David Erasmus

I have nothing to add to these other than I love them

I love asking the big questions and being OK with having very few answers and often being misunderstood.

Its rare these days that I question what is right and wrong as In an interconnected world some people probably spend their lives asking this and never doing anything. Instead my big questions tend to look a little bit like this when I am trying to make decisions……….

What do I want written on my grave stone?

What story do I want to be a part of?

Is what I am about to do the easy option?

Am I being honouring and loving to those around me?

Am I thinking long term or looking for immediate gratification?

It does become tricky when as I have found recently massive opportunities can come along that only maybe meet 30% of the good answers to those questions and then the rubber hits the road!

They are not black and white situations that are opposite to my beliefs but hang in the big grey abyss.  If I took the work on I would be misunderstood and run the almost certain risk of making a good number of peoples life much worse.

If you take the Sex scene for a clear example…….

I almost certainly would be happy to support and take on a mobile project for a party shop that mainly sold helium balloons and poppers but also sold fluffy toy handcuffs or a few sex toys

At the other end of the spectrum I  am actively involved with an Anti Slavery Charity who help bonded sex workers get free from their torture.

At some point along that line I change from being helpful to actually campaigning against.

Choosing at what point you are pro, which point you abstain and at what point you are actively against is a tricky one.

All I know is that the questions I have mentioned are vital, the answers may change from time to time but I am not worried about that, I am only worried if I or anyone else stops asking the important questions altogether.

It seems to me that the optimum level of intensity for our lives rests in the balance of fear and boredom.

This sweet spot moves towards the Fear end the more you do stuff.

I have observed the noob sales guys on the phones quivering, praying they don’t get a guy that knows his stuff or tells them where to go.   I have also seen my top sales guys hoping and praying to get those guys on the phone as they are the exciting ones.

What was the difference between the sales guys?

Its pretty obvious it’s confidence, competence, experience etc.

It is interesting how in different scenarios your threshold for excitement can be higher or lower than other scenarios.

Example : I can speak to a potential client about a 000,000 deal on Search or mobile with ease, but if you try and get me to sell a product that I don’t have experience in like a simple £1,500 wordpress template design my knees quiver.

It is my observation that for optimum working enjoyment and excitement you must ensure you are always accepting jobs that are 10% above your experience or comfort zone. This way you always move forwards, stay excited and increase your value towards becoming an expert.

Smells are strong and trigger all sorts of memories.

Whether it is the smell of the roast in the oven, the smell of baking cakes filling the house or that dirty smell of sheep poo when you enter Wales and the most immature person in the car points at someone else and says ” ARHH Did you fart!”

When you catch a good smell of something you don’t know much. You might not know what it is, where it is, how much of it there is, who owns it, whether you can have it or whether it actually will taste or look good but you damn well know you want to find out more!

Sometimes in life we get a whiff of something and we instinctively know it smells good or bad but we can’t necessarily qualify or quantify it.

What can you smell?

Everyone knows we are meant to tell the truth.

The interesting question though is how much truth should we tell?

Should you tell your partner that their butt did look big in those new jeans?

If it helpful to point out every flaw in that new song your friend has written when he asks for your opinion?

I think a good question to ask is are you saying for them or for you?

All I know is that when honest conversations happen more often than not its awkward and painful but afterward you achieve new levels of intimacy.

Personally,I also love someone knowing everything about me, good and bad as that way they can make an informed decision.

If they still choose me after knowing everything whether business, client, family or friend I know I have been truly chosen and its a very satisfying feeling, if they don’t choose me it hurts but at least I didn’t hurt them by blagging my way into their lives.

I am reading an Interesting book called Radical Honesty, take a look on YouTube at Brad Blanton being interviewed.

Tell me your thoughts……