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[tweetmeme source=”jshirk.com” only_single=false http://jshirkman.wordpress.com/2010/04/01/fools-never-start/] We’ve all heard the cliche “Fools rush in (where angels fear to tread).” It seems like sound advice, but I feel all too often “Fools never start.” We calculate, analyze, triple check, and stir over. We hypothesize, procrastinate, dream and don’t take action.  Photo provided by http://www.flickr.com/photos/jayneandd/ The problem all too often isn’t rushing in, it’s failing to start. Fools never start… …taking chances when they have a hunch. …reaching out when they know they should. …asking why when things seem amiss. …risking it all and figuring out the details later when pursuing a passion. …leading because they feel they are unqualified. …expressing their ideas because they are afraid they’ll be stolen. …rejecting the status quo for what they know is better. …taking steps to make change. …accepting responsibility and refusing to blame others for circumstances. ...

I’m currently enjoying a week of sun and fun in Fort Myers, Florida for Spring Break. It’s been fantastic, but I just can’t seem to get anything done. I know, I should be enjoying by vacation (and don’t worry party patrol, I am!), but I still have a number of things I’d like to accomplish this week. Unfortunately, a lack of motivation is stifling all productivity.  Photo provided by http://www.flickr.com/photos/ericmcgregor/ ...

I rarely condone taking the advice of musicians who repeatedly make terribly inappropriate and outlandish comments and often make fools of themselves, but Kanye West John Mayer used the stage as a soapbox Friday night in Columbus, and I agreed with him nearly whole-heartedly. A calling is a calling because it comes from a voice far away. You have to make sacrifices. You’ll have to give things up, but following your calling is the most important thing you can do. This is most certainly a paraphrase because John took the liberty of rambling and all but worshipping his guitar, but at the very core of his message, I agree with him. ...

They say winning isn’t everything. I completely disagree. If you aren’t winning, then you’re losing. And from my experience and deep amount of research: No one likes to lose. Can you learn from it? Sure. But a “loss” isn’t always a loss–many times it’s just a situation needing redefined. So let’s clearly define a victory to clear up the confusion of losing.  Photo provided by svilen001: http://www.sxc.hu/profile/svilen001 ...

What are you dreading most today? Is it that tedious project that’s hanging over your head? Or a mile-high status report for your boss? Is it getting to the gym? Whatever it is, do it first. Wake up, hop out of bed, grab your cup of joe and dive in to your worst task. Mark Twain said it best: “Eat a live frog every morning, and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.”  Photo provided by deepinon: http://flickr.com/deepinon ...

Would you rather go to a meeting or a movie? In a random poll I conduct from time to time in painful meetings, the answer is always unanimously a movie. Why is that? Movies are more entertaining. They have more drama and action. They are more engaging. Meetings are dry, boring, too long, full of updates that could be sent out in emails, and filled with PowerPoint presentations that stun you into submission. ...

In a recent poll, 77 percent of Japanese workers said they expected their boss to have the answer to any of their questions, problems, and concerns that come up at work. That figure implies a work environment driven by facts and figures, with centralized decision making, little power for entry-level positions, and lots of bureaucracy. Conversely, 13 percent of Americans expected their boss to know it all.  <p class="wp-caption-text"> Photo provided by: Marco Bellucci http://www.flickr.com/photos/marcobellucci/ </p> What's that figure mean for us in the U.S.? It means we don’t expect our boss to have all the answers. It means the big kahuna isn’t always the most qualified to attack a problem. It means he or she won’t necessarily the best path to follow when there is a fork in the road. ...

My friend and local Athens celebrity Caleb Troop facetiously told me he’d only follow me on Twitter if I’d provide value to him. He told me, “I want to learn something.” He’s totally right, but it doesn’t stop with tweets.  <p class="wp-caption-text"> Photo provided by *clairity* http://www.flickr.com/photos/clairity/ </p> Shouldn't every interaction you have with someone be about learning something? When you meet someone for coffee, run into an old friend, or read a blog post, it's all about learning. ...

Roughly one-fifth of Americans are smokers. Every time you walk behind one, enter a building where one is lighting up outside, or sit next to one on a bus, you notice. You smell them. They stand out. You can’t miss them. You can’t ignore them. They are unmistakable. It’s impossible for them to pass by without you noticing them.  Photo provided by saneboy http://flickr.com/photos/saneboy So why don’t you start smoking? ...

I want to go get a job in a profession I’m not really crazy about, suffer for eight to 10 years, and then I want to start my own business and do something I really love when I’m in a more difficult position to take chances, most likely when I have a spouse and kids. I ask a lot of people what they want to do with their lives. Most of the people I know who are planning on pursuing a career in the business field give me a response like the one above (at least that’s what I hear). ...