After 25 years in marketing legal, and politics I can confirm: the last minute is still the BEST minute!
I’m re-certifying to be a lifeguard in my 50s. In one of our first-aid classes yesterday, we talked about what to do when faced with an emergency situation where you simply don’t know what to do. We all agreed that the best thing in that moment was to just do nothing. Hitting a big, magical pause button so that everyone could take a breath, was the best possible way for most of us to feel like we could deal with whatever emergency situation we were dealing with.
I’m trying to come up with a superhero name for whoever that superhero would be - the one who just gets everyone to chill out for a second while the rest of the world is losing their minds….
Regarding Harvard’s tuition: that’s nice, but two things. One, you first have to get into Harvard - the school has a .05% acceptance rate. Two, with a $50 billion endowment, the school is not cutting back on their lawn-mowing contract to do this. Forgive me if this comes across as cynical, but I’m way more impressed with the budget-challenged cities that waive tuition to their community colleges for local residents. Those Harvard kids will be successful with or without tuition waivers. For community college kids, that tuition waiver literally changes their lives.
Cool "save". Still topical and fun. You came through as always.
As for me, I like to think I am one of the ones who performs better under the last minute, not enough info stress. However, I am not a just stand there guy - I am going to take that away from this and try that. I am a "how do I maximize the next 10 minutes" and then how do I maximize the next 10 minutes, and then at 30 minutes I take a look back to see if I have made meaningful progress, and if I have 10 more focused minutes (if I have them), and if I haven't made meaningful progress I go down a different path. For me, it is about taking bite sized time frames and making them as efficient and productive as possible. I think just standing there would drive me crazy, but I am going to try it next time I face this.
Great save and hope there are not a lot of greasy, messy dishes in the dinner future this week.
When in school, I seemed to operate best at what I called the “last minute” but now in my elder years, I realize that my brain was working on whatever paper or project from the beginning. The last minute part was just the pulling it all together or getting it down on paper. I didn’t know it at the time but it was part of my ADD that has since been pegged. Had such a thing been “a thing” way back then, I probably could have had much better focus and been better organized. Oh well……..maybe in my next life.
When you're up against a "panic deadline", you have two options:
1 If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bull (W C Fields), OR
2 Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can (Arthur Ashe, the "Jackie Robinson" of pro tennis)
Relating deeply to this one, Bill, since I just did the same thing last week. 😅
Love "Don't just do something! Stand there!"
Loved it!
Great one Bill, and you came through for us and you! This clip is in honor of you:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DHEf3aovZj2/?igsh=MW56MnVydm52Ymxzdg==
Your wife, who worked all day, is clearing the dishes at 11:30 pm!
You are a very lucky man.
After 25 years in marketing legal, and politics I can confirm: the last minute is still the BEST minute!
I’m re-certifying to be a lifeguard in my 50s. In one of our first-aid classes yesterday, we talked about what to do when faced with an emergency situation where you simply don’t know what to do. We all agreed that the best thing in that moment was to just do nothing. Hitting a big, magical pause button so that everyone could take a breath, was the best possible way for most of us to feel like we could deal with whatever emergency situation we were dealing with.
I’m trying to come up with a superhero name for whoever that superhero would be - the one who just gets everyone to chill out for a second while the rest of the world is losing their minds….
Let us know if you think of a name, Shannon!
I will :)
The internet seems to provide creative solutions on this front. Maybe I’ll stand here and do nothing while that happens?
LOL! Seems like a good plan!
Regarding Harvard’s tuition: that’s nice, but two things. One, you first have to get into Harvard - the school has a .05% acceptance rate. Two, with a $50 billion endowment, the school is not cutting back on their lawn-mowing contract to do this. Forgive me if this comes across as cynical, but I’m way more impressed with the budget-challenged cities that waive tuition to their community colleges for local residents. Those Harvard kids will be successful with or without tuition waivers. For community college kids, that tuition waiver literally changes their lives.
Cool "save". Still topical and fun. You came through as always.
As for me, I like to think I am one of the ones who performs better under the last minute, not enough info stress. However, I am not a just stand there guy - I am going to take that away from this and try that. I am a "how do I maximize the next 10 minutes" and then how do I maximize the next 10 minutes, and then at 30 minutes I take a look back to see if I have made meaningful progress, and if I have 10 more focused minutes (if I have them), and if I haven't made meaningful progress I go down a different path. For me, it is about taking bite sized time frames and making them as efficient and productive as possible. I think just standing there would drive me crazy, but I am going to try it next time I face this.
Great save and hope there are not a lot of greasy, messy dishes in the dinner future this week.
When in school, I seemed to operate best at what I called the “last minute” but now in my elder years, I realize that my brain was working on whatever paper or project from the beginning. The last minute part was just the pulling it all together or getting it down on paper. I didn’t know it at the time but it was part of my ADD that has since been pegged. Had such a thing been “a thing” way back then, I probably could have had much better focus and been better organized. Oh well……..maybe in my next life.
You pulled it off pretty well today, by the way.