Good Intentions, Bad Outcome

The road to hell is paved by good intentions.  I can't be blamed if my intentions were good, right?  My heart was in the right place.  I didn't mean to.

These are phrases to absolve one of responsibility.  I'm not going to say intentions don't matter.  They are what got the ball rolling in the first place.  But when the rubble has cleared and damage done, intentions aren't material and they don't give you a lick of an excuse. 

Intentions don't matter between life and death.  But too often the outcome is excused because of intent (Those police officers didn't mean to storm into the wrong house and kill the owner).  If your lucky and the damage can be reversed or dampened, that is the only possible redemption.  Accepting the excuse of intention is refusing responsibility. 

This train of thought has me thinking.  I don't like that it is true, but it is.  Intention is a thought that is then put forth into action.  The outcome of the intention is action.  For instance if I was a sculpture and intended to make a vase but the outcome was a cup that would be the wrong intention, but it doesn't matter because the outcome was a cup.  My heart was there but the outcome just didn't make it. 

What would you do?  Try again attempting to learn from the experience?  Stop sculpting?  In disappointment break the cup and throw it away?  Those are all actions from intent as well. 
To discipline a dog actions are rewarded or repremanded.  But I know a few good trainers that say, "change the thought". 

Thoughts are the product of intention.  Changing the thought changes the intention and thereby changes the action.  Punishing or rewarding intention (or a thought) isn't all that unknown.  Trials on hate crimes do that.  But judging the intent of a person is the wrong way to go about it.  Judging on intent is wrong because the outcome can be extremely different from the intent.  (Just like my friend meant to get me hot chocolate but poured coffee in with the powdered formula and gave me a coffee mocha).  Yet training your own mind to change your intent, (like replacing negative thoughts with positive ones) can change the outcome.  But it's the outcome that needs to be judged not the intent.  Why? Because intent and outcome can be vastly different. 

If the outcome is not intended, responsibility still needs to be assumed good or bad.  The only way I know of to combat a bad outcome is knowledge.  Learn from intentions that turn out bad or good.  It's one of the most difficult things to take responsibility for because you didn't mean for it to happen.  But the worst happened and it was because of an action taken. 

To stand and say this was my fault takes courage when things go awry.  Yet the term "my intentions were good" doesn't fly with me.  If you can give me a reason why intent should be considered in an outcome I'd like to hear it.  This is a subject I'm not able to see both sides on.  If I started the chain of events to make something bad happen, then I need to take responsibility for it.  Mistakes happen.  Intenent and action don't always line up.  But not taking responsibility for it is immaturity.  Immaturity is a downfall of good intentions.  Immaturity leads to more bad outcomes.  Taking responsibility can stop short that path to hell.

The Steve Jobs I Knew...

Saw this post and thought...This is the Steve Jobs I knew!  He was an ass...and we LOVED him for it!

CLICK HERE for Steve Jobs was a jerk-good for him! 

I still curse him for his "you must do it my way!" but hey Gene Marks has a point!

Letting Go Of Insecure Social-ability

An animal’s rank determines how it interacts with others, when it eats, where it drinks, how many times it must play sentry and what it's responsible for.  

People are ranked by status--what kind of social influence they command, how much money they have or what skill they can offer.  

When an animal doesn't know its rank it goes into anxiety ridden psychosis.  Apparently when a person doesn't know its rank it marches up to Wall Street.  But I see that more as a problem with over-estimating their rank.  

One might fail to comprehend that common doesn't mean bland or unimportant.  Common people have majority.  They are the bulk of the herd.  There is nothing wrong with that.  Usually the majority of the herd have a pretty cushy life.  They get a good meal, they are protected by their peers in case of attack, and they are the "normal" in social interaction.  What it boils down to is security in your social-ability means you know your place in this world.  

If you want to raise it, then do so.  There is still a place for unique among the common.  One doesn't have to be exclusively one or the other.  Abraham Lincoln--a common man.  Martin Luter King--a common man.  Yet they were unique in that they knew their place in this world and what they wanted to do.  That's my example for those who ask, "How do you rise above?" 

It's really okay if my face book page doesn't have over 5,000 friends.  I'm not sure I could keep up with that many.  And I'm not insulted if you haven't read every post or responded to every blurb.  These are just pages in a diary of a common life.  Sometimes what makes a life extraordinary is how it's told.  I ride horses vs. the stories of "The Little Boot That Couldn't" or "We Never Get Past The Smiley Faces" are common because they are everyday life.  I KNOW you have a story much like one of those.  So you see I'm common too.  

Those who don't want a common life just need to see theirs in a different point of view.  I'll tell you I have a boring life and in the same breath tell you I ride an un-commonly large 19 hand horse everyday.  Is that common?  For me yes!  For you maybe not so much.  But really this idea that you must have "a well paying job" or a skill that everybody needs, or know everybody on the planet seems more like fun goals than a social need.  

More to the point what you need is knowing where you stand to let go of the insecurities of social pressures you place on yourself.  It takes knowing who you are and what you want.  Knowing that is the ladder for getting there.  If it's on the backs of society it's not really you getting what you want it's relying on the efforts of others.  

But there is one thing you might not think of.  It's okay not to have every gadget on earth.  It's okay to be low man on the totem pole.  Low man doesn't mean worthless (which is the problem I perceive as to why no-one wants to be "the last").  Here's a story that will illustrate my point.

 

Studying wolves brought me to a case of a pack of 5.  We will call them Brutus, the leader. Nu-nu, his mate.  Sentry, the one who stayed watch most the time. Scout, the successful hunter and then there was Goofball.

This was a common pack.  Iconic stern leader with a mate as tough as nails but sweet.  A loyal side-kick with mettle, a wiry un-detectable scout and comic relief that was a complete and utter mess.  All of these traits are common and each one knew who they were and what role they played.  I've listed them from top rank to bottom in order.  Brutus being the "top dog".

You could say it was a condensed version of a king, a queen and their subjects.  The "low man" and most common of them all was Goofball.  He had no amazing nose to seek out food.  He wasn't faster than the others; he wasn't great at sneaking up on prey.  In fact one day when they went out during a winter hunt he eagerly pounced too soon and spooked the herd making their efforts worthless.  Then it was an ostracizing session--a horrible display of why you always listen to the leader ensued and Goofball came out with half his left ear gone.  

Goofball got back into Brutus' good graces by "dancing", pup barking and tossing his part of their successful kill (to which Goofball only received the skin to eat) around in a helicopter motion.  Goofball would screw-up regularly but had that common trait of making everyone laugh.  One day Goofball's antics got him in trouble and he never came back to the pack.  

The four searched for him for three days.  On the fourth, fifth and sixth night of his loss they sang his lament.  Goofball was not skilled; he was low man on the totem pole and the most common of all wolves in a common wolf pack.  And he was sorely missed.  So It wasn't his un-impressive skills as a hunter it was his "social security" of his place in the world that made him loved.  

He was last and knew it and he was fine with that.  In fact, when Brutus was in one of his bad moods Goofball was the only one who could come near him.  It was his last place social status that allowed it.  The most submissive was no threat to Brutus and often made him "laugh".  

So think about it--are you starving or do you just feel jealous that you don't have everything that the Jones' have?  Humans need shelter, food, and water to live on.  Companionship is easily found.  Anything more than that is a bonus not necessity. 

How To Make Successful Blogging Relationships

 As I've said before, I blog as a means for everyone's enjoyment but every once in a while I find gems.  Below is an excerpt from such a place! 

 

 Content mix

• 10-15% entertainment and/or “personality” content that forms an emotional connection with your reader (if you’re shy about revealing personal details, this will probably lean more toward the “entertainment” side)
• 50-60% valuable tips and quickly usable information
• 10-15% weighty reference and higher-value content your readers will want to bookmark and return to (as time goes on, you may find you create less of this, preferring to send readers back to your classic content)
• 5-15% content that builds relationships with other bloggers, including news and links to other content
• 5% “selling” content that leads to an affiliate promotion or to a sales sequence for your own product

Don’t get too hung up on precise numbers, but do try to keep your content profile in this general neighborhood.

For more click HERE!  It will take you to copyblogger--Internet Marketing for SMART PEOPLE

It has lots of good stuff and you can sign-up and get the posts delivered right to your inbox!

Marketing Is Marketing

Marketing a book is much different than say marketing a service but in my publishing endeavors I combine the marketing that I know to understand the marketing that I don't know.  For instance; 

Q: What's the best way to get started in a consulting field as a new small business?   

A: First sit down and write out what makes you unique and different from your competition. Determine the added benefits and value that your customers will receive by working with you verses a larger firm. Once you get this clearly defined practice your delivery so you build confidence in yourself, your product and your services.

Let’s revert this question to; 

Q: What’s the best way to get my book published?

A: Great question!  First write down as to what makes your book unique and different from other books in the same genre.  Determine how your book stands out and then you’ll be able to present a query to agents and publishers that screams “publish me!”. 

 

Good advice right?  Yes.  Now implement it!  That’s where I go ummmm…

 

But if everything has been done under the sun and there is nothing new how can I implement this “unique” quality.  Here’s a clue; you are unique.  Your story can be described as dull as a knob polisher or you can find the excitement of this idea and talk it up.  Just like you can down-play that night with that guy that made your arms numb.  Or you can sing Little Johnny fireplug, I can’t feel my arms. 

 

What makes your story unique?  If it’s the writing—show that.  If it’s the concept explain that.  If you’re writing fantasy a part of that world must show through in the query.  In fact if it’s just fiction that world must show through anyway.  That’s the part agents and publishers want to see no less your audience.  I’m finding that the audience is the one to really please.  Agents and publishers are writing critics that have read many books.  If you impress them you’ve got something.  That hurdle is but one in a process. 

 

But if you don’t know what’s unique to your story, then how are you going to sell it? 

Blogging is Hard Work

Social interaction can be a breeze for many.  It can be fun interacting with other beings. But there does come a time when everyone needs a break.  My blog is a type of social interaction but it's more my personal thoughts brought out for the amusement of myself and friends.  I'm fairly religious about my online diary and while I hope it brings a laugh or thought on a topic I don't necessarily write my blog for anyone else but me.  These entries are but a reflection on my personality coming out in glimpses that others can see.  While I know the "rules" to a good blog I don't necessarily follow them.  That's why this "blog" is more a "diary".

Remember that blogging is hard work.  It's not just about rants, reviews or opinions.  A blog gives the reader information to share.  For me I like to provoke thought.  Not necessarily just give someone something to share.  My entries are more of a "huh, that's an interesting way of thinking about it."  So here are the ways that you need to have a successful blog and the explanations as to why this isn't a blog.

1. Consistency. 
Writing once a week, everyday or on a schedule is one of the most important issues of a blog.  How do you feel when you read an interesting article and then find the author hasn't logged in or posted in two years? (My every-other work day can seem inconsistent-but there is consistent cycle that works for me!)

2. Information.
Writing consisently is very important but how many people are going to read a see-through rant or subject matter that doesn't pertain to them?  How many will come back to read your blog if it's consistently informationless? (If my readers get information from my blogs, fantastic!  But, I really didn't mean to do that on purpose.  It's kinna an accident.  If you laugh at me, I expect that.  Poke fun at my craziness, that's more like it!)

3. Titles.
Don't judge a book by its cover is great advice for people but when trying to decide if a blog post will be worth reading--you may not go to the blog that claims itself to be "Nose Dropings".  Gross!  Its not only spelled wrong but I don't want to read about buggers. 



Now people won't tell you this but one of the main concerns for bloggers is not burn-out, but cats.  Yes, cats.  Cats steal your time, your mouse, chew on the battery cord of your laptop and make you use one hand to keep them off your keyboard while using the other to type; if its not helping to keep the dog away from the cat. 


Cats also have claws and dogs will jump over you to get to the cat.  I'm not positive on what my dog wants with the cat but anyway...back to blogging. 


So blogging is hard work and turning out to be more physical than anything.  Ideas come and are written down and then discarded because of lack of interest (mine not yours).  But out of every ten there is something I find interesting and blog worthy.  Those are the ones you see here!  Or I should say the ones that survive Mr. Knightly.

9 Things you should know about the universe

Jay Pasachoff

The transit of Venus, astronomy’s most rare predictable event, will take place next summer, on June 5, 2012. With the transit and several other astronomical events right around the corner, the Williams Alumni Review asked astronomy department chair Jay Pasachoff what we ought to know about the universe.

1. Hubble changed everything.
2. What looks like empty sky isn’t.
3. Don’t rule out life on other planets.
4. The universe just keeps getting bigger faster.
5. The next frontier is infrared and very, very cold.
6. Pluto’s getting hotter.
7. Astronomy’s rarest predictable phenomenon is just around the corner.
8. Mercury will cross the sun in 2015.
9. This fall and winter are also prime times to see astronomical events.

Go HERE for more info on this article and about astronomer Jay Pasachoff.

3 Good Tip On How To Get Hired

Companies these days are not looking for just anyone.  They don't have open positions desperate for anyone to fill them.  They are looking for the right person.  

Think of the person you'll interview with as a date.  You'll want to put your best foot forward while still being the authentic you.  Talking to that initial person on the phone or email is the time to see if you're interested in "the whole package".  Does she want to get married?  Does she just want a fun playmate?  Is she going to waste your time?  

If you get a good feeling about your company-to-be then set up a date!  Google that person's name (In this case the company).  If your ethics and code of conduct match with the company than go on that date!  If not, have the character to call and say I just don't think we're going to be a match.  

 

Now, if you go on the date remember--best foot forward.  Take a look at the list below to help on how to impress your date (soon-to-be-company).
 

- Know a little about that person (company).  ("Wow!  You took the time to Google me?  You must be interested.")

- Tell them why you think you'd be a good fit.  ("Yes!  I did Google you and I think I can improve on your marketing strategy!  Did you know your Google listing was 12th?  I can improve that!)

- Get more information while you are there.  In other words have a conversation, don't make the interviewer go through a list of 20 questions.  This makes you look like you don't have a brain.  When an ad says "Good communication skills" and "Outgoing personality" it means the interviewer want to see energy pouring forth and the capability to be receptive.  If people feel you understand them they tend to think your special!  ("My favorite quote is 'The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man' -- Winston Churchill had some great ones didn't he?  So, what's your company's goals or mission statement?") 

 

When the ad says "college degree preferred" the company is asking "do you have staying power?"  If you've been working at the same place for five years, and the company before that gave you a tenure pen; you have staying power--you don't need to worry.  But you might need a college degree if the last three places were six month stints.  They need something to prove that you can see a project to completion and not run at the first sign of hard work.  When an employer is looking for someone long-term they only have a first impression and then sometimes a second interview to make that "I do" commitment. 

Employers are looking at employees as a relationship in which they can only hope is interdependent.  Nobody wants a clingy girlfriend or a controlling boyfriend.  It's a relationship where any one of the party can leave at any time.  But why would you waste time "going out" with just anyone?  Sure there are seasonal hires and you know it's just a fling.  But remember those points above when looking for the real deal.  You could learn a lot and find the right place if you think about your next employer as you would looking for someone to date.  But don't be too picky!  Sometimes you just need food on the table in which case seasonal might not look so bad!  

He said. He did. He…He…He

<rant>

I never thought I would have to say this—writers, don’t start every sentence of your novel with He…

I’ve come across enough self-published books to know that some are worth-while.  I can recommend Riding Through It by Carol McKibben.  I can recommend Eragon by Christopher Paolini.  (It started out as a self-published book that turned traditionally published)  Other than that, I can’t recommend anything.  Why?  Because there are books out there that start every sentence with “He…”. 

</rant>

4th Quarter Thinking

During the 4th Quarter of the year marketers think about last minute budget expenditures.  Other professionals are thinking about the coming seasonal change and what needs to be packed, unpacked, sorted, set-up and sold off.  This could include a budget, clothing, or tactics. 

I know of several writing professionals that take a month off or stop receiving new clients at this time to concentrate on current projects, trade shows and clients.  Teachers might be thinking about their lesson plan ahead.  But no matter what profession we are thinking, "fall" is coming is here.  Sure it's been crazy hot but the 3rd quarter smolders before it lets the heat simmer down to give way of cooler weather the rain.  

But really what’s happening is people are either panicking like headless chickens or lying on their sorry ass riding the tide like the Dallas Cowboys thinking all their work is done because they have a 14 point lead.  –You effing J-holes.

Sitting on your as during the 4^th quarter and expecting results to carry you through is going to leave you with a decimating loss after Tony Romo throws an interception.  Oh wait, I’m sorry, not one—two.  There is time for rest but choose wisely as to when you go on vacation.  May I suggest right before or after the holiday rush, after you’ve spent your budget, or when the game is over. 

Thank you Dallas Cowboys for giving us the perfect example of why you should “stay in the game”, even when you think you’ve made it.  I couldn’t have written a better scenario.