Many people don’t have time. I wonder what happens with all the time since we have all the same time, don’t we? 24 hours per day and many more in a year.

So, what happens when people don’t have time?

Here’s my thesis: People are lying when they say “I don’t have time”. They would be honest if they said “I don’t have time for you because I’m doing something that I prioritize over you”.

Ouch. That hurts. A K.O. punch right into your confidence. You wanted to talk to that person and he/she said that there was something more important than you.

Do you feel offended? Yes. Is it offensive by that person? No.

That person was even nice to you by telling you the truth. Yes, it could be a way of avoiding people but in this context here we believe in the good and honesty of people.

What if the person said “Yes, sure” and would be lying to you?

Then he/she would be listening to what you want to say, respond here and there but never be fully engaged.  The result would be: You being happy that the meeting happened but not satisfied with how it went.

The take-away from today: There’s a reason why people “NO” your request. It’s not because they’re bad people. They simply prioritize different than you. Also, even if they physically just passed by (a few steps from you), mentally they’d be probably somewhere else – being occupied in their head. How valuable is a conversation when the other person that is supposed to listen to you is not mentally there with you? Zero. If you want the person to be all in, let him/her finish his/her things, and the conversation will happen after. Only you and him/her. Full attention. Full engagement. Full satisfaction. Win-Win.

This was episode 31 of the #weekdaykickoff 🌊. Every Monday-Friday morning. Colombian time. Until episode 5 I also audio-recorded on Anchor, you can find me there as “Alexander Kluge”.

End of the week means summary of the week. These are the bits and pieces I pushed into your head as part of the #weekdaykickoff 🌊 series, so that something reasonable (or unreasonable) will be your next action step. You’re welcome.

You’re Average Joe and Josefina

There’s nothing wrong with being average, if you’re happy with it. Being middle class (average class) has been your goal for a long time. Celebrate you made it. If you however feel that more is possible, set goals, take the steps necessary to reach them and become overly obsessive with it – in a positive way. Not everybody wants to rule the world, but why not dominate your litte niche?

Your default state is selfish and lazy

Analyzing myself I came to the conclusion that without a goal in life I would be selfish and lazy. Both character traits are so destructive that (if performed for a long time, like years), you would cease to exist.

Give yourself a meaning. It can be like cleaning the streets in front of your house every Sunday morning at 7am because the traffic is low. It can be a social service you’re doing for elderly people every Friday afternoon when school / university is over. Or a street performance you offer donation-based in your city center where you get yourself in an uncomfortable situation (getting out of your comfort zone is healthy) and entertain people.

These are all very good services that give yourself meaning. What service gives your life meaning? Yes, playing WoW counts 😉

Incest on a socio-cultural level

By copying what everyone else is doing you won’t become better (unless you copy better) and you don’t allow your true uniqueness to shine. You don’t even let it become born. With your Average Joe / Josefina mentality you won’t make it in the long run, so stop doing incest on a socio-cultural level (I know it sounds strong, it’s my intention) and get out of those circles.

The currently best way to do that is to join a travel experience with ON BOARD, a company I’m co-creating (yes, that’s biased, so what? – Do you want to become a better self and improve or stay like you are!?)

Your values first

Having had the pleasure of watching Adam Mason on Snapchat (adaminspired), I learnt a very nice formula for how to ask deeper behind the actions you’ve been doing every day.

In short: Base your actions (the “what”) and motives (the “why”) on your values. The sequence goes like: Values › Why › What

So, start with your values, and everything else follows. Without values you would be aimless, meaning dead.

The take-away for the weekend: Don’t be average if you’re not happy with it. Reach for more. Define your values and make them the core of your actions and motives to act. Avoid copying people in your circles because how original is that? Instead: Make the effort to find your uniqueness. If you don’t do it, you could find your self without goal in life and that would mean you’ll die not having lived a meaningful life. Sad. Triste. Shameful? Yes, a bit.

Yesterday I had the pleasure to watch Adam Mason on Snapchat (adaminspired). He recently changed careers to pursue his passion: photography. He was criticizing how people were only after the “What” (e.g. What are you doing for a living?) instead of asking why they do that for a living.

Also, he recommended to ask yourself every day after you woke “Why am I doing what I’m doing?” and observe what you answer carefully.

However, the “What” and “Why” should be based on your values you carry inside. Your values define your why and what creating a nice sequence. In short:

Values › Why › What

This idea is very charming since you hear a lot that you should “start with why” and then wonder what’s my why based upon. Values define your motives (your “why’s”). You have a fixed set of values or principles (yes, you will adjust them throughout your life) that you set for yourself because they define the scope of the field on which you want to play. The so many “Why’s” and “What’s” are simply a conclusion out of that.

The take-away from today: Values are the deepest core ingredients that define your existence, your being, your feelings, and they build the basis to conclude your motives (why) and actions (what). Without knowing your values, you’re basically aimless.

This was episode 29 of the #weekdaykickoff 🌊. Every Monday-Friday morning. Colombian time. Until episode 5 I also audio-recorded on Anchor, you can find me there as “Alexander Kluge”.