• Tag Archives lean
  • Coasting Versus Conquering: Getting The Most Out Of Yourself

    Posted on by Tim

    Gaining and maintaining personal momentum is really hard. I suppose it is harder today than say 10 years ago. Each day should be a personal challenge to get the most out of yourself.

    This is not about “toxic positivity” or whatever popular phrase is trending on the internet.

    This is about subtle shifts in doing and thinking that add up over time.

    Many of the world’s most recognized and respected brands have humble beginnings. Apple and Toyota are two examples.

    Apple started in a garage.

    Toyota started with weaving looms and moved into automobile manufacturing after World War 2.

    Books in my office

    Each of us is responsible for improving daily. You’re either growing or dying, the choice is yours.

    You might be thinking, “Where do you suggest I start?” My answer is, “What is causing you the most pain?”

    Pain is relative. I deal with a whole military career of pain each day. The list of challenges I work through is long and not worth writing about.

    Personal Challenge

    You need to ask yourself a question. Am I coasting or conquering?

    Is technology a hurdle for you? May I suggest you find someone you trust to help you learning about technology?

    If you’re an introvert, like me, then public speaking could be a huge hurdle. Toastmasters can help overcome that fear.

    Perhaps you struggle with learning in general. I wrote an article on “micro learning” that can help you get started.

    Once you lock in on the one or two things you want to improve on, choose people to be accountable to for taking action. Accountability is a catalyst for personal growth (and a follow-on post).


  • Finding Furry Animals In Unusual Places Like The Home Vacuum

    Posted on by Tim

    During my weekend cleaning routine, I finally solved a problem I had been avoiding for a few years.  I hate to remove waste, especially when it’s not mine.

    I regularly vacuum the common areas of our home while our daughters take care of their rooms respectively.  There’s only one issue that neither of my teenagers sees as something to fix.  It might be considered a humans being thing.

    The photo for this post is one where I removed an impediment to completer and more efficient floor cleaning.  I spent about one-hour removing hair from the rotating brush head and the resulting pile of hair was about the size of a small, furry household pet.

    Remove waste - Hair removed from vacuum
    Removed waste from vacuum. Looks like a furry animal

    Remove waste

    So, I wonder, how much waste (Muda) did I allow by not cleaning the hair off the brush head? What sort of long-term cost had I created for myself over the last three or four years by not keeping the brushes clean? I may never know.

    Learning to see waste is challenging. Toyota works at it daily. We should to.

    When it comes to teams and teamwork, do you think similar situations exist? Just asking for a friend interested in large hairballs.