Well a fine and cold GOOD MORNING! to you all! Time for another episode of Ed-vise!!!
Today’s bit o trivia: Meyer London. This was a congressman out of New York. Now, in the early 1900s we decided to go to war against Germany and against Austria-Hungary. It is the house of representatives that introduce the Articles of War, then to the senate and then to the president for signature. Once done, the president is obligated to prosecute the war. For WW1 (The Great War…as if there is one) there was actually a lot of support for it. Except from London. He voted against war with Germany and was the one, lone “NO” vote for war against Austria-Hungary. Despite everyone in congress hating his guts, he was very loved in New York for being true to his socialist beliefs. He had a ship named after him for WW2 and his funeral was believed one of the largest mass displays of mourning in New York City’s history with over 500,000 observing…and that’s not a typo!
Anyway…
Monday Musings Ed-vise today
As you may know, I have been reading Cal Newport’s other book So Good They Can’t Ignore You. This book counters the idea of a “passion” pursuit and offers 4 rules about being that person that one cannot ignore. I guess you could say he writes to my bias.
Cal lays out the 4 rules and gives examples. The main thing I see is to become super good (uber good) at whatever it is you are doing. Not just a really good, average, but this “becoming good” requires you to really stretch and learn. Then, practice like it’s nobodies business.
Here’s my musing: what do you practice on?
For Cal, as a researcher and educator, his momentum was carried forward by his study of algorithms. My musing this morning was how would this subject relate to the minimum wage worker in a restaurant; or a logger; or a truck driver? What do they become un-ignorable at in their professions?
I think I would have to ask each profession “are you the best?” That is, for a restaurant worker, “do you know everything about this business? Equipment? Customers? Financials?” Logger “are you the best?” Break down what the “best” logger would know? For a trucker, I encountered a business that was hiring a driver who had over 20 years WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT! 20 YEARS!!! Do you? That driver is being paid quite handsomely. I’m just saying.
That’s it for today. Take care of yourselves. Check in on each other and remember Bernard is watching!!!
Peace
Ed-vise 