Something About Ahna

Ahna, my little one, can cry.  Yes she can cry -  A LOT - with copious amounts of tears, within seconds.  She just lets go the flood gates at the drop of a hat – completely at will.  Sometimes she cries for specific reasons, but in the late evenings she just generally wants to cry.  I call this “Ahna Decharging” (before she gets better and goes to sleep).  During these recharging sessions she comes up with all kinds of reasons in response to the question: WHY.  If I fix the issue, without batting an eyelid she will come up with another reason for the same episode.  It is really hilarious to watch.  In fact, she has no clue why she is crying.

Yesterday it got me thinking, are there times when we are as clueless as a six year? Are we aware that often we give explanations that at best are theories but we are completely ignorant of the reality… just like Ahna. For example, until I actually thought about it carefully, I gave all sorts of reasons as to why I lived in Austin.  Now that I know that there is no reason for me to be in Austin, I find myself liberated to think that I can choose to live just about anywhere.  Out of sheer inertia I may not move but at least I know that I am doing so.

At work, often I find myself spending too much time on Face book genuinely believing that I am working for a purpose. I know, however, somewhere on the way of using face book for business I have gotten lost.  There are so many choices these days that unless we remain absolutely self-aware and focused on goals, it is very easy to find ourselves decharging – i.e. acting self unaware.  In the world of increased complexity, unless we watch carefully, we can very easily find ourselves on a tangent.  We are constantly being pulled in multiple directions away from the goal. No wonder goals are not being met and tasks are left unfinished, because we act in unawareness.

I have known people involved in networking at the expense of revenue generation, while pretending to be doing so for revenue generation.  Golfing and dining with unqualified prospects while the ready to buy qualified buyers go unattended.  You too may have met sales people prospecting with qualified buyer instead of closing the sale.   I certainly know of marketers completely unaware of marketing mix resource allocation decisions while running on default mode, offering a vague semblance of reasoning .  We all like to do our favorite activities ignoring all else.  That is our inherent proclivity.  Then we find reasons to justify our actions.  Those more self-aware than others tend to do so less, but do so nevertheless.

There is really a very simple solution to this issue.  Question yourself constantly to become and remain in awareness.  The more we question the more we strengthen our ability to remain self aware.  The more self aware we are the less likely we will be to act like chickens with their heads cut off.  Set yearly and quarterly goals.  List weekly and daily activities. Allocate specific time. Then don’t get carried away.  Do what you decide to do, else go play poker.  But do not get lost in a wild goose chase from one tangent to another simply doing what meets our fancy.