Thank You

I would like to thank ALL fire fighters (professionals, full-time, part time and volunteers) who put their lives at risk to protect the rest of us.

I would also like to thank ALL emergency service workers who do the most amazing work.

They are often our unsung heroes.

Bless you all.

TED@Palm Springs

Last week I had the honour of attending the TED 09 Conference in Palm Springs, California - a simulcast of the live event held for the first time at Long Beach California.   Exhausting and refreshing at the same time!

TED conferences have something for everyone - great minds, fantastic ideas and brilliant conversations in the friendliest of environments.  We could rub shoulders and share time with people from many different backgrounds, ideologies and countries.  Please go to the TED website and find some talks that interest you.  My favourites are those that push my boundaries - my understandings of technology, human endeavours and social responsibility.

One thing I found unsettling though, is that I didn't find out about the truly tragic massive bush fires in Victoria, Australia until my son told me over the phone the following day, and on my return Qantas flight to Sydney two days later.  It amazed me at how insular we can be despite modern technology and living virtually 24/7.

My goal for this year - stay in touch with the people and things  that matter to me, while being open to new experiences and new connections.

Time Versus Money

Have you heard the saying - if you have enough time you won't have enough money, and if you have enough money, you have the time?

Time and money are both forms of currency - and in this tough economic climate we will have to carefully consider both.

I have often said that if you throw enough money at a problem - at ANY problem - the problem will go away.  It will be solved.  

This is particularly true for problems that need a concrete, material solution.  Virtually all other problems will need either time or money spent on them to find the best solution.  We can find solutions quickly if we pay for them, but if we don't have the necessary funds we need to be creative to find effective solutions.

To help you find solutions without spending more money, consider:

What has worked in the past?

Will it work now?

What else could you do?

Where can you get new inspiration?

In Summary:

Thinking outside the box will help you find new solutions.

Learn the difference between being able to solve a problem, and learning to cope with it.