Organization

Trust me, I am not one to talk on organization. I had some notes here somewhere on organization. I just can’t seem to find them. Organization is not what many people think it is. Some people point to a clean desk. Some people believe it is everything put neatly into its own cubbyhole. Some people think it is minimalism. And yet, ‘organization’ is really none of those things.

Organization is being able to know where you’re going, what you need along the way, and at any time being able to understand where the tools and items you need are. Some folks with the messiest of desks know which pile holds the next thing they need. Their lives are not planned directly from point A to Z. Instead, they choose a set of ellipses and S curves with a few spirals thrown in for good measure. Yet, they know where they want to go and what they want to do.

The person who is neat as a pin, everything put away, and sitting at an empty desk unsure of what’s next or what his or her next step will be is the one I worry for. The person in the last paragraph has a plan. The person in this paragraph has a set of habits. The question is, where will these habits lead? And, what kind of spark will it take to move from habits to future desires?

I am not trying to make you believe that everyone who is messy and scattered is actually working to a higher plan. Yet, as you get to know people, you will find some that do. Nor am I trying to tell you that people who are neat really don’t know where they’re going, although some don’t. And both groups have people who have not taken the time to consider what it is they really want to do in the future. And there are people in both groups who have worked out their plants and know exactly where they want to go.

What I want to tell you is that you can’t judge an e-book by its cover. Some people, like some books, will follow fantastic winding roads through beautiful scenery and epic adventures. And you cannot judge anybody from the appearance of their outer cover, because everyone is unique and often times full of surprises.

The real thought I want to bring you to is one about yourself and not others. This question is for you. Have you planned where you want your story to take you? What type of epic adventures will you have? And what kind of roads will you walk along the way?

Thank you for being with me today. I hope to be with you again tomorrow.

Author: Mike Balof

A retired Air Force Master Sergeant, Mike used to lay in bed at night and worry about what would happen if his plant closed or found himself without a job. One day his plant closed. Rather than panic and hysteria (OK, maybe a little) Mike found himself carried away on the adventure of his life. Mike started with the best job he ever had working at Home Depot. He spent 8 years working with job seekers at a local workforce center, helping them to find employment. He then started his own company developing courses, writing books and urging others to follow their own paths into the future. Mike holds a Master of Arts in Adult Education and Training and a Bachelor of Business Management, earned through the University of Phoenix and an AAS degree in Electronics Systems Technology from the Community College of the Air Force. Mike is a member of the Delta Mu Delta Business Honor Society. View all posts by Mike Balof