May 2, 2022
Good morning!
Got the Pfizer COVIDs vaccine #4 last week… so far, so good.
This Newsletter appreciates and is grateful for each subscriber and each reader; thank you!
And, a special welcome if you’re new to this experience.
- They announced yesterday that the oldest person in the world died, age #119.
- Who keeps track of this — and how?!
- There are nearly eight billion people on the planet (8,000,000,000).
- If they really do know who is the oldest at any given point in time, why don’t they then give the name of the new oldest person, the next one on deck?
- So we can all keep track, keep score.
- And, furthermore, why not publish a roster of the One Hundred Oldest People on Earth, updated each day?
- The financial behemoth, Fidelity, is now including Cryptocurrency; e.g., BitCoin, in its portfolios.
- Dutch tulips or something more substantial?
- Spring travels north 20 miles per day.
- We went in search of it last week driving 400 miles south to East Central Iowa.
- We didn’t find it — and decided to not go in further search of it.
- We encountered cold, wind, lots of wind, a bit of rain, and more wind… lots of brown colors.
- Our one glimpse of spring was a dollop of daffodils, jonquils if you prefer.
- IF spring really does travel north 20 miles per day, we know exactly what to expect twenty days from now.
- Should we put away the snow shovels?
Mental Health vs Emotional Health
- Why not call it emotional health rather than mental health?
- Speaking of which, how often do you practice preventive maintenance with your mental (emotional) health?
- Do you go until you can’t go any longer, do you wait until your gas tank is empty — or do you refill often so as to never run out of gas?
- A client asked recently, “Is this normal?”
- No two businesses or organizations are exactly alike, but there are similarities and commonalities.
- The answer is, “Yes, of course!”
- Almost everything falls into the range of normal, different perhaps, but absolutely normal.
- There is a small town in Southern Minnesota called Prosper.
- When travelling through Prosper recently there appeared zero evidence in support of the town’s name.
- No offense, but what happened to a town with a name like this; did it choose its own Dickensian decline, or did some evil curse come upon this little hamlet?
- Are you looking for a research project? Look no further.
- Since the start of the Russian military invasion of Ukraine more than two months ago, Poland has accepted more than 3,000,000 Ukrainian refugees.
- In Ukraine itself more than 7,000,000 are refugees within their own country; that is, not able to be home or not having a home to go to.
- I was recently in conversation with a gentleman from Lviv, a city in Western Ukraine.
- This man had purposefully traveled with refugees, though he wasn’t one himself, from Lviv to Warsaw — which was then the origin of his flight to the U.S.
- He described the enormous investment the Polish people had made (and ARE making) to welcome and to care for the Ukrainian refugees, more than 3,000,000 of them so far.
- His admiration and respect — and appreciation — for the Polish people and their government was fascinating first-hand testimony.
- Perhaps the most amazing thing is that this gentleman is now (presumably) back in Lviv where he owns and operates a business.
Don’t Wait to Be Proud of Yourself
- “Don’t wait until you’ve reached your goal to be proud of yourself. Be proud of every step you take toward reaching that goal.” (European Leadership)
- Emmanuel Macron won the French election with 58.8% of the vote over Marine LePen’s 41.2%
- No write-ins? Must not have been.
- Thinking about an electric car?
- The Corvette will be available as an electric option by about this time next year.
- Still think change won’t affect you?!
- Seen on a sign: Stupidity is not a handicap! Park elsewhere!
- On the topic of vision… since that’s what this Newsletter is all about:
- “You can’t outsource vision or passion — or for that matter, leadership.” (Andrew)
- “Without a vision the people perish.” (Habiger, Etc., et al.)
- “At every crossroads on the path that leads to the future, tradition has placed 10,000 (people) to guard the past.” (Nobel Laureate, Maeterlinck)
- “What if our best data are flawed?” (Dilbert/ Adams)
- “You can never plan the future by the past.” (A. Lincoln)
- Vision is a destination — a fixed point to which we focus all effort; strategy is a route, an adaptable path to get us to where we want to go.” (Sinek)
- “Vision is the capacity to see that which does not yet exist.” (Eades)
- Probably the best mission statement ever written, way back in 1787:
- We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution for the United States of America.
- Clients often ask, “What is the difference between a mission and a vision? And why do you need one of each?
- A mission answers the question, Why do you exist?
- Your answer should contain both logical and emotional appeal, very briefly stated.
- A vision is an expression of awe, wonder, inspiration, focuis, possibilities, intentions, audacious goals… the best-possible outcomes relative to your mission; it draws others in like a black hole vortex or a powerful magnet while inviting them on your journey. It should result in vertical head nods and goosebumps — or tears of joy.
- “Vision is the reason we get out of bed each day to come to work.” (Samantha)
- A vision answers the question, “How are you going to become bigger, better, stronger, healthier, and happier?”
- The perfect shared vision should both excite you lots and scare you a little bit.
- A shared vision is the ultimate motivational and inspirational statement because your carefully chosen words perfectly articulate your message while inviting others to grab hold while making YOUR vision also their own.
- A mission answers the question, Why do you exist?
