Category: Reflections

It’s always good to learn a new skill. It expands our knowledge, helps us grow, and gives us new opportunities. But the thing about learning a new skill is that we must invest a lot of time to master it.

Take writing and painting, for example. Each require a lot of time, practice, and energy to master. If we tried to master both, our time would be split between the two. We wouldn’t be as good in one or the other if we had focused on one instead. It’s a sacrifice, of course, but that’s what it takes to master a skill.

Many skills take years to master, such as carpentry, or playing a musical instrument. In the workplace, we specialize because that is more practical and efficient. Someone who know a little about a lot of things doesn’t have the depth of knowledge that might be needed for a particular task. They wouldn’t be as efficient as someone who knows a lot about that task, but knows little about the other ones.

To learn a skill we have no intention of mastering or being the best at, that’s sufficient for a hobby, or a field that we simply want to study for our own curiosity. But to learn a skill that we we hope to master, we must spend more time on it than other skills.

When we own something that is of high quality, we don’t need to replace it. It’s kind of like a car that is reliable and has plenty of miles left in it, or tools that are just as strong and durable as when they were new.

Owning these quality things brings a sense of confidence in our lives. We can trust on them to do what they are designed to, and don’t have splurge money to replace them. They don’t break easily, and they have a consistency that makes them dependable.

We might see something new in a store or in an advertisement and be tempted to buy something that we already have. It’s not that the product is necessarily great (how could we know if we don’t own it), but our want stems from the fact that it is new. We believe that newer things are better than older things, forgetting the proverb: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

An opportunity may come and we wonder if we should seize it. We might second guess ourselves because we want to analyze all of the possibilities/outcomes. But when we do spend the time to analyze them, the moment may pass, and so will the opportunity.

Seizing the opportunity is about taking risks. Whether it’s an opportunity for a new job, a trip, a new project, or even a creative idea that pops in our mind (i.e. a peculiar story), we must use our intuition to assess whether it is worth it or not. It is only in hindsight that we find out if the choice was a mistake or not.

Some opportunities come and go while others return–our second chance. When they do return, we already know the outcome of not seizing them. What is the outcome if we do?

Notepads aren’t something we use regularly given technology nowadays. Laptops, cellphones, and other devices make communication and recording information convenient and quick. Using a word processor program, we can spellcheck our work, add page numbering, change the font size and style, etc.

With a notepad, we must do all the editing ourselves. Even though it doesn’t have access to the Internet or a word processor (for obvious reasons), we can still use it to jot down notes, to brainstorm, to sketch, and we can even tear it out a sheet if we need to carry it with us or bring it somewhere.

Instead of using the computer, I use small notepads to write notes to myself as reminders. I find that it’s a lot easier to see the notes on the wall or on the desk than having to see them when I’m on the computer. I use notepads for my to-do list, as well as for my shopping list.

Notepads are one of those things that is a matter preference. Depending on what that is determines whether we record our notes on a digital device, or on something tangible and manipulative like paper.

I used to think that it was important to be remembered. As I got wiser, I realized that that wasn’t so important, since it’s more important to build a great life for yourself.

People will remember you from the fruits you left in this life. It’s not about the possessions, but about how you affected people that they will remember you by.

During our lifetime, we don’t think about being remembered as we’re living in the present. Instead, we’re focused on achieving our goals, raising our standard of living. Being remembered is the last thing from our mind.

Rather, life occurs in the moment, not in the distant future. We can plan for it, but who knows what unforeseen event might change it all. Being remembered is something that will happen anyway.

The stuff we have will eventually be older stuff given enough time. The question is whether we should keep it or not, or for how long we should hold onto the stuff?

Some of the stuff we have are collectibles, such as comic books, cards, etc., while others have a sentimental value for us, such as trophies and gifts. But then there are things we’ve accumulated, such as clothes, books, movies, etc., which had a value for us at a certain time, but not so much anymore.

We might get rid of things because they’re outdated. For example, CDs, VHS tapes, cassette tapes, older model cell phones and computers. We might even get rid of furniture if we intend to replace it with a new set. But how long do we wait for? How much stuff do we even need?

Certain things we keep because they have a utilitarian value, such as a car, kitchenware, tools, etc. If money is tight, we prioritize it on the essentials rather than on replacing older stuff with newer stuff. Similarly, we would keep driving a car until it becomes too expensive to repair. We don’t replace it every year or two. We keep it for as long as it works.

But what about everything else? When we don’t use something anymore, we put it away in a box or a container–stow it away in the closet or in the basement. We don’t see it for years. Overtime, that box collects dust, and when we finally open it, it’ll be like gazing into a time capsule. The stuff inside will bring back memories, but will we use it again?

In the end, everything eventually becomes older stuff. Time ticks forward, leaving the past behind. And when it comes time to surveying all the stuff we have, we must think about how much we currently have, and if we really need all of it.

There are times when we remember something about our youth, or something that happened several years ago. It’s as if the memory rattled loose from its memory bank and shined a light in our eyes. It’s a memory of something that seemed insignificant then, but has relevance now.

It could be something mundane, such as staring out the window of a car during a road trip, or waiting in line at the grocery store. It could be something important like a birthday celebration or a job interview.

But more importantly, those memories serve as timestamps in our lives. Those timestamps highlight a certain phase that we went through, such as a phase in which we were living at a particular apartment, worked a certain job, or pursued specific goals.

Those memories cannot be recreated or re-experienced. There was a particular circumstance to those memories that make them unique to us. It’s as if those memories resurfaced to show us how far we’ve come, how much we’ve evolved, and how much has changed.

Are we more productive during crunch time, or do we do a poorer job because of it?

We’ve all faced crunch time before. Just think back to a deadline at work or when we had to turn in a paper or an assignment at a university. It happens in sports too, especially when the clock is winding down. But do deadlines give us an incentive to do better, or do we make a myriad of mistakes because we feel rushed?

Having deadlines is a part of life, and it’s really about time management and how realistic the expectations are in completing a task. If we had procrastinated on a project and then started on it at the last minute, then the chance of a high quality result will be lower than if we had worked on it earlier.

If we had started on the project earlier, then crunch time would be more about putting the finishing touches on it (or double checking the work) rather than starting from scratch. The earlier we start, the more leeway we have to try things out, experiment, make mistakes, and to see if we need more time or not.

Crunch time happens all the time, but it’s really about how prepared we are for it. Will we start at the last minute, or will we work ahead and be ready for the deadline?

A desk space should have enough room for us to be productive, and also be organized enough so that nothing gets in the way of that. In designing our desk space, we attempt to find the right balance of both so that neither our productivity nor organization are compromised.

In the past, I’ve tried to keep my desk space clear and uncluttered. When I’m working on a project, however, it becomes messy and cluttered in just a matter of minutes. For example, I’ll scribble ideas down on scratch paper, jot things down on post-it notes, have books out on the desk, and draw my ideas as I brainstorm. Not before long, the desk is in disarray. The process of creation is chaotic, untidy–the opposite of tidiness and organization.

Although it’s nice to have a desk that looks clean and uncluttered, it isn’t always conducive to creativity. I find that creativity is kind of like painting on a blank canvas or sculpting with clay. You’re bound to make mistakes and experiment with shapes and colors until it all comes together.

When we’re creative, we go into zone–have tunnel vision: we only focus on the work itself. Thus, creativity doesn’t want to be confined nor restricted. It wants to be set free. But to be organized means we must restrict it, or else everything gets disorganized.

To find the right balance, we must do a combination of both: create and then organize. As long as we have system in place, the chaos can be brought back in to order.

When daylight turns to darkness, the change of light becomes gradual–almost imperceptible. Our eyes adjust to the dimming light, and we wait for the darkness to completely sweep over the sky. But not to worry, we have electricity and lights. We go about our day as usual.

And how many times in our lives have we seen the dimming light? What did it mean in the different phases of our lives? In some cases, it meant that we had to hurry to get somewhere. In other cases, it meant that we had to finish up a paper for college, finish up work, or finish the preparations for an event.

It means something different for each age, each geographic region, and for each individual. We have seen the dimming light so many times that we automatically adjust our patterns to adapt to it. We follow routines according to the clock: the time we tune in to a TV show, when we eat dinner, and the hour at which we sleep. Our lives revolve around time so much that it has become a part of how we live. But throughout the ages, people’s lives were not centered on the clock.

The dimming light meant that they had to build a fire or return back to camp. It meant that they had to stop working, give themselves time to rest.

But in our case, we continue to work, or busy ourselves with technology or social events. Perhaps the dimming light is sign for us to be still (see my last post). Perhaps it’s a sign that the night is supposed to be our time of rest–as it’s always been.