A few years ago I read a clever Tweet by a pro cyclist who had ridden over 1100 hours that year. He wrote, "If I believe Gladwell, in nine more seasons I'll be there." The 10,000 hour concept might be right but it could also be "disproven" by gifted individuals who progress easily and rapidly, or by those who practice more mindfully than others. Where we stand in relation to our potential and the speed of our development demands constant attention: we ask ourselves where we are on the trajectory. When will that final, third stage flame out and give us its last burst of speed? And will it be enough?
Around that same time I was watching and marveling at someone's progress. It wasn't rapid but it was consistent. Each year built on the previous years, every current lift was influenced by every previous lift. His knowledge accumulated. His experience compiled. And as it did his belief in himself—and therefore his potential—grew.
My legs are too long.
My VO2 Max is low.
But I watched that guy go from pretending he believed in his ability to achieve a goal to truly believing in it and then to surpassing it. His potential is open-ended primarily because he believes it is so. Sure, his skeleton can only support so much weight. His heart can only tolerate so much stress. But his current limits are remarkable because they were unimaginable a few years ago.
He has done the work. The work has changed him. Which could mean our work with him is done. He may not need us now. If we did our work well then he is able to forge ahead on his own.
That said there is always more work. The next client had to utterly change in order to become what she signed a contract to do. I laughed a little when I signed that contract because I was the only one whose signature meant I understood what was about to happen. In most of these cases actors sign on the line to become someone and some thing they do not understand. It's cool, of course. I dig the hubris even when it is rooted in ignorance. Great things come of such commitments. Incredible human performance can derive from having said, "Yes." But the bottom line is that most won't fulfill the contract in the way they imagined when they uncapped the pen.
When we decide to change, when—from one day to the next—we choose a new path in life we usually do so without regard for what we have done up to this point, how the consequences of our actions have affected us, and how we have been influenced the people and conditions around us. It would be marvelous if we could grow and change independent of our environment and our peers but we can't. The Non-Prophet project provides a physical and intellectual environment to help facilitate change, even our own. Without the strength and clarity of this environment it would be difficult if not impossible to nourish those who seek a goal they have seen but do not understand.
I know I can change myself if I choose to and if I assign adequate value to such change. I know that—by will alone—I can change others under certain circumstances, when all forces are aligned. But the critical variable is time. How long do I have?
It's the same for you, how long have you given yourself? If you aren't willing to build year upon year, if you want it all now or tomorrow then you will be disappointed. You will blame the means for falling short instead of taking responsibility for having started too late. You can't be any different now because you spent years arriving where you are. It will take years to learn the language of the new you, and to learn how the new you moves, what he or she is capable of doing. You have to practice. And practice believing in what you can become. Layering effort upon effort, stacking lesson on top of experience, surrounding yourself with people who inspire and also tally the account will eventually reshape you.
So the question is, do you have enough time? Do you have 10,000 hours?
If you don't then what are you willing to settle for?


Discussion in 'Mac Apps and Mac App Store' started by Tknull, Jun 28, 2012.
I have been using Easy Books for my business for a while, and love it. But I have one confusion/problem.
I have the business checking account set up in the Bank Accounts category. I am not sure what method is proper to use for cash withdrawals or deposits to the business (as equity) by me. For example, if i pull $200 cash out of the business, and don't want to expense this in any way, just want to lower the equity value of the business, what do i do? I have set up a petty cash account called "drawing account", which i use to sent money to or from the checking account, which allows me to keep the business checking account at it's proper balance, without having to create an expense where none exists. Until now, i just ignore the balance of that "drawing account." This would be fine, except it makes the balance sheet meaningless.... as it lists the drawing account as an asset.
I don't see any other account/method of doing it that fixes this. I tried creating an account under the equity category... but likewise it shows up on the balance sheet. All i want on the balance sheet is business checking account, plus customer balances owed me, minus debt i owe to suppliers, etc.
Any help here would be awesome.
OK... I am not an accountant, and really - should get an accountant's advice. However, I can tell you how we did it.
In out case my business is incorporated, but I don't think that makes a big difference. But I could be wrong.
When we started the business we gave the business a bunch of money to start, and it was noted on the balance sheet as a Liability, under the line item "Shareholder Loan". When I take money out of the business, I take it from this Shareholder loan account. What this means is that the business owes me less money - and that the business liabilities (e.g. accounts payable) have decreased. If I want to put money in, I put it into this account as well.
For you your books, you would make balancing Debit and Credit entries in the Shareholder account, and the bank account (an asset). The balance sheet stays balanced because while the asset account has decreased/increased the liability account has also increased/decreased by the same amount.
May not apply to you... so check first. But I hope this helps.
So i did as you said you do, and changed my "Drawing Account" from a Petty Cash account to an equity account. It does seem to solve the problem. I can now look at my net assets and it is correct.... i had tried this once before and didn't think it was working right. But it seems to be good. Certainly better than it was before.


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