Saturday, September 3, 2011

A Question

"Is that so?" is a question my husband often asks when I spout off some grand assessment. He does it to challenge my thinking, but it has often irritated me that he doesn't see my way. The question though lingers and takes on a life of its own. It has brought some clarity to some of my cognitive distortions. It even comes in handy as a mama tool, I challenge my children's thinking with over dramatic pronouncements of, "Oh, I am so sorry that you never get what you want! Alas what is this toy I am stepping on and perhaps we should give away these games for which you did not want." Mostly, though I appreciate the question for what growth it has given me.

Do we challenge our thinking? Did you know that your Google search and my Google search for the same topic will not yield the same results? Google aims to deliver the responses that you will like based on your history of searches. We follow sources that agree with our views even if they rarely challenge the facts or offer any contradictions to the information presented. It is a disservice.

With the announcement of Steve Job stepping down from Apple, I wondered at how he could see what computers needed to get rid of to create an experience worth buying. Other companies seem to think about adding and adding features in so that there are so many choices and features that the complexity overwhelms the user. It is in taking stuff away that you get to what is essential, you keep chiseling, it is then that the true visionary is revealed. My bet is Jobs is irreplaceable.

Determining what to let go of requires both experience, experiment, and the willingness to try it.  How often do we use the drill? How often do we use the dining room? There is no simple answer that applies to everyone. You have to be brutal this day in age to minimize the mountains of stuff parading by as necessary. If you had to reduce your things by twenty percent, what would you get rid of?

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