this week.
Essential:
Stretch:
Essential:
- Rewrite 215 exam
- Grade 247 exams
- Prep 215 class
- Review late assignments
- Review missing assignments
- Prepare final grades
- Write recommendation letter
- Reply to all my emails
- Apply edits to Online auction decision paper
Stretch:
- Share new software I'm using
- Paint bathroom trim
- Research land contracts
- Research leasing issues in SE Michigan
- Perform post hoc statistics to auction decision paper
4.04.2011
Weekly goals
Almost forgot to write this today. I got wrapped up with work the second I walked in the door and just now (2 hours later) realized that I forgot.
Last week was very productive. I submitted an article for review, resubmitted an article under revision, celebrated my son's birthday, showed our house to potential buyers, completed writing a survey (ready to administer this week), mapped out the remainder of the semester, sold our co-sleeper, starting selling our cribs (though many people didn't reply to our emails, so we will try again), and played Risk with my buddy Dave over xBox. Let's see if I can keep up the pace!
Essentials:
Stretch:
Last week was very productive. I submitted an article for review, resubmitted an article under revision, celebrated my son's birthday, showed our house to potential buyers, completed writing a survey (ready to administer this week), mapped out the remainder of the semester, sold our co-sleeper, starting selling our cribs (though many people didn't reply to our emails, so we will try again), and played Risk with my buddy Dave over xBox. Let's see if I can keep up the pace!
Essentials:
- Prep for IS 215
- Write final exams
- Grade assignments
- Start editing online auction decisions article
- Deploy ethics survey
- Advertise cribs
- Administer evaluations
Stretch:
- Review IS 315 syllabus for Spring semester
- Review textbooks for IS 315
- Create grading rubric for 247 and 606 projects
- Review financial plan
- Clean and declutter garage
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