Egoless engineering

I’ve been struggling this week with an office full of smart engineers. We all seem to have the right answer, yet we all also have big egos. It reminded me of this month’s inspiration from my college days.

There is no limit to the good you can do if you don’t care who gets the credit

– General George C. Marshall

Caring for yourself

I wanted to share my recent experiences with you.  I’ve been dealing with a lot of health related issues - sore joints, a horrid cold, some complications from my c-section 2 years ago, and a variety of lack-of-sleep induced maladies.  So here’s my thoughts… if you don’t take the time out to care for yourself, then you will never get better and even though you think you’re suffering through to “make it happen,” you really aren’t.  So, stop staying up late to answer every last email.  Stop giving up time for yourself because you have a deadline.  If you prioritize and put yourself closer to the top of your to-do list, then everything magically gets done, and you don’t have to suffer or put off your healing to do it.

The hardest part about this is that you know, intrinsically, that I am right.  Making it happen is the hard part.  So, why not take a cue from AA.  Just care for yourself today.  Let tomorrow worry about tomorrow.

Einstein

Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts.

– Albert Einstein

This really struck me the other day.  So much of what we do is in an effort to make it “count” or to be meaningful.  When you really get down to it, very little of what we do will have a big impact on others.  What makes a difference is being a loving parent, being a caring friend, and taking care of yourself and others.  As you stitch, think about how you are taking care of the things that count.

Leaving behind

If you focus on what you’ve left behind you will never be able to see what lies ahead.

- Gusteau, from the movie Ratatouille

I was watching this movie with my children, and this statement stuck out and became a real thinker for me.  So often I find myself with a focus on the things in the past - my successes and my failures, my history, and my plans.  All of these things are simply things in the past.  They aren’t the future, but they do shape how you view it.  If you focus on what you’ve done, you tend to avoid opportunities outside of your experiences.  Imagine what wonder and success you might find if you look at the opportunities that are unusual or unique.  Try pursuing the opportunities that pique your interest, even if they aren’t what you “usually do.”  That’s how I got into knitting from rocket science.

Faith

Faith is believing in something even when your common sense says not to.

- Fred Gailey, Miracle on 34th Street