#Life Lessons

by Winston Ash on #Life Lessons

On Choices

Break life down to the important parts.

What does that look like?

Simple. Most of life is hard and not reachable. Decisions made daily determine your future.

Life itself is a series of choices. Left. Right. Fast. Slow. Each one is a choice we make. The real question, do we spend the time to look at our choices? Do you understand the choice you made and why?

The more I read, listen, and study. The clearer everything gets. Life is neither good or bad. Your thinking about it makes it so.

And therein lies the rub. You are the driver. You are the decider. So yep, the good and bad that happens are just circumstances of life. How you feel about them and your actions create your life.

How do I feel?

To paraphrase Mark Manson, learn how to focus and prioritize your thoughts effectively.  Pick and choose what matters to you and what does not matter to you.

There is a whole lot to this choice thing. And even more to life. But this at least gets you started thinking.

Use that thing between your ears.

 
by Winston Ash on #Life Lessons

Clarity in Writing

The Basics

I like to talk.

I want to write more

And I think it’s important to document where you came from and where you are going.

The Issue

When I think about writing my brain goes in so many directions it is hard to understand.

I start in one place. But follow tangents that are only slightly related.

When I write how I think than the reader will have a hard time understanding

The Solution

Now, I do the exact opposite of my thinking.

I structure my thinking into an outline before I get into my subject.

Taking it back to my school days.

Outline. 1st Draft. 2nd Draft. Final Project.

Instead of rushing the assignment the night before.

And, I realize that I have a lot to say that is new.

Before my problem was that I didn’t know how much or how little to put down.

But with my framework, I know exactly what to do and can write much more than before.

[Tweet “Writing with clarity and style is easier with a framework.”]

And that is the goal, clarity in writing.

Expressing myself and sharing my knowledge with you.

 
by Winston Ash on #Life Lessons

Idea Remix

That’s what I’m after. The good ones that lead to better ones.
Actionable. Testable.
Simple or complex; doesn’t matter.
The logical flow next step previous ideas. Extensions on top of what works.
Think about it.
The idea is old school, it’s the execution that’s original.
That’s what good jazz and classical music are all about. Knowing what perfect looks like and putting your style on it.
It may take years of training. But the outcome is worth it.
Stay the course. Remix the old until you find yourself.