Philosophy

Stop trying to be cool

To be “cool” is to resemble more closely the popular people and culture of the world in which we live. Those who don’t “fit in” cannot be cool.

Should Christians be cool? Should we have a desire to be cool? What does our desire to be cool say about our spirituality?

Well…our Bible tells us to be set apart, to be separate from the world. Not removed from it, but certainly not like it. Therefore, a desire to be cool is incompatible with a desire to be Godly. They are, by their very nature, totally opposing one another.

To make it clear: one cannot more closely resemble popular people and culture, while at the same time being “set apart”. It is impossible.

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Stop, make adjustments, try again

I am in the middle of a major project. Right now it seems like the biggest project I have ever tackled as a professional.

Today I give myself a low grade on progress.

Instead of taking measured steps every day, I find myself getting tiny bits done…occasionally.

Getting back on a productive track is paramount. Here’s a list of things I should do. Feel free to listen as I give myself a lecture.

  1. Stop considering scope. – Looking at the big picture occasionally is useful. Being overwhelmed by the big picture is paralyzing. Take it one step at a time and focus on small victories.
  2. Say “not right now.” – There are many opportunities to get side-tracked. Sometimes they are easy to take when the big project is giving me fits. Delay them if at all possible until primary objectives are met.
  3. Make concessions. – Not everything can be done my way. Not everything should be done my way. Not everything will be done my way. Give in sometimes.
  4. Meet tomorrow’s deadline. – The project deadline is looming. If the work that needs to be completed tomorrow doesn’t get finished, neither will the project. Set it. Achieve it.
  5. Enjoy the journey. – This stuff is supposed to be fun. I get to work on this project. I wanted to work on this project. I should be enjoying it while it lasts!

Working on anything “big” right now? If so, I hope this lecture was a help. I know I will be referring to it often in the coming days.

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Pencil and paper concentration

This is me trying to concentrate.

I have a new chair and table. I also have a new journal and a few new pens.

When I sit in the new chair, alone, in my basement, pen and journal in hand, I experience a different style of concentration.

The majority of my week is spent in front of a computer. Sometimes I concentrate and sometimes I just click, type and attempt to accomplish tasks on my to-do list. I imagine I have gone through entire shifts without any deep thinking on how best to accomplish the work at hand.

The activities I call “work” are sometimes nearly robotic. Not good.

My new chair, table, pen and paper method seems to be helping. When I am finished, I can go back to my computer with a plan. It’s about time I had one of those!

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