Meet People Where They Are

 There has been a definite emphasis on boundaries. In the last few years a lot of people are setting boundaries and not doing things that they shouldn't be doing. This is a good thing and it helps protect people from harmful situations. However, it can go overboard and I'm seeing a trend where people are not having decency, or are being tribal in the name of boundaries.

You always have a decision how you interact with other people. If you feel what they are asking is too much, you can decline to engage. This can be a great idea and will protect you in some situations. If what you are being asked to do can cause physical harm, is illegal, is morally ambiguous, is over-stimulating, or is socially unacceptable, please don't do it.

However, if you are setting boundaries to make it easy for yourself or because you are simply being lazy, while this is your choice, you are only going to make it harder on yourself in the long run.

You need to meet people where they are.

You need to change your approach to get through to people. You need to change your approach to draw people in to your way of thinking. You need to be the difference maker in the interaction to get what you want now, and in the long term.

All this is contingent on people understanding delayed gratification. Doing the hard stuff now and everyday will one day make life a lot easier. It will make you indispensable and you will be able to command how things go because, you have their trust, you have their attention, and you have their answers. You have all this because you met them where they were. You have this because you made the first step easy and now they are on a journey that they like because of you. You have this now because you made the effort.

Effort, maybe that is the difference these days. Maybe the secret sauce is just keep trying. You don't have to be perfect, you just have to keep moving forward and putting out the effort. It will put you in a place to shape the world around you because you are meeting people where they are.

Success comes to those who do the work. The work is really just putting I the effort on a consistent basis. Being consistent is hard at times and getting out of your comfort zone is even harder but, if you consistently meet people where they are, you will be their hero and you will move them forward. Over time, this will all come back to you so many times over. It isn't a quick fix, it isn't revolutionary, it is really just a slow easy way to make a difference and get what you want.

You, The Internet, and Data

Back in the late 1990's, when the World Wide Web was in it's infancy, I was in university. Everyone was so excited about how the internet was going to bring a voice to those who have not been heard in the past. It was the democratization of information. We were going to be free and out from under the thumb of the man.

Although I could see this possibility, I also was concerned that without the editorial gatekeepers, holding writers to standards, and ensuring, to the best of their knowledge, the facts they printed were true, we would be in a world of mis-information.

Irrespective if you believe that I had that thought back in the 90's, I think we can agree that the internet has vast swaths of mis-information today.

The latest uproar is the Facebook/Cambridge Analytica use of personal data to change hearts and minds in elections. This is concerning to me but not because they used data from Facebook. I'm concerned that people are so weak-minded that they are swayed by these campaigns. 

There are a lot of factors at play. People don't seek out dissenting opinions anymore. They fall victim to confirmation bias. When they hear what they want to hear they go with it. The problem is people are lazy and are taking the comfortable way out. American voter turnout is so low the path to victory is no longer providing the most appealing platform, the path to victory is motivating the base to actually show up and vote. Politicians don't need to change minds, they need to get like minded people to actually vote.

Let me say this again.

Politicians don't need to change minds, they need to motivate like minded people to actually vote.

This reduces the requirement to develop a platform that is good for all citizens. This encourages stove-piping and not talking to the other side. The lower the voter turnout is, the bigger problem this becomes. This is something that we need to fix.

The good news is we can fix it. The number one thing every citizen can do is vote. The closer a nation gets to full voter turnout, the less a "get out the vote" campaign matters. If you go from motivating your base to talking to the entire population your story will significantly change.

The second thing every citizen can do is seek out people who are different than you and spend meaningful time with them. Don't simply find out what they believe but why they feel it is the best way to do things. It may be frustrating at times but you will grow as a person.

The third thing you can do is questions the hypothesis and source of everything you read. The editorial oversight of the days of old are gone. Nobody is fact-checking for you. Is the source reliable? What is their motivation for creating this content? What are their political leanings? What have they said about other issues? Information on the internet is like advice, it's generally free and you don't have to use it.

The problem we are faced with is not a data analytics company using data about you to figure out how to talk to you. The problem is too many people are being mindless and not questioning what they are consuming.

Power of Music

Although music is really just a combination of tones that can be broken down mathematically there is nothing that can grab ahold of you and influence your mood more.  People are moved and debate and seek out music. There was a tweet from Alan Cross that lead to an article about what computers hear when they listen to music. I think everyone was impressed by Shazam when they added it to their iPhone but the article outlines the larger and amazing ramifications of this type of technology.


Possibly the most amazing thing about music is it doesn't have to be familiar to you to have a profound effect. It's always great when you see a band you love and know every note but it may be even better when you see a band you never heard of and are entertained by every note. You have no idea what comes next but each beat brings more sonic bliss. Often a festival is a great place to discover new music. You get it live, as i was meant to be.


Music can get under your skin. It can get stuck in your head. It can motivate you. It can sedate you. It can express how you feel, even when you can't. It can be a warm blanket, a beacon of hope, or a cold shower. All of this is simply a collection of tones that can be broken down mathematically.


Everyone needs to have music in their life. Most of us should probably have more. We need to seek out new music and love old music. We need to close our eyes and let it take you away. We need to enjoy music as it gets to us and strikes our soul.


When was the last time you let music take you away? If it hasn't been recent, it's time for you to be taken away.

The Power of Music

I often listen to music. I am listening right now as I type this. I was listening earlier today at work and as I got ready for work this morning. I find music can influence me. It can change my mood, remind me of an event, or inspire me.

Why does music have this influence on me and so many people?

Apparently, music can trigger emotional responses in the brain. It can be linked to lasting memories of significant moments. It can help shape those moments.

For me I find that music underscores everything. I often have a song in my head. I can hear songs in the sounds around me. If in see things that are happening with a rhythm I can score it with music in my head. Music seems to have a significant influence on my creativity. It also seems to effect my well-being.

Much like going to the gym, listening to music can make me feel better. I miss music if I don't hear enough in a day. I can enhance or mitigate how I feel with music. It makes can make me happy or jack me up if I'm feeling ho-hum.

I cannot imagine a life without music. It would be a life less examined or enjoyed. I think we all can use some examination and a lot of enjoyment in our lives.