Insights can be really helpful, especially when we face challenges. When I seek advice from those I respect, I often have that forehead-slapping moment where I think, "I knew that!" or "Duh!". When that happens I write down what I just learned. Here's some of what I've come up with.
- Good enough usually is.
- When I want to feel good, I ask myself what I want. I'm the world's expert on Me.
- There's good news and there's bad news. Sometimes the hard part is figuring out which is which. Sometimes the same news is both.
People tend to believe they know what other people are thinking.
- I can't possibly know what you're thinking. Mastering ESP is still on my To Do list.
- Whenever I make a mistake, I remind myself that I probably didn't invent that particular way to goof up.
- Nodding understandingly goes a long way, but only if you actually do understand.
- The nastiest thing about nasty problems is not that they don't go away when you refuse to deal with them. It's that they get worse.
- If you don't have a plan you can't follow it.
- Plan for today first. Planning for the distant future is worth less the more distant the future is.
- Kids know way more
than they get credit
for. Way more.Most people do their best. When it seems otherwise, maybe you just don't get it. - Kids know way more than they get credit for. Way more.
- Deceiving others is difficult, especially if they're your kids.
- Dogs never ask you how you're doing because they already know.
- What fits for me might not fit for you. What fits for you might not fit for me.
- When someone speaks from the heart, listen to the beat.
- Experience eventually leads to wisdom. Some people require more experiences than others.
- That voice in your head that tells you you're messed up is usually coming from the part that's the most messed up.
- Feeling embarrassed is a waste. Most people are too busy worrying about themselves to notice.
- Speaking your own No is more powerful than repeating anybody else's Yes.
- If you don't like your choices, choose to look for more choices.
- Even though you know your favorite flavor of ice cream, try one of the others now and then.
- It's a lot easier to stay out of trouble than it is to get out of trouble.
- Attributing significance or intention to other people's mistakes is often a mistake.
- Lots of people have been through really terrible things that they don't talk about. It's safest to assume that everyone deserves your respect and admiration.
- You don't always get back what you give. But since we can't really measure that, feeling slighted might be unwise.
- A human being is a wonder. You are a human being.
I could go on, but maybe you're wondering what your own list would look like if you wrote it down. You can find out. Next issue in this series
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More things I've learned
More Things I've Learned Along the Way [December 11, 2013]
- Some entries from my personal collection of useful insights.
Still More Things I've Learned Along the Way [March 30, 2016]
- When I have an important insight, or when I'm taught a lesson, I write it down. Here's another batch from my personal collection.
More Things I've Learned Along the Way: IV [July 31, 2019]
- When I gain an important insight, or when I learn a lesson, I write it down. Here's Part IV from my personal collection. Example: When it comes to disputes and confusion, one person is enough.
More Things I've Learned Along the Way: V [March 30, 2022]
- When I gain an important insight, or when I learn a lesson, I make a note. Example: If you're interested in changing how a social construct operates, knowing how it came to be the way it is can be much less useful than knowing what keeps it the way it is.
More Things I've Learned Along the Way: VI [April 19, 2023]
- When I gain an important insight, or when I learn a lesson, I make a note. Example: If you're interested in changing how a social construct operates, knowing how it came to be the way it is can be much less useful than knowing what keeps it the way it is.
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Related articles
More articles on Ethics at Work:
Workplace Politics vs. Integrity
- A reader wrote recently of wanting to learn "to effectively participate in office politics without
compromising my integrity." It sometimes seems that those who succeed in workplace politics must
know how to descend to the blackest depths, and still sleep at night. Must we abandon our integrity
to participate in workplace politics?
The Power of Presuppositions
- Presuppositions are powerful tools for manipulating others. To defend yourself, know how they're used,
know how to detect them, and know how to respond.
Appearance Antipatterns: II
- When we make decisions based on appearance we risk making errors. We create hostile work environments,
disappoint our customers, and create inefficient processes. Maintaining congruence between the appearance
and the substance of things can help.
On Standing Aside
- Occasionally we're asked to participate in deliberations about issues relating to our work responsibilities.
Usually we respond in good faith. And sometimes we — or those around us — can't be certain
that we're responding in good faith. In those situations, we must stand aside.
Personal Boundaries at Work
- We often speak of setting boundaries at work — limitations on what we can reasonably ask of each
other. We speak of them, but we don't always honor them. They can be easier to remember and honor if
we regard them as freedoms rather than boundaries.
See also Ethics at Work and Ethics at Work for more related articles.
Forthcoming issues of Point Lookout
Coming June 4: White-Collar Contractor Sabotage
- Modern firms in competitive, dynamic markets draw on many types of employer/employee relationships, including contractors. By providing privileges and perks preferentially among these different types, they risk creating a caldron of resentments that can reduce organizational effectiveness. Available here and by RSS on June 4.
And on June 11: More Things I've Learned Along the Way: VI
- When I gain an important insight, or when I learn a lesson, I make a note. Example: If you're interested in changing how a social construct operates, knowing how it came to be the way it is can be much less useful than knowing what keeps it the way it is. Available here and by RSS on June 11.
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