Author: Afif Tabsh

Ideas to Actions

Afif Tabsh22 Comments

We, as human beings, have a zillion ideas flying around in that mind of ours. Yet as Charles Landry once said “the single biggest problem in the world is not finding great ideas but getting great ideas to move, to flow” and this will be the focus of my post. I aim at showing how to move from ideas to actions. From dreams to reality.

Drowning in our ideas and getting stuck on what to do is in itself a thinking problem, a self-inflicted problem in most cases. What we need is to rethink our way of thinking about ideas to create the right movement in the right direction, the rest will follow.

Here are few steps to consider:


Rethink complexity.We create complexities, mind barriers and problems by simply over-analyzing our situation, given and capabilities. Often outsiders see things more objectively and clearly, so do share your ideas and “worries” with some trusted people to get feedback and their perspective before you jumpy into over-analyzing.


Rethink systems.If you’re in a “system”… be it a work environment, friends, community or physical location that is being resistant to change, to comply to new ideas…rethink the system. If you have the power to change the system before you tackle new ideas, do so…if not, then start searching for a newer system that better encourages the very behavior and ideas you seek.


Rethink ego.Our ego can sometimes hinder us from exploring new ideas, from realizing our failures, our limitations and our resources. We keep on rearranging the deck chairs on a sinking ship by keeping busy and deceiving ourselves that we’re making progress.


Rethink boundaries.No idea is too big or too far-fetched, growth and progress often needs exploring new territory, so do take that leap of faith to go into undiscovered forests.


Rethink habits.We are what we do often, so do reflect on your habits and see whether those are pushing you forward towards achieving your dreams and implementing those ideas or are they pulling you back? Failing to realize the impact your habits have on you might mean that you’ll stay stuck where you are.


Rethink failure and success.Two faces of one coin, one cannot come without the other. If you’re afraid of being wrong, embarrassed by failure or paralyzed by insecurity, you will never find the solutions that lead to meaningful growth.. On the other hand, you need to know what success looks like. Muddy expectations lead to exhaustion and defeat before you even get started. Praise short-term accomplishments to appeal to your heart and not just your head. It will keep your ideas moving along.


Rethink the possible.In most cases it just needs that extra push, that bit of motivation, that one voice to tell you “Everything is feasible!”. Many of the things that seem possible and even trivial today were once impossible, so don’t let anything hold you back and go for it!

Seven simple steps with a great impact. Everything is feasible and all ideas can materialize, dreams can become reality…and it’s all in your head!

HARD Goals Vs SMART Goals

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We’ll I’ve been hearing/reading about SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound) goals for ever now. Inspite of the fact that they keep on drilling them in our minds and making sure we’re all abiding by those 5 words to draw our plans, projects and visions…I still don’t really feel completely convinced.

When talking about what I want to achieve, when talking about what I’m planning to work on in my organizations..I don’t think I always have “SMART” goals in mind…infact rarely do I start with those “SMART” goals to rally people and inspire them …rarely do I recruit volunteers to assist by telling them “we’re going to improve X by 30% and remove 11% of the hurdles in the coming 4 months” …that really doesn’t excite me…doesn’t push me to explore new grounds…they’re good on paper…good for diagrams and figures…but they rarely inspire me…or others.

Most of the time they actually limit us…they are a repetition of what we’ve done earlier…we tend to take the safe road …putting down numbers and deadlines that we feel comfortable about…that we know match our current resources…our current skills…

After reading a book called “Hundred Percenters” by Mark Murphy I’d like to suggest a new kind of Goals… HARD Goals…and by HARD I mean Heartfelt, Animated, Required and Difficult…here’s why…

Heartfelt: Whenever I have something that touches me…that instills some feelings in me…its then that I start thinking of starting something new…its then that I feel a bigger purpose driving me… whether its empowering youth, helping children, guarding the environment, or starting a new business initiative…its that noble cause..that idea that clings to my heart that makes me start dreaming.

Animated: How many times do we get goals that practically mean nothing to us…that we can’t really imagine or envision …imagine if Martin Luther King, Jr. had stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and said:

Our goal should be that within the next 30 years, the incidents of hate crimes will be reduced by 63% and

that the percentage of minorities living below the poverty line will be no higher than the percentage for any other racial group.

How’s that for an inspirational speech? exciting? does it rally anyone? I don’t think so…infact I’m glad he said:

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

Now that’s something both inspiring and imaginable …I can really look forward to ….no numbers…no deadlines…nothing “SMART” bout it…yet it really left an impact…

Required: How about all those “SMART” goals that if achieved, or not achieved, they might not really matter…life will not end at their door-steps. I don’t want my goals to just be a vision of a nicer future…I want them to be necessary…I want to show people that they are required and must be done…that those goals cover certain current or future needs and that by achieving them, life will really be better…tomorrow will be brighter.

Difficult: Yes you read it right..I want them to be difficult…I want them to be challenging. I don’t want those “achievable and realistic” goals…Some say that very difficult goals are demotivating…I say everything is feasible and every problem has a solution. Anyway, how difficult is difficult? well not much…come to think about it …what resources will you need? what new skills will you have to learn? …Personally if I’m not learning new things all the time and if I’m not pushing myself and others to be better…do things they never thought they can do before…achieve the dreams that once were impossible…then my goals are not difficult enough!

In the end, when talking about those HARD goals to whoever my audience/ team/ stakeholders/ beneficiaries are … I want them to drool over them…I want their hearts to throb for them…I want to see their eyes widen up…and to get their minds hard at work to figure out how and where to start….

So from now on…I will be using HARD goals..I hope you do to! 🙂

 

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Knowing the Past to Understand the Present and Plan for the Future

Afif Tabsh23 Comments

Sometimes we miss out on that simple thing we call the “Past”, in fact I’ve realised many don’t even give it any attention neither feel like its important to know about it…we’re all so obsessed with whats going on now and what next?

What we don’t realize is that it holds so much information, so much wisdom and so much experiences that we can not ever accumulate in our life time. Yet, knowing all that, many don’t dig enough into it…and I’m not talking here in terms of one’s own past, but rather the past of a whole country, nation, and civilization in general.

Go back to the history books and you will realize that human civilisation is a “de-ja vu” happening over and over again. Different times, different places, different people…same story with a small twist. It gets me wondering sometimes, if those people actually read, understood and analysed what happened in the past, would they change or would they still have done what they previously planned to do?

Wouldn’t it be much more useful if when I’m facing any issue in my life (whether career or personal or political or national or …) I do know what happened in the past in such cases and decided accordingly? Rather than just contemplating in the way I feel and like and what people around me say and all those unknowns?

Infact aside from this simple example, think of where we stand today…in the present…and you’ll realise it is simply the accumulation of events, plans and decisions done in the past…and so to really understand where we are in life…it is crucial to actually know what our predecessors did and why.

Taking it a step further(hypothetically), now that we thought and reflected on the past and got a better understanding of the present (hopefully that is) it is much easier to see the big picture and many of the underlying details of the previously foggy future. At least now we understand better were we stand in this world, how are others related to us and how do we relate to the overall progress of civilisation and where might it all probably lead next.

I can sit here, contemplate and right for hours…but I do not want to bore you but rather instigate you to ponder and give me your feedback…

In the end I’ll leave you with this quote/drawing….

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Appreciating the Value of Friends and Loved Ones…

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Throughout yesterday and the past few days I realized how essential it is to have a small group of close people you call family, friends and loved ones.

On days when you feel you’re on top of the world and others when you’re hitting rock bottom…without those handful of people who give you their care, attention, and love…it wont really be worth. Even though the numerous people you call friends, coworkers, colleagues …support you and stay posted with you…sometimes this is not enough.

During my birthday yesterday I realized how attached I am to those handful, how grateful I am to have them and how sad I feel when we don’t stay in touch as often as we wish…

I truly appreciate all my friends, coworkers, colleagues, loved ones and all those I meet day in and day out…without those life wont be the same. It’s true what they say that humans are social creatures, and as the old Arabic proverb says “A heaven with no people is not worth being in” … and in this context it doesn’t mean no people at all, but rather no people to spend your time with, care about and that care about you in return.

On a final note, as the days go by I am getting to appreciate all the good people I know, all the support I’m getting and all the support I’m being able to give….

With much love and appreciation.

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International Clubs: Toastmasters

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Name of Organization: Toastmasters International

Date of Origin: 1924

Motto: Become the speaker and leader you want to be

Founder: Ralph C. Smedley

Origin: Smedley began working as director of education for a Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) after he graduated from college. He observed that many of the young patrons needed “training in the art of public speaking and in presiding over meetings” and Smedley wanted to help them. He decided the training format would be similar to a social club. During the early 1900s the word “toastmaster” referred to a person who proposed the toasts and introduced the speakers at a banquet. Smedley named his group “The Toastmasters Club” because he thought it suggested a pleasant, social atmosphere appealing to young men.

Work: Public speaking sessions, tournaments and workshops.

International Clubs: JCI – Junior Chamber International

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Name of Organization: Junior Chamber International (JCI) (originally called Young Men’s Progressive Civic Association (YMPCA))

Date of Origin:  October 13, 1915.

Motto: Be Better

Founder: Henry “Hy” Giessenbier, Jr.

Origin: It is a worldwide federation of young leaders and entrepreneurs. Members contribute to the advancement of the global community by creating positive change worldwide.

Work: Members work on business, individual, community and international development through projects, meetings, seminars, and events.

International Clubs: Kiwanis

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Name of Organization: Kiwanis International

Date of Origin: 1915 AD

Motto: To Serve Children of the World

Founders: Allen S. Browne & Joseph C. Prance

Origin: Kiwanis = We Share our Talent (American Indian expression: Nunc Kee-wanis). Volunteering to change the world through service to children and communities.

Work: Shelter, Hunger, Mentoring the Underprivileged, Health Care, Youth Leadership, Reconstruction.

Sub-Categories: Kiwanis University, Key Club International, Builders Club, Aktion Club, Kiwanis International Foundation, Circle K International, Key Leader, Kiwanis Kids, Kiwanis Junior.

International Clubs: Lions

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Name of Organization: Lions International


Date of Origin: June 7,1917 AD

Motto: We Serve

Founder: Melvin Jones

Origin: Melvin Jones suggested in a business convention to put the talents of some businessmen and friends to improve their communities. The suggestion by Melvin was answered back by some interested individuals and funding from his own money and theirs. Lions as a symbol, as the founders put it, represents strength, courage, fidelity and vital action. After few meetings between the founders, that symbol was chosen by a secret ballot.


Work: Eye-sight, Disabled, Healthcare, Building Schools, Natural Disaster Relief, Reconstruction. Lions had a role in drafting the constitution of the UN, and still have members observing some of its meetings till today. They focus on doing service projects in their communities that are mainly health related and with some emphasis on social issues on religious or national occasions.

Sub-categories: Lions Clubs, Leos Clubs, Lions Leadership Program.

International Clubs: Rotary

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Name of Organization: Rotary International

Date of Origin: February 23,1905 AD

Founder: Attorney Paul P. Harris

Motto: Service Above Self

Origin: Businessmen where invited to join to both serve each other and capture the goodwill spirit amongst the club members. The habit of rotating meeting venue in offices of members gave the organization its name “Rotary”.

Work: Rotary members had a big role in Europe since the WWII in relief and humanitarian aid, and had an impact on the initiation of the UN.  Post WWII, Rotaray called for a conference to promote education adn cultural exchange which inspired the fouding of UNESCO. Many UN committees and departments till this day have Rotary observers present in their meetings.A major campaign they worked on was Polio+. Most clubs now work on local service projects and on sponsoring Rotaract Clubs to do similar projects and campaigns.

Sub-categories: Rotary Clubs, Rotary Fellows, InnerWheel Clubs, Rotary Scholarship Grants, Rotaract Clubs, Interact Clubs.

Secret Societies: Free Masons

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Name of Organization: Free Masons (also known as Free & Accepted Masons, Masonry, Masonic Brothers, Mason Fraternity)

Date of Origin: Late 16th Century – Present (though claims itself to be more than 6,000 years old which is explained bellow).

Historic Significance: Diminishing of religious dominance in Europe and shift to secularism and philosophy of the origin of the universe,  of the self and of the living beings.

Origin: A hierarchical fraternity (male brotherhood organization) that provides a space for members to meet, network, learn, discuss and push forward the collective ideas into action while keeping all the inner goings of the organization in secret. The Dominance of Britain and France over major parts of the world through colonies assisted in the wide spread of the fraternity. This lead to the transfer of the Fraternity to the United States, other European countries and the colonies world-wide.

Founders: Politically/Socially Involved Figures, Philosophers,  Royal Counselors, Financiers, Traders, Army men.  Mostly which had financial/social power and ambitions to go beyond the grip of the religious figures and kings as the representatives of God on Earth.

Work:
  • Researches, studies, books, press and media publishing. This aims at pushing forward their ideas/plans through all kinds of academic material, novels, researches, business magazines, media, press…etc.
  • Rituals, ceremonies, handshakes and symbols involving allegory to actual masonry(building & construction), Geometry, the Zodiac, Judaism and myths. Due to linking to those myths, geometry and old building skills(art of masonry) the fraternity gives itself a mythical start date of 4,000 years before Christ. This aims at creating a spiritual/intellectual attachment, discipline, commitment and loyalty of the members to the organization as something of an older presence than any other organization/state/country.
  • Charity, social services (home shelters, educational scholarships, medical assistance, philanthropy through public organizations) this aims at both helping the community and gaining the public’s support and sympathy as people of good heart and intentions.

Organizations Directly Related or Allied to Masonry:
Shriners, Order of DeMolay, Job’s Daughter, Tall Cedars of Lebanon, Grotto Movper, Rainbow Girls,  Daughters of the Nile, AAONMS, Knights of Columbus, Order Militia Crucifica, Order of the Eastern Star, Order of the Solar Temple, Order Templi Orientis, Rosicrucians, Knights of Solomon , amongst others.