An Important Choice To Make After Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving is about giving thanks.

There are a billion places on the internet where you can learn about how this holiday came to be.You can learn about how Edward Winslow's account of the Pilgrim's harvest in 1621 mentioned that they ate some turkey--among other things.You can learn about how it's not about any help given to the colonists by the Wampanoag Indians.You can learn about how Thanksgiving was actually a way to commemorate the deeply religious and ceremonious massacre of about 700 Native American men, women, and children.Intense.

By not knowing the truth, it's easy to think of our current selves differently.

Instead of seeing our ancestors as murderers or genocidal maniacs, we get to see them as conquerors and adventurers.We get to feel like their courage somehow has passed on to us, and we get to feel proud.The alternative creates too much dissonance. It just doesn't seem possible. How could that be part of us?

The next thing to remember is that we get to choose who we are from here.

It's up to us to revise our ethics, empathize with one another, and be grateful for the planet we have.It's true for Thanksgiving history and it's true for our everyday lives.

Here's a tool I use to recalibrate after each Thanksgiving:

It's a quick read from Seth Godin about giving thanks.I read it every year.It takes longer than 2 minutes to read the whole thing, so that's up to you.

2 Minute Action

Read the Thanksgiving Reader for 2 minutes--though it'll be hard to only spend 2 minutes on it.Or, take 2 minutes to thank one person in your life for being them. Be specific. Call out characteristics or moments that you love about them.Let them know how they've helped change your life.Also, just for the record. I've got a ton of other resources like this in my personal VAULT.And that's free for everyone, so feel free to share.Have a warm and happy Thanksgiving.

Is It Really Your Fault For What You Don't Know?

It's not your fault.Well, wait that's not true.It wasn't your fault at first, but it's slowly becoming your fault.

You weren't given the right skill set in school.

You didn't learn how to use a spreadsheet or to balance an operating budget or how to negotiate the scope of a project.It's not your fault that you didn't learn, then.It's just that now, now that you're out there in the real world, it's your fault for not knowing.

Of course, this isn't fair--but it's the way it is.

You have to deal with the pain of not knowing these things and so does your employer.

Here's an example:

Let's just say that by not being good at Excel, you lose 1 hour per week of time.That's not a lot out of a typical 40-hour week. It's 2.5% of your total work week.But now let's just say that the same is true for most people.There are about 3 billion workers in the global workforce.Multiply that times a typical hourly rate like $10/hr.1-hour x 4 weeks x 12 months x $10 rate x 3 billion workers = $1.4 Trillion

Let's look at that with all the zeros.

$1,440,000,000,000Yeah. That's a lot of work waste.

2 Minute Action

You're not responsible for what happened, but you ARE responsible for what happens next.Your expectations and standards are up to you, but consider that you might not be the only one paying for them.

• Take 2 minutes to watch a YouTube video on something that could improve your work.
• Take 2 minutes to read a Harvard Business Review article that could give you a new perspective.
• Take 2 minutes to schedule time with a mentor or expert in your field and present them with the biggest problem you're facing.

It won't take 2 minutes to be a different person so don't expect that.

It takes thousands of minutes, and you can only clock thousands of minutes if you're doing it consistently day after day.Today is no exception.It's another Wednesday.Let's make it a good one.

Handling That “Back To Reality” Feeling

“I like doing ‘x’ because it’s like a break from reality.”

Have you ever heard someone say this?I’ve said it before, too.Well a colleague of mine reminded me, once, that this is a ridiculous thing to say.

In fact, it’s hurtful.

By claiming, after an adventure or other experience, that you now need to go “back to reality,” you’ve basically nullified the whole thing.Youve said that what you were doing or experiencing wasn’t “real.”Well, that’s not true.

All of what you’re experiencing is real!

Duh!Let yourself include those moments and memories as part of your real life.You may realize that they have a lot to teach you.

“The best adventures answer questions you didn’t even know to ask before you started.”- Yvonne Chouinard, Founder of Patagonia

2 Minute Action

Today is a good day to take 2 minutes and meditate.Focus on one experience you’ve had that felt so good or fun that it was surreal.It could be recent or from years ago.What about it was memorable?What about it was valuable?Take these 2 minutes to reflect and write down these valued parts of your experience.The next phase is bringing these values into your everyday life.That will require daily effort.Small and simple, but difficult and disciplined.