Methodology

I’ve done things the wrong way more than once. I’ve been prone to working harder instead of working smarter. I jump in with both feet instead of assessing the situation. But, I think I’m getting better at realizing when something doesn’t look or feel right.  Photo provided by: Free Images One thing that especially pains me is watching someone else do something wrong. (and by wrong I don’t mean a different way than I would do them. Wrong in the sense that they’re putting eggshells into their omelets instead of yolks.) I try to take the opportunity to help someone out when they look like they’re struggling, but other times I feel I’m overstepping my bounds if I chime in out of turn. It’s one thing to help when someone can’t figure out the copy machine, but it’s a whole different beast when you want to correct someone who doesn’t think he has a problem. ...

I don’t care much for Major League Soccer. I don’t follow the Euro Leagues. I couldn’t even name more than a handful of soccer fútbol players. I haven’t kicked a ball since second grade. But I’m obsessed with the World Cup. Photo provided by IsakAronsson. In 2006 I swore I’d go see it in person the next time around. (I missed that, but I’ll be in Slovenia when they play the US, so I say it’s a close second. See you in 2014?). ...

We’ve all had days (sometimes weeks, months, maybe even years) when we’re drained from the work we do. We feel it doesn’t matter. It seems it’s not making an impact. Work we were once passionate about becomes work we dread. Things we loved doing become tiring, dull and cumbersome. Take heart my friends; the work you do matters.  Why Does It Matter? Whether you're a janitor or the CEO of a company. If you're moving boxes or flying planes or teaching kids or blogging or just being a student, what you do matters. ...

The “Like” Problem Imagine witnessing a friend do something absolutely awe-inspiring. They caught a fly ball that was unreachable. They jumped over a river. They kickflipped over a shed. They disapproved E=MC2. They shed light onto an idea you never understood before. They gave you a new perspective that changed your views. After any of the above, imagine just throwing them a “Thumbs up”.  No comment. No reaction. You simply stare at them like a hitchhiker. ...

You know that feeling after your payment has been processed for an As Seen On TV product that you can’t get the money for shipping back on? You just got a box on your doorstep with a Slap Chop that didn’t change your life and you found out the billow pad they made your Snuggie out of gives you a rash? It’s deflating. Overhyped Advertising + Underdelivered Product Quality = Vows Against TV Products and Nightmares About Billy Mays. In ReWork by the founders of 37 Signals Jason Fried and David Hansson there is a blurb on being “At Home Good”. Essentially, it’s the idea that a product that may not be as flashy as others when you first come across it, but after spending time with that product, you can’t help but realize how remarkable it is. ...

Each and every day bad decisions are made. Most of the time, you realize it’s bad in retrospect. A lot of times, you probably don’t. So what is this bad decision you don’t know you’re making? The sunk cost decision.  Sunk cost is one of the most commonly referred to economic principles. It’s a cost that has already been incurred and cannot be recovered. Think of it as a non-refundable deposit. You’ve already fronted the resources, and there is no getting them back. ...

The Story In the 1940s before the invention of the barcode, there was a problem with people switching the sticker price tags of items in retail stores. These half-thieves would pull the price sticker off of a something like a Hershey bar and place it over top of something more expensive. The result? A whole lot of toasters being sold for a nickel and a huge loss for the store. ...

When you’re in a group of people and you’re being chased by a bear, how fast do you have to run to make sure you won’t get eaten? Faster than the slowest person.  Now consider the process of being picked from a pool of applicants for a job, the process of gaining a new customer, or being the winning contestant on The Bachelorette. To win the job, win the customer, or win the “dream” woman, you have to outrun all of the other contestants to survive. Lucky for you, they all run at the same speed. ...

We’ve all had days when we aimlessly wander. We’ve got nothing to do, no direction, and no motivation to accomplish anything. Now don’t get me wrong, I think a day of rest each week is critical, but every day can’t be a sabbath. The thing about each day you wake up is that it’s more important than yesterday and tomorrow. The past can’t be changed and the future isn’t guaranteed. All you can do is make the most of what you’ve been given. ...

In the world of work, everyone chastises procrastinators.[tweetmeme source=”jshirk.com” only_single=false http://jshirkman.wordpress.com/2010/04/21/http://jshirkman.wordpress.com/2010/04/21/procrastination-isnt-a-dirty-word/]They’re lazy. They wait until the last minute. They put things off. They’re the ones stapling the paper, adding the last image to the PowerPoint, or making that phone call seconds before the deadline.  Photo provided by http://www.flickr.com/photos/ktiqui/ But if they get it done…does it matter? The person who finishes something weeks ahead of time and the person who finishes it just in time, if the quality of work is the same, are no different. They finished the job. They met the deadline. They shipped. Now tell me, where’s the issue? ...