Big G-ULP

Big  G-ULP

It was raining when I got up this morning and I thought “oh, great, it will at least be cool for my ride to yoga later”. I made coffee and settled into my morning routine of emails, notes and general observations about the world at large and the little space I inhabit in front of my computer.

I spent the evening reading a fascinating book by Dr. Gay Hendricks entitled THE BIG LEAP  .  It was a start to finish read as we now use Ipads and clouds in lieu of Cover to Covers anymore around here. After the Introduction I grabbed one of my spiral notebooks and began taking notes as he addressed EXACTLY an episode that occurred with me that morning.

The goal of the book is to assist you in finding your Zone of Genius. This is the place that allows to you reach beyond you competence and even your excellence for that matter, into another realm of being where you shine like the star you are. (my words, not his)

HELL YES !!! you say……………..”Sign me up” !!!..................”I want some of that for sure BECAUSE you are absolutely right I am a shining star”………..(perhaps even the brightest you think to yourself……..whoops, did I just “project” that…?)   Of course we all want to “be all we can be”………….OR do we?

Dr. Hendricks gives numerous wonderful examples of The Upper Limit Problem. In fact even his grandchildren offer a definition which I will paraphrase from the voice of a 12 year old girl “ya know when you are having a really good time and then all of a sudden somebody ruins it”……….”It’s because that “someone” has reached their UPPER LIMIT”……….

BINGO !!!

It happened to me yesterday morning while video chatting with Edy. We were in a deep and heavy conversation about really good stuff and I suddenly had the urge to go and do laundry……….TRUE !!, I gave a 2 minute warning to go and do laundry.  As if that was not enough I decided to windex the bedroom and while I was doing that I thought to myself, “Dude, you just freaked out”……(yes, BIG Lebowski fan too)   I pondered this for a bit more and then shared it with Edy. Of course she knew what happened, I didn’t.  About ten minutes later I decided to start reading “The Book” and the Introduction explained in perfect detail what an Upper Limit Problem (ULP) was…………….Oh, lordy “I’ve got it bad”.

By 1am this morning , I had many pages of notes and a “Mission from God” (and a Blues Brothers fan too) to do the work to find my Zone of Genius. Edy read the book 1^st so I was anxious to compare notes which we did long distance for quite some time. I then set the notes aside and watched the video interview that is on the site above (forewarned 1hr long) and then “got into the flow” and wrapped up 6 hours of programming schematics in an hour (Einstein Time – another Chapter) until I got a phone call that knocked me off my tracks into a ditch.

I have hated my “job” for a long time now. I love design but am fried with the BS that goes into “projects” these days. Since I began in business many decades ago I have had clients that loved what was created for them, LOVED the PR  but “something” would always come up at the end that would cause friction. I went to PhD’s about this phenomenon (“you hold too much power for too long and they need to assert and re-claim”) which might be true but after reading the book, I have much more compassion for them and see that it was an ULP, and can just empathize.  

There is so much to the book beyond “Zones” that  I hope you too enjoy it.

I became saturated with my “homework” and the derailment and decided to head to yoga earlier than usual to integrate some of this stuff. One of the trainers, "Tony" is also the facilities guy and I asked him if he got the envelope I left him last week? (The door to the Studio never stays closed and make me and others nuts, so I gave him some rupbber washers to put behind the latch plate.) He said “yes, thanks” but I am so behind I have not had a chance to install anything yet because my “to do list” is so long."

I went out and sat on my bench to watch the Aviary XXX show still going on beyond on the telephone wire with the doves……2pr today…..”Racsals”………..days and days ….for real???.

Tony walked by with a pile of trash and sweat dripping off him and I asked if he needed any help? “No, I got it” he said and trudged on…..On his way back I asked him if he had a screw driver ? “Sure” he said, “why?”…………..”Would it help your “list” at all if I installed those washers for you?”………………”Oh, Man you have no idea !!!.  THANK YOU!!!

So I worked for about ten minutes taking the plate off straightening it – back filling the rotted wood and installed the washers that I had left earlier. It was a great sense of accomplishment and felt good to help someone out.

I was reminded as I was cleaning up the sawdust and paint chips from the floor of the studio that THAT was I liked most about my job when I 1^st stared my career. Helping people,  and the sense of accomplishment when the job was done right.

Gosh, I have had not had that feeling is so long I can’t remember………….???

Seems like it’s a good place to start looking for my “Zone of Genius”...............all over again.