In your everyday life you take position. Even by not being actively pursuing something, you represent your standpoint. If you don’t vote in the elections, you vote anyway. If you don’t take responsibility for the car accident you just had you, you take position.

Every moment is under your control if you take it. But what if you really don’t want to do it? What if doing nothing, retreating or even only doing the normal thing everyone else is doing, is your thing?

You don’t want to be special, so you go with the main stream and peek out every now and then because you’re still curious if some other people who take massively more action than you did another extraordinary thing, which you are jealous of, but do nothing about because special is something others are, not me, why would I want that?

Everybody should be in his place where he/she belongs, living an ordinary life and pursue basically nothing grand, nothing wildly extraordinary. Keep your life in a rail you can maintain, the mono-rail. If the rail breaks, you can’t continue because you didn’t look for alternatives, but that’s ok for you.

You’re average. Nothing really excites you because if it did you would stand out, and that would be very embarrassing. Imagine all the people looking at you and you getting red in the face, shy and mute. How would that feel? Yes, it would feel as if you could be more than Average Joe. But that’s not you. That’s not your goal. You’re “No Joe”, not “Yes Joe”. Everything that could be possible, is not possible because you think so. Everything that others are doing is a miracle, and you always wonder how that could’ve worked. “They must have had a lot of money to do that”, is your basic conviction.

Well, maybe they had, but consider looking at where they started. You could be surprised.

Everybody wants to rule the world? Nope, not everyone, and especially not you because then you would be remarkable, and this would be… ehm… actually pretty cool, but remember you’re “No Joe” with your “Average Joe” friends. You wouldn’t do that, would you?

The take away from today: In a highly ironic tone I made you aware of your probably normal existence. Nothing too fancy, exciting or adventurous happens in your life. “Average” is your first name and your average parents gave you just another ordinary last name as well. If you can identify with that, you’re either happy with your life because you enjoy what everybody else has been doing, you’re in an indifferent state of not knowing where your place really is (here’s the solution) or you’re bored of your existence which makes you long for your first big adventure in life! You don’t have to rule the world, but playing an integral part in making the world better, smarter, richer and funnier, that sounds appealing, doesn’t it?

This was episode 26 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”.

Friday is summary day. I wrap up the week and sum up what you learnt in the #weekdaykickoff 🌊 series this week.

Your duty to succeed

For you personal life, your business, your family and eventually your pension you want to have success with tangible results (human connection, interaction, exchange) and intangible results (changing the world, make it a better place, money). This is your duty. You will learn about your duty when you encounter of your moment of obligation.

Be gentle, man

When you’re gentle you differentiate, you pay attention to details, you make little gestures of big meaning. You’re the star without looking for fame. You’re the guy/gal next door but with an impressively shining aura. You’re natural and no actor can beat this. You’re not acting as your best because you want a “Thank you!”. You do it unconditionally. You don’t expect anything in return.

Writing therapy

Writing heals. Writing keeps (your memories alive). Writing sells (making a living from it). Writing allows a dialogue with yourself (hey buddy, how are you doing). Writing kicks off your engine called brain. In short: It all starts with writing and you should write, too.

When you “want” an “and”

I’m a fan of playing with words. It’s one of my favorite playgrounds. However, this is another topic. You learnt that using “want” and “and” functions as catalyzers for your communication. You avoid “must” and “but” because they are what I call “terminal words”. I’m hyberboling now and will call them “cancer words”. They end things. “want” and “and” extend, amplify, prolong things, keep things alive. They are “dancer words”. Rhymes well, right? With this magic duo you’re encouraged to move your hips, dance along the conversation and make it a musical.

The take-away for the weekend: If you succeed in life you have the guarantee to create your own legend and be somebody instead of a nobody. Pursue it. Stay, nevertheless, gentle and humble in your actions, meaning: act like a star but only in the process. Be a celebrity while you work but be Mr. Nobody before and after it because before your action you haven’t achieved anything and after you’re up for your next thing to succeed in (and in your mind you still haven’t achieved anything).

Write as a therapy so you know yourself best by chatting with your self, memorize your life and know where to go. Be brave to also encounter your dark parts, very dark. Black. And when you do that writing avoid “but” and “must” because everything you do from now on will be directed towards what you want and what other people need. And. Want.

Done.

This was episode 25 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”.

Hahaha. You’re a funny person. First you give me inspiration and a kick in the butt and now you want me to not use particular words. Who are you? Some kind of weirdo?!

Before you jump off, let me explain.

I’m here to get you into a mindset that pushes you, makes you move and puts you into a position of being self-responsible for every action of your day. Also, right now when you’re chewing your nails, drinking that 3rd cup of coffee and scrolling aimlessly through the Facebook stream that anyway doesn’t reflect your interests anymore.

You’re looking for distraction, you think, but what you’re actually looking for is having a rich, meaningful life. Ah, you’re one of those selling the dream and living from selling the dream to others who fall into your trap? Ehm, nope!

I’m the one who’s potentially your best friend although we don’t know each other. I can help you elevate up, up, up without selling you something. If I care about you (and/or your business) I will provide a massive amount of value for you.

Get back to the point. Why no “must” and “but”? Ok, there you go.

If you must do something, you may not want to do it. It’s something/-one else telling you to do it. You have zero motivation, zero spirit and drive to do it because you do it for someone else.

Ok, now the “but” part! Ok ok, Mr. Impatient.

When you “but” something you potentially end a conversation. You can kill a stream of thought and make the person you’re responding to with a “but” feel uncomfortable. If you “but” it, you close the door right in front of your conversation partner’s face.

I suggest to use “want” and “and” instead. If you want something, you do it. No questions asked. You go for it. When you “and” something you keep the conversation alive, adding another aspect or even gently disagreeing with that other person’s opinion. And you do it smoothly. But you do it smoothly. You felt the difference of both?

The take-away from today: Observe how “want” and “and” change the way you communicate. Try it today, and if you like it, continue using them. It takes some time to adjust your way of speaking and you’ll feel obstacles doing it (because it can seem not natural), but give it a try and let me know if it does something for you.

This was episode 24 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”.