A
new manager called one of his staff to his office and said: “Can you prepare a list
of the unidentified failures for the new device we are launching? Please bring
it back to me in 30 minutes.”
In
5 minutes, the staffer was back. He handed the manager a blank sheet of paper.
“What’s this?”
asked the manager.
“The list of unidentified failures you asked for” said the staffer.
“But there’s nothing on it” said the new manager.
“Exactly”
said the staffer, “All failures have already
been identified and tackled before you came on board. There are no unidentified failures that I
know of. If you think of any, let us know – we’ll be glad to test those.”
A
blank sheet of paper can represent a lot.
In
this story, it represents quality – you start with a list of defects and issues;
this list probably grows longer and longer as issues come to light; eventually,
as each issue is found and addressed, less and less issues should come to light
- until you are left with a blank sheet of paper.
A
blank sheet of paper is a powerful tool.
In
fact, it may be the only tool you need.
If
I gave you a blank sheet of paper and said to you “List the things
about your job situation or life circumstances that you like” how much of the blank sheet of
paper would you be able to fill?
If
I gave you a blank sheet of paper and said “List the things
you could do to make your spouse happy”,
how much of the blank sheet of paper would you be able to fill?
If
I gave you a blank sheet of paper and said “List some
of the positive things your child has heard you say recently”, how much of the paper would you
be able to fill?
If
I gave you a blank sheet of paper and said “List all
the good things you are doing for your health” how much of the paper would you be able to fill?
If
I gave you a blank sheet of paper and said “List all the
things you did in 2018 which you are proud of” how much of the paper would you be able to fill?
If
I gave you a blank sheet of paper and said “List the
ways you grew as a person in 2018”
how much of the paper would you be able to fill?
Finally,
if I gave you a blank sheet of paper and said “List the things
you can do in 2019 to improve your life” what would you write?
Spend
time with a blank sheet of paper – it could put you on the path to improved health,
improved wealth, improved relationships, and higher life satisfaction.
Here's some additional help from previous posts to get you going with your blank sheet of paper...
First I recommend you read this to caffeinate your
motivation to improve:
Then I recommend you read some of the posts listed below to
help you reflect and come up with ideas of your own for improvement in
different areas of your life:
Jump starting your personal growth:
Improving the way you deal with problems:
Turning the page on poor communication:
Bringing more meaning into your life:
As
always, thanks for sharing my Journey to Wisdom, Meaning and a Better
Life. Like you I am trying to find my
way through this complex maze we call life, and I am honored to have you share
my journey, as I continue to seek the wisdom hidden in plain sight.
Thanks to
everyone who has shared, re-tweeted, liked or commented on my posts. You keep
me going.
Happy
Birthday to all those with December birthdays.
Hope you use your birthday month to turn a page in your life
you’ve been meaning to turn. What better month than December for any of us to
start thinking about that? A new year will be upon us soon. Let’s do the things
we filled our blank sheets of paper with. And then when December 2019 rolls round,
let’s celebrate having done that! What a
trip that will be, yes? Yes? Yes? Yes?
1 comment:
A brilliant and innovative way to focus on much -needed self-improvement areas...it will force us to think, apply our minds and reorient our strategies and outlook for a successful meaningful life. Well done, Minoo!
Ajay
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