Avoid the Error Chain

Posted on September 23, 2015 by Susan L. Farrell

“Error chain” is an aviation term. It is a term to describe a series of mistakes that can lead to an accident or incident. There are two basic principles. The first is that one bad decision often leads to another. The second is that as the number of bad decisions increase, the number of good options decrease.

Although the aeronautical intent is to break the error chain before it can cause an accident or incident, it is a concept that we can all use in our professional and personal lives.

How many times have we made a bad decision? How often has that led to more bad decisions? Of course, the more bad decisions we make, the more difficult it is to resolve the situation.

An interesting aspect of the error chain is why do we keep making bad decisions? Do we recognize that we made a bad decision? If so, why do we continue to make more bad decisions? It is a matter of ego, shame, pride?

If we can stop as soon as we realize we have made a bad decision, analyze what we did and why, and make a good decision instead of another bad one, we can break our “error chain.” If we cannot seem to stop making bad decisions, then we need to determine why and address those issues.

Success and Happiness

Posted on September 15, 2015 by Susan L. Farrell

A friend of mine, Larry Cockerel, recently posted a YouTube video. I keep thinking about it. It’s on happiness and success. I recommend you listen to it before reading the remainder of my blog. His message and mine are slightly different, but both relevant. Here is the link to Larry’s “Happiness and Success: The Happiness Rule.”

Although I have had many happy times in my life, and enjoyed those times, I realize now that I could have been happier. Like Larry, I thought success had to come first. I remember the following as some of my thoughts throughout life:

“I’ll be happier when I finish high school and move out.”
“I’ll be happier when I finish college.”
“I’ll be happier when I finish my internship and can get a real job.”
“I’ll be happier when I make more money.” (I thought that many times.)
“I’ll be happier when I buy a house.”
“I’ll be happier when I get the next promotion.”

I’m sure you get the idea. How many of you have had similar thoughts throughout your life?

Again, I have had a great deal of happiness in my life, but I could have had more if my focus was different. My main focus was on success. Had I balanced that with an equal focus on happiness and fully enjoying everything I had at every point in my life, I would have had an even happier life.

I am working on that now. How about you? Do you need to change your focus?

Accomplishing Your Dreams

Posted on September 9, 2015 by Susan L. Farrell

Accomplishing Your Dreams (Video Link)

Previously we discussed that commitment is what turns a daydream into a dream. Creating and implementing a plan is what turns a dream into reality.

We can tell ourselves that we are committed to a dream. Unless we create and implement a plan to make that dream a reality, however, we are not really committed.

How committed are you to your dreams? What are your plans for achieving them? How far have you progressed in implementing your plans?

Dream or Daydream?

Posted on September 2, 2015 by Susan L. Farrell

Dream or Daydream? (Video Link)

We hear a great deal on how we should never give up on our dreams. I think it is extremely important, however, to determine if they are dreams or just daydreams.

Daydreams serve a purpose. They are fun. They can get us thinking about “what ifs.” If nothing else, they are cheap entertainment.

The difference between a daydream and a dream is commitment. If we are not committed to turning our dreams into reality, then it is just a daydream.

For example, I had a daydream since I was a child to go to Ireland. It remained a daydream until I made the commitment to make it happen. When I committed the time to planning and going on the trip and the money to pay for the trip, then it moved from a daydream to a dream. Finally, the dream became a reality.

What dreams do you have? Are they truly dreams, are you committed to them, or are they daydreams? If they are daydreams, do you want them enough to make the commitment to turn them into dreams, and ultimately into reality?