Wily Walnut’s Blog 2.0

I twittered the other day about a great piece of writing I had just read by Kevin Hogan and wanted to follow up by blogging about it, and giving it a permanent “high-five!” on my site.

The article is called:

Be Confident of Your Greatness: Being in Control of Your Life in Tough Times

I really like Kevin Hogan. He’s made of the good stuff. His articles are consistently worth reading and this one is stellar in my opinion.

In fact, I liked it so much that on my twitter post I said:

“Reading @kevinhogan ’s http://tinyurl.com/dfk3nq - best self development article I’ve read in 3 yrs & timely”

I put 3 years and was thinking 4, and on this blog post I’ve modified it to the last 12 months just in case my time guage reading is off! However,  still think it’s a really great article to read and read now.

Hey, how are ya?

Just a heads-up on a new reader Q&A on overcoming laziness.

Check it out!

Fear is the enemy of the creative life.

Fear is being pumped into your psyche by the news and media.

It can paralyse you. Or initiate the most creative period in your life.

Your choice.

As always.

Yes, focus is important.

(I need to focus more than anything.)

But a lot of people get arthritis of the focal lens.

They get ’stuck’ on their special interest.

They get stiff and find it hard to look for, look at, and take in other data.

But to live freshly and creatively, you need to be able to open that focal lens as wide as possible, so you can take in and benefit from all the data channels coming at you.

Win Wenger says you have up to 23 “sidebands of thought”.

That’s separate, simultaneous channels of your thinking processes.

How many are you aware of?

Focus is important, if you want to get things done, and get ahead.

But if you want to innovate, you need to widen the channel and spray your attention instead of lasering it down the same old tiny pin prick.

Biggest most arthritic focal point?

Yourself — the whiny, judgemental, fearful self — the yack-yack inner voice or squawker… not the grandness of your being.

Open up a little.

I was reading a bit of ‘The Passion Test’ by Janet Bray Attwood and Chris Attwood earlier. There is much to enjoy in it. But this morning I was taken with a little exercise that they recommend called the Appreciation Game.

All you do is take a few moments at the end of the day to write down 10 things that you appreciate about yourself, things that you accomplished, or wins from that day.

They say take a week and see how you feel at the end of it for doing this every day.

Worth a try?

Check it out: http://www.thepassiontest.com 

(mmm nice looking website!)

I’ve been reading “How Come That Idiot’s RICH & I’m Not?” by Robert Shemin.

The standout take away for me was how the author illustrates the difference between Rich Idiots and RUBs (Right-side Up but Broke).

Read the first chapter or two to pick up on that.

Basically, it’s that most of us OVER-THINK and OVER-ANALYSE whereas the Rich Idiot keeps things simple and just gets into action.

This is an important creativity point to consider. Get out of your head! It’s a prison! Think with your feet — get moving, get making, get creating!

Check it out: http://www.robert-shemin.com/

Just to let you know that I have just uploaded a response to a fellow WW reader on how to achieve open eye visualization.

If you are into visualization, you might enjoy reading it.

If you are not into visualization …are you dead?

Just kidding!

But really, go read my article:

Advanced Creative Visualization: How to take your visualizing to the next level

If you are a beginner when it comes to visualizing stuff, you will want to look at my guide to visualization first:

Visualize: How to improve your visualization skills

I spotted a book in Borders the other day and to be honest it was the cover that caught my attention (how shallow am I… ooh look pw-etty pictures!).

It’s The Obvious by James Dale.

I started reading it earlier.

Have you ever looked at a personal development book, or maybe had some life coaching, and thought to yourself, “Well, duh, that’s just common sense. Why didn’t I think of that?”

This book is all about the tried-and-tested, common sense approach to succeeding in life.

You might think that you know it all already.

You’re absolutely right. You do!

But this book will remind you what shmucks we are for not applying the obvious to our lives more frequently.

I can’t rave about this book because there is nothing new in it.

Just like there is nothing new in the idea of splashing cold water in your face to wake yourself up.

Both are still refreshing!

See: http://theObviousBook.com