Things I learned in 2013

These are my personal discoveries of the year:

  1. "The most precious gift we can offer anyone is our attention."
    (Thich Nhat Hanh)
     
  2. Imprecise speech causes confusion and delay.
     
  3. There can be a difference between what is important and what is urgent.
     
  4. It's helpful to leave a little something left over in the tank.
     
  5. Rolling areas of focus can be more effective than annual goals.
    (via HBR)
     
  6. “The essence of economy lies not in savings, but in selection.” 
    (supposedly Edmund Burke)
     
  7. Less really can be more. I’ve shed many extraneous possessions and commitments lately and have found more capacity to think, focus, and simply be at rest and enjoy life.
     
  8. Board games can be incredibly fun, and we are likely in a golden age of smart, balanced games. Past a deep Scrabble love, I’ve been enjoying the entry-level Carcassonne, Ticket to Ride, and Settlers of Catan this year and am looking forward to trying even more new games in 2014.
     
  9. Regarding the holidays: it will all get done, and this year will never come again, so we might as well stop worrying and enjoy it. 
    (paraphrasing a few Mary Schmich columns)
     
  10. You can't simply blow up a dead whale and hope the problem will go away


Happy holidays!