It’s still all based on physiology and psychology. You’re determined to succeed! You take three bites of the elephant, OK fine. Looks like you’re on your way, but then there’s that late meeting on Thursday; dinner can wait. Another bite on Friday, but then there’s the weekend; you’ve earned a rest from the elephant, right? You miss Monday, still in the weekend mode, but take another bite Tuesday, but forget Wednesday…and you’re on your way to National Quitter’s Day.

The Cure is easy, and its ancient, and its been working for decades if not for centuries. Buy a Little (or big) Black Book. Sit down every morning after your coffee and plan what you’ll do that day in good old paper and ink. Make sure it includes your resolution. Flip the pages, see what you did yesterday, what you’ll do next week. What will prevent you from your attacks on the elephant during the coming month, and in the end plan when the last scrap will be gone and you can start the next elephant.

Thomas G. Hedberg, MSc, PhD
Executive Director, International Medical Crisis Response Alliance (IMCRA)

Liz Farr, CPA
Farr Communications

Writing something down involves multiple functions and establishes an eidetic memory of the written note that is quite enduring., especially if there is something distinctive about that particular note, ( a small doodle, an unusual color, etc).

I’ve used the same daily “black book” without any electronics for 15 years and its never failed me.

— Thomas G. Hedberg, MSc, PhD
Executive Director, International Medical Crisis Response Alliance (IMCRA)

That goddam “space” term has metastasized everywhere in pharma so there’s now progress in the “lung cancer space” as well as in the “innovative idea space”

As regards Grammarly and other dementing AI writing tools I’m for sending them all into Space. We give nerve damaged patients a crutch to help them while the leg heals and the muscles strengthen, not to help them atrophy. The deterioration of the English language is beyond belief at this point so why are we helping writers to become even more clueless?

You talk about “added value” and “low hanging fruit” not too bad as they are cutey metaphors which give a mental picture of what you’re after. What ignites my rockets is idiotic terms like:

• I’m out of pocket for the rest of the day – What? You’re broke for the rest of the day? No, you are actually “out of the office”. Get it right.

• It’s like preaching to the choir – Utterly meaningless. The choir sings, that’s it. What you want to not do is “preaching to the converted” as that is the waste of time you are trying to put your finger on.

• The boat driver was attacked by this gentleman with a club – You mean the pilot or the helmsman was attacked by a criminal. Few club-wielding attackers are, in fact, gentlemen.

• At the end of the day that’s what has to happen – End of what day? Where? What time zone? You mean “ultimately”?

Thomas G. Hedberg, MSc, PhD
Executive Director, International Medical Crisis Response Alliance (IMCRA)

“Should” – I hate it when people should all over me.

“But” — This turns what you said in the first part of the clause into the opposite of what you said. I really like that outfit, but it would look better if you did x.

Josh Patrick
Sr. Advisor
Stage2Planning Partners

Warren Buffet said that the best investment one can make is in oneself. He also said that one of the greatest satisfactions in life is to be able to duplicate oneself by starting a company, wherein other people can help accomplish what one person alone cannot do. I keep reminding myself that the word “company” comes from Latin “com” (together) and “panis” (bread) originally to describe a gathering of merchants sharing bread, drink, and stories. Through the millennia, breaking bread with others has been one of the greatest ways to bind people together in pursuit of the fruits of their labor, or to just know how to lead a good life.

Research indicates, even in a face-to-face meeting, over half of the communication can be non-verbal; a clenched fist, the tapping of one’s fingers, or crossed arms, could signal very different attitudes than the words spoken. Reading these signals is crucial to understanding how to communicate on an emotional level with others, to be closer to the core of what others are feeling and thinking. All this communication can be lost in emails, texting, phone calls, even in video-conference calls. Thus, people aspiring to run a company should realize the importance of breaking bread with people, often. This is how we come closer to realizing our potential and to help others realize their potential. As part of this, we must understand that others may perceive more about our potential than we do, because often our friends, and others who mean well for us, know parts of us better than we do, so they can nourish us in ways we could never have imagined. But we must take the meeting first. Otherwise, we never know what’s possible.

— Jeffrey Wyant, Director Business Development, Coast to Coast Fulfillment

Hyman G. Darling
Bacon Wilson, P.C.