Pass the Better

I read a ton of stuff online to serve two needs that I have. One, the need for focus and motivation in the form of inspiration, innovation, creativity, and overall general interest. And two, the need for filling the void left by me not actually taking said advice to heart, but simply reading about it in hopes that some sort of Benny Hinn-type of pseudo-healing takes place, and I'm instantly the focused, productivity/work-life, legendary husband, scratch golf-playing, shredding rock drum God, all-around Damn Good Guy I long to be. I get a few things done, yes. I could be better.

What also needs to be considered is the fact that it's not enough that you simply get things done. Efficient widget-cranking can be done by anyone, and it feels good for a time. But there has to be more substance to it. To all of it.

That's why this essay by online blog legend Merlin Mann is resonating so strongly after reading it for the first time over 3 weeks ago. It's probably a good reason why I'm not striving for daily, sometimes even weekly quanitiy on this site. Quality is still debatable, I'll grant you. And it's not just in our work, per se. Think of 3 or 4 worthless, zero return-on-investment, brainsuck activities you've particpated in. In the last hour......
Yeah. You're getting it.

Merlin talks about how this epiphany doesn't mean that he'll stop making dick jokes. It's just that he wants them to be world-class dick jokes. And isn't that a metaphor that you, the readers of this fine online publication, can relate to? Methinks yes.

Look, it's a constant battle, we know this. You simply can't get away from attention-thieving succubi, in whatever shape or form "they" may be, even if you're holed up in your fallout shelter in the fetal position. It's not like you went down there with out your 8G iPod to keep you entertained. But at some point reality has to set in for all of us, where we not necessarily find healing overnight, but we simply acknowledge all of the things trying to have a piece of our undivided, and we make the smart, and often times painful decision of what stays, and what goes. In a nutshell, we simply demand better. At all life levels.

Anyway, give it a read and draw your own conclusions. Share a couple if you feel like it. Something tells me you'll end up thinking about some psychic RAM-fat to trim somewhere.

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