My summer book… helps me provide today’s Thought!
You can only control what you can control. Don’t spend energy and time worrying about anything that isn’t in your control.
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Bal’s Friday Thought…
Author: Bal Bansal
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Floppy still being used!
Last week, I was with my uncle (socially distancing). He was working on his computer – inputting some information into an excel file. He then wanted to attach the excel file to an email, send it to someone who then will receive the information and can make changes and update a central excel file they have with the information being shared.
I suggested – why not put the excel file in a shared location (Dropbox, Google-Drive, etc…) and then no need to email, everyone can work on it – and everyone can see the changes and what’s being done.
“That’s too complicated, it’s easier to do it like this”.
It’s always easy when you know how.
Then, it was suggested if the file is too big, they should use a usb stick and put the information on that and share it with whoever needs it.
Made me laugh. Looks like we’re going backwards rather than forward! I bet airlines get their updates via pigeon carrier – LOL! (close – they use Floppy disk…… what?!)
That’s right. The Boeing 747 receives it’s critical updates via the old 3.5″ Floppy Disk!
Ask they would say in rhyming-slang, “Can you Adam and Eve it?!” – which means, can you believe it?!
These bad boy aircrafts were built in the 1990’s and not much has changed.
There’s still 414 of these in the skies (well, operational…) as of June 2020.
Now… whilst writing this, many of the younger generation will be asking, what is a ‘floppy disk’?… It’s a small plastic device, that slots into a drive and holds information. Not alot of information. Just to add.
Ok… you know how much 1GB is, right? – below shows how many floppy disks you would need to equal 1 Gigabyte…
Just imagine the number of floppy’s required to provide critical updates.. how time consuming it must be for the engineer!
Why am I sharing this…. to learn how we can be quicker, easier and simpler when the need to share or transfer information is. And help the older folk amongst us…
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Netflix and….Rest?
We need rest.
It’s important to get the right amount of rest required. But it can be hard to switch off. We have so much going on around us… content overload!
Again – we need to rest. We need to switch off. But when your favourite series, programmes etc.. are on Netflix, we can often keep on watching till the early hours!
But worry not. We now have Restflix!
That’s right. It’s a new app – that helps you rest!
Available on both Android and iOS – you can download the app, and get the rest you need.
It uses a proven technology called binaural beats to harness the brain’s responsiveness to sound and help create a meditative, restful state. You can play more than 20 live channels that feature soothing sounds, bedtime stories, guided meditations, and much more, all of which are designed to gently ease you into a full night’s sleep.
Restflix offers unlimited video and audio with no interruptions, helping you to overcome insomnia, tinnitus, night-time anxiety, and hit each day with greater energy and vigor. It’s available on all major platforms, including Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, iOS, and Android.
I thought it’d be important to share this…. for a couple of reasons…
- We’re still going through tough times – Covid 19 is still around, and we’re still under partial lockdown in places, people are stressed and worried… so getting the rest needed is difficult.
- Holidays are cancelled. More people are having a staycation – in fact, they’re not even going anywhere, just staying at home! – and with that, need some rest.
So, go ahead… download the app…. and get some rest, via Restflix.
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Bal’s Friday Thought…
How often do you share your ‘bad decisions’ and more importantly, what you’ve learnt from them?
Life is full of events… the more you do, the more decisions you make, and the more you learn.
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Bal’s Friday Thought…
Quite a deep one today.
Mainly reflecting on a few things – personal, professional and one that has been hurting me for a few days. Well, since Wednesday night. Since, Nottingham Forest – who’d been in the Top 6 of the Championship since 26th December… fell to 7th place (and out of the play off places) at the 91st minute of the last game of the season.
My heart broke.
But – having reflected (and gone through the change curve) I strongly believe… that if certain things remain in place – and we improve on our weak areas, we will grow.
Growth in general – is uncomfortable. Because, if you are comfortable – are you learning and growing?
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EP8 – Tap Tap Done!
New Podcast is out TODAY!!!!
That’s right – Kat and I are back with a brand new episode…. talking about Boilers, Zoom and Flying Cars! – oh… let’s not forget about the ‘egg-man’!
You can listen to it on Apple Podcasts – search for ‘think lean get digital’… or even Spotify!
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Bal’s Friday Thought…
We all make life choices. There’s a lot that goes on… and we have to make choices. Sometimes they are right… sometimes, we’ll get them wrong…. BUT, we should be conscious of the choices we make. Are they right… where will that choice lead us… and more importantly, the choice you make today, will you be proud of it in the future?
There’s a lot that will effective our choices, some motivate us… some just steer us down that path.
Just remember… you have a choice.
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How would you like to pay?
So, I have a gentleman… who comes around to the house from the local farm. He sells… eggs, potatoes, etc… you know, all the goodies that you’re likely to purchase from a farm.
Now, he’s a little elderly, and has been coming over for a few years. We always end up buying something as it’s fresh, it’s local and he’s such a friendly guy. He often gives us recipes or just some hints and tips on what we can cook… and asks us what did we cook, did we enjoy it, etc… basically it’s a human form instead of receiving one of those online survey emails.
He came last Thursday, and whilst I purchased some goods from him… I said, hold fire… I’m not sure I’ve got enough cash (he always takes cash). To me surprise… he says, “Bal, it’s ok… I got me one of those card readers” and then pulls out an iZettle card reader!
Whilst this wouldn’t surprise many – he just totally wowed me. Because,
- He’s an elderly fella. You’d think, would he be okay using such tech? Does he know how online payments work? Hope he’s calculated the % that the company will take? ….. But, when I asked him about all that, his reply…. “Bal, you got to move with the times. I just want to make it easy for customers to pay”
- Is he really going to make a lot of money? Is it worth the hassle? Will people still buy from him? Does he trust the tech? – “Bal, you have to trust the tech – I did some reading – and it all seemed ok. Tested it out… the money did come into my bank. And it’s not really any more hassle…. in fact, makes the process easier”
That last line got me. Makes the process easier.
We often forget…. the goal of any business or organisation is the customer. The more we can make it easier for them, the better it is.
Again…. it’s about the timeline, from the moment we start (making, developing, or in this case… picking the goods at the farm)… to the point we receive the cash.
Look at all those process steps and make the process as lean as possible.
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Bal’s Friday Thought…
It’s all about results, right? – a lot of people talk…. we can do this, we can do that… etc… but the important thing is being able to show it.
Be able to prove it… rather than promise.
Under promise – over deliver.
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Bal’s Friday Thought…
I remember a key thing that My friend James Caan (former Dragons Den) shared with me…. he said, ‘Bal… don’t always follow the crowd’.
It’s true. Should forge your own path. Make a difference. Do something new. Show the world a new way of working… just like how Tesla became the most valuable car maker in the world. By not following the crowd and the norm of the combustion engine.
