Scale? We don’t need to Stinkin’ Scale

I know that scaling is the way to make something big out of a small operation. But, who says scaling is the only way to go? I just heard about Ugmonk through 99u.com and I love Jeff’s desire to grow slowly and sustainably.

I am still very surprised that  "how will you scale?" is the first question asked of any type of start up crew, even though I shouldn’t be, since I focus on the stock market where scaling up to IPO is the only growth model.

In the old days, a baker or a butcher was not concerned with scaling, he was concerned with making a living and thus, providing a quality product to ensure the security of his income. These days with the reemergence of artisanal makers, where small and hands on is the new model, why are we still so focussed on scaling up?

Clean Mind Policy

For sometime now, I have been practicing a strict clean desk policy. At the end of each work day, I tidy up what normally looks like the Tasmanian Devil’s workshop. All papers off the desk, hopefully in binders, but sometimes in piles in drawers, but out of sight. Pens & pencils in their purple leather container, coffee cup in the dishwasher, discards to the recycle bin, shared items to the cabinet.

The only paper allowed on the desk surface is tomorrow’s To Do list. This makes for a nice closing ritual for the day and for a fresh start of the next day, which is particularly nice on Mondays or the first day back from vacation.

This morning I woke up thinking about adopting a Clean Mind Policy.

I don’t mean cleaning up my dirty mind. I live in Holland, any type of censorship is bad and what fun would that be anyway?

What I am thinking about is creating a habit of regularly and actively removing the daily mind clutter that comes with working and that stands in the way of my happiness pursuit. As, Taylor Swift puts it, to shake, shake, shake it off. Get rid of it before it becomes hoard fodder for my brain or worse, my heart.

Like most things I do, I need tips and Jedi Mind tricks to use on myself. Maybe, the best way to start this is to do it at the same time that I am cleaning off my desk; a mindfulness exercise to make sure no unnecessary annoyances, grudges or petty peeves go out the door with me. Maybe I can even put it on the end of tomorrow’s To Do list as a reminder.

"To hell with circumstances; I create opportunities."
— Bruce Lee

Hello, Friends!

Welcome back to my thought space.

A while back, I was complaining to a friend that on our vacation to Curacao, I was annoyed by the 18-yr-old daughter of friends who was constantly running around in her bikini.

He asked me, does that make you want to be 18 again? I guess he thought that I was annoyed out of envy for her youthful beauty. I said “Heck, no!” I didn’t even have to think about the question. Later, I started thinking about why I feel this way. I came up with a great number of whys. Being young is hard and you don’t even realize that you are beautiful until you look back. Recently, a friend of mine posted a picture of me at 17. My mouth dropped when I saw it, not at all how I saw myself at that time.

But that is not really the point of this thought module. I watched this video this week What We Tell Ourselves. I found it on Seth Godin’s blog. It’s a call to action for us 35-60 year-olds and it is fantastic. Have a look and tell me what you think.