Nov 20, 2007
Posted by arif in GTD and Productivity | 4 comments
Which school would be best for my son? Should we invest in that new business venture or use the funds to expand our existing business? Hmm…Should I marry the girl my parents are suggesting or elope with my high-school sweetheart?
When presented with such emotional dilemmas, how do you make the best possible choice. You have not gone through this scenario before. You don’t have complete information on the issue.
Using what you know, is there a way to make a choice so that you are dead-confident? So, then you just march forward on the decision you made, with not even a thought of glancing back. Well, you know what…there is such a way, I’ve been using it all the time. And it’s got a geeky name like, ‘the Natural Planning Model’.
What’s this Natural Planning Model thingy?
It’s the genius creation of David Allen of Getting Things Done (GTD) fame. It’s basically a set of questions that you ask yourself when confused about any matter. The key words here are ‘Any Matter’. The Natural Planning Model can be used for an everyday task like going to a restaraunt or even something as deep as what’s your purpose on this planet. These questions are so apt and when asked in the right frame of mind they truly provide the solution you’re looking for.
And Here it is The Natural Planning Model:
1. PURPOSE:
- Why is this being done?
- This would be great, as long as…what?
2. WILD SUCCESS:
- What would it be like if it were totally successful?
- How would I know?
- What woould success look like for each of the parties with an interest?
3. BRAINSTORMING:
- What are all the things that occur to me about this? What is the current reality? What do I know? What do I not know? What ought I consider? What haven’t I considered? Etc.
4. ORGANIZING
- What needs to happen to make the whole thing happen?
5. NEXT ACTIONS
- What should be done next, and who will do it?
And here it is with an example:
I’ll run through a decision many of us may have struggled with i.e whether to buy a property or not? If we were to buy one, which one? And if we were to invest in one, which one to do so? There are so many choices available. What about the market which way is it headed? What about interest rates? blah blah blah.
What you’ve now got is a doozy of a decision to make and your stress levels have just begun to race Northwards. Let’s run through the Natural Planning model below and then let’s see where we stand.
1. PURPOSE:
- Why is this really being done?
Well there’s this really good offer that I saw in the newspaper today. I’ve not invested yet and it’ high-time I did so. Eventually I would need some home. Some friends are suggesting it. Would be great for my kids. Would need something eventually.
- This would be great, as long as…what?
The family is happy with the property. The builder has a decent reputation. Banks have approved the project. It’s close enough to the city/conveniences. I’d get a minimum 30% appreciation.
2. WILD SUCCESS:
- What would it be like if it were totally successful?
Me and my Family are really excited about the investment and are looking forward to it’s completion. Rates are increasing regularly. Don’t hear any disturbing news about the property.
- How would I know?
We feel like visiting the property often. I may get offers for me to sell it.
3. BRAINSTORMING:
- What are all the things that occur to me about this? What is the current reality? What do I
know? What do I not know? What ought I consider? What haven’t I considered? Etc.
Check legals, Bank rates, check online for opinions, ask around for advice on investing in property itself, ask about the builder and the project, ask elders for advice.
4. ORGANIZING
- What needs to happen to make the whole thing happen?
I’ll have to take some time out from my regular schedule to do have a look at the properties on offer.
5. NEXT ACTIONS
- What should be done next, and who will do it?
Well, my wife can call and take up appointments on weekends for the properties she shortlists. We can then keep ourselves free on weekends to have a look at it.
I hope you got to see that what started out as a complex issue, reeking with anxiety, within moments you are handed on a platter the next concrete actions that need to be taken.
The Two golden rules to make the natural planning model really work:
1. It doesn’t work by reading through the Natural Planning Model running the answers to the questions in your head. It ONLY works when you write those answers down. To quote David Allen,”I don’t care if you write it down on the back of your hand as long as you write it down.” That’s when you’ll see the magic happen.
2. It doesn’t work when you take a hypothetical situation to try it out. Take any matter that’s been bothering you. It’s got to be really bothering you. Not that it’s giving you sleepless nights, as long as you’ve been thinking about it. It could be something like which school to have your child enrolled to, or where to spend the year-end holidays, or whether to go to your inlaws or not. The simpler the matter the easier it is, the more complicated it may take longer, but you’ll arrive at a decision that’ll you’ll feel absolutely confident and excited towards.
A Final tip
I have found that Mindmapping is an even more effective way to use the Natural Planning Model with. But that’s a story for another post. For now have a look at the mindmap I prepared for the above example. I used the excellent mindmapping software Mind Manager for this. Click Here to open the enlarged mindmap in a new window.
Nov 5, 2007
Posted by arif in GTD and Productivity, Personal | 8 comments
There’s spring cleaning happening at home, because of which once a while a a golden old memory in form a photograph await me, daddy and Ali when we return home from work. Have a look at the picture on the right. That was me 10 years ago, delivering a speech at a Toastmaster club (click here to see a complete picture). I was 76 Kgs+ in weight, with a 36 inch+ waist line and be it motu, fatso or fatty I’ve been labeled it all. The picture of the right is a much recent photo. Today I’m 67 Kgs, my 34 inch trouser falls off occasionally and now I get told again and again “Gosh Arif, you’ve lost so much weight.” and you know what…I can’t get enough of it ☺.
There’s magic in persistence. When the same mundane task of exercise, or learning or teaching is repeated over and over again, those are necessary ingredients of the potion of success being brewed by the gods in heaven.
Who’s a big shot? It’s just a little shot who keeps shooting. We’ve all heard of Edison’s tale of the 1453 times he failed to get the light-bulb to light up. Or you might have heard of Colonlel Sanders who offered his secret receipt to 343 restaraunts before it got accepted by one. Well, what’s your story? Do you have one? Which is the one boring, repetitive, traumatic task did you do over and over again till you were ready to puked; and then still did it once again. The moving of Tectonic Plates is slow. Really Slow. Painfully Slow. And so is the growth of tree, the development of a baby. But it’s truly before you even realise, time has gone by… and then you have a continent, a mighty oak, the smile of a beautiful child being returned to you.
Here are tools/tips/resources that have helped and are still helping me achieving many of my goals that involve same repetitive tasks. Each of this resource deserves a blog post of it’s own to do it justice. Some of them are so powerful that they’re would not just change your life but if implemented with the right goal they have the strength to change communities and generations for the better.
Power of Affirmations:
I don’t know how, I don’t know why, but just by repeating positive statements you actually do get to make HUGE habit changes in yourself. Yes it’s sound hokey-pokey silly, but blimey it’s effective. How do you make affirmations?
Step 1:
Well, just like an effective ad gets you for eg. picturing yourself driving that new car, in the same way, project a picture of yourself. Project a picture of youself after having made the habit change that you want and see how glorious it feels. Then write those feelings down. Eg.
- I feel Strong. I feel Mighty. Now that I am going to the Gym everyday in the morning.
- It feels wonderlful to be able to take full deep-breaths now that I my lungs are smoke and nicotine free.
- I’m the darn best salesman in the world. Just watch me make my next sale, baby. I rock!
Step 2:
Then keep it with you in a place, so that it is always with you or in the place where you are bound to read it everyday.
Step 3:
Attach reading of your affirmation to something that you do everyday without fail. For someone it would be their morning cup of chai, for others it would be waking up. Then just read through all your affirmations just once, picturing yourself in each affirmation. Do it day after day. That’s it.
Here’s the affirmation that got my teeth to sparkle more:
Wow, what a gleamingly clean feeling it is to have sparkly flossed teeth.
Since I’ve been repeating this, I’ve rarely missed a day of not having flossed my teeth for almost 6 months now.
Becoming a fitter me, having a fresher breath are just two of the many benefits I’ve experienced through affirmations. I was just as an unbeliever as you are now reading this. But try it out. Do it right now. Grab the closest pen and the closest piece of paper and right that affirmation that occurred to you when reading this and then stick that piece of paper in your wallet, so that it’s with you always. Go on, it’s alright to be a skeptic, as long as you are a healthy one. If it works good, great, super. If not, toss it out of the window and carry on with life. It requires no great length of time, no superman type effort, just a little discipline with tremendous results.
Ps. If you still don’t like making affirmations, make an affirmation that goes like, “I Love making affirmations and I love reading them every morning.” That’s the first one I made.
Tools to track your progress:
Once you’ve identified the activity that you need to do regularly, you would need a way to track how regular you are either to celebrate your progress or to get you motivated to buck-up if you’ve slipped. Here are 4 tools to help you stay on course. Any one of the below would be fine, see which fits your bill.
1. Online Web Solution:
In my opinoin this is the best tool I’ve come across to help keep track of habit changes. It’s a website that called Joe’s Goals. You can download a screencast here that explains how to use it. But it’s so gosh simple, just click here, open an account on the home page and start tracking your goals.
2. Offline Software to Track Tasks:
If you prefer an offline version to track your goals, and not in the mood to tinker around with Excel, then Sciral Consistency has a solution for you. Similar to Joes Goals, you put in your Goals in the left hand side coloumn and place a dot once you have done your deed for the day, everyday. That’s it. It has got some pretty good reviews too.
3. Tips on how to track Habits in Microsoft Outlook:
Michael has explained how he tracks his “Daily Disciplines” in this useful post. Quite handy for those who are on Microsoft-Outlook environments. Michael also explains how he automates the appearing of his “Daily Disciplines” into his Outlook tasks here. I use Microsoft Outlook to track habit changes and use the “Regenerate Task 1 day after completion”. That works for me well.
4. Paper based Solution
And if you would want nothing of this tech stuff, Productivity501.com have a prepared a sweet looking pdf that you can print and pin up on a softboard or slip below the glass sheet on your table-top. This pdf is available to those who subscribe to their RSS feed (which I have in my NetVibes account too), instructions on the best way to use this habit-tracker are available here. Here’s a small screen shot of the PDF:
Two really great books
The Dip. The War of Art. Enough said. Two of the best books (the best. No exaggeration) on overcoming your resistance and sticking to what you do & quiting what you don’t till you become the best.
These books are nothing short of being a hard kick where it’s deserve most (ie your backside) to drop all excuses and get down to business. For now I’m just giving a double-thumbs up recommendation for both. Looking forward to do a review of these in the coming weeks, stay tuned on this blog for it.
So, what is the one activity that you found too boring or painful to repeat yourself to do? Look back in your life. Was it exercise, learning a new art, some skill that you always admired in someone else, maybe it was to groom yourself to be able to speak well in public or maybe it was just to learn a language. Sure it’s boring, you bet it’s painful, but do realise that anything worthwhile achieving always is. Time flies. If you have been even half-motivated when reading this, don’t waste that boost. Get to making your affirmation immediately and make use of the first tool that your heart set upon. Good luck and see you tomorrow at the Gym.
Nov 5, 2007
Posted by Mohammed Ali in Reviews | 0 comments
I often get asked from friends to help them troubleshoot their PC problems. It’s not a problem if they’re sitting in front, but more often than not they’re communicating from somewhere far and that’s when you wish there’s an application out there like Yuuguu!
Well here it is! Yuuguu is a free service allowing it’s users to share each others’ desktops. It means you can view/use your friend’s PC as if you were sitting right next to them. Imagine the uses:
1. Work remotely:
You’re at home and need to login to your Office PC. With Yuuguu you can remotely logon to your PC, and interact with colleagues as though they’re next to you.
2. Web Conferencing
I’d recommend using Yuuguu with skype. It’s a great combination to give anyone a presentation remotely and also speak to them live.
3. Troubleshoot PCs
IT Admins of small businesses can trouble shoot PCs in their offices which may be in their premises or somewhere else. All you need is an internet connection.
Any more uses of Yuuguu you can think of ?
Signing up is as simple as signing up for Yahoo Messenger or Gtalk. A user can control what level of permission and share your desktops with as many users as you want!
