Bill Hartman on Two Strategies to Get Things Done

So he talks about two general strategies for GTD (getting things done):

“Eating frogs or making snowballs.

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The frog is the most important task that you need to complete, but because of it’s perceived demand, it’s also something you’ll most likely procrastinate on.

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You can “eat the frog” by getting up early and going to the gym first thing. Workout completed and the rest of the day is easier because you’ll no long worry about getting it done.

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The second strategy is The Snowball Method.

This is actually based on a debt reduction strategy promoted by Dave Ramsey where you pay off the smallest debt first and then the next largest and so on, but you can modify it to any behavior modification challenge you’re facing.

The idea is that you address the low hanging fruit of your behaviors first. Do something small, simple, and measurable toward your goals.”

But he qualifies further by saying: 

“I can’t say that one is more powerful than the other, but I’ve used both successfully. The key is to take some form of action, right or wrong. Act.”

So just kick your own balls, get up and get at it. That's probably the most important message.

Edit: I forgot to link to the original article.

Apple's Recent Education Envent

It was interesting watching the recent-most Apple keynote event, and for me it wasn't about necessarily about the products (hardware and software) announced. Instead the event highlighted what I said before about the focus of American education: maximizing participation and engagement. During my easily distracted time mostly listening to the event, never did they stress increasing test scores as a completely objective measure of success among the schoolchildren as part of their salespitch. This is in comparison to the annual publication of list of schools with the best SPM results and source of bragging rights. American educations looks to be very focused on the process while ours is heavily results based (and influenced by our British ex-colonizers). I guess both are needed: a good process ensures that education is fun and doesn't skip steps in creating a human. Having a bit of a results-oriented mindset gives a nudge to compete and give a bit more effort, but not to the point of kids committing suicide from "poor" results. Nevertheless, with the economy as it is, I don't see the competitive mindset cooling down anytime in the current generation of generally East/Southeast Asian schoolchildren.

Do spend your time watching it.

Taken Together, A Not So Rosy Picture is Painted

All quoted from Bank Negara Malaysia, via the Star:

“The survey showed that in Kuala Lumpur, the provisional estimates of a living wage ranged between RM2,700 and RM6,500 per month.

It said the living wage for a single adult was RM2,700 per month; RM4,500 per month for a couple without children; and RM6,500 per month for a couple with two children.

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The central bank also said the living wage estimates in Kuala Lumpur were below the median income (in Kuala Lumpur) of RM9,073, emphasising that up to 27% of households were earning below the living wage.

“In terms of household type, a larger share of single-adult households and couples with two children were earning below the estimated living wage in 2016, compared to couples without children.

“The finding for single-adult households is consistent with the fact that graduates with a first degree or diploma earn on average, starting salaries of RM2,207 and RM1,346 per month, respectively.””

A provisional living wage in KL as low as that? Let's not kid ourselves.

“Unsold housing units increased on an annual basis by 22.7% in 2017 (2016: 41%) to 129,052 units as at end-September 2017.

More than 80% of the unsold units were priced at RM250,000 and above.

Many of these units were high-rise residential properties and were mainly in areas located far from major economic centres and with limited public transport facilities.

“The high number of unsold housing units also reflects the persistent mismatch between the selling price of houses being built and what most households can afford,” according to the report.”

That's not sustainable for buyers.

“Bank Negara pointed out that activities in the commercial property segment (comprising shops, office space and shopping complexes) remained soft, amid an oversupply in these segments and challenges faced by businesses in the oil and gas (O&G) sector.

The volume of commercial property transactions declined by 8.2% (2010-2016 average: -4.7%) to 16,025 units during the first nine months of 2017. The value transacted nonetheless increased by 3.8% to RM17.8bil driven by higher transactions of properties priced RM1mil and above.

Slower activities in the commercial property segment were observed in most major states such as Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Johor and Penang.”

It's not hard to find empty shop-lots and empty malls (I'm typing this in Quill City Mall). And if people lose jobs because of bad business, who's gonna pay for those property purchases?

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