Some planning done

It's a good idea to start late on Mondays and spend the time planning for the week instead. This week, I did it at the beach, and I have decided that I am going to do this more often – I've got my Islander pass for this!

I have been losing focus and directions since coming back from Nepal. While there are indeed a lot of things to do (and which I am very excited about), I haven't been able to find the time and strength to put some serious planning and work into them. Monday morning was a good break away from the computer where I tend to click 'refresh' on gmail several times a day for my day job, even when I know it auto-refreshes. Even so, I still can bear to be without internet connect, I still had my phone and iPad with me and was guilty of working 1/3 of the time I was lying in the sand with my planner in front of me.

Nonetheless, I've managed to finish planning for the week, which also includes working on LittleBeni.com and planning for DaphnePaper.

The time at the beach is also used to catch up with some overdue readings. I have not been reading much the past few months and found myself stagnant. Maybe that's the cause of the directionless feeling. The current read is 'The Zappos Experience: 5 Principles to Inspire, Engage, and WOW' . From the book, I attempted on of their recommended tries:

'What are your personal values? Have you taken the time to examine your values lately? If you asked the people who know you well, what values would they ascribe to you? Would these values align with your self-perception?'

So I tried. I messaged afew of my closest friends, business partners and team mates asking them for 5 values they would ascribe me, of which 6 replied (This excludes 2 replies which can't be used. You couple know who you are…) . Meanwhile, here's what I think of myself : Loyalty, Honesty , Committed, Driven, Love

And here's what I got back

Friend 1) Assertive, Helpful, Active/Sporty, Enterprising/Dynamic, Persistant

2) Approachable, Assertive, Confident, Interaction, a little impatient

M) Huh? ha? hu he? hey? (I simply replied that I got it.)

S) $500, $1000, $1 mil, $10bn, Priceless (I kind of like this. At least 10 times better than M)

Team Member 3) Integrity, Honesty, Hardworking, Neat, Knows when to have fun

Team Member 4) Driven, Focused, Forward looking, Value Family, Love & Community

Friend 5) Dynamic, Determined, Honest, Energetic, Innovative

Friend 6) Nice, Friendly, Straightforward, Hardworking, Helpful in times of need

BF) Independent, Playful, Disdain for authority, Sociable, Loyal

I kind of like the replies 😛 Based on the response I must say I might have done well as a friend and Team Member. 2, M & S are partners. I think I need to review myself in that aspect. But that's not the point here 😛

Well I think I am at least 90% agreeable and coherent with what others think about me and what I think of myself. Frankly I thought that more would have found me impatient (I really am coz there's just so much I wan to do), maybe they just don't want to say the -ve side, or replaced it with the word assertive. BF's reply was rather different from the rest, guess it's because he is the one who knows me the best (although he did not state Honesty). Loyalty and Honesty are my 2 biggest values since young, so whoever quoted that, I am glad you knew me well 🙂

It's a fun and insightful experiment, try it. It's just a few messages to be sent out.