We are not giving up our music. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) represents the international recording industry. The 2016 annual report stated, in 2015 global industry revenues were $15B and digital sales overtook physical products for the first time.
That is a lot of $0.99 downloads!
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The paper mache pinata in the third grade doesn't count. I agree, let's add some constraints to the inquiry. You got it; a non-work related significant action you wanted to complete in the last 12 months.
So, what was it?
This posting is initially published before the halfway point in December. Now is a time we start to consider the actions of the past year and look to the next. But there is still time for the current year.
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The last straw has been getting a bad rap for millennia. If the second-to-last straw had stayed on his diet, then the last straw would not have broken the camels back! But no, that jerk had to have just one more donut, and we remember the last straw as the culprit. Poor camel.
What is your last straw? What tips the scales and pushes you into action?
We group actions into known and unknown causes. We know the perennial action list; household chores, the laborious monthly report, finally starting the side hustle or continuing the fight for the next step of social justice.
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It's the feeling in your gut, the moment to move has arrived, and you can't not take action.
My hands were sweaty and the 60-second video required a few attempts to get it right. The video concept hit me during lunch and the impulse to get it done and posted was manic. There was an extreme sense of urgency. I will forever remember the bench I was sitting on when I uploaded the recording. My hands were literally shaking, and my heart was racing. I sensed this particular video was getting me closer to discovering my "writing" voice.
The action was thrilling!
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I hate to write this inquiry and is why it must be asked.
A bit of backstory. In the mid-80's I started consuming personal development books and tapes when I signed up as an Amway distributor, and I never looked back. I appreciate the optimism and call to action that is a mainstay of the personal development genre.
I have an encouraging response from Og Mandino, author of The Greatest Salesman in the World, in my records. Today, my library overflows with annotated and underlined works from the best of the best. Podcasts and audio books have maintained my sanity (self-assessment and no scientific data to back up this claim) during my commute.
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Break is an action verb. A decision was made to embrace a commitment and the same decision to end the commitment.
This inquiry arose out of a discussion with a family member a year ago. She had been leading a nonprofit for several years and grown the influence over her tenure. The Board of Directors brought in a new Director that wanted to go in a new direction, and she was fired.
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What do you get out of the deal? Money, love, tax break, security, muscle, fame, positive vibe, power, believe you are making a positive difference, sex, legacy, fulfilling a promise or responsibility? We have a motivation for everything we do and clarity of expectation is helpful.
Being published on the cover of Time magazine is not the intent. It's just you and me over a cup of coffee in a judgment-free zone. So, why do you commit your resources to the people and causes you have chosen?
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"Because I said I would" is a powerful statement. These few words validate our integrity.
As a youth, I ran in a 300-mile charitable relay from Prescott, Arizona to Palm Spring, California. The plan was to have 30 guys each run 10-miles over the three day period. Only a dozen runners with minimal training showed up. We began running in one-mile increments, dwindling to quarter-mile increments by the time we arrived at Palm Springs City Hall. IcyHot was our friend.
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"The difference between involvement and commitment is like ham and eggs. The chicken is involved; the pig is committed." ~ Martina Navratilova
Starting is exciting. In the beginning, the mission is possible, the schedule is achievable, the team is excited to find customers, and budgets are sufficient; the possibilities are endless.
Yeah, it does not always stay like this.
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Well, can you name them?
Where do you choose to invest your time, money, and influence? Quick, let's look at your schedule and financial records. This is an easy litmus test to discern where your commitments reside.
Position bestows commitment. The elected official pledges to care for constituents. The Air Force General dedicates herself to the mission, and safety of personnel and equipment.
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Are you kidding me?
Of course, the schedule is crammed with sports and music lessons for my kids. Any reasonable parent would; scholarships are waiting. We sign up for all the book clubs or meet-ups we can coordinate. Weddings of college friends, birthday parties for the kindergarten, and household maintenance monopolize weekends. If in doubt, the binge watch list is awaiting our attention.
The tyranny of technology is brutal on our ability to think and recharge. The introverts solitude and the extroverts social engagements give time to tap into what we need to regain our true selves. The work, commutes, responsibilities of both kids and aging parents, and the siren call of social media tug at our attention until we are spent.
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Not the life your parents planned.
Not the life you imagined as a kid.
Not the life planned for retirement.
Not the life depicted in social media.
Not the life expected by high school friends.
Not the life anticipated at college graduation.
But this life, the one you are living right now.
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It is easy to be thankful when the belly is full, and family laughter fills the warm home. How do you express thankfulness for the struggles and dark times that delivered you to today?
We celebrate our differences; skin tone, hometown, dialect, tattoos, and talents. Only Ken and Barbie are "perfect," and a figment of the toymaker's imagination. Conversations reveal our imperfect stories that are far more complicated than merely being taken out of a box and put on a shelf to be admired.
The beauty of the smile is the character that has overcome the scars of life. The unfulfilled dreams, broken promises, wrongs committed and wrongs suffered are part of the human experience. All are engaged in their own battle, and some have encountered the depths of hell on earth.
But,
This is not where the story ends.
Our path is unique. No one brings the same set of talents with the same assortment of experiences. We must embrace both our brokenness and successes as part of our story.
In this embrace, we encounter the mystery of thankfulness in the abyss of difficult times. It is here that straightness is found in crookedness, beauty in ugliness, and light in the darkness. Often only through the lens of time can the goodness be found.
The wisdom of the ancients fills history books recounting that perseverance can only be attained through pain and suffering. The athlete trains through difficult circumstances to harden her body to prepare for the rigors of competition.
How have you converted what was meant for evil into goodness?
More hard times are on the way and will require your perseverance and strength. Turning to face your history and finding a reason for thankfulness will embolden you as the sun rises on tomorrow. Tomorrow is expecting a stronger you to climb out of the ashes.
Going Further: What challenges are you now thankful you encountered? How does this inform your perspective on difficulty? How have these experiences helped you relate to others? How does your brokenness influence your thankfulness?
By definition, the mundane is, well, ordinary and non-spectacular.
Meeting the President, securing a round of seed funding, watching your child take her first steps or receiving a diploma live up to the title of milestones or "once in a lifetime" events.
Even though I have Facebook and Instagram accounts with pretty pictures, I don't live the life of the rich and famous. The mundane is where we spend the majority of our time. No matter how much time we spend posing for a picture or capturing our lunch in a photograph, the ordinary is waiting for our return.
Our modern world rejects the common or at least tries to make it glamorous. My spell checker is flagging the use of "common" in the last sentence because it is overused and recommending other words that reflect an expansive vocabulary.
This is equivalent to waiting for the afternoon sunlight to touch the cheese and Wonderbread sandwich just right, before taking a picture to post on social media. 800,000 photos in an archive and nothing comes up when I search for "mundane," it ain't sexy.
We must capitalize on the massive block of time that comprises the minutes between birth and death. Thankfulness can transform the moments waiting to be picked up from school, cleaning the bathroom, cooking another dinner, or waiting in traffic (grrrrr).
Being caught in traffic on my way to the office means I have a job. Picking up blocks for the umpteenth time reminds me of the children in the next room. Arguing with dad about politics reveals that he is still alive. Paying the insurance bill indicates that I will get care to address a catastrophic diagnosis.
The thankfulness list is endless when given the time to adjust our perspective. When the first list is exhausted, comparing our lives to those who live in impoverished or war-torn nations or our list is exponential.
Let's rethink and recognize the blessings of the mundane. These moments are added up to equal a lifetime, and for that, we can be thankful.
Going Futher: How have you taken the mundane things in your life for granted? How can you embrace the mundane? How would this change impact your daily outlook?
Photo credit: My dishwasher rejects the label of mundane. It is working a rebranding strategy and available for photo shoots as a sexy dishwasher. DM for details.
Spell checker disclaimer: I love my spell checker, it continues to help me produce a better product for your consumption. As a result, we are all thankful to Grammarly.com. Thanks, guys!
It is 12:15 am, and I am starting to write yesterday's post. I was in bed with blankets giving comfort from the blustery winds and real feel temperature of 16 degrees Fahrenheit outside, but I had not written a post.
I reasoned the community would let it slide.
The topic this week is thankfulness. America celebrates Thanksgiving this Thursday by getting together with friends and family. We eat a lot of rich food, renew relationships or argue about our differences, watch American football, and if all goes well catch a bit of a nap in the afternoon.
I live an abundant life that includes; a marriage of many years, children I love, meaningful work, vibrant spiritual community, and a writing project to inspire others to a richer life. I am a thankful man and have experienced many blessings.
On two occasions this weekend, I met gentlemen, that while not wealthy, said that if they were to die today, they are pleased with the life they have lived and are very happy. All three of us are content, and this is a good place to be.
While we are content, we are not complacent. There is much work to be done and it requires getting up out of a warm bed to do what is necessary.
My important task is to thank you for your attention and kind encouragement over these past several months as I brought this idea to life. We have covered many topics through the gift of inquiry. Most people are unwilling to pause, think, and encounter who they are deep down inside. This work can be time-consuming and scary, which is not popular in today's world.
Thank-you for the likes and comments of prose or emoji love. For the followers that stick around to see the new weekly topics and consider how the questions influence or impact your lives, I am grateful.
Seth Godin discusses the importance of consistency and showing up to do the work. Gary V talks about the #hustle and #grind of putting in the work. The easy response is to listen to the howling winds, duck further under the covers, and hustle off to dreamland. You are worth more than the easy response, and I am thankful for your presence at the other end of the Internet.