I always wondered who started the term “the Monday Blues”, even after searching through Wikipedia, there hasn’t been any entry on it and yet I am somewhat curious how the term came to coin. Maybe its because I got a latest dose of mystery cum adventure in the form of Dan Brown’s latest book, “The Lost Symbol”, which made me realised that I have been taking a lot of things for granted.
One of them is being the way I do things. How many times have I ever given my 110% in anything that I have done? Truthfully, I find it extremely difficult trying to perform at a 110% in all physical, mental and spiritual context. Even if my average is at say 75%, an increase of 1% may or may not prove significant, but in actual sense, the end product can have many leaps and bounds.
In truth, I am slowly coming to terms that in life, there are certain things that we take for granted, that we tend to procrastinate, that we tend to just shun off for another time. There are things that we take up, only to know that it hinders us from our actual goal. If you ask me now, what is my goal in life, my answer would have been the same 10 years ago. “No idea”, “get rich?”, “don’t need to work ever again”, seems to pop into my mind but apparently it doesn’t work just that way in life. I realised that everyday is an effort, an effort to find oneself, an effort to realise what I am and what I can accomplish.
Over lunch, I had an interesting conversation with my colleagues in reference to the show, “Yesman!”, starring Jim Carrey. It was a show about a guy who usually said “no” to things in life having suddenly have to say “Yes” to everything. It changed his life tremendously. So how many times is it that we said “no” to things when it should have been a “yes”? Okay, here comes the twist. How many times have we said “yes” to things when we should have said “no” instead? I have a feeling the latter occurs more often.
A good example was over the week, I said “yes” to so many things that it left me utterly exhausted. But what did I get from saying “yes”? Quite a fair bit as well. I watched my first orchestral performance at the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra. On the other hand, I gained a bit of weight from eating too much at California Pizza kitchen instead as there was just too much food on the table.
Right now, I’ve got about 5 more days before I have an important meeting to discuss over my annual review. I definitely need to map out a path for myself but I have been procrastinating it for way too long. Maybe its time I took that extra 1% and channel it to what my goal is.
So, have you set your own personal goals and development plan? In your career? As a photographer? As a parent?
Don’t wait, lets start working on it.
p.s. I still can’t find out where the term Monday blues came about especially when we have cultures where the first day of work does not begin on a Monday!
We start work on Monday? 😛 I thought we just walk into office, zombified, and wait for the day to be over.
Next time, if got extra food, I am a buzz away 😛
We start work on Monday? 😛 I thought we just walk into office, zombified, and wait for the day to be over.
Next time, if got extra food, I am a buzz away 😛
think about what professional athletes give in games? they're in the 80-100% range consistently. why? conditioning. we tend to want to give 110% but are we even giving 60%? how does one deal with procrastination (putting things off)? why, put off procrastinating of course! we procrastinate on things we think 'i have to do this/that' but we don't if we shift the equation to 'i WANT to do this/that'. don't believe me? think back on past experiences – work/study/doing favours vs photography perhaps? setting goals is another tough cookie to crack – we tend to set goals that in the back of our minds, we know are achievable. how then are we stretching ourselves to achieve 100%? even if you have an outrageous goal, set it because whenever you review it, it's visible and subconsiously, you will work towards it – only if you review your goals constantly (this is for personal goals though – i'd approach myobjectives differently 🙂
alas, i haven't myself reached the nirvana of personal power. but at least i've started my journey. monday's aren't always blue now.
think about what professional athletes give in games? they're in the 80-100% range consistently. why? conditioning. we tend to want to give 110% but are we even giving 60%? how does one deal with procrastination (putting things off)? why, put off procrastinating of course! we procrastinate on things we think 'i have to do this/that' but we don't if we shift the equation to 'i WANT to do this/that'. don't believe me? think back on past experiences – work/study/doing favours vs photography perhaps? setting goals is another tough cookie to crack – we tend to set goals that in the back of our minds, we know are achievable. how then are we stretching ourselves to achieve 100%? even if you have an outrageous goal, set it because whenever you review it, it's visible and subconsiously, you will work towards it – only if you review your goals constantly (this is for personal goals though – i'd approach myobjectives differently 🙂
alas, i haven't myself reached the nirvana of personal power. but at least i've started my journey. monday's aren't always blue now.
Nick: Sure thing mate! We should go eat duck again 😀
Adrian: Thanks for the comments mate! Definitely something very insightful, I am slowly trying to shed off that nasty procrastination habit of mine.
Nick: Sure thing mate! We should go eat duck again 😀
Adrian: Thanks for the comments mate! Definitely something very insightful, I am slowly trying to shed off that nasty procrastination habit of mine.