Be creative this year!

It is a new year, and with it comes new plans, new strategies and renewed ambitions. And rightly so, every new start signals yet another chapter to try something new, or refocus on something good already planned. There is a reason for each one of us to set a new standard. To evolve into a better being, to change into what we have always wanted to become. Change, a great philosopher once said, is the only constant thing in our lives. Any standard we can set for ourselves is achievable, because I strongly believe that there is no such thing as a target that is too high to be achieved, just unrealistic timelines. We have all set our focus on how to be more productive, eat healthy, jog every day, hit the gym…etc. but somehow we never get to lift our weights around our goals. This means we never get the consistency and rhythm that is needed to achieve significant results. Last year, I had set a target of reading a specific number of books, amongst other life improving activities. Needless to say, like most of us, I did not make half way through my list, but 2019 is the year! Right? The New Year is always the year! James Clear, a New York Time’s bestseller describes in his book ‘Atomic Habits’ how we ought to start small and focus on consistently changing minimal habits for an overall change that we want to see. Clear uses scientific studies to show how just 1% change, with the right consistency will give very interesting, even shocking results over time. If you want to start reading books, do not create a long list, just pick up the first book and read a page a day! Do this over a period of time and before you know it, you will have the right momentum to keep going. Then pick another. I have chosen to be creative this year. We have been told, even inspired to be hardworking, to work smart, to have the right attitude… but guess what, this culminates in creativity. Working smart with the right attitude seldom leads to being creative. Become a creative person this year, and results are guaranteed in all aspects of life; in the work place, at home, in relationships etc simply because you will be able to see the world better and respond with agility that will always elevate you to a vantage point. Being creative basically means you have considerable cognitive flexibility, you are able to communicate easily and more effectively and you have the intellectual curiosity on how situations and tasks can be handled better, because there is always a better way of doing whatever it is that you are tasked with. Solve your own situations with creativity and soon enough it will be your own way of life. The world is earnestly looking for problem solvers and as such, only creative thinkers will find the spot in it. One great Hungarian mathematician called Prof George Polya made fundamental contributions to combinatorics and problem solving analysis, which is a great piece of work, which I consider to be great place to start in our quest for creativity. Prof Polya summarized problem solving as a 4 step process; • Understanding the problem: When faced with a problem, or a situation, as are all days of our lives, never dive into problem solving mode before fully understanding the problem itself. If you do, as it has been proven, you only reduce the chances you have at a brilliant solution to mediocrity. At best, this can only end up in problem pushing/shelving, or what we call sweeping under the carpet. Even worse, you will end up creating even worse problems and inevitably blame game. • Make a plan; Once the problem is properly understood and the necessary problem solving tools identified, spend some time studying to fully develop a full circle step by step analysis of how you will apply the skills and knowledge you have, using the tools and time at your disposal to reach at the best and most preferred outcome. Check whether the informations and skills you have are sufficient to arrive at a solution and hey Presto! If you realize you do not have enough resources to provide a solution, planning will enable you to get an understanding of how and where to get the necessary information you need to arrive at a desired solution. • Implement your plan; what good is a plan if the plan is just a plan? After all, the point of all this exercise is to carry out this plan to resolve the issue at hand. This is actually what problem solving is all about. And finally, • Consider your solution, and ask yourself ‘How could it be better?’ At this point, we are asking critically about the genesis, solution and implementation of the solution. What was the root cause of the problem? And how can we make sure it doesn’t recur? One of the easiest and most detrimental options that people tend to take is to look at the problem from a bird’s eye view and ask ‘who caused this?’ And then ‘who can we blame for it?’ This I can guarantee is a quickfix that only compounds the issue and doesn’t add any value. You may be convinced that finding the culprit is a top priority but I encourage you to focus on the main issue and not fall for quick hacks, however seductive that might be. It appears to work in the short run but in the long game, it a dangerous adventure that will kill you far more quickly than putting in the work for a sustainable solution. Focus all your energy on the real issue and always try to keep a clean and open mentality and positive results are almost guaranteed. Do not cut corners, that is not creativity.

Hello Tomorrow

Its been a while since I posted something new, something inspirational, something someone can learn something from. Its been a busy time, with life and work happening, but that's what we are around for. Life. As i grow older, and more importantly wiser, there are things that are beginning to impress me, and others to piss me off. My tolerance for nonsense has gone down considerably and this is primarily the reason politicians are making less sense day by day. Technology has grown leaps and bounds, in its own nomenclature and the level at which it draws my attention. I am easily impressed by the fact that I can almost do most of my chores remotely, even this post! Even so, Economics has been the center of my interests, and life, for over fifteen years now, and every new concept i come across brings me to more curiosity and additive knack to seek more of it. I was once fixated at Keynes and the level at which he seems to have mastered so much while the rest of the world was busy fighting, but it turns out Marshal was even more phenomenal. Anywho, this is just a snapshot of what to expect as I get back to me. Lets ride!

The Fisherman & The Businessman

An American businessman took a vacation to a small coastal Mexican village on doctor’s orders. Unable to sleep after an urgent phone call from the office the first morning, he walked out to the pier to clear his head. A small boat with just one fisherman had docked, and inside the boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish. “How long did it take you to catch them?” the American asked. “Only a little while,” the Mexican replied in surprisingly good English. “Why don’t you stay out longer and catch more fish?” the American then asked. “I have enough to support my family and give a few to friends,” the Mexican said as he unloaded them into a basket. “But… What do you do with the rest of your time?” The Mexican looked up and smiled. “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife, Julia, and stroll into the village each evening, where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life, senor.” The American laughed and stood tall. “Sir, I’m a Harvard M.B.A. and can help you. You should spend more time fishing, and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. In no time, you could buy several boats with the increased haul. Eventually, you would have a fleet of fishing boats.” He continued, “Instead of selling your catch to a middleman, you would sell directly to the consumers, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing, and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village, of course, and move to Mexico City, then to Los Angeles, and eventually to New York City, where you could run your expanded enterprise with proper management.” The Mexican fisherman asked, “But, senor, how long will all this take?” To which the American replied, “15-20 years, 25 tops.” “But what then, senor?” The American laughed and said, “That’s the best part. When the time is right, you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich. You would make millions.” “Millions senor? Then what?” “Then you would retire and move to a small coastal fishing village, where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take a siesta with your wife, and stroll in to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos.”

..Go ahead. Have sex.

1. s*x promotes heart health. A recent study suggests that men who have s*x twice a week have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) than men who have less frequent s*x. And this was true even after researchers adjusted for erectile dysfunction. Analyzing the health records of 1,165 men who were monitored for 16 years as part of the Massachusetts Male Aging Study, epidemiologists at the New England Research Institutes found that men who had s*xual activity once a month or less were at 50 percent greater risk of cardiovascular disease than the men who had s*x more than once a week. 2. It helps to boost the immune system. People who have s*x once or twice weekly have stronger immune systems than people who have s*x less than once a week, according to a study at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania by psychologists Carl J. Charnetski, PhD, and Francis X. Brennan Jr., PhD. Having s*x once or twice a week increases levels of an antibody called immunoglobin A (that’s the stuff that fights off colds and other infections), which really keeps the doctor away! 3. s*x helps burn calories. Due to its brevity, having an climax fries only two or three calories. But the prelude can burn quite a bit more, depending on your weight and the length and vigor of the lovemaking session. For example, a raucous romp uses about 5 METs (metabolic equivalents), a system for gauging the intensity of physical activity. (Sitting quietly, for comparison, is equal to 1 MET.) So, a 190-pound man would burn 413 calories in an hour of vigorous s*xual activity. But since the average lovemaking session is about 20 minutes, you’re talking about only around 150 calories. Still, that’s more than double the caloric expenditure of sitting alone on the couch. 4. Love longer, live longer. An Irish study published in the British Medical Journal in 1997 tracked the mortality of 1,000 middle-aged men over the course of a decade and concluded that s*xual activity may have a protective effect on health. By comparing men according to age and health, researchers found that men who had the highest frequency of orgasms had a death rate 50-percent lower than men who did not release frequently. 5. s*x stifles stress. Research at the University of the West of Scotland shows that s*x, like exercise, releases anxiety, lowers stress hormones, and can help people cope with mental pressure for at least a week. In the study, 46 men and women were put in a stressful situation involving speaking and working math problems in front of a tough audience. Participants were also asked to keep a diary of their s*xual activity for two weeks prior to the test. Those who had s*x were the least stressed out, and their blood pressures returned to normal faster after the public speaking test. “People who had penile-vaginal intercourse did twice as well as people who only masturbated or had no s*x at all,” says psychologist and lead researcher Stuart Brody. 6. Good love is better than a bandage. Researchers at Ohio State University Medical Center inflicted minor blister wounds on the arms of 45 married couples during 24-hour visits on two different occasions. On the first visit, the couples were prompted to engage in a positive, supportive discussion. Two months later they returned and new wounds were administered, the couples were prompted to argue. Results showed that wounds healed nearly two times faster after the positive interaction. 7. More s*x may turn back the clock. Can having s*x keep wrinkles away? British neuropsychologist David Weeks, MD, of Royal Edinburgh Hospital believes so. In a 10-year-long study, he interviewed 3,500 adults in England and the United States, and found that people who reported having s*x four times a week looked about 10 years younger than they actually were. Pleasure derived from having loving s*x releases hormones, including human growth hormone, that are crucial in preserving youth, he says. 8. Strenghtens nails. The same s*x-triggered hormones that make your skin glow also make our nails strong, which means less splitting and breaking, and longer-lasting manicures. 9. Gives us great hair. Hormones not only control our s*x drives, but also the condition of our hair. Research has shown that a satisfying s*x life results in healthy, lush hair due to the body’s increased ability to receive and metabolize nutrients efficiently. 10. Frequent orgasms may protect against cancer. Several studies have suggested that frequent ejaculation over many years may decrease risk of prostate cancer. In one US study, 29,000 men, ages 46 to 81, were asked their history of s*xual intercourse and self service between the ages of 20 and 49. Researchers at the National Cancer Institute analyzed the data and determined that the group of men who reported 21 orgasms per month was much less likely to have prostate cancer than men who averaged seven or fewer ejaculations per month. The researchers speculated that several protective factors may contribute: ejaculation may clear the prostate of carcinogenic secretions and the stress-reduction benefit from climax may limit potential harmful substances that could trigger cancer. 11. s*x is a natural sleeping pill. As women know all too well, climax is a rather effective sleep aid for most men. 12. Acts as a natural pain killer. Oxytocin, one of the chemicals released during s*x, increases endorphins and decreases pain, particularly headaches—which means that standby headache excuse isn’t going to cut it anymore. s*x also speeds up the healing of wounds, even stubborn sores like those suffered by diabetics. Before heading to the medicine cabinet, see if a quickie can’t cure minor ailments! 13. Men who have more s*x are—surprise—happier! An Australian survey of 5,000 people showed that married men are 135 percent more likely to report happiness than single men, while only 52 percent of married women are happier than unmarried women. Could it have something to do with the fact that s*x is easier for cohabiting couples? According to a national s*x survey conducted by the University of Chicago, s*xual activity is 25 percent to 300 percent greater for married couples compared to non-married people, depending on age.

Five classic regrets.

Someone ever told you 'Live your life'? Well T.I is not someone you should quote, neither is Rihana. So if nobody ever told your that, or if there is nobody you can quote, here, quote me. I am offering my self for all the quoting you want to do. And by all means avoid these regrets later in your life. 1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me. When people realize that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realize, until they no longer have it. 2. I wish I didn’t work so hard. Well, nothing much to say. Its not worth it, you need your life. Work is not everything. 3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings. Many people suppress their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settle for a mediocre existence and never become who they are truly capable of becoming. Many do develop illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carry as a result. 4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends. Often we never truly truly realize the full benefits of friends, old and new, until our sunset days and it is not always possible to track them down then. Many become so caught up in their own lives that they let golden friendships slip by over the years. There are many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserve. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying. 5. I wish that I had let myself be happier. This is a surprisingly common one. Many people do not realize until the end that happiness is a choice. They stay stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called ‘comfort’ of familiarity overflows into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change makes us pretend to others, and to our selves, that we are content. When deep within, we long to laugh properly and have silliness in our life again.

A Lovers Call 27, by Khalil Gibran

A Lover's Call XXVII

Where are you, my beloved? Are you in that little
Paradise, watering the flowers who look upon you
As infants look upon the breast of their mothers?


Or are you in your chamber where the shrine of
Virtue has been placed in your honor, and upon
Which you offer my heart and soul as sacrifice?


Or amongst the books, seeking human knowledge,
While you are replete with heavenly wisdom?


Oh companion of my soul, where are you? Are you
Praying in the temple? Or calling Nature in the
Field, haven of your dreams?


Are you in the huts of the poor, consoling the
Broken-hearted with the sweetness of your soul, and
Filling their hands with your bounty?


You are God's spirit everywhere;
You are stronger than the ages.


Do you have memory of the day we met, when the halo of
You spirit surrounded us, and the Angels of Love
Floated about, singing the praise of the soul's deed?


Do you recollect our sitting in the shade of the
Branches, sheltering ourselves from Humanity, as the ribs
Protect the divine secret of the heart from injury?


Remember you the trails and forest we walked, with hands
Joined, and our heads leaning against each other, as if
We were hiding ourselves within ourselves?


Recall you the hour I bade you farewell,
And the Maritime kiss you placed on my lips?
That kiss taught me that joining of lips in Love
Reveals heavenly secrets which the tongue cannot utter!


That kiss was introduction to a great sigh,
Like the Almighty's breath that turned earth into man.


That sigh led my way into the spiritual world,
Announcing the glory of my soul; and there
It shall perpetuate until again we meet.


I remember when you kissed me and kissed me,
With tears coursing your cheeks, and you said,
"Earthly bodies must often separate for earthly purpose,
And must live apart impelled by worldly intent.


"But the spirit remains joined safely in the hands of
Love, until death arrives and takes joined souls to God.


"Go, my beloved; Love has chosen you her delegate;
Over her, for she is Beauty who offers to her follower
The cup of the sweetness of life.
As for my own empty arms, your love shall remain my
Comforting groom; you memory, my Eternal wedding."


Where are you now, my other self? Are you awake in
The silence of the night? Let the clean breeze convey
To you my heart's every beat and affection.


Are you fondling my face in your memory? That image
Is no longer my own, for Sorrow has dropped his
Shadow on my happy countenance of the past.


Sobs have withered my eyes which reflected your beauty
And dried my lips which you sweetened with kisses.


Where are you, my beloved? Do you hear my weeping
From beyond the ocean? Do you understand my need?
Do you know the greatness of my patience?


Is there any spirit in the air capable of conveying
To you the breath of this dying youth? Is there any
Secret communication between angels that will carry to
You my complaint?


Where are you, my beautiful star? The obscurity of life
Has cast me upon its bosom; sorrow has conquered me.


Sail your smile into the air; it will reach and enliven me!
Breathe your fragrance into the air; it will sustain me!


Where are you, me beloved?
Oh, how great is Love!
And how little am I!


Khalil Gibran.

Why do we shout in anger? - Paulo Coelho

A master asked his disciples:
‘Why do we shout in anger? Why do people shout at each other when they are upset?’

the disciples thought for a while, and one of them said
‘Because we lose our calm, we shout for that.’
‘But, why to shout when the other person is just next to you? ‘Isn’t it possible to speak to him or her with a soft voice? Why do you shout at a person when you’re angry?’
The disciples gave him some other answers but none satisfied the master.

Finally he explained:
‘When two people are angry at each other, their hearts distance a lot. To cover that distance they must shout to be able to hear each other. The angrier they are, the stronger they will have to shout to hear each other through that great distance.’

Then the master asked:
‘What happens when two people fall in love? They don’t shout at each other but talk softly, why? Because their hearts are very close. The distance between them is very small…’

And he concluded:
‘When they love each other even more, what happens?
‘They do not speak, only whisper and they get even closer to each other in their love.

‘Finally they even need not whisper, they only look at each other and that’s all. That is how close two people are when they love each other.’