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Answers begin with the Question, or do they?

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When we don’t have all the information we need or are not sure of it’s validity we will elicit additional information from other sources, that is human, virtual, experimentation and so on.

Hopefully this process of investigation will yield the answers we seek in response.  Sometimes the answers are not the information we seek.  This can be because the question is wrong, and there is the rub,

Question or Answer/ Chicken or Egg

Without some information we can not be sure what the question is and without the question information is lacking.  The question answer dance is founded on what we know when we begin.

Neither the initial question or subsequent answers is the starting point, rather, what we know about what we don’t know is the best place to begin.

Assuming questions are intended to gather things we don’t know or validate information we are uncertain of the beginning is not to seek answers or formulate questions but rather understand what it is you don’t know.

Understanding Requirements

The process of seeking information using questions as the prime technique begins with understanding what you seek.  Valid quality questions begin with requirement, that is defining what you seek.

Formulating the question is often best managed as a multi-step process building on the information uncovered during the journey for answers.  Critical to the success of this journey is the starting point, the first question.

Seeking Information/creating Knowledge

Asking questions and analyzing the answers will provide you with the information you need to create knowledge.  The value of knowledge to you depends on your requirements.

Asking questions is only of value when you have a solid understanding of why you are asking them.  What is the information you are lacking and why is it of value should always be the starting point of your interrogations.

 

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

The Mystery of Life

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Does human life have a deeper meaning beyond what we know?  That is something that is difficult or impossible to understand or explain.  It is a mystery.

This is not to say we cannot define our own purpose and from that create individual and even group meaning.  Following a path, we define for ourselves at an earlier age can become our answer to the question, why am I here?

Living is the Answer

Of course, the mystery begins with the background.  Did the universe come into being by an accident?  Is that even possible?  Can something occur without purpose or motivation?

Perhaps it just is.  The human race evolved over many years and continues to do so.  The outcomes created by humans taken as a whole are both numerous and impactful.  Even astounding at times.

Human creations span a wide multitude of achievements, some could be considered good, while others bad and some just mediocre.  the hallmark of all these things is they are derived through the act of living.

Life is meaning in and of itself

Everything we do, from birth, encapsulates our lives.  Without a specific measure governing whether your life has achieved the purpose for which it was intended, that being a mystery, the answer lies within your own definition.

Each of us must define our own journey and self determine the value of that trip.  Do the opinions of others matter?  Only to the extent they influence your own assessment of success.  The meaning of your life is yours to determine, execute, and assess.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Wasted Time

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When you allow time to pass in an unproductive manner, it is wasted.  In essence by devoting our time to a useless activity we expend efforts for no result.

Of course devoting your time to doing nothing does not expend effort but also, seemingly, does not produce results.  While the value of doing nothing could be arguable, I would suggest it is not necessarily wasted time.e

With Intent

On occasion we may purposefully waste time, (i.e., work more slowly and inefficiently) just to fill the time and stave off boredom somewhat.

In the long term staving off boredom through wasting time resolves little.  It does not address the root issue and so just provides

Taking initiative, finding productive and worthwhile ways to expend our free or unassigned time is actually far more beneficial than wasting time, albeit requiring greater effort.

Boredom is a Choice

Staving off boredom through time wasting does not address the root issue and so does not resolve the problem .  This approach provides temporary relief at best.

Whatever is the meaning of life it is certain life without purpose has little value and so little meaning.  Wasted time is an acknowledgement of a lack of purpose.

Being bereft of immediate goals we simply decide to coast until provided an opportunity not too.  Why not create our own opportunity.

Reason for Being

We can always find a purpose and expend effort to achieve it.  Wasting time is a choice, not something thrust on us for which we have no control.

At any given time, determine your reason for being and act.  Only you can make this choice.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Organize for Performance

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While not an original nor innovative concept, how we organize the work we do, from individual tasks, teams to enterprise structure makes a big difference to the cost, efficiency, and quality of the outcomes.

Success can be achieved through organizational optimization.  This is a continuous process, ongoing change is inevitable and how we are organized to address external and contextually change needs to reflect the current and forecast future situations.

What is Organization?

Organization is the act of getting people, places or things arranged in a systematic way, whether on a large or small scaled getting things organized in a way that the goals and objectives will be achieved with as much ease as possible.

This is not only about efficiency though, organization is how we can ensure the right things get done by the right person (or persons) at the right time.

Often we take the organization of things at the status quo and just carry on.  Why challenge what is working?  Unfortunately effective organization is integrated with a multitude of environmental factors.

As the environment changes so does the organizational effectiveness.  To attain the best results your routine needs to adapt to the changes.

For Example

You have organized your morning wake-up and get ready for the day in a particular day.  Maybe you get up at a set time and complete a defined set of activities from washing, shaving, dressing to eating before considering yourself ready.

The question becomes, is the same morning activity organization as effective today as it was the first time you practiced it?  Without altering your routine  to adapt to changing life events (e.g., getting married, having children, changing jobs, moving locations, etc.) it is highly likely the outcomes will have suffered.

Pay attention to how you and the things around you are organized, it matters.