The Secret of Personal Success from a Unique Perspective

Good Morning!

Global citizenship is a concept that has been pondered by philosophers throughout the ages.  That fact alone indicates that they recognized that it was important...but everyone missed its true significance and their insight and wisdom fell short of capturing the real role that it has...especially in terms of the impact that it has in relationship to an individual and a meaningful existence...

In other words...What most missed...is the role that one's global responsibility has in their personal meaning, purpose and their true success...

Perhaps I should be placing these thoughts in the "21st Century Philosopher"...but because it is more focused on one's personal success...I have placed it here...This concept parallels my braoder philosophy of "Quantum Obligation."  I will explain more...but this is the philosophy that the 21st century NEEDS! 

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In the BIG scheme of things you are nothing and yet everything...

Do you realize that your very existence is evidence of the universe's (specifically the earth's) investment in its future?

When I say earth...it is more than the physical entity...it is that plus the life function that it represents...

It is like a giant cultured petri dish...

It some sense it is a life source with a purpose...

From this arises the question...

Are you a contributor to the earth's future?

...or...

Are you a liability?

Are you providing a Return on the earth's investment in you?

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(REVISION: 04/16/2011) Yesterday an VERY good friend and I made contact after more than 30 years!  I was an awesome experience!  He began reading the updates yesterday and gave me a suggestion...I explained that I used the term "earth" so as not to be offensive to any of the readers...I assumed that the term "higher being" would subconsciously be inserted in its place...while you are reading this...please do not take offense...but feel free to put the correct word in place of the earth!

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My first sobering thought...

The earth (in that previous context) and your individual genetics that has allowed you to exist for some unknown reason....the only thing that I know with some semblance of certainty is that if you were a mistake...you would not be here!  Mother earth has a unique way of ensuring that!  (More on this later...I hope)

It is that condition (your existence) that shows it has invested (at minimum)...oxygen...water...food...in you...that could have been directed to another life form...

Please allow me to restate one of the original questions for literary emphasis...Are you providing a return to the earth...on that investment or are you a drain on its resources?

The earth (by its very "nature") functions on a trial and error basis...

Will you count among the multitude of the earth's "trial and error" mistakes?

...or are you among the rare successes?

Is your contribution to the earth's survival...worth more than the air that you are breathing?

or the food you are eating?

or the water that you are drinking?

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More sobering thoughts!

Let's ignore the spiritual portion of the discussion and simply focus strictly on the physical...

You are here for some purpose within the earth's process!

Why?

The nature of the earth is to be a survivor!

It refuses to die and constantly adjusts to its current conditions...

To the best of our scientific knowledge, it has recovered from at least 6 huge (global) catastrophes...and despite global changes...life re-emerged...and continues to survive!

Oxygen levels have significantly decreased and so too has average climatic temperatures...

Interestingly...despite those significant climatic changes...each time the earth has recovered, and its life re-emerged...it changed!  Some scientists incorrectly believe that they has improved...I do not believe so...I think that it has simply adapted and is trying to do the best that it can with what it has to do it with...

We (humans) are a part of the latest life form...and an adaptation to the current environment...

We are the best that it can do with what it has to work with...

Genetics has it that each individual that exists is a proverbial experiment...unique...from every life form around it...(and as I stated in previous exposes...ever existed or ever will exist)...

This makes us an attempt at making something different and better...time will tell if that is true...

Our genetics shape us and what we do...

That means...

(focusing on what we do...)

Our individual role (purpose or function) is also an experiment...

Our existence is an attempt to see if the traits and characteristics that we uniquely possess will set the stage for future survival...of our species...and the earth on a whole...

or perhaps...(the worse case scenario) that we are a mistake and a drain on life...which the earth deals with accordingly...because it lacks any emotion...

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Thoughts on relative and individual existence...

Time is of no importance to the earth...

It intends to survive!

AND will survive!

The earth is patient...

It knows that regardless of our short-sided attempts at intervention...only the best survive...

The weak and non-conforming will die out!

The actions of "the self-serving" will be rewarded appropriately...

Extinctions in the recent past show that...  

If you play to your intended role...you will flourish...

If you drain from the whole...it will haunt you!

You can not outlast the earth!  It will assess your performance and decide!

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How this relates to personal success...

I am not going to belabor the point...I could write a book on this concept...and lay out the entire logic behind it...it is not flawed...

I provided the "cliff notes" so that you can see the context...and get a sense of the reasoning...

As a result...

What we do...plays significantly in what we get...

The earth will support those who support it...

Those that don't...will starve...or be written off as a "trial and error" mistake...never to be repeated...

This takes us to how this plays in one's personal success...

We must ask ourselves...at every moment...

Are we fulfilling our earthly intended role?

Are we a contributor or are we a drain?

Are we fulfilling our role...or intentionally or unintentionally sucking undeserved resources from the natural plan?

At every moment...are we leaving the world a better place for our having been there?

Personal success will be driven by your ability to provide a return on investment at every moment...

From this...

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My advice...

If you borrow it...return it at least in the condition that you received it...

If you take it out...put it away...

If you open it...close it...

If you drop it...pick it up...

If you see that it could be better...improve it...

Never leave anything the worse for your having been there...

If you make a mess...clean it up...

If you see a mess...don't walk away from it...

There is a difference between being "done" with something and "finished" with it...

"Done" simply means that you got out of it what you wanted...

"Finished" means that at minimum there is no negative impact for you having been there...

Don't ever be done...be finished!

Make every moment a positive experience and the earth will reward you...

The opposite will draw the appropriate consequences...

Many people cry out, "Why does it seem like the world itself is against me?"

The fact of the matter is...they are their own worst enemy...

They are reaping...the outcomes from their very nature...and nature itself!

We have been given a gift...a chance to show that we are not a mistake!

Much of life has no choice but to be exactly what genetics has programmed it to be...

The gift that we are given is the ability to make personal and informed decisions...

That is one of the earth's riskiest experiments...

Personal success hinges upon our ability to make the right decisions...CONSISTENTLY...

...moment by moment...

Those decisions must be made within the context of the global drama...

My advice...

Leave every moment better for your having been there and you'll be successful...

Enough Said!

Pura Vida!

The Kind of Networking that Leads to Success...

Good Morning!

I have been watching the activity on a Professional Networking site...

My guess is that you are a member of this site...

What I discovered was that many, if not most people using it...are wasting their time!

More on this later...

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There are weeks that "The Update" is written well ahead of time...and then there are days like today!

I used to think that this disparity was caused by the weekly events...some weeks were insightful and others boring...

Then I realized that life's events are relatively consistent.  Things do not go from exciting to boring as much as I would like to believe that they do...

In reality...the classifications of boring, challenging, exciting, restful...and so on...are a matter of my perception...

One week...one event was exciting...an event very similar event weeks later...was boring...

It was then that I realized that I controlled my days!

From this I realized that "The Updates" depended on my ability to observe, assess and gain insights...

Every week is a gift that is full of insights....to those who have the discipline to stop and look for them...

My ability to write the update is the result of my power of observation and not at the whims of what life gave me!

If I lacked an "Update" at the end of the week...it was my fault!  and that situation itself acts as a reminder that I was distracted!

My advice for those who desire success...look for daily and weekly insights...(THEY ARE THERE!)

If you are not finding them...adjust and make finding insights...and the application of those insights to your journey an integral part of your routine!

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Question:  Why do people use professional networks?

Answer:  A majority of the time...they are building these networks to find employment or seek other opportunities...

Question:  How many people do you know who have been terminated or laid-off from a job...get hired back?

It happens...but it is rare!

Yet I see many people building professional networks based on co-workers...

Think about this...coworkers are of low value...

Networking is about expanding your horizons and possibilities...

Finding NEW opportunities...

Seriously...stop wasting your time connecting with friends on professional networks...

That is for Facebook...

If Professional networking is to be effective...your must expand...to people who you do not know!

ENOUGH SAID

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New Strategy for SUCCESS...

Stop wasting your time connecting with people you know...

Unless they serve as the gate through which your get closer to your goals!

First...determine what you want...

Second...determine who can help you obtain what you want...

Third...create paths (networks) that take you closer to what you want...

PURSUE those paths...

You'll find how infrequently those you know will play a apart in your future...

 If you are working to find your next step-up in your career...or setting the stage for your future (in case you find yourself laid-off)...what good is connecting to your coworkers doing to do for you?

If you are going to use networking to promote your career aspirations...then use it efficiently...otherwise...use Facebook!

Enough Said!

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Social media...

This is...(or can be) another great form of networking...

However...do not allow the pursuit of numbers distract you from reality...

Let me give you an example...

Twitter...

It is an excellent way to efficiently get your message out to a broad audience...

However it requires building a network of followers...

Many people go out a build thousands if not tens of thousands of followers!

What they do not realize is that there are human followers and then there are "robos!"

Twitter is recognized as the first step in an effective social media campaign...

It didn't take very long for creative people to come up with automated systems to "tweet!"

That is what a "robo" is...it is a "robotic tweet machine!"

Many people follow robos...not knowing that they are simply talking to a PC!

There is no impact or value related to having a PC talking to a PC!

500 human followers is much more valuable than 100,000 robos!

When you work to build a following...look for and find ways to ensure that you are communicating with a human...(yes there are systems available that you can purchase to do that too!)

Don't waste your time tweeting to machines!

That network will do nothing for you!

Enough Said!

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Have a great weekend!

Keep focused on your real goals!

Do not confuse your measures of success!

Getting diverted will do nothing but waste your time...and heaven knows...that is a limited resource!

Pura Vida!

The Biggest Mistake...

Good Morning!

When a successful people look back on their lives...

and they are honest with themselves...they have to admit...

That there were many more mistakes and failures than the few brief instances that made them what they are...

If a person is lucky...their proverbial "15 minutes of fame" lingers for a lifetime!

From this arises an entire set of "looming questions"

Like...

Does success require a glut of trial and error?

Or...
Is life filled with false starts?

Or...

Are more dreams shattered than fulfilled?

Or...

Are the best laid plans...destined to fail...because of inherent flaws?

The strange thing is...

The answer to all of these questions are...

YES!

Those same successful people have this characteristic as a common experience...numerous failures...

It is true that a rare few have golden touches...or are handed success on a silver platter...there are exceptions to this rule of multiple failures...but...

Their first piece of advice to those who aspire to success is...

Do not count on being one of those gifted individuals...Did you catch the word?

Gifted...Undeserved...Unearned...

The chance that you will "soar" on your first attempt...is about the same as winning the lottery!

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From those "facts...another interesting characteristic of successful people becomes apparent and that is the real theme of this expose!

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Those who have spent any time with me know that I have a personal axiom that I freely share with anyone who will listen...

It goes like this..."The Biggest Mistake that a person can make is...

...NOT STARTING!"

While I am on the subject of personal axioms...let me add...

I also define the "real failure" as "the realization of how close to success one was...

...WHEN THEY QUIT!"

Here are some epiphanies of the utterly obvious...

...Things never happen if they never start...

and...

Quitting, prior to achieving success is as good as not starting...

Now that we have laid the foundation...

A common theme of many successful people is that they did not define success in specific terms with a specific set of expectations...as some would guide...

They actually define success in general terms so that it allowed for adjustments in the journey...

Another theme was that the set backs or interim failures, did nothing to deter them from their goal...in other words...they didn't quit!

These people NEVER allowed anything to stop them...from general success...

Another interesting thing that I have learned from successful people is...

They were never too proud or assuming to ask...

There is an astute (but DUH!)...(Another epiphany of the utterly obvious...) realization that...

Any unasked question or favor is automatically NO!

It is silly how many people kill success by not asking...or...

Just doing something about it!

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So what is success all about?

If there is something to be done...

THEY START...

If there is a question...

THEY ASK...

If the effort fizzles...

They go on to another...

or...

They try again!

If they get NO!

They ask again...of someone else!

and the biggest mistake that they do not make...

Is not starting!

Ask...Start...and never quit!

Failure in any of these three aspects...will destine a person to failure...

Success is that simple!

I refuse to belabor the point...I have things to do...

Enough Said!

Pura Vida!  

The Critical Role of Dirt in Your Success...

Good Morning!

I have always promoted the importance of learning...to an invividual's or organization's success...

We generally think that learning is an attribute assigned solely to individual organisms...

I believe that any entity is capable of learning...

Including entities that are comprised of multpile organisms..."a collective"

Individual ants learn...and that information leads to a behavior change in the entire colony...

Bees are the same...

These individuals learn and this leads to the collectives learning...which manifests itself in change which means the survival or a benefit to the whole...

They will not survive if knowledge does not manifest itself in change!

Organizations can and MUST do the same!

Learning is more than simply acquiring knowledge or information...

The value of "acquired information" is only realized when it elicits a behavior change!

An individual or organization can only claim that it is capable of learning...when it is capable of changing its behavior...based on the acquired information...

In this context...ignorance is a good excuse for improper behavior...but lack of change (when the information exists) is inexcusable...and in most cases...it carries with it a "death penalty!"

The dynamics of change driven by information is critical not only to survival...but also to growth...

The more quickly that an individual or organization can acquire information and adapt...the higher the probability of survival...or growth!

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This past autumn...I gathered the seed from our favorite cactus...

I was able to amass about a "half-cup" (dry measure) of them, and I put them in a bottle...and they are sitting on the ledge, of the window above the kitchen sink.

Next to that bottle is a small flower pot containing some dirt...and I put one cactus seed in that pot...

In just a few days, it sprouted and has grown into a cactus!

Inches away...sits that container of cactus seeds...all with the same potential to become cacti...but they are doing nothing...completely dormant!

The difference between?  The dirt!

I learned a lesson from this observation...

The dynamics of life (for the seeds) depends on the dirt!

Most people rue the time when "dirt" enters their lives...

Dirt in this case is not "defamatory" information...but simply the undesirable and unpopular conditions...

If a seed avoided "getting dirty" because it was uncomfortable or that they thought that the dirt it would ruin their reputation...they would never sprout and grow into what its potential!

There is a risk associated with "getting dirty" but there are also benefits...

Success starts with a seed of hope...

Dirt is not an option to success...it is a required ingredient!

You can not stand next to dirt and expect to grow...

It is time that we realize...that to be a success...

You have to get dirty!

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So what do these two  unrelated topics have in common...

First...that a discovery should elicit a behavior change...

That the observation of the seeds taught me (I learned) that you have to get into the dirt in order to grow and florish...

You can not sit protected and expect to become anything close to your potential...

You can not be successful...without getting dirty...

I could talk about this for a long time...but the fact of the matter is...
It's your choice...

Enough Said...

Pura Vida!
         

Who is REALLY Responsible for Your Success?

Good Morning...

I had many insightful discussions this week with individuals who work with me and many more who used to work with me...

It is interesting how the I find myself living in a world of themes...one week...one theme or topic...and it is most often common among everyone that I talk with...

This week, the common themes lead to the role that a person's leader plays in one's success.

There was a realization among many (myself included) on how little our personal performance plays in success and how critical the role the leader played...

I heard many people say...I used to be successful and productive...but now...I am struggling...I can't see the difference!

I heard others say that they did not realize how different a job could be with the simple change of a leader!

I heard a few say...that they were convinced that their success was of their own doing...and now they knew better...

This leads to a question that you should ask yourself...

Are you experiencing the same level of success that you were a year or two ago?

What changed?  Your boss?

Are you making others successful (at a level equal to or better than) the previous leader?

Do you realize that this an obligation of you as a leader?

As a person being led...it is your obligation to align with a leader who supports you and makes you successful...if they can't make you successful...

It is your obligation to find a new leader!

Why would anyone...with a semblance of intelligence...stick with a leader that is not making them successful?

I can answer that...

Because they are tied more to the money that they have...than success!

or...

Because they think that success or failure is entirely their responsibility...and a leader has little or nothing to do with it!

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If your world has changed and you are blaming it on a change or environment...or blaming others...you are deceiving yourself...

There are a few capable of succeeding with or without a competent leader...there are rare individuals...

These are the "super-heroes" and the stuff that movies are made of...they are people of legends...

Few people are capable of winning a military battle single-handed...

Not impossible...but not probable!

This minority get the highest levels of recognition...hero medals...

Most are not capable of performing at that level of heroism...

If you are not wearing medals and not performing at super-human levels...you need a shot of reality...

First your success was more related to your leader than your own performance...

Second...your own performance was/is average...and made great by the role your leader played...

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Let's look at your team...

Are they performing equal to or better than they did under the previous leadership?

If not...you need to question your leadership ability...

Has the performance of your team degraded?

Then you need to be asking...how have you changed?

Many organizations make the mistake of allowing a leader to terminate the employment of substandard performers...

The fact of the matter is...it is the leader who should be fired when a team or even an individual fails...

Leaders need to be vested in the success of the individuals and their team...if termination was a real threat to leaders for substandard performance of a team...I think there would be fewer people aspiring to be leaders...

The 21st century organization will grasp this concept...and weed-out poor leaders...

Those who do not grasp this concept will be destined to failure...and although I hurt for them...their blindness needs to be rewarded appropriately...

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The bottom line is that your leaders play a critical role to your success...

If you are successful...you need to stop thinking yourself as some high performer...and spend a little more time thanking your leader...

If you are not performing at a level that you know that you are capable of...then you may be in need of a change...a change of a leader...

ENOUGH SAID!

Pura Vida!       

Six Sigma, Regression Equations and Polyester Leisure Suits

Good Morning!

I was thinking back to the days of Polyester Leisure Suits, Six Sigma, regression equations and Lean!

Icons of the 20th century...

All once good...but now passe!

The funny thing is that many people refuse to let go of them...despite what the rest of the world is doing...

This is the 21st century! 

Would you seriously walk into a club dressed in a polyester leisure suit?

Would you attempt to walk into a company with Six Sigma or Lean?

They looked good then...but now?

Times have changed...

Tastes have changed (Thank God!)

Challenges have changed...

Organizational demands have changed...

In the 70's and 80's...I seriously think that people wanted to look that way...and dressed in leisure suits!  (even though I still can't imagine why) 

Management wanted answers to "Why things were happening" and "What they could do"...and Six Sigma rose to the occasion...along with regression equations...

Then company vision switched inward on profitability, truly avoiding the customer perspective...and Lean rose...even though many refused to fully reject Six Sigma (so they created an oxymoron called Lean Six Sigma!) 

Why Leisure Suits,

Why Six Sigma?

Why Lean?

People wanted to look good...(and they still do)...

The world at large thought leisure suits made a person look good...or maybe they saw someone who did look good in a leisure suit and they tried to emulate them...

The sad thing was...the wearing of leisure suits worked!

It gave the men who dressed like that...a better chance to achieve their goal...women!

Six Sigma and Lean are no different...

A few people donned the Six Sigma suit and it worked...

Others stood jealously on the sidelines and watched...they quietly began using the vernacular of the real Six Sigma experts and hoped that their emulation would get them the awe and recognition that the others were basking in...

AND it spread...

Online courses...for Six Sigma certification...not much different than those mail order courses that "guarantee" to take you from a 98 pound weakling...to Mr Universe!

Get real!  There are few Mr. Universes...and the same holds true for Six Sigma...

I can count on my hand the number of effective practitioners of Six Sigma...and I need a calculator to even approach the count of those who stand around and claim this practice...

The glimmer of hope that I am given is that just like leisure suits...Six Sigma and Lean has fallen from favor...and devout practitioners will stick out like a "Lounge Lizard" does in a club...

Like Leisure Suits...Six Sigma and Lean should be relegated to short skits on Saturday Night live...

It did what it needed to do...but as we look back on it...it was corny!

It's "wash and wear" and "wrinkle-free" appearance was simply marketing!

It required work to be what made it work...and the adopters were not willing to work like that!

Some may say that my New Brass Ring (DMADD) is no different...and in 15 years they may be right...

Yet it is working...and effective in addressing organizational issues using the tools of the 21st century...

The new club wear is DMADD!

Come on in...we need people in leisure suits...if only for the humor!
   
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Although regression equations are an integral part of Six Sigma...they are not the invention or property of it...

Regression equations are the formulas for existence!

As I thought this week about leadership...I realized that there is an equation (a recipe) for effective leadership!

In a regression equation...there are 3 important parts...the "Y" variable...or output...the explained or understood factors "X" that contribute to the "Y" and the unexplained factor(s).

Depending upon the teaching method...the equation is Y = (mX) + b  (Does that look familiar?)

Leadership (Y) is a combination of known factors and unknown factors that drive effectiveness...

Some of those factors (explained or unexplained) have positive influences and others negative influences...

on a higher level...

Leadership on a whole (as a science)...has an equation...

except this time...the "X's" are people...

so you as a leader are part of the overall leadership equation...

the question that you have to ask yourself is...

"Am I a positive influence on Leadership...a negative influence (do I give it a bad name) or simply an unexplained variable?"

Do you give leadership a good name or a bad name?

Why?

Are you a competent leader...or something that should be controlled or eliminated?

Should you be part of the leadership equation at all?

Is your influence on the slope of the line positive or negative...

Or...a do you have no influence at all?  (Should you be rejected from the equation?)

Or...are you confounding (Another topic...someday!)

What I am getting at is that your role within the equation has to do with self-honesty...and recognition on your role within the larger equation...

People delude themselves...(these are the ostriches who stick their heads in the sand and refuse to see the dangers)

They see the negative slope of the line and blame that on others rather than take the responsibility for it!

They refuse to change!

These are the people (wearing leisure suits) who vigorously polish the bell of the Titanic (after the interaction with the iceberg) and refuse to see they are on a sinking ship!

They live life as if nothing is wrong...and think that everything is cool!

The 20th century is a memory...much of it makes us cringe in shame...

Get out of those leisure suits...

Stop polishing those bells!

Commit to playing a role that pushes the line of influence in a positive direction...

Enough Said!

Pura Vida!!!!!!

Borrowing from the Future...

Good Morning...

It has been an amazing week...much of the foundational efforts and the seeds that I planted are bearing fruit!

I need not go into details...what is important is the realization of something extremely important for everyone to learn...

I thought about the fact that we operate with a selfish misconception (perhaps we simply have never thought about it) that affects the future...

First of all we believe that our world contains many different unlimited resources...

Things like air, water, land...

The fact of the matter is...everything is limited!

We used to believe that petroleum was unlimited...but we have been hit with the stark reality that "reserves" are dwindling!

The same holds true for fresh water...and land...and guess what?

Air is the same...

There is nothing that is limitless...except for space...and most of that (except for this minute point called the earth) contains absolutely nothing...it is a vacuum...

Our only limitless resource is the epitome of nothing!

Where this takes my thoughts...that we have to be conscious of is...

Everything that we use today takes away from the future...

When you start your car...you use air that your descendants could have breathed!

Everything...EVERYTHING you use today takes from the future and unborn generations who are depending on us to be good stewards...

That was an sobering thought for me!

What about you?

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As I thought about my current successes...I realized that all of the preparatory work is not leading to a culmination...but simply opening a door (giving me a right) for my use of future generations' resources!

So...the question for me is...

When does conservation really begin...

Let me assure you that if we wait until we realize that we are running out...it is too late...

We have to start conserving anything of value NOW!

We have no right to any commonly accepted resource...we are only borrowing it from the future!

We have to stop the unbridled use...and begin minimizing our use and returning anything of value...in greater quantities than our use...

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This is a great concept...simply if we were discussing natural resources...but it goes deeper...

We have many other resources that we unknowingly take advantage of...

Things like...

Forgiveness...

Caring...

Others time...

Favors...

Others efforts...

Others attention...

The list may be long but it not infinite and the fact of the matter is...each of them will run out if not treated like a precious gift...borrowed from the future and returned (when used) in greater portion...

Have you returned more love than you have received?

What about forgiveness?

Or...

Do you give more time to others than you have taken?

What you have done in the past...gives you no right to your use of them with disregard to the future...you are borrowing them from the future...

Even these resources that we unknowingly depend upon are limited...

It is time that we conserve them...NEVER take advantage of them as if there is a bottomless supply...and if we do use any of them...we return them in measure greater than we consumed!

Enough said!

Pura Vida!