Tag: experience

Half the picture

Posted on by philipdodson

Sometimes I have, and still do, make decisions with only half the picture. In fact, in the past almost all of the time.

Why? Simply because I told myself, I already know how to do that or I have experienced that before. Sure, many situations are the same and therefore learning is gained through experience. But, I thought I know, I don’t need to find out everything.

However, not all situations are the same and maybe I believe that I have handled the best I can because it worked last time.

But I was kidding myself and not stretching myself. I am accepting ‘just good enough’ and I am not taking all the elements into account. I was dismissing others experience and knowledge, thinking ‘I know best’.

I have now started to try and see the full picture, ask more questions, listen more, talk less. Shit, that is hard.

What have I noticed? Well, a great deal more than before. I am seeing things from others perspective and that has been enlightening. I am realising that I do not own the exclusive rights to be right about everything and knowing always what is best.

Not every decision has to be taken with such great care, but for the ones that matter, I am learning to make even better ones.

Like all things in my life, it is a work in progress, but the clearer the picture, the better the chance of making a better decision. Just another step in journey.

51

Posted on by philipdodson

So last week I turned 51 years old, yeah I know I don’t look that old.

51 is like any age just a number, yet it is a special one.

So THE BIG 5 0 is over-hyped and to be honest if you simply don’t care about it, then this trauma of turning 50 just doesn’t happen. However, there is all this pressure from peers to have a party, to do this and that. Well, I’ve never fitted in really and at 50 I was never likely to do what others expected.

Yet society still paints a picture of slippers, pipe, sitting in an armchair watching telly and slipping comfortably into a semi-comatose state that is the next stage before retirement and dribbling in your soup. OK a bit over exaggerated, but I see some in their 20s and 30s slipping into the cement bath that life becomes once you have a partner, kids, mortgage, etc etc. Unless you live in a bubble some of this does wear off on our minds.

There was no party and stuff, just a great family celebration, which is what happens at every birthday.

OK, 51 then, what is the big deal?

Well, you are passed the ‘Big 50’ bullshit and you have realised that this stage in life is one of the best you’ve had.

If you have a grateful mindset, then by 50 you have so much to be grateful for, you have already had an amazing journey and you have banked so much learning, you have a treasure chest of great things that have happened, that you have achieved, memories etc that can not ever be taken away.

Now you don’t give a shit about what others think so much, now you are wise, you can relax and start to apply it, start to be a little braver and you can accept each day as the bonus it truly is. Start to realise that our lives are just these series of now moments, so what the f… are we all waiting for?

51 is going to be a great year and by the way, this philosophy can apply to any age in life if we choose.