January 2024
"Mind sword. Mind people watching. Mind enemy."
"Too many mind."
It’s been 20 years since I sat, mouth agape, watching the mesmerising fight scene in 'Last Samurai'.
Throughout the fight, Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise) gets his arse unceremoniously handed to him by Ujio (the incredible Hiroyuki Sanada).
Growing ever more frustrated, Algren fights harder and harder.
And loses harder and harder.
Eventually, another samurai approaches and says in halting English:
“Forgive. Too many mind”.
“Too many mind?” queries Algren.
“Yes. Mind sword. Mind people watching. Mind enemy. Too many mind”.
As a result of my recent accident and subsequent recovery, I very nearly lost one of the greatest gifts life ever bestowed upon me.
I was always chastised at school for ‘zoning out’ and not paying attention.
Family, friends and romantic partners have swung between amusement and frustration at my ability to ‘step out’ of drama.
The facility to objectively observe the world around me is central to the concept of Managing by Detached Involvement that I have used in my work for the last 20 years.
And I very nearly let it go.
Inundated with information from doctors, nurses, family and friends, as to how to manage the pain and lack of control, I began to overthink.
Advice such as:
'Surrender’ to the situation;
'Lean in’ to the pain;
And ‘let go’.
All required a level of thinking that I wouldn’t ordinarily succumb to.
I began to psychologise.
Never a good idea, in my view.
Thinking is thinking. And thinking creates feelings.
Too many mind.
The more mind, the more feelings.
The more feelings, the more mind.
And then, a couple of weeks ago, I thought:
What the f*ck?
And stopped.
It goes without saying, I don’t know you.
I don’t know your problems.
But I’ve been helping people and businesses solve problems for years.
And I’d bet good money that (apart from the shit that gets done 'to' us) most of your problems are the result of one thing:
Too many mind.
If you want to get out of that trap, call me.
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My name is Clark. I tell potential clients they'll know within 20 minutes whether we're a good fit.
And so will I.
For some, my matter-of-fact style doesn't work.
I'm cool with that.
Those I do work with prefer the straight-talking, pragmatic approach.
If you drop me a line and we decide to chat, in 20 minutes you'll know.
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