Birthday Review - 38 Years

The first half of 2016 was good.  Was the "growth" theme maintained?  What were the key events?

1. Lendlease job started.

2. Opened and operating a third Morganfield's.
3. Started (but failed) on the weekly Rewind event.
4. Redeveloped Morganfield's website.
5. Developed Restaurant Ordering System.

As part of my check in, I have learnt more in the last few months and I think "growth" is being achieved.  Mentally I am handling all this different stimulus and balancing out all the different work areas and if anything the latter half of this year is about consolidating this growth and being effective in all the different parts of my life.  

If I break down "growth" to now the individual components of the items above, they would be:

1. For Lendlease: Get a better handle on the technology elements of buildings through research and drive this business unit more as the GM as opposed to a BD.  Re-learn the corporate structure but also learn how to "hustle" within a large corporate.

2. For Morganfield's:  Learn to be more of an outsider looking into the performance of the business unit to be able to drive better efficiency in our costs.  Get better data analytics to compliment our operations knowledge.
3. For Rewind:  Maybe we pushed too hard with the weekly event, so let's move from monthly to twice a month.  Smaller, more manageable step but still some growth.  Still one pool party?
4. Website:  Learn how to use external contractors better to develop an ecommerce website.
5. Restaurant Ordering System: Learn how to be a tech start up!  And get some revenue through the door.

My body did take a bit of a hammering the last few months, due to overexercising and then low immunity from too much partying!  People do compliment me for my energy, but I find that it comes and goes and I do need more sleep.  The work side is not affecting my health too much so I think it is ok.  I do need to get back into the "healthy" theme a bit more.  Better and more regular eating will help.  I find that I lose discipline on eating easily, probably because I don't see any visual effects of it e.g. not getting fatter.  Re-framing the eating to be about improved body shape (more muscle) might be a start!  External goals is good, I need to find a good one to start me back on track.  Maybe white collar boxing?

Idea generation is still a very weak part of my day to day routine.  Make it something I do as part of my wake up routine and have a space on the whiteboard for it.  The problem is thinking about idea generation as an "exercise" makes me not see the value of it.  Try doing 10 ideas related to those 5 components listed above?  But this narrows my thinking, which is not the aim of the idea generation.

My relationships were a bit up and down the last few months.  I heard an interesting comment from some dating coach on the radio.  He advised that we all make "motherhood" statements about qualities and virtues we look for and avoid, but what are the actual events/statements/actions that would make me validate the person has those qualities?  I talk about "cute alpha girls", but what do I mean?  And is it really still true? 

• I think someone is "alpha" when they are willing to speak their opinions but also humble enough to listen to others.
• I think someone is "alpha" when they will are aware of their own flaws/faults and takes responsibility for them.
• I think someone is "alpha" when they demonstrate their ability to take care of themselves and those around them.

Now that I write more about it, the word "self-assured" becomes slightly more relevant than "alpha".  

Other traits

• I think "cute" is in looks, but not in actions.  And in a moment of horrific self-awareness, I realise that I can act cute when I am with someone in a relationship! *shakes head*
• I think someone cares when they unexpectedly buy something for me or asks about me e.g. cake, gift.

• I think someone is self-absorbed when they talk about themselves a lot.  I am getting better at being less sensitive to this one but it still irks me.

• I dislike when people check their phones during a one-on-one conversation, it shows they are focussed elsewhere and hence the conversation cannot be as engaging.

Overall being 38 is a solid age.  Keep up the discipline and focus.  Continue to be self-aware and use that self-awareness for continued improvement in all facets of life.  Fuck Yes or No.