written by john c ashworth
Thomas Watson posted signs throughout IBM that read, THINK.
Unfortuately, I see to much resistance to good thinking. Instead, I see one of two things...
A general resistance to good thinking, OR
A genuine disinterest in learning, knowing, and pondering the perplexities that surround us each day. A modern-day tendency to allow technology to do the thinking for us. Sure, 'Google it.' Or put it into the chatbot, but spend some quality time thinking for yourself on the subject.
In fact, for someone who has been around for awhile now, it's interesting to see not just how much BS swirls in the ether, but how much of it is the same BS that's been there all along. Unfortunately it's a lot easier now to position yourself as an expert and authority and to broadcast to unlimited channels with a message that may or may not be legit. All of which is made even easier when pushing to an audience that doesn't want to spend enough time in productive thought.
A personal example of this for me recently is just how easy it is to over rely on GPS when traveling through the Carolinas, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and Illinois in my new territories - plodding my way from one customer and prospect to the next. I think this job would have been a lot harder and more cumbersome in the old days without GPS, especially for a guy with my terrible sense of direction, however, when I spend the time actually reviewing the maps, and looking for the road less traveled, sometimes truly amazing and inspiring things happen along the way.
Yes. It's a simple example, but also a story of just how easy it is to become over reliant on technology to do our thinking for us.
The truth is that those unwilling to do enough good thinking for themselves, will ultimately end up servant to those who do. Often finding yourself in this position by surprise.
"How in the heck did we end up here?"
You stopped thinking, my friend.
You stopped paying close enough attention.
You got lazy.
I find this a lot in my new position as regional director for Golden Considerations where we are a pre-need insurance broker offering business solutions to funeral homes that will help them offer truly customized solutions for those families that want to plan their funerals in advance and protect their assets.
Most of the folks I speak with are grossly uninformed about pre-need.
As a result, many more are not only missing oportunity inside their businesses, but worse, blind to the fact that their neglect of this part of their business, could cost them handsomely in the long run. It's an EASY thing to ignore if you don't understand the true nature of this business and how it can help you gurantee the future of your funeral home.
THINKING is what makes us human. The thing that distinguishes us from beast.
When you don't think, you are sacrificing what makes you truly unique for convenience, speed and sloth.
Slow down, stop and THINK!
Put yourself into situations where people are doing good thinking and exchanging their thoughts and ideas.
Reason.
Calculate.
Ponder.
Move things around in your mind and come at your problems from a new angle and with a new perspective. One very important questions to ask yourself regularly is this, "what business am I really in?" Hint: it's not the product or service you're selling. it goes much deeper.
Most importantly, CREATE!
And then go out and find the experts who can help facilitate this process for you and who can provide the kind of support you need to produce results and grow, both personally and professionally. Because the folks creating all this convenience and the companies creating the environments designed to help you are doing good thinking themselves. No doubt about it. Get yourself a ticket on this train, hop on and start paying more attention.
Start thinking...
-john
