Full Superman

Posted on by Scott

superhero-2503808_640In case you missed it, a guy named Infinite Tucker recently won a race by literally flying across the finish line. It was May 11th and the finals of the 400-meter hurdles event at the 2019 SEC Track & Field Championships. Infinite (that’s his real name) and his Texas A&M teammate Robert Grant were neck and neck coming to the finish. The junior launched himself into the air, going “full Superman,” and dove across the finish line. He crashed to the ground, just beating his friend and winning the gold medal.

Head coach Pat Henry later joked that diving wasn’t necessary. “Just run through and you’ll be fine,” he said. However, you have to admire Tucker’s determination to win. He wasn’t going to let anything or anyone come between him and the big prize. Going airborne during a track and field meet is not something you see every day; but it definitely illustrates the winning spirit.

Most runners start off strong and fade throughout the course of the race. They may get out of the gate quickly and put some distance between themselves and the rest of the pack; but they soon run out of gas. They haven’t paced themselves and drop quickly to the back of the group. Their participation becomes little more than a footnote.

Others look strong, but crash spectacularly. They trip over a hurdle, another runner, or even their own feet. They’ve lost focus and veered off track somehow. Sprawled on the ground, all they can do is watch as someone else claims the victory that was to have been theirs.

It’s a rare competitor who has what it takes to finish the race strong. A good start, a steady pace, unbroken focus, and a little kick right at the end – these are what it takes to cross the finish line a winner. That’s what it takes to be a champion, regardless of your chosen competition.

We’re just a few days away from the end of the week. Friday marks the end of yet another month. Are you still running? Have you kept the pace so that you are in contention for the prize? Is the goal in sight? Do you have a little bit left to give?

Come on Superman, let’s see what you’ve got.

Which Way Do We Go?

Posted on by Scott

IMG_3995According to researchers at Cornell University, the average adult makes somewhere in the neighborhood of 35,000 conscious decisions each day. Some of these are fairly trivial; take what to eat for example. Decisions about food account for as many as 226 of the choices we make daily. Any one of them has little impact on our lives. Other choices are more serious. Making a wrong decision can often lead to very negative consequences. String too many of those together and the stress can become overwhelming.

At least it did for one anonymous woman from the United Kingdom. Earlier this year, she took a look back at the significant decisions she’d made in 2018 and decided she needed some help. She’d lost money after trusting someone she though was a friend. On another occasion, she found herself penniless and stranded in a foreign country. Back home, she got mugged taking an unfamiliar shortcut. After entering and exiting a toxic relationship, she figured enough was enough.

So in February she posted an ad on a professional services website: “Hiya, bit of a weird one I know but basically, I feel like I need someone to make my decisions for me. I’ve had a really rubbish year and would love for someone to take control of my life (think of it a bit like a real life Bandersnatch). I have no idea if this sort of thing exists, but came across clairvoyants when I was looking for another service, so thought it was worth a shot.”

The ad goes on to offer $2,000 pounds in exchange for one month of on-call decision-making service – “long enough to get things back on track…”

While trusting important life decisions to a complete stranger may not be the wisest move, it’s easy to see how someone can get frustrated enough to go this route. With so many decisions to make, how can we be sure we’re making the right choices? How can we confidently make decisions that improve the team and our business?

Perhaps it starts by employing the right decision-making strategy. There are six common methods for making decisions, and most of us employ a combination of these as we navigate the thousands of choices we’re confronted with each day.

  1. Impulsiveness – Leverage the first option you are given and be done with it.
  2. Compliance – Choose the most pleasing, comfortable, and popular option as it pertains to those impacted.
  3. Delegation – Don’t make the decision yourself. Leave it to others you trust.
  4. Avoidance/Deflection – Either avoid or ignore decisions in an effort to evade the responsibility that comes with the consequence(s).
  5. Balancing – Weigh the factors involved. Study them and use the information to render the best decision in the moment.
  6. Prioritization/Reflection – Put the most energy, thought, and effort into those decisions that will have the greatest impact.

One of the best resources for decision-making is your strategic plan. It’s the physical embodiment of the prioritization/reflection technique. Your plan helps you know where to focus your time, your brain power, and your energy – because the only things on your strategic plan are those which will help you move the business forward. Any time you are faced with a key decision regarding the future of the organization, simply run it through the filter of your strategic plan. That one decision will get you moving in the right direction.

Of course, you could always just pay a stranger to tell you what to do.

More Than Just a Goal

Posted on by Scott

bulls-eye-1044725_640By now, the vast majority of New Year’s resolutions made just a few weeks ago (remember those), have been forgotten. A study by U.S. News indicates that 80% of resolutions each year fail by the second week of February. Here we are in the second week of March and there’s probably no point in studying this topic anymore. Anyone who’s kept their resolutions this long is an anomaly – the exception that proves the rule.

The question is, “why do so many resolutions fail?” We make them in good faith, don’t we? I know that any time I come up with a personal goal it’s with the best of intentions. In the moment, I truly believe I have the power to change some aspect of my behavior, otherwise I wouldn’t go through the pretense of creating an expectation. What changes between the day I set a goal and the day I finally abandon it?

The answer for most of us is… nothing. Nothing changes. We’ve set a goal and allowed that to be the end of it. As humans we have a tendency to believe that a single decision invokes change. I want get in better shape and so I make the decision to join a gym. Having taken that step eases the internal tension I was feeling and I feel better about things. “I’m on my way,” I tell myself. “No turning back now.”

In reality though, I haven’t changed anything. That one decision, in and of itself, has no power. Having relived my mind of the initial conflict, I am free to return to my lazy routine. I’ll occasionally remind myself that I need to follow up on the initial commitment, but it’s never the right time to act. By mid-February, I’ll have either forgotten all about it, or decided to wait until next year. My behavior hasn’t changed.

Replace personal resolutions with work goals, and the pattern is the same. Team members will agree to adopt a new way of operating only to abandon it in fairly short order. It only takes a single, small slip-up to convince the entire group that changing isn’t possible.

To change the outcome, we have to change the way we approach the initial decision. We need to consider two factors that have enormous impact on our ability to actually achieve the goals we set. Those factors are specificity and commitment.

To start with, we’re rarely specific enough when setting goals. “I’m going to start going to the gym” or “We’re going to generate more referrals” are simply too vague to be meaningful. Real goal-setting involves developing a set of strategies to achieve the goal. We miss the mark because we haven’t thought about how we’re going to actually hit it.

Once our strategies are developed, few of us are actually committed enough to see them through. When the first unforeseen obstacle come along, we allow that to derail us. The plan is abandoned in favor of something easier to achieve. Only the strong-willed have what it takes to see things through when the going gets rough. Very few have the energy to win at the long game.

Motivational speaker Zig Ziglar used to ask his audiences “Are you a wandering generality, or a meaningful specific?” In other words, are you just bouncing from one vague goal to another, or do you have a plan to achieve what you’re after? Are you comfortable being at the mercy of your circumstances, or do have a clear picture of who you want to be that drives your actions each day?

I think I’d much prefer to be a meaningful specific. How about you?

Rules of the Road

Posted on by Scott

car-1149997_1920On January 2nd, I got behind the wheel of a Kia minivan, fired up the ignition, and pulled out onto the wrong side of the road. Well, at least it felt wrong to me. I was in Perth Australia where, it being a former British colony, people drive on the left side of the road. As the driver, I sat on the right hand side of the vehicle; all of the van’s knobs and switches were located on the opposite side of what I was used to.

I’d been dreading this day for months. As part of my vacation in Australia, the plan was to rent a car and drive to the rural area where my great aunts live. For six days, I was to be the chauffeur for them and the rest of my family as we took in the sights and visited locations where my ancestors had settled. I was nervous, not just because driving under such conditions took me into uncharted territory, but because so many people were counting on me to get it right.

We often avoid things that make us uncomfortable, even when we know there’s great benefit in stepping out of our comfort zone. We’re wired that way; we seek out experiences that bring us comfort or pleasure, and actively avoid those that make us nervous or bring displeasure. Yet a key aspect of leadership is the willingness to embrace the unfamiliar in search of the beneficial. Whether it’s making that dreaded sales call, coaching an employee for the first time, or driving on the left side of the road, astute leaders use the same approach to conquering each new task.

First, they start with a plan. The last thing you want to do when driving a foreign vehicle in a foreign country with foreign rules of the road is to wing it. But guess what I did? My first test was simply to get from the rental agency back to the hotel so I could pick up the rest of the family. It was only a few blocks away, and I assumed I could find my way. Naturally, I took a wrong turn and wound up on a freeway headed out of town. It was only when I stopped and pulled out the GPS app on my phone did the correct path reveal itself. With the map laid out in front of me, I quickly got back on track. Have a clearly defined plan and follow it.

Secondly, smart leaders move slowly, especially when operating in uncharted territory. I did get this one right. Driving in such unfamiliar circumstances meant I had to focus on each and every small move I made. For instance, I had to remind myself which side of the vehicle to get into for several days before it became routine. Driving required an incredible amount of mental energy simply because it was all new. I was frustrated to be struggling with what should have been (at least in my mind) a basic activity. Yet by moving slowly, I was able to ensure I did things correctly and build up a habit of properly executed moves. Take your time and get it right.

Finally, make sure you ask for help. Leaders never succeed alone. I quickly learned that any time I got behind the wheel, I wanted someone in the passenger seat to help keep me on track. Having an extra pair of eyes to look for obstacles, identify landmarks, and point out next steps made a world of difference. The same goes for any new task you take on. Ask for help. Use the resources that are available to you.

I’m happy to report that my time behind the wheel didn’t result in any traffic accidents. By following a plan for each trip, taking it slow, and relying on others to help me, I successfully navigated my way all over Western Australia. I wouldn’t say I mastered every aspect (I kept reaching for the turn signal and activating the windshield wipers), but I was able to get the team from point A to point B. Where does your team need to go this year?

Sailing Into the Unknown

Posted on by Scott
sailing_cart
Photo: Amber Word

In 2016, accomplished sailor Falcon Riley began dreaming of a different kind of voyage. He was in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, traveling from San Francisco to Guam when he began fantasizing about Mongolia. He’d written a report about Genghis Khan as a child and had been drawn to the idea of visiting ever since.

A trip across the wilds of Mongolia sounded like an interesting adventure; but how to navigate the terrain? The long stretches of bleak, uninhabited landscape would make hiking it almost impossible. If only he could sail across the country, he’d be able to match his dream with his expertise. Unfortunately, Mongolia is landlocked, so sailing was out of the question. Or was it?

Riley began sketching out a simple box with wheels and a sail, in essence a sailing cart. Over the next year and a half, we returned periodically to his design, trying to factor in elements like a sleeping space, storage for food and gear, and a steering mechanism. Finally, in April of 2018, Riley and his girlfriend Amber Word (whom he’d met in Guam) arrived in Mongolia.

With just $200 and a huge language barrier, they began sourcing materials to build their cross-country vehicle. After several days they’d scrounged up enough plywood and other materials to begin construction. They befriended a local builder who loaned them his tools and some shop space. With his help, the couple soon had a workable “ship.” They caught a ride to the end of a dirt road and set off.

Like so many of the stories I share, I believe this journey holds valuable lessons for us. Regardless of your goal, whether it’s setting off on a wild adventure or achieving annual growth goals, the transition from dream to reality can seem daunting. I’m always encouraged by learning how others managed the process. Here are a few ideas I pulled from Riley and Word.

Start with what you have. Two hundred dollars and a sketch. That’s all Riley and Word had when they set foot in Mongolia. They didn’t have a support team. They didn’t have a wealth of resources or the means to acquire them. They didn’t even speak the native language. Yet they had a goal to reach and the will to achieve it. So using what they had at their disposal, they went to work. They didn’t wait for perfect conditions; they just got started.

Seek out others who will help. A successful mission meant partnering with other people – people who had knowledge and resources and skills the travelers did not possess. It began with a carpenter who allowed them to use his shop and tools. Other partnerships occurred along the way. Riley and Word encountered families who took them in and offered food. They were helped out by total strangers who offered to assist with repairs. In each instance, the couple attempted to repay the help by performing household chores. They didn’t look for handouts; they accepted partnerships.

Keep moving forward. Completing their trip meant crossing 300 kilometers in a three by nine foot cart. That’s less than 190 miles, but the journey took 46 days. Without lights, they couldn’t travel at night. Frequent breakdowns caused by hitting gopher holes created delays while they sought out tools, materials, and help. And the wind wasn’t always kind. One particularly windy day allowed them to travel 70 kilometers, which means on the other 45 days, they only averaged five. The cart was barely wide enough for them to sleep shoulder to shoulder. They didn’t dwell on the problems; they focused on the goal.

As you embark on this journey called 2019, I hope you will adopt the attitude of an adventurer. Start with what you have. Seek out other who will help you. And above all else, keep moving forward. Keep your eyes on the goal. I’ll see you at the finish line.

One Last Play

Posted on by Scott

football-1477708_640With less than 60 seconds remaining on the game clock, Scripps Ranch High School had the game in the bag. The San Diego squad had the lead and the ball. All they had to do was snap the ball twice, taking a knee on each play, to continue their winning season. Everyone saw the writing on the wall, including their opponent, La Jolla High. From the game’s start, they knew they were in for a rough one. Two of their starters, including the quarterback were in street clothes, having suffered injuries in prior games.

Only La Jolla lineman Max Smith, a 5 foot 9, 153 pound sophomore felt there was more work to be done on that September evening. When the ball was snapped, he exploded off the line, catching the offense off guard and knocking the ball loose before the Scripps Ranch quarterback could drop to the ground. Smith recovered the fumble, setting up a last-chance play for his team.

Backup QB Diego Solis came in and immediately launched a pass toward the opposite 20 yard line. Amazingly, a receiver was there to make the catch. It was none other than Max Smith, again moving a full speed. This time, he found the end zone and the resulting touchdown snatched victory from the hands of defeat.

As we begin this last week of 2018, it’s easy to feel like time has run out. It’s Christmas Eve after all, a time for relaxing, reflecting, and possibly even looking forward. Few people will approach work this week with the same level of energy they did back in the first quarter when the year stretched out before us and expectations were high. Back then it felt like we had all the time in the world. Now, well the clock is running down and the game is over; practically speaking. All we have to do is take a knee or two and start over with a fresh game and a fresh clock.

But I challenge you to milk to every bit of this week that you can. While everyone else, including the competition, has decided to wrap things up – why not get a couple of really good plays in? Why not use the last few ticks of the clock to give your best effort? You might not win the game, you may still fall short of the goals that were set for this year. But why not give it one last shot?

You might need to throw up a Hail Mary pass; a wild and crazy idea that, if it pays off, will pay off big. Or you might just need to continue executing on the basics, finishing a steady march toward the goal line so that you end the year right where you need to be. Either way, don’t look back at this week and see a missed opportunity. Win or lose, start 2019 knowing you gave 2018 your very best, right to the end.

Toe-tally On Board

Posted on by Scott

socks-1322489_640I’ll understand if you’ve never heard of Alan ‘Nasty’ Nash. Until just a few days ago, I didn’t know the name myself. The 59 year old from Staffordshire, England is a 15 time world champion in the sport of toe wrestling. Yeah, I’d never heard of that either.

Toe wrestling is a sport in which two competitors lock toes, the flats of their feet against each other, and then each attempts to twist their opponent’s foot to the ground. Just picture arm wrestling with a different part. There’s just as much grunting and sweat, but a lot more odor.

Recently, Nash tried to insure his big toe for £1 million. He’s broken the other nine before and had two of them surgically removed due to injuries suffered during matches. It was his unusual insurance coverage request that caught my eye, but it’s his approach to his sport that piqued my interest. I think we can learn a few things from his journey to the top of the toe wrestling world.

Zero In
Nash has always had a lot of nervous energy. For many years, he drifted from one interest to another in order to occupy his time. He’s always been attracted to the new… the different… even the weird (he was voted Britain’s 2nd most eccentric man in 2002). He’s tried all manner of strange pastimes, including chicken whispering and egg breaking, for which he holds the world record. But while working for band at a toe wrestling competition, he signed up to kill time. He won and immediately knew he’d found his niche. Everything else gave way to his pursuit of toe wrestling dominance. He considers it his calling. What’s your calling, the one thing you want your team to pursue above all else?

Double Down
There are only so many toe wrestling competitions one can enter each year, and only one world championship. When show time comes around, Nash goes all out to earn his nickname. However, he takes his time outside the ring, officially called a “toe-dium,” just as seriously. In addition to his toe-strengthening exercises, he works to train his legs, back, and shoulders. He performs around two hundred squats a day to keep himself in shape. While most matches last seconds, he once locked up with an opponent for an hour, so trains for endurance as well. In other words, winning is always on his mind. What’s your strategy, the plan your team follows all year long to ensure success?

Have Fun
With 23 awards in his trophy case, Nash has a lot to brag about, but it’s other aspects of the experience that brings him the most joy. He’s traveled the world and established friendships with other who share the same passion. He said “I’ve enjoyed every minute of this. I’ve got to go on shows and do all kinds of things I would have never had the chance to do. I like to think of myself as an ambassador of the sport.” Nash has introduced his step-daughter to tow wrestling and applied to have toe wrestling added as an Olympic sport. His enthusiasm is unmistakable. What’s your spark, that aspect of your job that excites you and makes the effort worthwhile?

‘Nasty’ Nash is set to retire soon; I guess toe wrestling is a young man’s game.  Yet, to the end, he retains the mindset of a champion. “I don’t believe anyone can beat me,” he said. “It gives me a psychological edge. I would say I have the world’s strongest toe. I won’t lose.” I can honestly say I believe him.

Don’t Give Up

Posted on by Scott

kops-lake-1610739_640In 2009, three friends from Karawara, Western Australia started a YouTube Channel. They called it “How Ridiculous.” Derek, Brett, and Scott began posting videos of trick shots using basketballs and footballs; a hobby they developed as a way to avoid schoolwork. Over time, the shots became more and more, well ridiculous. Props got bigger, distances grew longer, and heights increased. Each successful stunt caused them to think up ever more creative and entertaining tricks to attempt.

You may think that watching someone shoot a basketball into a hoop from the roof of a building seems like a complete waste of time. That’s what I thought as well, at least until one of their recent videos showed up in my feed. I clicked it, watched it, and instantly thought “you know, there’s a lesson to be learned here.” Allow me to explain.

In the October 12th video, the team travels to Luzzone Dam in Ticino, Switzerland. As a follow-up to an earlier video, in which they’d dropped a bowling ball onto a trampoline from a 45 meter tower, they wanted to see if they could hit the same target from an even higher starting point. Luzzone Dam is 165 meters high. That’s almost four times as high and, as you can imagine, much more complex. To hit the target, they’d have to place the trampoline in the right spot, release the ball the right distance from the edge of the dam, and account for any other variables they might encounter. Here’s what I noticed about their approach.

  1. They had a simple, clearly defined goal. The team’s objective was to have the bowling ball bounce off of the trampoline. Despite the challenges and distractions they encountered, they kept returning to what they had defined as their goal. Other interesting things happened in over the course of the experiment, but even shattered bowling balls and craters in the ground didn’t deter them. These results made for spectacular video, but they didn’t allow themselves to deter from the original plan.
  2. They tried different approaches. When the first attempt missed the target entirely, and destroyed the bowling ball, they discussed what went wrong and made adjustments before moving on. They made note of what happened, including things they didn’t expect, and made subtle shifts to keep getting closer and closer to what they wanted to accomplish.
  3. They didn’t give up. The team arrived in Switzerland with two bowling balls. The first was destroyed during attempt number one. The second only made it through two drops before it was destroyed as well. Because the objective hadn’t been reached though, the team regrouped and came back the next day ready to try again. On the fifth drop of day two, another bowling ball was shattered against the side of the dam. Still, the team plunged ahead.

Finally, on the 12th drop, the team was successful. The 4th bowling, their last, hit the trampoline and rocketed back up into the air. It peaked and fell back onto the trampoline for a second bounce before veering off the side. The frustration expressed during earlier attempts gave way to huge smiles and shouts of joy.

Yes, this may be a frivolous exercise, but how many times have you been in the midst of working on a project only to encounter setback after setback. Rejection, delays, equipment failures, and any number of other impediments to success often make me feel like my efforts are a waste of time. Still, I’m encouraged by Brett’s thoughts as he summed up his team’s latest stunt. He said they were inspired by this victory to move on to even greater tricks and reminded us all to pause from time to time to enjoy the view from the top.

What’s Your Plan?

Posted on by Scott

document-3268750_640Just over a week ago, the Apple Store in Moscow opened to a massive throng. For more than a day, people had been lining up to purchase the new iPhone XS and XS Max. As employees prepared to unlock the doors, a huge cheer rose from the crowd.

Product launches like this have been occurring for years, and it’s considered a badge of honor to be the first in line to purchase the latest gadgets. Yet, the first man in this particular line wasn’t very excited. In fact, he tore up his ticket and walked away, despite having camped out in front of the store for days. He was soon joined by the next seven in line. All abandoned their highly-coveted spot and left without ever setting foot inside the store.

That left the ninth man, who said his name was Valery, at the top of the queue. He walked inside; waving to the employees and reporters who had gathered to cover the event. Then he suddenly covered his face with his cap and awkwardly left the building without making a purchase. Like the eight people before him, he’d never actually planned on buying anything in the first place.

Each of these individuals had secured their place in line hoping to sell it to another consumer – someone eager to among the first with a new iPhone. With asking prices of up to 500,000 rubles (just over $7,600), it seemed like an easy way to make a lot of money. When no one showed to take them up on the offer, however, they had no choice but to abandon the wait and their hopes of cashing in.

Hope is not a strategy. It’s actually strategy’s direct opposite. Consider these definitions:

Hope: a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.

Strategy: a plan of action or policy designed to achieve a major or overall aim.

The key to the difference lies in the first two words of each definition. Hope is a feeling. Strategy is a plan. Hope is guesswork. Often described as a hunch, it offers the promise of maximum payout with minimal effort. It’s the default move of those who are too lazy or inept to devise and execute a plan.

Leaders who crush their goals always have a strategy to do so. They analyze the circumstances, create a plan of action, and then execute it. They involve the team, partnering with those who offer complementary skill sets and resources. They track their progress, adjusting along the way so that steady progress continues to be made. In short, they work hard. They work their strategy knowing that their actions are what produce results. And because they have a strategy, hope isn’t necessary.

As the fourth quarter of 2018 gets underway, I hope you have a strategic plan in place. I hope you are prepared to execute that plan so that your goals are met. I hope you aren’t relying on hope. Don’t be like Valery and others like him who simply wait for things to happen only to risk walking away empty-handed.

Future Presents

Posted on by Scott

wormhole-2514312_640The story goes something like this…

In June of 1951, a number of people in New York City’s Times Square spotted a strange man standing in the middle of the street. About 20 years old, the man was dressed in late 19th century clothes and appeared confused. No one could recall seeing him arrive, and as the horrified masses watched, he was hit and killed by a taxi driving through the intersection.

At the morgue, several odd items were found in his pockets:

  • A beer token, made of copper and worth five cents at a pub no one had ever heard of.
  • An invoice from a livery stable for the card and washing of a horse and carriage.
  • Approximately $70 in old banknotes.
  • A 3rd place medal from a three-legged race.
  • Business cards for Rudolph Fentz, showcasing an address of Fifth Avenue.
  • A letter to Fentz’s address sent from Philadelphia in 1876.

Oddly enough, none of these items showed any signs of aging. It was as if this young man had suddenly been transported from the late 1800’s into 1950’s New York City. Investigation turned up no usable information on the man. The address on the business cards was that of a local business, but no one there had ever heard of Rudolph Fentz. His name was not listed in the telephone directory and fingerprints did not return a match.

There was a Rudolph Fentz, Jr. listed in an archived telephone book from 1939 though, and that turned out to be a legitimate lead. Fentz Jr.’s widow was still alive and living in Florida. She told investigators that her father-in-law had disappeared in 1876. He had gone out for a walk and simply vanished.

Imagine if you could travel 75 years into the future in just an instant. Imagine how strangely different things would appear. Your physical surroundings, the sights and sounds; everything you know suddenly transformed into the stuff of dreams. How frightening, and yet how exciting it would be at the same time.

Now think about the ways in which you might be influencing the future. How will the actions you take today impact the world 75 years from now? Are you building a future that you would be proud of? Is your team working toward a future that is bright and exciting, or will people be underwhelmed to learn of your contribution?

Most of us don’t spend a lot of time thinking so far ahead. We think in terms of today or this week. Perhaps we occasionally dream about what we want to accomplish within the next year, or possibly even the next five. But 75 years from now? That’s just a little too far off for us to consider. Or is it?

What if we approached our work, not with an eye for leaving on time at the end of the day, but for leaving a legacy for future generations? What if we knew our names would be forever attached to the things we are creating today? If we were suddenly transported 75 years into the future, would we be happy with the world we have created, or would we find ourselves standing, dazed and confused, in the middle of an intersection wondering where all that time went?