Curious about Capacity - In What Areas Do We Use Our Capacity? What Does Capacity Mean to You?

Definitions: 1) The power of receiving and holding ideas, knowledge, etc.; the comprehensiveness of the mind; the receptive faculty; capability of understanding or feeling.
2 ) Ability; power pertaining to, or resulting from, the possession of strength, wealth, or talent; possibility of being or of doing.
3) Outward condition or circumstances; occupation; profession; character; position; as, to work in the capacity of a mason or a carpenter.

Capacity spans a huge number of areas, attitudes and abilities. It also serves as a definition of how capable we are in a variety of pursuits. For example, what is our capacity for exercise and what are the circumstances that help and/or hinder our capacity? What is our capacity for learning, for understanding, for the wide range of communication, for leadership, creativity, for courage, and on and on.

Yes, capacity knows no limits. I discovered that as I found a plethora of capacity quotations from experts of all ages, professions and opinions. I feel that by sharing these, you will develop - as I have - a new respect for what capacity stands for. And, not just for you, but also for peers, friends, family members and the renowned.

Some general quotations:

• “Wealth is the product of man's capacity to think.” - Ayn Rand, Russian writer
• “And I find - I'm 63, and my capacity to be by myself and just spend time by myself hasn't diminished any. That's the necessary part of being a writer, you better like being alone.” - John Irving, American novelist
• “I just think that we're capable of so much more; we don't utilize all our capacity like we should.” - Marcus Allen, American athlete
• “The capacity you're thinking of is imagination; without it there can be no understanding, indeed no fiction.” - William Trevor, Irish writer
• “Using the power of decision gives you the capacity to get past any excuse to change any and every part of your life in an instant.” - Tony Robbins, American author

Defining terms by the use of the idea of capacity:

• “Genius... is the capacity to see ten things where the ordinary man sees one.” - Ezra Pound, American poet
• “Bravery is the capacity to perform properly even when scared half to death.” - Omar N. Bradley, American soldier
• “Freedom is man's capacity to take a hand in his own development. It is our capacity to mold ourselves.” - Rollo May, American psychologist
• “Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.” - Mohandas Gandhi, Indian leader
• “Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.” - Warren G. Bennis, American psychologist
• “The creative individual has the capacity to free himself from the web of social pressures in which the rest of us are caught. He is capable of questioning the assumptions that the rest of us accept.” - John W. Gardner, American educator
• “True genius resides in the capacity for evaluation of uncertain, hazardous, and conflicting information.” - Winston Churchill, English statesman

In addition, some capacity quotations with a bit of a twist:

• “Nature shows that with the growth of intelligence comes increased capacity for pain, and it is only with the highest degree of intelligence that suffering reaches its supreme point.” - Arthur Schopenhauer, German philosopher
• “The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.” - Erich Fromm, American psychologist
• “The capacity of human beings to bore one another seems to be vastly greater than that of any other animal.” - H. L. Mencken, American writer
• “One of the many interesting and surprising experiences of the beginner in child analysis is to find in even very young children a capacity for insight which is often far greater than that of adults.” - Melanie Klein, Austrian psychologist
• “Smiling is very important. If we are not able to smile, then the world will not have peace. It is not by going out for a demonstration against nuclear missiles that we can bring about peace. It is with our capacity of smiling, breathing, and being peace that we can make peace.” - Nhat Hanh, Vietnamese activist

So, what do you think? What capacities do you have? And what capacities would you like to strengthen? I would love to hear from you!

Here are a few quotations to take with you and chew upon this coming week:

• “We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.” - Martin Luther King, Jr., American leader
• “Innovation is the specific instrument of entrepreneurship. The act that endows resources with a new capacity to create wealth.” - Peter Drucker, American businessman
• “The capacity for hope is the most significant fact of life. It provides human beings with a sense of destination and the energy to get started.” - Norman Cousins, American editor

Curious about Quality: How Much Does It Mean to You? When Choosing, Buying, Giving, Reading, Learning or Experiencing?

“You can't fake quality any more than you can fake a good meal.” - William S. Burroughs, American writer

“The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.” - Vince Lombardi, American coach

I chose quality for this week’s theme because the word and idea of quality kept popping up in the books I have been reading and listening to. One included the quality of relationships. Another the quality of ideas. And a third the quality of products and procedures.

I started thinking seriously about the quality of my relationships and my life. I am thrilled with both areas. And yet, I do feel that we can always improve, add more quality to every project, help more people get more of what they want and pursue quality in every corner we touch. I am revisiting the details of my days and checking out where I can add more quality in every area.

How about you? Are you pleased with the quality you encounter around you and in your life? What areas are great and which could be better?

I was overwhelmed by the number and scope of quotations dealing with quality that I found. Some are serious and offer warnings. Others are instructive. And then there are those with a touch of humor. So, here goes!

Let’s start with some general thoughts from the experts:

• “We always felt that if you do something with quality and integrity, then it's going to come back to you.” - Herb Alpert, American musician
• “Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.” - Henry Ford, American businessman
• “Quality is never an accident. It is always the result of intelligent effort.” - John Ruskin, English writer
• “The quality, not the longevity, of one's life is what is important.” - Martin Luther King, Jr., American leader
• “Commit yourself to quality from day one... it's better to do nothing at all than to do something badly.” - Mark McCormack, American businessman
• “It is quality rather than quantity that matters.” - Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Roman statesman

And, then there are those who define the meaning more fully:

• “The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office.” - Dwight D. Eisenhower, American President
• “Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected.” - Steve Jobs, American businessman
• “Education is the process in which we discover that learning adds quality to our lives. Learning must be experienced.” - William Glasser, American psychologist
• “Almost all quality improvement comes via simplification of design, manufacturing... layout, processes, and procedures.” - Tom Peters, American businessman
• “The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy its victim.” - Sun Tzu, Chinese philosopher

Ah! And then the tweaks, twists and an addition of a bit of humor:

• “There is, indeed, no single quality of the cat that man could not emulate to his advantage.” - Carl Van Vechten, American writer
• “Wisdom is the quality that keeps you from getting into situations where you need it.” - Doug Larson, American cartoonist
• “Mankind: A quality of life upgrade is available to each and every one of you. It should give you a quality of life upgrade, which means no drugs, no alcohol, no fast food - unless, of course, it's a mallard.” - Ted Nugent, American musician
• “I think there is only one quality worse than hardness of heart and that is softness of head.” - Theodore Roosevelt, American President
• “The appreciative smile, the chuckle, the soundless mirth, so important to the success of comedy, cannot be understood unless one sits among the audience and feels the warmth created by the quality of laughter that the audience takes home with it.” - James Thurber, American comedian

So what do you feel after reading this far? I would love to get some of your feedback on this useful area of our lives.

Think of me this coming week as you consider the following thoughts:

• “Men acquire a particular quality by constantly acting in a particular way.” - Aristotle, Greek philosopher
• “Associate yourself with people of good quality, for it is better to be alone than in bad company.” - Booker T. Washington, American educator
• “Men should be judged not by their tint of skin, the gods they serve, the vintage they drink, nor by the way they fight, or love, or sin, but by the quality of the thought they think.” - Adela Florence Nicolson - English poet

Curious about Choices: What Choices Are You Making? Are They Serving You Well?

“The key to accepting responsibility for your life is to accept the fact that your choices, every one of them, are leading you inexorably to either success or failure, however you define those terms.” - Neal Boortz, American journalist

“In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.” - Eleanor Roosevelt, American First Lady

I love this time of year because of the enthusiasm for making resolutions (I call them goals), stating intentions and another winning approach is making promises to ourselves. The unfortunate truth is that many of the resolutions, goals, intentions and promises have already been broken or are falling by the wayside (forgive the cliché).

It all results from the choices we make and are making. If we have heard it once, we have been inundated by the statement that we are exactly where we are today because of the choices we have made in the past - and everyday brings us a plethora of choices. Choices about what to eat, what to spend, what to read and/or study, what to concentrate on, what to think, what to work on, what excuses to believe, and on and on.

Yes, I do believe that my choices set the tone and direction of my life. But, don’t take it from me. Let’s visit the experts.

General quotations about choices:

• “You and I are essentially infinite choice-makers. In every moment of our existence, we are in that field of all possibilities where we have access to an infinity of choices.” - Deepak Chopra, philosopher
• “There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them.” - Denis Waitley, American writer
• “Our lives are a sum total of the choices we have made.” - Wayne Dyer, American psychologist
• “Every person has free choice. Free to obey or disobey the Natural Laws. Your choice determines the consequences. Nobody ever did, or ever will, escape the consequences of his choices.” - Alfred A. Montapert, American author

How about a twist, with a bit of humor thrown in?

• “As a child my family's menu consisted of two choices: take it or leave it.” - Buddy Hackett, American comedian
• “Women now have choices. They can be married, not married, have a job, not have a job, be married with children, unmarried with children. Men have the same choice we've always had: work, or prison.” - Tim Allen, American comedian

A different way to consider choices:

• “I think we too often make choices based on the safety of cynicism, and what we're lead to is a life not fully lived. Cynicism is fear, and it's worse than fear - it's active disengagement.” - Ken Burns, American director
• “There are definitely more choices today, but there are also more tools - such as warning labels on music, ratings, and the V-chip for television.” - Tipper Gore, American celebrity
• “You go to LA, or you go to New York, and it's really fun to go there. But they're not grounded. Everybody is just competing all the time for the limelight. It's too much entertainment industry. There are too many choices. And it's distracting to me.” - Bob Seger, American musician
• “A narrative is like a room on whose walls a number of false doors have been painted; while within the narrative, we have many apparent choices of exit, but when the author leads us to one particular door, we know it is the right one because it opens.” - John Updike, American novelist

I do want you to know that even though some of our current situations have resulted from unfortunate choices made in the past, the good news is that we can change those circumstances with new and better choices.

So here are a couple of quotations to serve you well this coming week:

“Information can bring you choices and choices bring power - educate yourself about your options and choices. Never remain in the dark of ignorance.” - Joy Page, American actress

“There's a need for accepting responsibility - for a person's life and making choices that are not just ones for immediate short-term comfort. You need to make an investment, and the investment is in health and education.” - Buzz Aldrin, American astronaut

What choices are you making? What has worked for you? I would love to hear from you.

Curious about Deadline(s): Do You Set Them for Yourself? Do You Love, Like or Hate Working on Them?

“I am one of those people who thrive on deadlines, nothing brings on inspiration more readily than desperation.” - Harry Shearer, American actor

“A goal is a dream with a deadline.” - Napoleon Hill, American writer

As someone who sets deadlines for herself, I find that by having a deadline I accomplish what I have committed to. Without my attention to deadlines, I am not sure that my weekly and/or monthly e-newsletters would arrive on time. I know other writers and freelancers who set and work on deadlines for the same reasons.

However, I have been amazed by the number of people who not only dislike, but actually hate deadlines. On my “Portfolio Career” Self Test I include the statement, “I enjoy working on deadlines.” A large number of respondents - close to the majority - choose the “least true” on a scale of 1 to 5.

Why do I include this statement? It is because we are presently part of a culture that values “speed.” Clients are looking for what they want, usually as quickly as possible, as long as the work is done well. One of my selling points as a web developer/designer is my quick turn-around, especially for updates and maintenance.

This is also the time of year when goals and goal setting get a lot of attention. Most proponents of traditional goal setting suggest that we make our goals timely. That we do set a deadline to work toward. Others say not to. I feel strongly that we should follow what works for us. You and I are unique. So, if you work better under the pressure of a deadline, name one for your goal(s). But, just don’t become discouraged and give up if you reach that date and are close to achieving it, but not quite. Too many become discouraged just before a great outcome. My advice to you is to keep on keeping on!

In checking what the experts have to say about deadline(s), I was surprised by many of the negative spins and the stated reactions to deadlines - some good, but many not good.

Reactions to working on a deadline include:

• “Without deadlines and restrictions I just tend to become preoccupied with other things.” - Val Kilmer, American actor
• “Journalist: a person without any ideas but with an ability to express them; a writer whose skill is improved by a deadline: the more time he has, the worse he writes.” - Karl Kraus, Austrian writer
• “If I'm right in the middle of a deadline, I'm up really early.” - Marilu Henner, actress
• “Call me a braggart, call me arrogant. People at ABC (and elsewhere) have called me worse. But when you need the job done on deadline, you'll call me.” - Sam Donaldson, American journalist
• “I have a deadline. I'm glad. I think that will help me get it done.” - Michael Chabon, American author

Then, there were those who question the quality of work performed under deadlines:

• “Everybody in the real world will agree - the moment a project is behind deadline, quality assurance tends to go out the window.” - Alan Cox, inventor
• “A harsh reality of newspaper editing is that the deadlines don't allow for the polish that you expect in books or even magazines.” - Bill Walsh, American coach
• “Be able to meet any deadline, even if your work is done less well than it would be if you had all the time you would have preferred.” - Marilyn vos Savant, American writer

Of those who dislike deadlines:

• “One forges one's style on the terrible anvil of daily deadlines.” - Emile Zola, French novelist
• “I don't deal with deadlines very well.” - Sarah McLachlan, Canadian musician
• “I didn't like the deadline pressure. I didn't like being under some assignment editor's thumb.” - Charles Kuralt, American journalist
• “The lifestyle that an artist can have, the freedom to wander in the landscape with no real pressure or deadlines, was a very attractive one.” - John Dyer, Welsh poet

So, I wonder how you feel about deadlines. Do you use them to advantage? Or do you rail against them?

To add a bit of humor and lightness to your week:

“I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.” - Douglas Adams, English writer

Do let me know what you think. I love getting feedback.