New Age or Old Age Wisdom
(How does a New Year’s Resolutions really work?)

     Ever ask yourself, "How does New Year’s resolution making really work? How good are we at keeping those great, determined promises? Some of the old sage wisdom is kick-butt, and CEO’s of mega corporations leverage this on their staff. Power driven megalomaniacs have used "the 80/20 Rule" or "the KISS Principal". They advise people to focus energy on huge problems, genuine pressure issues and let the little things pass; they label them as unjustified attention. That KISS Principal states "Keep It Simple, Stupid". Their K-I-S-S makes involvement is a simple choice, decision-making an easy matter.

 

      In fact decision-making is quite emotional! I have tried following this sage advice. Unfortunately, their applications leave nasty heaps of manure to shovel. The secret is that this narrow group of power grabbers has its own agenda. While they are moving up the ladder of success, we ordinary folks are busy digging from their messy stuff. They leave giant piles of crap in their wake.

Everyone recognizes that decision making is emotional. For Example, when I fold my laundry, it’s a challenge matching different colored socks: browns, black, blues, white, Pokka-dot, etc. Every morning, getting dressed is stressful, because of "power dressing" (which is very different from cross-dressing): my socks match and that both shoes coordinate in same style, color & shape, tie demands a correct knot, etc.

 

     Dump those high sounding personal motivating rules. From here on, act on the small stuff. Long ago, Ben Franklin told us, "A penny saved is a penny earned". Like, I AM TYING my shoelaces, which is a small event. But imagine walking around with your shoelaces untied. I might fall down a flight of stairs, break my neck, and be rushed to a hospital. At that point, I would switch to following the 80/20 rule.

     Also, it is best to keep my car’s gas tank full of fuel, because I certainly would not want to run out of gasoline on a railroad crossing with the 4:15 Zephyr churning down on me at 85MPH. Always buy pitted cherry for cherry desserts. Yet, my dentist is a power driven megalomaniacs who provides patients with pie receipts that call for fruit filling with seeds and pits.

    If we look at the 80/20 rule, then what are some powerful 20% ideas that generate monstrous results? Aren’t they trumpeting personal challenges, such as designing and building the new 2,000-ft tall skyscraper in New York City? By Jove, I certainly want to boggle my mind about how to launch this mega-project on that postage stamp island. And GM has created a hydrogen fuel cell for their next generation cars. Notice how you & I have a direct pipeline into their engineering department in shaping the ultimate design. Naturally, we stay awake at night worrying about this fuel-crisis dilemma, being asked for our suggestions. Did you know that the earth’s North Pole is starting to wobble? Our world could literally turn sideways in another 400,000 years; perhaps we should start building a bigger Noah’s Ark.

     All of that finally turned our wisdom from the spectacular back to everyday mundane coping. How many of us have manufactured grand schemes to fret about or such our great plans effect history? My dad used to muse when asked how things were going, "Hell. I do the easy ones twice and the hard things once."

     From now on, he small stuff fits my world best. Those heavy hitters are paid to do the heavy lifting. My worries settle on bathing, butt wiping, teeth brushing, bill writing, paying for stuff at checkout stands, belching as necessary, carrying full ink pens with nibs pointing down, growing hair every place, cut shave and trim hair, walk around with pants zipped, washing dishes, and peel oranges.

     Living rests on wise actions. My best advise suggest that all of us sweat the small stuff, and side step the big time: Be well, be ready and be prepared.