Essential, Random and Frivolous Thoughts of a Cabinet Maker

Keeping It Simple Silly, is always a better default than making things overcomplicated.

There are so many times in my day that I make things way to difficult by not keeping it simple. I often equate this with reverse engineering.

Not that I’m nearly intelligent enough to be an engineer, I take what I can from the field in order to distill down to what it takes to get from point A to point B. And more times than not, it can fall into 3 actionable steps.

The way I do this is by beginning at the end. If I want to accomplish something: let’s say, shoot a commercial for my cabinet shop. Then I work backwards from there.

In order to do that, I need a script; 1. write a script. Then I will need to have the proper personnel in place in order to shoot it, edit, etc. 2. Gather personnell. Then I will need a day to shoot it. 3. Schedule a time and place to shoot it and get it in the can.

I don’t necessarily think it’s important that you immediately have the perfect steps, but rather distill it down to 3 actionable actions you can take right now. Because everything within you wants to procrastinate.

After all, the details are in the doing, not the thinking about doing.

It has always fascinated me what people choose to believe within themselves. Part of this comes from their childhood and how they were raised and part of it comes from their life experiences and how they have responded to those outcomes.

Someone who is raised in a household where money and investing was a constant topic of conversation, where responsible and insightful financial issues were discussed and where abundance was demonstrated throughout the family lifestyle – it is these people who have an ability to attract larger amounts of money into their lives as they become adults.

But, yet that same adult lives on fast food and alcohol and is lost when it comes to any sort of physical exercise or knowing intrinsically what is good for their body.

This would ring true as well with a child who is exposed at a young age to outdoor living and exercise with an attention to healthy eating habits of whole foods and the avoidance of unhealthy living.

This may seem like common sense I suppose, but what interests me is the deep-seeded beliefs within those people of what they have concluded they can or cannot manifest in their lives. To me, it’s only – their belief in themselves – that keeps them from attracting what they desire into their lives.

I know I’ve had times in my life when I’ve had success at something – only because I made the effort to try – in addition to a lack of information that protected me from myself in believing I couldn’t do it. It was only later on did others define what I did as “difficult” or “hard.” But because I had already accomplished it and was somewhat successful, I didn’t know I couldn’t do it. If that makes sense.

Another way of saying it is, ‘staying neutral.’ Is it hard? How about easy? Maybe we should refrain from using that language or even asking those questions. Instead maybe we should approach each and every endeavor in front of us with a neutral mindset knowing we can if chose to believe so.

After all, all things are possible.

All seems better when we’re able to let go.

Not give up, but simply let go of our expectations in any and all situations, conversations and day to day interactions. This is not to say we should plan to fail either. We certainly can stay neutral and have the best intentions in mind, but taking the world in as it comes without an emotional attachment to everything that goes down would seem to be a much healthier choice.

The problem with coming in the door with an agenda is – usually it never works out the way you expect. Rather than having an agenda, have an intention of what you want and don’t get locked in how that’s going to go down.

Then we can remain open to how and where that might come from. In the meantime, instead of wondering ‘what’s in it for me?’ Maybe we can ask the question, ‘How may I serve?’

I started writing this blog a few years ago for a couple of reasons. One of them was to share any thoughts, experiences or insights I have that might help others in their day-to-day lives. Even if it’s just a morsel. The other reason is to remind myself what I already know and to continue to learn, grow and evolve when I stray from the path. I’ve heard it said more than once, by people who are much more wise than I; “Most of the time it’s not about learning new information, but rather remembering what we already know.”

Much of what it takes to get where we want to go in any facet of our lives is about not losing focus by all the distractions around us. Another words staying focused on what’s important to us. Another way of saying it is to strip it down to the bare essentials. Rather than adding tasks, to-do’s, etc., we should be distilling it down to the one, two or three things that are most important to focus on. It’s taking away, not adding to.

Remember that.

I’ve always loved the idea of viewing our own thoughts as sacred. Here’s why: It would seem that many of us don’t give ourselves enough credit, feel unworthy, see ourselves as incompetent and/or incapable of bringing to fruition what is truly important and meaningful in our lives, no matter the size or grandeur of that dream. I certainly am guilty of this.

In doing so, we find ourselves dependent on what others think, feel and say about us and our ‘talents.’ Who cares what others think? Why do we place so much importance on what another individual’s opinion of us is? Because we want to belong. We don’t want to be an outcast. Many times we’ll compromise our own desires and intentions just to avoid being excommunicated from our safe haven.

This is a fallacy. First of all, everyone has the same doubts within themselves and – as I tell my teenage son – no one cares about what you’re doing. They have their own problems to deal with. So, instead of dismissing that small voice within us, we should be listening with great intent as if it’s a wise loved-one from the past is whispering words of truth in our ear to guide us to where we intend to go.

These are our instincts. These are indeed sacred and should be held as such. The more we listen the louder the whisper. We know where we’re going. And we can certainly use the help of others, but ultimately we know the way.