No New ‘What’ | Please | Steal Like An Artist
Hello there! Welcome to my weekly LEAPS.
You’re receiving this email because you subscribed to my weekly Wednesday feature or our mailing list. Every Wednesday, I share 5 things using our LEAPS approach:
Learn: something new or an idea
Energy: an energy (good or bad) word and it’s meaning
Action: something to do
Processing: a question to consider
Shout out: something or someone that I want to celebrate or acknowledge
LEARN
Something Worth Sharing
There’s No New ‘What’
The saying: "all music is just variations on a theme" reminds us that music is built upon a relatively small set of elements: notes, rhythms, chords, scales etc. What makes a difference is how theses elements are arranged and delivered - and the purpose it serves. The notes, chords and scales are the ‘what’, you can’t change these, but - and as great musicians do - you can change the ‘how’ and ‘why’.
This is true for many things, including whatever your organisation does. Even AI has the same ‘whats’ as many others existing things - the difference is the new ‘how’ and ‘why’. Our mobile devices communicate with others, allow us to be entertained, store our schedules, hold our photographs, and play music…all things that existed long before mobile devices ever did. The difference is that they are now all on one device in our pocket; the ‘what’ is the same, the ‘how’ and ‘why’ have changed dramatically.
True improvements rarely happen in the ‘what’, they do however consistently change and develop in the ‘how’ and ‘why’ - and also ‘who’ and ‘where’. This is where value sits and where more time and energy should be spent. It’s also worth remembering that people will easily compete with you on the ‘what’, but it will be far harder to compete with you on the ‘how’, ‘why’, ‘who’ or ‘where’ if you keep developing and improving them.
ENERGY
An emotion or energy; a stand-out word / s
Please
I heard something recently about using manners with AI - some people do, and others don’t. I then discovered that there is a default “Polite Mode” in the Amazon Kids mode on an Echo device. For example, if your child uses “please” when asking a question, Alexa may say “thanks for asking so nicely.” Manners are said to be ‘free’…but, it seems they are increasingly less common.
The word ‘please’ is from Latin placere meaning "to be acceptable, be liked, be approved" and is related to placare: "to soothe, quiet". The imperative use (please do this), is recorded from 1620s (as please to), which was probably a shortening of ‘if it please (you)’.
ACTION
Something small that you can do that might make a big difference
Do Something New and Creative
Whether you choose to do something completely new, or do something existing in a new way - stop and question yourself to see if you can be more creative!
PROCESSING
A question to think about and consider (you can discuss this with someone or write your thoughts down)
“What is the environment I most need to thrive in?”
You may think of this question in various ways; an environment can be work-based, where you live, who you spend time with, physical or emotional.
I’d love for you to send me your own stories / thoughts about this. Drop me a line with your answer / thoughts on this question
SHOUT OUT
Who / what I think deserves recognition - my gratitude or to be celebrated.
Freshly Made Bed
We change our bedding every Sunday and there is nothing like getting into that fresh, clean bed each Sunday evening! The simplest of pleasures can be so important and enjoyable. Shout out to our Freshly Made Bed!
BONUS GIFT FOR YOU
The gift is only available to those that subscribe to the weekly LEAPS email
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The artwork featured in this section is all copyrighted and for private use only. If you wish to use these online, in blogs / features or in presentations etc - we are happy to discuss licences. Please get in touch. The downloads do not have watermarks.
If you’d like to discuss having your ideas, business or culture captured visually - you can also let me know via email.
LEAPS is a process used by our team and clients all the time - and even my own family on a daily basis.
I’ll be sharing a set of LEAPS each week with you and encourage you to do your own version:
L: what have you learned?
E: what’s your energy / feeling word
A: what’s one thing you need to do?
P: what are you thinking / processing?
S: who or what can you shout out?
