Do you calculate opportunity costs?

Do you even think about them?

What could they be?

Which opportunities will you miss by saying yes to something?

This can cost you: Money, Time, Energy, Happiness

Which commitments would you say no to, now that you experienced opportunity costs?

What happens when your idea is reject?

Do emotions come up?

Anger, frustration and sadness?

Do they trigger toxic thoughts?

Do you feel misunderstood?

Stop right there.

It is your job, to pitch clearly. -> Try again more clearly!

Your idea might really not be good. -> Work on it. Expand on it!

An idea rejection is just an iteration, one of many.

Are you baffled by your own behaviour?

You act one way in one situation?

And act another in another situation?

Much in life is situational. We act depending on the situation.

An option can be catastrophic in one situation, while amazing in another.

What is the right option, given the situation?

Are your decisions truly yours?

Did anyone influence you?

Did society influence you?

Did someone make a decision, that forced you into making one?

Many of our decisions are influenced. By society, by advertisements, by your family.

Many bad decisions from your past have been, so have compassion with your past self.

Do your expectations align with your actions?

Do your purchases reflect your expectations?

Do your interactions reflect your expectations?

Do your partners reflect your expectations?

If you settle for things below your expectations, you are set to be disappointed.

If you settle for less, be aware of it.

How much trust do you put in your estimates?

How much information do you have at your disposal?

Are you maybe guessing even?

Is it a hunch?

Guesses and estimates are similar to gambling. Don't get too attached to your estimates and guesses. Be prepared to be wrong.

Estimates and guesses help to get momentum. Be prepared to change direction.

Have you played through future scenarios?

Which directions can things take?

How can you impact the direction?

Are you prepared for what can happen?

Thinking through scenarios is crucial for strategic planning.

However, do not let it cripple you, keep momentum, while preparing.

When pressure at work increases, what do you do?

Do you increase your workload?

Do you decrease sleep time?

Do you decrease social engagements?

It is counterintuitive, but with rising pressure, self-care becomes crucial.

Effectivity paired with self-care beats pressure every time.

Do you apply the Pareto principle to yourself?

Do you know the 20% that delivers 80% of the benefits?

Do you know the 20% that delivers 80% of the damage?

You can apply Pareto to your habits and your mindsets.

Identify the habits and mindsets that do the most harm.

When do they happen? How do they happen? Why do they happen?

Now go about changing them!

You are diagnosed with cancer.

It is not looking good.

What would you do?

What project would you quit?

What things would you start doing?

Who would you contact?

What would you change?

Why wait till a diagnosis? Why not do these things, right now? What is stopping you?

How much do you trust in information?

How objective is information?

How does your opinion flavor information?

How does other people‘s perspectives paint information?

Any piece of information can change its meeaning depending on the perspective.

Evaluate where it came from and from whom before deciding.

How much trust do you put in models and theories?

How much trust do you put in humanities knowledge?

What about science?

Models and theories are approximations. All we know are approximations, theories and models.

Use them where they work and be weary of them where they do not.

For example, Relativity Theory does not work in black holes.

Do you take things at face value?

How often are things miscommunicated?

What can you do to mitigate the issues?

It helps to always ask for clarification especially if you have a bit of doubt.

It is worth the effort as unclear situations always lead to disputes.

How seriously do you take yourself?

Can you laugh about your own misfortune?

Are you able to make fun of your own mistakes?

Gallows humour is a great tool.

People who use it are more resilient.

Enjoy the ups and downs of life.

You don't know which option to choose.

What do you need to make the decision?

Are you lacking information?

Maybe you can get a taste before deciding.

Often there is a way to try something without a hard commitment.

You are anxious about something.

You consider your options.

Consider some more.

And more...

Ruminating won't help. Make a plan.

A plan is not final, it can change. Decide a course of action. Get momentum and figure it out from there.

Do you like to save money on your equipment?

Making do more with less?

How much can you improve efficiency with better equipment?

How much is a 5% productivity increase worth?

Only a small percentage increase in your productivity is already worth thousands.

Invest in your equipment, it is worth it. A good craftsman never blames his tools, but having crap tools doesn't help to produce great work.

Look around yourself.

What do you see?

Strangers?

Annoying people?

Siblings, parents, children?

They are all potential teachers. Everyone you see has something to teach you.

You want to change something...

What do you do?

There are many strategies.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world" - Arleen Lorrance

Go about it as if it has changed already and thus lead the way to the change.

This works for things about yourself and for matters concerning groups.