"If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten"
Storyline: From the article Challenging the Rules from the book A Whack on the Side of the Head by Roger von Oech.*
When faced with a seemingly intractable problem, a very effective creative thinking strategy is to play the revolutionary, and challenge the rules.
In the winter of 333 B.C., the Macedonian general Alexander and his army arrived in the Asian city of Gordium to take up winter quarters. While there, Alexander heard about the legend surrounding the town’s famous knot, the “Gordian Knot.” A prophecy states that whoever is able to untie this strangely complicated knot will become the king of Asia.
The story intrigued Alexander, and he asked to be taken to the knot so that he could attempt to untie it. He studied it for a bit, but after some fruitless attempts to find the rope ends, he was stymied. “How can I unfasten this knot?” he asked himself. Then he got an idea: “I will make up my own knot-untying rules.” He pulled out his sword and sliced the knot in half. Asia was fated to him.
Reflection: If constructive patterns were all that were necessary for creative new ideas, we’d all be creative geniuses. Creative thinking is not only constructive, it’s also destructive. Creative thinking involves breaking out of one pattern in order to create a new one.
All too often, we become ensnared by the familiar phenomenon:
We make rules based on the reasons that they make a lot of sense.
We follow these rules.
Time passes and things change.
The original reasons for the rules may no longer exist, but because the rules are still in place, we continue to follow them.
So what knots can you untie today?
*Published with Permission From Roger von Oech (2007)
Points to Ponder: I don’t care what kind of story you tell yourself, if you know what is truth but do not let that motivate you, you get what you deserve. - Robert Forster
Story Line: Every Life Tells a Story and Every Story has some lessons.
Robert Forster made his Hollywood debut in 1967 movie Reflections in a Golden Eye with two of the greatest; Marlon Brando and Elizabeth Taylor. His performance received praise and what followed was The Stalking Moon with Gregory Peck, and then in 1969, another legendary film Medium Cool. First Five years in Hollywood were thunderous success. But soon after his career hit strong head winds and the age of 30 he was struggling to find movie roles.
"If you deliver excellence right now, that gives you the best shot at the best future you've got coming."- Robert Forster
The next 27 years were an intense struggle. He had to support his four children. In addition to occasional movie roles, he took jobs as a dishwasher, a waiter and railroad worker. In an interview for AARP magazine last October he said: Any job can be raised to the level of an art form, I don’t care what it is. I used to hate washing dishes. I got so good at it now I tell hostesses, ‘Listen, I’ll wash stemware for you, I never break them.’ I used to hate changing babies, and then I had four. I taught them self-respect and satisfaction. If you’re looking for the good life, these are huge components. And you can get them every day by offering your best effort to whatever it is you’re doing. It’s simple."
Who knows at which precise moment your fortune can change? For those 27 years, every morning Robert used to go to a coffee shop right across from where he lived. One day Quentin Tarantino, Director and Screenplay writer of highly acclaimed film Pulp Fiction walked into the restaurant. Quentin was a fan of Robert since he was a kid. They chatted for a while and the next time Quentin walked in, he offered him a role in his upcoming movie Jackie Brown. Robert was thrilled and for the role of Max Cherry, he received Oscar nomination. That reignited his career. Since then Robert has been in 70 movies and 37 TV shows; and 46 major roles since turning 70. “You put in enough years and every once in a while something terrific comes along,” said Foster in AARP interview “You’ve got to keep sluggin’ until that happens.”
Everything teaches you something. The job of real life is the job of caring for others. Everything you do in life is superfluous compared to that" - Robert Forster
About 25 years ago Robert started a program called 'Interacting' to share the lessons he had learnt from hard times. Initially it was for actors but through the years the scope expanded to people from all walks of life. Until his last days, he continued to encourage, motivate and help people for free by telling the stories from his life. As he used to say” The Truth is Free. It is BS that costs a lot of money.”
Robert gave his best for any role he played. However, one line from him will stay with me forever: First time I ever played a bad guy. I didn’t want to do it. I got stuck in bad guys for 13 years after that.
Forster once said that when his career was at its lowest ebb, he had what he called an "epiphany." "It was the simple one," he said, "when you realize, 'You know what? You're not dead yet, Bob. You can win it in the late innings. You've still got the late innings, but you can't quit. Never quit.'"
Reflection: Robert left this earth last Friday (October 11), the same day his latest ‘El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie’ was released. Robert was a genuinely kind, humble, caring soul. Through his many roles in movies and in life, he helped, mentored and inspired many people. He will always live in the hearts he left behind.
“To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived-This is to have succeeded.”
Special Thanks to Brian Landberg for sending Best Story Ever video.
Points to Ponder: “The deepest principle of human nature is a craving to be appreciated.” -William James, American psychologist and philosopher.
In India, there is a saying: Khushi Khuda Ko Bhi Pyari Lagti Hai (Even the Mightiest of Mighty loves praise.)
Story Line: In the restaurant the server was very friendly, caring, and sensitive to our special needs, while handling everything with a smile. We felt so good that while signing the bill, in whatever open space was available, I thanked her and wrote: You made this day extra special and memorable. She took the bill and within a few seconds returned. She had tears in her eyes. She told us that in her 37 years of service she had never received a note from a customer, and especially ‘this was so touching’. She informed us that it was her last week before retirement and the note was a memorable gift. From that day on, whenever I receive a good service, I have made a point to write a note to the server. (Everytime I do that, my wife exclaims “There you go again. Writing an Essay.”)
In 1995 our boss took us to a meeting with the senior executive about a huge customer order. Our team presented why it was impossible to meet such high demand in that environment. I was very impressed with the way the senior executive motivated the entire group about possibilities and showed the confidence in group’s capabilities. After returning to my office, I sent him a note appreciating the way he created positive self-expectations and winning attitude.
A few weeks later, he saw me in the hallway and asked if I was the guy who sent that note. Then he took me to his office and while showing my note posted on his wall, told me that he had taken it home and showed it to his wife and daughters. He seemed very happy.
Many years later, I ran into him at the sky harbor international airport. By then he was already the Chairman and CEO. He recognized me and said that he still had that note.
In my last place of work, the café cook made very delicious fish. After the meal, I would go and thank him. A few years later, my wife and I were at a Greek restaurant and I ordered fish. When the server brought food, he told me that the cook had put special touch on the fish. He pointed at the kitchen. I was pleasantly surprised to see the smiling face of the guy who used to be at my place of work.
Reflection: I have been fortunate to have met many kind and generous people who have shown their appreciation in various forms and in many different ways. It has been the fuel that added fire to my motivation, loving work and in looking forward to the next day.
In 1984, the start-up company I was working for had our very first customer audit by McDonnell Douglas Corporation. After three days of intensive scrutiny, the auditor from McDonnell Douglas took his tie pin (small DC10 replica) and put it on my tie. In the presence of my peers and management, he mentioned that while other customers follow “Don’t ask Don’t tell to the auditor" approach, we were so proud and excited to show him everything, even more than he would have asked. He had never expected that from a small company. I have never forgotten that scene. In my not so good understanding of manners, I casually asked if they also made F15/18 tie pins. A few weeks later, I received another tiepin in the mail.I have held them dearly and kept them in the bank safe deposit.
“If you give appreciation to people, you earn their good will. But more important than that, practicing this philosophy has made a different person of me.” - William James
Points to Ponder:Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed. - Mahatma Gandhi
Story Line: Timeless teachings from Gandhi on his 150th Birth Anniversary (October 2)
I look only to the good qualities of men. Not being faultless myself, I won’t presume to probe into the fault of others.
Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.
You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is like an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.
Nobody can hurt me without my permission.
You may never know what results come of your actions, but if you do nothing, there will be no results.
To give pleasure to a single heart by a single act is better than a thousand heads bowing in prayer.
If I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning.
My religion is based on truth and non-violence. Truth is my God. Non Violence is the means of realising Him.
There is a higher court than courts of justice and that is the court of conscience. It supersedes all other courts.
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.”
Reflection: Hate the sin, love (forgive) the sinner.
During Noakhali religious riots in 1946, Gandhi started fasting until death unless the people stopped killing one another. The People from different rioting parties approached Gandhi to promise they would stop and asked him to eat. The real event from that time is shown very well in the movie Gandhi by Sir Richard Attenborough.
Gandhi suggests A Way Out of Hell for the man who had killed a young boy from the opposing side.
“Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth.” ― Albert Einstein.
