Postcards from the Funny Farm

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A yellow pad and a soft lead pencil can solve any problem. They can also plan any dream. If you don’t have these items in your home, stop reading and get them now.

Growing up I watched my dad use these 2 tools to solve financial challenges, get an advanced college degree, plan, and draw doodles for us 4 kids. I can remember countless times taking a soft lead pencil off his desk or the counter where he had left it and drawing with it until the night black point was dulled to the useless beige wood. Then I would go to his electric sharpener and hear that whirring buzz of wood whittling down at nuclear speed to make it shap again. I would repeat this process over and over again. I’ll never forget the wood smell of the freshly sharpened pencil. There was also something inspirational about a fresh, full yellow pad to write on. Since that time, many of my college, financial, and familial challenges have been figured out on a yellow pad with a soft lead pencil.

Having the right tools is satisfying, but tools are neutral. a box of 100 Ticonderogas and a ream of yellow pads will do nothing for you unless you are driven to solve your problem, or achieve your dream. Yesterday I wrote about “Finding your WHAT” for today. In this second post of this series on possibility thinking, I want to express the need to have the DESIRE to get your “what,” or, to GET WHAT YOU WANT. What will you write on your yellow pad if you have no vision . . . no desire. Find that passion and then get your tools out because everything is possible. Repeat that to yourself “everything is possible.” It indeed is. Now that you have written down what you wanted yesterday, write today what you want this week. let me give you an example and show you what I am looking at:

This week (between today Tues and this Sunday) I want:

to have quality time with my wife and kids in the time when I am not at work. I know what quality means to me and I will plan on my yellow pad with my soft lead pencil real possibilities of how that will transpire.

to ensure my kids are 100% prepared for their “scoe” test. This is a periodic assessment we give at my work that shows how the kids are progressing toward the big standards test in May. I know what needs to be done and only i can ensure this happens. MANY teachers would in their heart of hearts (though they would not admit it) say that 100% preparedness is impossible. I take issue with that, I know it is possible.

to listen more to people around me. To not interject. To just listen. This is the kind of person I love to be around . . . a listener. I want to become that before Sunday. I will become that and people will be touched because I become that. That is possibility thinking.

I hope you enjoyed my drawn out description of the yellow pad and pencil. Again, they as tools are neutral. However, when you have your “what” figured out (you know what you want as I have exemplified above) you will appreciate those tools. For some it may be a gel pen and a black tablet . . . the tools may vary. Your local Office Depot or Staples is full of tools. Unfortnately, buying things there will never get you a “what.” You have to apply your mind and sit down to figure that for yourself. The, and only then, are the tools fun to play with. So go have some fun.