TIDBITS-7

T.I.D. – Today’s Inspirational Devotion


“Man can only become what he is able to consciously imagine.” – Dane Rudhyar

Dane Rudhyar (1895-1985) was a respected modernist composer as well as a pioneering modern psychological astrologer. Born in Paris as Daniel Chennevière, he immigrated to the United States in the early 1900's. His music utilizes dissonant harmony; he claimed to be inspired by the cadence of speech. His work influenced a group of composers known as the ultramodernists. He also wrote a number of astrology books, including the seminal Astrology of Personality.


B.I.T.S - Business Improvement Tips & Strategies

Recession-Proof Your Business: Volume 3

The Critical Difference between Response and Reaction

Coaches often talk about the need to remain calm and aware under duress, so that instead of simply reacting in a random and haphazard fashion one can respond with more levelheaded and effective behaviors. If you have adequately trained and sufficiently practiced to meet a set of challenges, responding to adverse conditions is often relatively easy and successful. But reacting to situations you are not prepared for or accustomed to can frequently lead to knee-jerk actions that are neither thoughtfully conceived nor efficiently executed.

The difference between response and reaction generally boils down to deliberate preparation, prior planning, and intentional action – versus simply doing something from a place of fear or panic. Emergency response organizations, for example, drill and train for the inevitable. When a fire erupts or a traffic accident happens, firefighters and police officers typically view the situation as another day at the office because they have planned in advance to react in an intelligent, effective and professional manner. They have the resources on hand, they understand how to best deliver them, and they confront the situation from a position of strength, not in a weakened state of distress.

One of the interesting things about response versus reaction is that once one reaches a certain level of training, instinctual behaviors become transformed from reactions to responses – and from reactionary to responsible. The first time a new quarterback enters a professional game it can be a harrowing and clumsy experience. But after some time and a little bit of repetitive practice, flawless responsiveness becomes instinctual and subconscious. The blur of defensive linebackers rushing forward no longer inspires panic but indicates openings downfield that can be exploited for more yardage or a score. The quarterback begins to respond even better under pressure, because that environment produces energy and insight.

Similarly, when a business is planned with proper contingency solutions in mind, it can avoid missteps and bad judgments while capturing a greater market share. Experiencing an economic recession only makes it stronger by allowing it to put into action the concepts that it has been practicing all along. And while it survives it thrives, because of the simultaneously weeding out of weaker and less capable competitors.