Time inventory: what are you doing with your time, right now?

Having set four goals for myself in the areas I deem important it became apparent that I would have to do some things differently with my time.

Goals and behavior.

As you remember from my post on changing Self-Identity every goal must be translated into behavior. The more complex the goal the more behaviors will be involved. That’s where The Plans come in. The Plans are the steps, literally the behaviors, you must take to achieve your goals.

So I set four goals, broke those goals into behaviors, which became some rudimentary plans, and concluded that I would have to make time for those new behaviors.

For example, my goal to earn a passive gross monthly income of at least $3000 involves learning internet marketing techniques (this is the avenue of passive income I have decided to explore first). I’ve become a member of an online internet marketing community that offers instruction for a monthly fee. I needed to make time to learn and apply the lessons.

New results come from new actions.

Here is a very important distinction to grasp: Any time you have decided to achieve a goal you have decided to do what it takes to achieve it. This is the difference between a Goal and a Dream. A Goal requires behavior. You must do new things to achieve new results.

So there are things that you are not doing now that you must make time to do. If you are not willing to do anything different than you only have a Dream. I’m not laying a guilt trip on you, don’t lay one on yourself. Just be honest. Dream or Goal? If it’s a Goal let’s get to making the time available to get it done.

Take a time inventory.

Before I could make the time for the new behaviors I needed to know what I currently spend my time doing. I took a time inventory of my life.

Since I like routine it wasn’t difficult to sit down and take inventory without having to actually keep a time log for a week. If your days are a little more haphazard you may need to take a week of your life and journal your activities. Put a scrap of paper in your pocket, or use your pocket notebook that you use for The List, and make a note of the activity you are engaged in and the time every day for a week.

Many activities are fairly routine for most people. Things like work hours, when groceries are bought, relaxation time in front of the TV, toiletry habits, movie night, etc. There is no need to make a big deal out of the odd trip out of town or the day you got a flat tire on the way to work. What is important are the typical activities, what your normal days look like.

Time is like money…but not exactly.

If you’ve ever taken your financial inventory, or net worth, there is a parallel - you’re getting a sense of where you are. Count what you have in the plus column (e.g. cash, investments), count what you have in the minus column (e.g. debt, loans), and come up with your financial picture. If the picture is bleak you have the option to increase your income, the cash flowing into the plus column.

The thing about time is it’s finite. You can’t create more time. Everyone has the exact same number of hours and minutes in their day with which to create their lives. It boils down to shifting time slated for Activity A and choosing instead to do Activity B. That’s all there is to it. Simple, but not always easy.

Step one in time/activity mastery.

The first step is to figure out what you are doing with your time right now. Be honest. There is no need to share this information with anyone. If you are wasting spending time in front of the TV four hours every night make a note of it.

Next week we’ll be looking at what I did to make better use of my time by using the information gathered in my time inventory.

Good Excuse #2

Let a co-worker know that you appreciate them. It’s so much nicer at work when you enjoy the friendship of those you work alongside. When they lighten your load with their work ethic, their humor, or their positive outlook your day is better for it. Let them know they are making a positive difference in your life.

Some thoughts on an ancient philosophy

Isn’t it interesting when you meet someone that shares the same ideas you have? It doesn’t matter how old they happen to be, or their situation in life. What matters is that there seems to be a common bond, a parallel understanding.

The philosophy of Stoicism.

Today as I was searching the internet for a new quote to put on my blog’s front page (Quote to note) I came upon an ancient Greek philosophy called Stoicism. Honestly, it was a rediscovery. I had read something of this philosophy in my younger days. I even once owned a book of translations of the sayings of Epictetus (one of the more well known Stoics). But I hadn’t delved into the Stoic ideas in many years.

Today I was re-introduced and it was fascinating. There were similarities to conclusions I have made about life, happiness, and virtue. It made me wonder how much influence reading those ideas had on me all those years ago.

My sentiments exactly.

Here is a quote by Marcus Aurelius, a Stoic philosopher and Roman Emperor:

Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones.

It was this sentiment, although most surely not this exact quote, that led to my becoming irreligious. I’ll explain.

Santa first, then god.

Remember when you used to believe in Santa Clause, the Easter Bunny, and the power of cracks in the sidewalk to break your mother’s back? Can you also remember how much you struggled with the idea that these weren’t actually true? Ridding oneself of religious beliefs can be an even more harrowing task.

Although I was never indoctrinated into a religion I was exposed enough to get the idea: there was an omnipotent, invisible man in the sky that could dole out some major havoc if I failed to believe in him.

So I started out as believing the possibility because I was afraid of the consequences. Then one day I noticed that I was living as virtuous a life as some of my Christian friends. In fact, I was actually more virtuous than some of them (e.g. I didn’t drink, or smoke, or cheat on tests, or steal). Yet they were going to heaven and I wasn’t because I had failed to take that all important step - full acceptance and a declaration. That struck me as wrong.

Here I was living a good life, not because some book told me to but because it made sense to live that way, and I wouldn’t get the grand reward due to my failure to go along. My first step to freedom was encapsulated in this thought: “If there is a god and he denounces me because of a technicality he is not just. If he is not just then he is not worthy of worship.”

From there I began questioning the ideas of religion more intently. In the end I decided that religion and the supernatural made no sense to me yet I still wanted to live a good life. The quote above speaks much truth in my estimation.  (It seems more likely that it is the earth bound prophets who demand obedience.  The gods can take care of themselves.)

Assets and passive income: Can you coast?

In the category of financial matters, what I call Productive Prosperity, I listed my discipline as Stealth-Wealth: asset accumulation + shaping. Shaping you know about from what I’ve written in the past. It is the reinforcement of successive approximations toward a final goal behavior (in this case accumulating assets).

What you may not understand is what comprises an asset. The dictionary definition is a possession that has value. This could be anything from a pen (since you can write with it) to a house (since you can live in it). I am using the word asset in a slightly different context.

A different interpretation of asset.

I am using the word asset the way Robert Kiyosaki, the author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad, does: something you own that generates money, that creates cash flow, for you. According to this definition neither the pen nor the house is an asset as they both cost you money to own and maintain. If you owned the house,rented it out, and the rental income covered the mortgage, maintenance, and property taxes then it would be an asset, as I define it, because it is now making you money, not costing you money.

(For further elaboration read Rich Dad, Poor Dad. Kiyosaki has his detractors but you will come away with a different perspective on your financial life. Changing one’s paradigm is always interesting. I recommend it.)

The different kinds of income.

My goal in the category of Stealth-Wealth is to create a passive gross monthly income of at least $3,000. This may need some clarification, as well.

There are two kinds of income: active income and passive income.

Active income is your typical hourly wage or salary. You work one hour, you get paid for one hour. As soon as you stop working you stop getting paid. You need to remain active to ensure the money keeps coming in.

Passive income has elements of active income then goes far beyond it. With passive income you may work one hour then get paid over and over again with no further effort. Examples of passive income generation include:

• writing to earn royalties on books sold, songs recorded, articles republished, etc.
• investing to earn interest on stocks, bonds, business development, etc.
• investing in real estate to earn income through rental properties
• investing sweat equity in exchange for a percentage of gross profits (e.g. actors in movies)
• selling via the internet with your own web site
• residual income from sales efforts (e.g. network marketing)

Can you coast?

The beauty of passive income is that you need to do little to nothing once the system is up and running. An author may spend hundreds of hours writing a book. Once the book is published and selling it’s just a matter of collecting the royalty cheques as they come in.

Contrast this with an employee working for an hourly wage. He will work hundreds of hours, be paid for those hundreds of hours, and that’s where it stops. The effort must be continuous. With passive income the effort is still there but you get to a point where you can coast. Very little effort to maintain the income. That’s why it’s called “passive” income. You get to be passive, the income remains active. Nice.

Money = Time Freedom

The potential of passive income appeals to me greatly. Not even for the creation of wealth, per se, as the creation of time freedom that wealth represents. That’s why my initial goal is to merely earn a gross monthly income of at least $3000. (Ha, ha. I say “merely” as if it’s just a formality.) This would cover my monthly expenses with room to spare. If I didn’t have to work full time to earn that monthly income I would, in essence, be financially free. Free to do what I want, when I want, for as long as I want. I like the sound of that.

And with all that time freed up I would be in a position to increase the passive income until I am wealthy, in the traditional sense (i.e. more money than I need).

Robert G. Allen, the author of Multiple Streams Of Income, lends a little more seriousness to the whole affair. What I’m calling passive income he calls residual income. He writes in his book, “…ask yourself this question, ‘What percentage of my day did I spend creating residual income?’ If the answer is zero, you’re in trouble. You’d better wake up tomorrow and get busy.”

I understand what he means. If I do not have passive income then the income I currently have is dependent on my being able to continue working. I don’t get to stop, ever. That is serious! I better get busy.

Good Excuse #1

Contact a childhood friend. The one you sit and wonder about sometimes. I wonder how they’re doing?

It may take some effort to track down how to get a hold of them. Use the internet (e.g. facebook.com, online directories, etc.) or your own personal network.

Stealth-Influence: not as sinister as it sounds

Have you ever thought about the influence your own behavior has on your relationships? Or that the way people treat you is, in long term relationships, the way you have taught them to treat you? Does that seem unreasonable?

An old saw.

You’ve probably heard the story about the old fellow sitting on his porch on the edge of his hometown who is approached by two separate individuals at two separate times. The first individual pulls up, gets out of his car, and asks the old man, “I’m thinking of moving into town and I was wondering what kind of people live here?”

The old man replies, “Well, what kind of people lived in your old town?”

“They were rude and obnoxious. Everyone was only concerned with themselves. No one cared about getting to know their neighbor.”

“Well,” says the old man, “I’m afraid you’ll find exactly the same kind of folks here.”

Later that day the second individual pulls up, gets out of his car, and asks the old man the same question: “What kind of people live here?”

“Well, what kind of people lived in your old town?”

“They were pleasant and friendly. Everyone looked out for their neighbor. It was a really great place to live.”

“I’m happy to say you’ll find exactly the same kind of folks here,” says the old man.

My interpretation.

When I first read this story I thought that the difference in the people was only a matter of perspective. The first individual was looking for disagreement and rudeness so that was what he would find. The second individual was looking for agreement and friendliness so that was what he would find.

I now realize that a more complete understanding has to do with the behavior of the individuals involved. Perspective is a part of it. A larger part of it is the way they both trained their neighbors to treat them.

Whenever you are interacting with someone there is a dynamic occurring. It has to do with energy and awareness. This is nothing esoteric. The energy I am describing has to do with body language, enthusiasm of gestures, vocal range, pitch, and volume, eye contact. What I’m getting at is behavior: what you are doing and saying and how you are doing and saying it.

A simple way to think of it is interest. When you are interested in what is being communicated you behave differently than if you aren’t interested. And the way you behave influences the communication.

Here’s how to put this to use.

Let’s say that you have a friend who likes to complain to you about his sorry life more than you would prefer to hear. To start you were a good friend: you listened, asked probing questions, tried to give advice. You now realize that he doesn’t want to change anything he just likes to complain. You don’t want to hear it any more.

Unfortunately, with your past behavior (i.e. the intent listening, the questions, the attempts at advice) you have trained him to complain to you. Perhaps you are the only friend that allows him to do this on a regular basis. You helped create him as a complainer. You can help him stop complaining.

Do this.

Whenever he complains give minimal response. Act as if nothing is being communicated. Don’t ask questions to draw further details. Don’t frown to try to punish the complaining. Do your best to do nothing at all.

Whenever he talks about more positive aspects of his life or is doing anything that you would like to see more of (i.e. he’s not complaining) become interested in his communication. Smile, become animated, ask questions to get more details on a positive experience, nod; basically, become interested and let him know you’re interested through your behavior.

Subtle communication.

In this way you are now sending your friend a subtle communication that you will not be taking part in his complaining behavior. He is most likely not going to be conscious of what you are doing. He may notice that you seem distracted but he won’t make the connection that you are only responding when he is not complaining.

This is pure behavior analysis in action. You are putting the complaining behavior on a schedule of extinction. Since you will never give complaining any reinforcement it will die out. Anything that is not complaining you reinforce which trains an incompatible behavior. He can’t complain and not complain at the same time. Subtle and effective.

Some concerns.

Does this seem manipulative? How manipulative is his complaining every time you meet? I think that is unacceptable and unfair to you. And he will probably find that he is happier around you for some unknown reason. Would a more ethical solution be to allow him to remain the same and just sever the friendship? Or just endure?

This technique can be used to influence someone in the exact opposite direction. You could train someone to become miserable in your presence. My intention is never to do harm. My resolution is to positively influence people. When I use this technique I am making a judgement. You will have to do the same.

I look at it like this: I am free to ethically influence others to treat me the way I want to be treated. If I do not want people to complain to me I do not need to respond to complaining. If I like it when people treat me the way I want to be treated I can respond positively in order to reinforce that behavior. I can be blatant or subtle, there is no force involved.

You already do this, now do it on purpose.

You are using this technique every day in every interaction. You have trained every one you know how to interact with you. Now that you are aware of what you have been doing you can become a more effective trainer.

Notice what you do not want in your relationships and stop reinforcing those behaviors. Notice what you want and make sure to reinforce those behaviors. Three books I highly recommend for further study:

• Don’t Shoot The Dog! by Karen Pryor
• Other People’s Habits by Aubrey Daniels
• What Shamu Taught Me About Life, Love, And Marriage by Amy Sutherland

Food as nutrition

For me, and a number of other health minded individuals, food is nutrition. Now, this seems to be a statement of the obvious. I don’t think so. For many food is first and foremost a means of enjoyment.

Think of all the variations of food that have been, are being, and will be created to please the palate. For some the flavor of the food is the first criteria in the choice of what to eat. This is apparent in the increasing numbers of overweight individuals in our society.

The singularity.

I remember when I was in elementary school. This would have been between 1977 to 1982. Back then there was one overweight child in the whole school. Everyone knew who he was because it was so unusual.

Now I drive by an elementary school during recess and it looks as though it is more like 50% of the school is overweight. And this has become the norm. I don’t know if the urge to enjoy food at whatever cost is a major reason but I can tell you my experience.

Because I am in such good physical condition I am frequently asked for advice in this area. People will ask me what I eat to stay healthy. Or they’ll see what I am eating and comment on it.

I eat plain food. Vegetables are eaten raw or I heat frozen vegetables in the microwave then eat them plain. Cottage cheese is eaten plain with maybe some added canned beans rinsed in water, or some raw fruit or vegetables. I bake skinless chicken breasts in the oven with some spices sprinkled on top. This chicken is cut up and eaten with some brown rice and vegetables with a tablespoon of added coconut oil. Tuna and salmon is eaten out of the can. Sandwiches involve two slices and either natural peanut butter or some low fat cheese slices. You get the idea. Not a glutton’s paradise.

Nutrition first, taste second.

This is what I tell people when they comment on how bland my meals are: Food is about nutrition first, taste second. When they hear this the common reaction is: “But that’s no fun.”

I realize that my meals are not fun to eat. But I don’t eat for fun. I eat to fuel my body with what it needs. I have one free day a week when I relax my criteria. The pizza tastes amazing. The fettuccine alfredo is mouth watering. The double cheeseburger is glorious. (Honestly, I have been eating healthy for so long now that I really don’t go that crazy any more. But I know what I’m missing.)

Eating the way I eat can be a drag. Feeling the way I feel is never a drag. So for me it’s worth it. For others maybe it isn’t worth the trouble. It’s a choice, either of which has its own distinct consequences.

The consequences of my eating choices.

I haven’t had a major illness in over four years. The worst that’s happened is that I had a runny nose for a little under 24 hours. I was told by those around me that I definitely had the flu that was going around and that I had better be prepared to be sick for at least a week. Bah.

I sleep an average of 6 hours a night and have the energy to workout 6 days a week (3 days are weights, 3 days are cardio and stretching).

Is this all due to my eating habits? I like to think so. Whatever it is I’m doing something right.

My current goals, a proposition, and the power of a good excuse

My Current Goals

First off, I said that I would begin by sharing with you the goals I am currently working toward. Using the TWD Self-Management System my four goals are broken down thus:

Personal - Use the TWD Self-Management System daily for 90 days in a row.

• Just like the getting out of bed challenge I gave myself I believe this will help me to develop a rock solid habit. Lately, I have been a little more slack in this than I would prefer.

Health & Fitness - Develop a body weight of 87.75 kg (195 lbs) at 6% body fat.

• I have had this as my ideal for a number of years without firmly setting it as my goal. I almost had myself convinced that I didn’t care to achieve it, after all I’m 39, but I couldn’t let it go without one final charge.

Relating & Relationships - To practice Stealth-Influence in every interaction.

• This may seem vague but I have the details in mind (i.e. I know when I will have achieved it).

Productive Prosperity - To create a passive gross monthly income of at least $3000.

• It has long been a dream of mine to be able to have the freedom of time that a passive income would create in my life.

My proposition to you.

I think it would be neat, peachy keen even, if you developed your own goals and we supported each other in our individual pursuits.

I am aware that there are several goal setting and goal achievement sites/forums available elsewhere. However, what I am offering, what we will be offering each other, is the common perspective of the philosophy of Thought/Word/Deed and its derivative applications.

I will be in a position to lend insight into TWD. You will be in a position to put the philosophy to the test in your own life. I know how fun it is to read someone else’s interesting ideas without putting them to use. You may think that TWD makes a lot of sense. If you never do anything with your understanding it may as well be nonsense for all the good it does you.

So what I’m suggesting is this:

1. Re-read the post about the TWD Self-Management System
2. Set up your own three ring binder, a small hardbound book for The Day and The Week, get yourself a pocket notebook, and a calendar
3. Put the system to use, set some goals for yourself and make your plans

The least you can do.

Even if you choose not to do all the above at least set three or four goals for yourself. You don’t need to share them with anyone else. The only reason I am being so transparent, by writing about my life in this blog, is to be an example.

Although I am trying to be an individual worthy of emulation I realize that people are different and have different preferences. I like systems, routines, and order. You may like to be more relaxed about it all. Find what works for you. But pick a direction (i.e. some goals) and let’s see if we can’t help each other get further than we could on our own.

Either way I will be posting about my experiences. A lively dialogue/comment interaction would be nice to see.

As for the excuses…

You know how it’s been said you either have results or excuses, either you have achieved your goals or you have some really good reasons why you haven’t achieved them. Well, I got to thinking about that the other day and I decided to turn that on its head.

I will be giving you excuses to do the things that you may be hesitant to do on your own. These will be completely random as they come to me, unless you let me know that you would like to have one in particular.

An example of a Good Excuse.

It works like this: Say for example that there is someone that you would really like to apologize to about something. This has been on your mind for quite some time but the longer you have delayed apologizing the harder it has become to bring it up in conversation. You’ve got no pretense as to why you would even bring it up.

Along comes Korey and his Good Excuses. Korey says: Today I am giving you the excuse to apologize to someone.

Now you have your opportunity. You can approach this individual and say the following (for example): “I am doing this program (or taking part in this course, or have been reading a blog, whatever) and today’s assignment is to apologize to someone. I’ve chosen to apologize to you. You may not even remember this incident but it’s been weighing on my mind for…” and you’re on your way. You can use that excuse on as many people as you want for as long as you want.

Now you are using excuses to achieve, not to provide reasons for lack of achievement. Sound good? As I said if you have one that you would like to put forth for this blog’s readers feel free to do so. Some may not apply to you, some may not appeal to you, but they will be made available none the less.

When I come up with a new Good Excuse I will post it separately and have an index of all the ones we use. I expect it will not be a daily event, perhaps once every few days. We’ll see.

That’s all for today. If you have any thoughts please leave a comment.

A few changes in store for this blog

Beginning today, this blog (Thought/Word/Deed: The Essence of Self-Control and Achievement) will become more of a personal journal. Instead of continuing to make posts as though I have final answers I will put myself squarely on the path alongside you (which is where I have been all this time anyway).

Up to this point I have written from the perspective of one who has answers. Having created the philosophy of TWD I am indeed an authority in this regard. However, I am unwilling to continue writing as someone who has more answers than I believe I have.

It seems inauthentic to give advice if you, the reader, are unaware from whence that advice is coming. So I am going to let you into my life. I believe this will be more useful for all concerned.

Here’s the plan I have for this blog.

I will be dividing my entries into five categories:

1. Self-Control - anything that relates to applications of TWD and any of its derivatives
2. Health & Fitness - anything that relates to nutrition, exercise, health, etc.
3. Relating & Relationships - anything having to do with interactions, persuasion, family, etc.
4. Productive Prosperity - anything that has to do with money, finances, income, etc.
5. Miscellaneous - anything that doesn’t fit neatly into one of the above four categories (i.e. random stuff)

I will be rotating between one post in each category every week, leaving two days per week free if I so choose.

I will also be sharing the goals I am currently striving to achieve. You will see how I apply TWD in my daily life in pursuit of those goals.

Let the soul baring begin.

Here, then, is the first step into my life. It is a small step yet it is something that, just like the philosophy of TWD, I have never shared with anyone before. The following are my personal guides to living what I hold to be a life of integrity and value.

My Aspiration

To exemplify my philosophy of Thought/Word/Deed better today than yesterday and, in this way, make the world a better place by being an individual worthy of emulation.

My Resolution

• To realize my aspiration.
• To be healthy and fit.
• To positively influence people.
• To be productively prosperous.

My Disciplines

Self-Control

• Stealth-Help: Thought/Word/Deed + shaping

Health and Fitness

• Stealth-Training: Physical training + shaping

Relating and Relationships

• Stealth-Influence: Subtle influence + shaping

Productive Prosperity

• Stealth-Wealth: Asset accumulation + shaping

*I chose the prefix “Stealth” because it fits in nicely with the concept of gradual, one step at a time, change and from a marketing standpoint it sounds cool.

I have shared the above with you not to hold these ideas before you as a type of standard to be copied. I did so only to show you the kind of weirdo I am. I’m the kind of person who holds very high ideals. I went to great lengths to devise the above in such an orderly fashion. I actually wrote this back in early 2004 in pencil, on a piece of loose leaf paper, kept in a plastic cover in my TWD Self-Management binder. You can clearly see the influence all my reading of self-help literature has had on me.

Tomorrow:

• I will share my current goals.
• I have a proposition for you.
• And, I’ll give you the first of many good excuses.

In praise of routines

I am a man of routine. I get up at the same time daily, choose my meals from a small number of healthy options, put things back where I found them, pack my suitcase from a list, check my pockets for my house keys before I close the locked door. If it’s something I do that matters it will become a routine for me. That’s the way I like it. Does this make me boring? Perhaps.

Fun I can do without.

My life may lack the excitement of frantically rushing to get myself ready for work because I hit the snooze one too many times.

I may not enjoy the pleasure of having to dole out money for some crappy vending machine snacks because I didn’t take the time to pack a healthy lunch at home.

I might miss the adventure of climbing onto an upturned garbage can, hoping it will hold my weight without collapsing, as I try to break into my own home after having locked the door without the keys in hand.

Life still happens.

I don’t really have to miss these bursts of delight. I can step outside my boring life of routine and live these episodes vicariously through acquaintances, friends, and family. I get to hear the stories around the water cooler at work. I am regaled with the minutiae of every overturned couch cushion, every sock drawer emptied, all the paths retraced in the quest to find the missing car keys. It all sounds like such a hoot. Why do I deny myself these high times?

If I’m really lucky I become involved in one of these spontaneous moments. There I am minding my own business when suddenly the car I am not driving, but am definitely traveling in, runs out of gas. “Oh. I really thought we’d make it to the next station,” says the spur of the moment driver. If it had been me I would have filled up when the gauge registered less than half a tank. But that’s just me. Why don’t I lighten up?

Not a good idea.

Imagine if a surgeon decided to be less routine in his job. “Today I think I’ll be a little random in my approach. These surgeries are getting to be too boring. I’m going to mix it up a bit today. This should be fun.” (Have fun when my life isn’t on the line, thanks.)

Or how about a building contractor. “Sure the plans say to build the wall here but I’m feeling the need to express myself. I don’t want to be hemmed in by these plans all the time. Today this wall is going here instead.” (And tomorrow the architect will get to express himself.)

Or a writer. “The contract says this book is due in one week. I’m sure they won’t mind it being a few weeks late, I’m having too much fun spending the advance here in Hawaii. Ah, life is good.” (Not for long.)

Effectiveness through routine.

When it matters routines are the order of the day. Any time you can take a process and make it into a routine, a habit, you put yourself in position to maximize your effectiveness. Every time you enact the routine you become better at it, more efficient.

Save the spontaneity for irrelevant concerns. When it doesn’t matter what happens it doesn’t matter what you do. When it is important be willing to take the extra initial effort to learn a routine. It will save you hassle in the future.

Boring?

So, am I boring? Probably. But I’m also the guy you can count on. I’m consistent and I follow through. I can live with being considered boring.