Right Brainer. Left Brainer. No Brainer.

Dementia, Alzheimer’s, Brain Freezes, Memory Lapses and other mind related conditions…all seem to have at least some possible link to exercising and challenging the brain.

Whether this proves out to be relative or not, it could be good insurance. Logically, we are told by knowledgeable mentors (family-friends-physicians) that “if we don’t use it we could lose it.” It is possible that this connection has line extension from physical to mental.

I watched someone very dear to me waste away from Alzheimer’s very recently. What I observed was that even though she diligently worked the garden, ate healthy, had all the vital physical ratios, never even had a tooth cavity…in other words, no obvious physical exceptions that may have triggered this dread disease.

Through her life, she had very obvious creative talents in several areas that kept her challenged. On the other hand, she rarely dealt with logic and/or numbers. She did read the papers, but no cross-word puzzles and no writing.

In all, there were unchallenged areas that could lead one to conclude that “maybe if” all the dimensions of the brain had been highly challenged…?

My personal take away:

Read-Write-Create

Paint-Draw-Design

Add-Subtract-Multiply

Solve Problems-Communicate-Decide

In all, use the right, left, conscious and unconscious brain while you still have it.

As stated, when it comes to our mind/brain, probably one of the best things we can do is exercise it like any other muscle or organ. Don’t wait until you lose someone close to help you decide to take at least some initial action.

As always…you decide (while you are able).

　

　

　

　

　

　

Evidence That Demands a Verdict

This headline is a book title that is fitting in today's environment even though it was written over 40 years ago.

The author, Josh McDowell, has been instrumental in challenging the baseline of how to decide on critical life questions.

His testimony describes how he set out to refute and rebuke this core belief question, and to minimize it's consequences, but the tsunami of evidence changed his heart and life.

The steps he used to arrive at his decision are a mirror to the steps of the ZDT MODEL:

Step 1 - his ultimate destination

Step 2 - his total commitment to find the truth

Step 3 - his discovery and source of a singular path

Step 4 - his legacy road map for followers

One, he picked a topic that may apply to everyone with eternal consequences...what could be more enduring?

Two, he was committed, in his mission, to the point that he was willing to sacrifice his original core beliefs in order for the truth to prevail.

Three, considering the consequences, he knew that only the historical facts (not subjective feelings) would be sufficient to stand the scrutiny that would be leveled at him and his decision.

Four, once he described the only path to follow, he knew that his conclusions would create a major alteration to the activities (daily walk) of the subscribers or converts. Life changing.

Why re-visit this now?

This template could be played out a zillion times each day. We can have a core theory that we have believed from the beginning, only to find out that under hard scrutiny, it was a false premise.

Here we are 40 years later, and his premise and conclusions are still considered a classic. Run a search on Josh...check him out.

Daily App

Each day we see the current headlines, we are reminded that life on this earth is fragile and can change instantly, and the consequences and subject of eternity will take on a new meaning.

The point here is that eternity is a long, long time, and the decision to consider it is before a terminal event...after the fact is too late.

McDowell is one author on this subject. There are a zillion others. The striking deferential with him is that once he realized he was on the wrong side of this decision, he re-considered and then devoted his life to helping others come to a direction based on historical evidence.

Our days ahead could not be more uncertain.

As always...you decide (eternally).

Golf Lessons...Life Lessons

This weekend's golf tournament was both entertaining and instructional.

On one hand, there was the player who was leading while entering the final round, and it was his tourney to lose. A little further down the pack was the closest challenger who differentiated himself by an obvious trait and methodology.

What was the distinguishing factor?

The ability to make and commit to a decision.

The buzz on many sports channels leading up to the final round was the almost mockery of the leader's inability to “pull the trigger.” His approach and subsequent hesitation to commit to his swing was near comical. He was plagued with indecision. He had incessant starts and stops.

His ultimate challenger was just the opposite, even though he had to make up a few shots to gain the lead. You could immediately see the contrast. His approach and routine was more like a repeatable template.

His formula could be described using a familiar model (ZDT):

Step One: Assessed the situation and the shot needed

Step Two: Chose the club and committed to the shot

Step Three: Executed the swing and shot without hesitation

Step Four: Positioned the ball to get it in the hole with the fewest shots

And notably, this exercise was done in less than a minute. The major point was that the routine was repeatable, predictable and in this case, produced a winning result.

The leader became the loser, and the challenger became the winner. Chalk another decisioning result up to a repeatable model.

As always...you decide.

Zillion Dollar Thinking…The Unthinkable.

What is happening right now?

Legislative stalemates

Zillions of alarming headlines from zillions of writers

24/7 access, delivery and exposure to constantly threatening information

Add to that…We have record:

Federal and Personal Debt

Gas and Oil prices

Unemployment

Currency printing

Home sales, foreclosures and declining values

Welfare recipients

Gold and silver prices

Foreign instability and influence

Wars and rumors of wars

Uncertainties everywhere.

Historically, leaders and peoples in the past have had their own reasons (their version of above) to feel threatened, fearful and expecting the worst. But, in the critical last hour, they were saved for another day.

Since we have no crystal ball or visionary gifts, “we the people” do have the freedom and opportunity to think.

Collectively, I hope we will not waste our time or emotion in thinking the unthinkable.

Maybe this is the time to adopt Zillion Dollar Thinking.

As always…You decide.

　

　

　

Is the (Internet) Pen Mightier than the (Regulation) Sword?

Back in the day of Camelot, words waxed poetic. The pen was a quill and the audience was local. So, the reach and influence was limited, but the feedback could be emotional and sometimes physical (say or write the wrong thing, and here comes the sword).

Fast forward a few hundred years, and today, what gives our words more power?

The audience that receives it.

Today, the pen is represented by a digital sentence, a video clip or any other mode of communication that can be transmitted though constantly connected and evolving physical devices.

The world audience is approximately 6.6 billion and counting. Spooky maybe, but not when you compare this picture to 5...10...25 years from now. Some say, we will just “think it …and it will be so” from embedded microchips on our bodies. Now that is scary.

Point is, we will not stop this inevitable progression of the pen?
So what is sword to do?

Tax the pen…Regulate the pen….Control the pen.

If we are an author of any of these future forms of communication, that is not the preferred prophecy.

What we can do:

We have to continue to network and compound the weight of the pen. Case in point:

Arizona HB 2549
Had this legislation been left unchecked by the watchful eye of many contributing constituents, this little gem could be law right now. The most problematic issue is the labeling and punishment of a suspected “Internet Troller” using this wording:

"It is unlawful for any person, with intent to terrify, intimidate, threaten, harass, annoy or offend, to use any electronic or digital device and use any obscene, lewd or profane language or suggest any lewd or lascivious act, or threaten to inflict physical harm to the person or property of any person."

Considering line extension, this could eventually affect others even outside the intended state. It is still unclear where this bill is headed.

Arizona is just the beginning. Other primary issues can start in one state, and once embedded as law, can be easily tweaked by another state and suddenly can become law. The question again:

“Is the Internet Pen mightier than the Regulation Sword?”

The answer to that will depend on each individual’s commitment to influence one or the other.

As always…you decide.

Trolling in Arizona (and beyond)...HB 2549

Ironically, in a recent post “Search or Research,” the dilemma of how and why it is important to differentiate these two steps was analyzed. Little did I know how quickly it would come into play.

Case in point

The subject of internet “trolling” hit the radar in the last couple of weeks. True to the separate steps, I searched just enough to find what I believed to be the issue from just the headlines...specifically, that Arizona had passed a bill in their legislature and the governor was poised to sign it into law. Some may say...a scary law.

Had that been absolutely accurate, the rules (initially applied only to AZ) could have altered our current participation and relationship to the internet...part of the law read:

“It is unlawful for any person, with intent to terrify, intimidate, threaten, harass, annoy or offend, to use any electronic or digital device and use any obscene, lewd or profane language or suggest any lewd or lascivious act, or threaten to inflict physical harm to the person or property of any person.”

“This means any comment, forum post, blog post or other public web spaces where discussions or shared thoughts take place could be held accountable if deemed in violation of the law.”

As originally stated, the legislature passed House Bill 2549 and it was simply awaiting the governor's signature, and if found guilty, a violator could be subject to a Class 1 misdemeanor, punishable by up to 25 years in jail and thousands in fines.

Groups such as Media Coalition continue to point out the ambiguity in the law stating, "The communication does not need to be repetitive or even unwanted. There is no requirement that the recipient or subject of the speech actually feel offended, annoyed or scared. Nor does the legislation make clear that the communication must be intended to offend or annoy the reader, the subject or even any specific person."

In other words, enough to scare the !#$%^* out of you and me.

Drilling down today (the research step), it seems that after a tsunami of backlash directed at the Arizona lawmakers, they are reconsidering their position. But, it is not clear what direction they are taking.

Question: What were/are they thinking (decisioning)?

This one was/is close, but it really points out the vigilance that is now required by all of us...especially those who maintain active sites, blogs and comments in the social media.

Again, search and research...and share.

As always...you decide.

Will You Search or Research?

1. research

Critical and exhaustive investigation or experimentation, having for its aim the discovery of new facts and their correct interpretation, the revision of accepted conclusions, theories, or laws in the light of newly discovered facts, or the practical application of such new or revised conclusions, theories, or laws.

When faced with a decision, will you search or research? To distinguish the two, searching for a subject is more surface and topical. Researching a subject is more the action and work of drilling down into the substance and fabric of the issue.

Before the Internet, this brand of work was manual, paper intensive and library bound to be thorough with the task.

Now, most anyone can place a word or subject in a given search engine to find millions of results. The real effort comes when you settle down to a single object to “data mine.” Here's where there needs to be a decision as to the volume of time and length/depth of coverage you will expend and develop. The real work.

What's the point?

As we apply the MODEL (“for intelligent decision making”) to the above, the first step is discovery which is really two fold...search and research. And that's the point, you need to execute both of them. Many decisions are doomed from the start because this step is shorted and often avoided.

The obvious best action...You must identify the target, and point the gun before you pull the trigger. That is the reason (as the MODEL illustrates) that the largest time commitment is at this initial and defining step.

Then there is this:

Now apply the new search/data mining apps as a product of next generation developments. In other words, searching within searches.

“Keyword research is one of the most important, valuable, and high return activities in the search marketing field. Through the detective work of puzzling out your market's keyword demand, you not only learn which terms and phrases to target with SEO, but also learn more about your customers as a whole. The usefulness of this intelligence cannot be overstated - with keyword research you can predict shifts in demand, respond to changing market conditions, and produce the products, services, and content that web searchers are already actively seeking. In the history of marketing, there has never been such a low barrier to entry in understanding the motivations of consumers in virtually every niche - not taking advantage is practically criminal.”

For the full article and credits:

http://www.seomoz.org/beginners-guide-to-seo/keyword-research

In all, the apps available in the initial step (search and research) of decisioning are growing at a compounding pace. Fortunately, we have the portable and 24/7 hardware to make this task more convenient.

The key question:

When faced with the next significant decision, will we recognize the opportunity and responsibility, and using all the new tools, will we convert it to our advantage?

As always...you decide.

Bubba Decisioning

I just viewed a live interview with Bubba Watson on “Morning Drive” and the Golf Channel. In case you missed, he is the new winner of the Green Jacket (Master's Golf Tournament).

He won in historic fashion in a sudden death playoff. What is notable is how he made the critical decision at just the right time. What is also rare is that he has no coaches, never took golf lesson, he is left-handed, and has a very unorthodox swing. The golf aficionados are beginning to label him as the “natural.”

Consider that most every other pro has an entourage within their camp. Everything from swing coaches, to dietary advisers to psychological experts. That's a lot of advise from (sometimes) conflicting schools of thought. Bubba did not have to deal with all that.

Some of his classic quotes (keys to success) were:

“I didn't think about the prize...just the shot.”

“I kept my head down to keep from getting distracted.”

“I was comfortable in the straw...that's where I came from.”

Remarkably, being in the rough with the tournament on the line, is not where the average golfer prefers to be. In the woods is probably their least favorite and least practiced location. Bubba (much like the rabbit in the briar patch), was perfectly at home there while the critics had almost written him off.

So, what is the “Bubba Lesson?”

In the universe of decisioning, it's a teachable moment. While the rest of the field is juggling with technicians, coaches and experts, Bubba is simply keeping his head down, and trusting his simple swing thoughts and a repeatable execution. That philosophy would work at home, in business and most everywhere else.

One last thing...he has visible passion. While he was shedding tears in front of 30 million people, many of us were touched in the same way. Maybe it is becoming a pattern in the world of sports where these few remarkable icons will serve to show us more of the adage: “the simple shall confound the wise.”

You go Bubba!

As always...you decide.

Bubba Decisioning

I just viewed a live interview with Bubba Watson on “Morning Drive” and the Golf Channel. In case you missed, he is the new winner of the Green Jacket (Master's Golf Tournament).

He won in historic fashion in a sudden death playoff. What is notable is how he made the critical decision at just the right time. What is also rare is that he has no coaches, never took golf lesson, he is left-handed, and has a very unorthodox swing. The golf aficionados are beginning to label him as the “natural.”

Consider that most every other pro has an entourage within their camp. Everything from swing coaches, to dietary advisers to psychological experts. That's a lot of advise from (sometimes) conflicting schools of thought. Bubba did not have to deal with all that.

Some of his classic quotes (keys to success) were:

“I didn't think about the prize...just the shot.”

“I kept my head down to keep from getting distracted.”

“I was comfortable in the straw...that's where I came from.”

Remarkably, being in the rough with the tournament on the line, is not where the average golfer prefers to be. In the woods is probably their least favorite and least practiced location. Bubba (much like the rabbit in the briar patch), was perfectly at home there while the critics had almost written him off.

So, what is the “Bubba Lesson?”

In the universe of decisioning, it's a teachable moment. While the rest of the field is juggling with technicians, coaches and experts, Bubba is simply keeping his head down, and trusting his simple swing thoughts and a repeatable execution. That philosophy would work at home, in business and most everywhere else.

One last thing...he has visible passion. While he was shedding tears in front of 30 million people, many of us were touched in the same way. Maybe it is becoming a pattern in the world of sports where these few remarkable icons will serve to show us more of the adage: “the simple shall confound the wise.”

You go Bubba!

As always...you decide.

What Stop Sign? What Decision?

Here are just a few comments from observers of stop sign violators and random ignorance...

A Stop Sign Means STOP.

“I'm at a loss. Today, on my run, another car ran right through a stop sign and almost hit me and my dog. The driver? A POLICE OFFICER. When I flagged him down to inform him that he almost hit me, he couldn't have been more indignant. No apology. What a TOTAL ass. The cops don't even stop.”

“This jerk sped off after he made very clear that he really didn't give a sh*t about almost running me over.”

“How stupid are these people? I recently moved to an area where you see people run stop signs all the time. They risk getting themselves killed, killing someone else, or injuring someone else who then decides to sue them. So how intelligent are people who voluntarily put themselves at greater risk for such occurrences?”

“Ran five miles today ... almost got run over three times. All cars rolling through stop signs while making right turns and only looking to the left for cars. *&#@$!”

“Here's something interesting ... an police officer message board discussing how they hardly ever issue tickets to people who don't stop at a stop sign because rolling through is so common.”

“Here's a funny one ... some woman ON A CELL PHONE runs a stop sign, almost hits my friend Jill, then FLIPS HER OFF. Unbelievable.”

“A kid in my neighborhood did a study. In a 20-minute time period, he watched a an intersection. Out of 87 cars that passed through, only 9 came to a complete stop. Some rolled through, others completely ignored the stop sign. Later, the kids passed out flyers to our neighbors urging them to STOP.”

“Every time I run or walk my dog I almost get hit by a driver that runs a stop sign or red light. I'm urging EVERYONE ... Please STOP.”

ZDT Author's Comments:

Think about it... to be in true compliance of a stop sign, you must first realize that the sign exists, and that violating the rule (and law) can have serious consequences...sometimes lethal.

This dilemma applied to decisioning should carry no less weight. The fist rule in decisioning is to acknowledge that there is a decision to be made, and that avoidance and/or ignorance can carry consequences much like ignoring or not complying with the stop sign.

The tangible difference is that the stop sign can be policed, awarded citations and issued penalties...whereas, the decision (or lack of) has it's own reward.

Question: Should we reconsider the importance of decisiong? Should we use a Stop Sign as a new “trigger” to remind ourselves of this responsibility?

As always...you decide.

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Decisioning: Provocation or Benign?

Our Zillion Dollar Thinking site and blog now has a life of almost two years. As such, we have posted hundreds of topics...all around the subject of “decisioning.”
As a contributing writer in another forum, I sparked several comments and responses to a recent article. The rhetoric was sharp and provoking which drove me to this topic. To be effective, and hopefully persuasive, should the primary messages be provocative or benign?

Provocative:

Synonyms: challenging, provoking, stimulating, confrontational, inflammatory, offensive, incendiary, insulting, rabble-rousing, aggressive, annoying, aggravating, vexing

Benign:

Synonyms: encouraging, superficial, complaisant, sympathetic, propitious, refreshing, charitable

Obviously, the safe and kind style would be benign, but probably not too motivational. Conversely, staying primarily caustic and provocative, could conjure up a bunch of hate mail.

So what's a writer to do?

All of the above.

Some of the greats (Re: Seth Godin et al.) are razor sharp in delivery and response. But, how many Seths are out there? Point is, to me and you, let's challenge each other to stay relevant in today's market (from provocative to benign), and if you see me getting sleepy...feel free to wake me up.

Zillions to your success.

Learning: Which is More Important...

The ability to add and subtract, or to think and decide?

HISTORY

This should be an obvious answer, but let's consider how this has evolved in our educational and developmental history. The base line has traditionally been: “Readin'...Writin'...Rithmetic?” In an isolated state, that should serve us well.

But, how the times do change.

PRIORITY

The question is not an either/or, but one of (equivalent) emphasis and priority. In review, there is no question that reading/writing/math has been fundamental to learning. But in comparison, there has been little to no emphasis on the fundamentals of sound decisioning and critical thinking.

WHAT IF...

You had all the digital tools/apps/hardware but no direction as to how to execute them?

You were faced with a life/death issue with no techniques for making a vital decision?

You had a genius IQ, but you seldom applied critical thinking to decision making?

TECHNOLOGICAL INFLUENCES

Many of us were raised without a computer or a calculator. We had a pencil and eraser. We manually learned how to add/subtract/multiply/divide. We still know how to use that pencil if the power goes out. But, our kids were typically raised in some phase of the electronic/digital era. Many would struggle if we handed them nothing but a pencil. All said, technology has robbed us and prior generations of certain practical abilities.

FAST FORWARD

We hear various mantras about our educational system today (much of it is politicized). Many of them point to the “dumbing down” of our curriculum studies.

The question going forward is do we need more mechanical education or more critical thinking and decisioning? While this may seem a simplistic response to a growing dilemma, it is really central to this issue. What good will it do to continue to exponentially pile on techniques (through technology) and continue to miss or avoid learning the decisioning side?

What will continue to be needed is the ability to think, decide and execute using a solid template, process or model that is learned at an early age and transferable/applicable to every succeeding stage in life. Considering the mounting evidence of disastrous decisioning results at the highest levels in our society, can you think of a more important priority?

As always...you decide.