Twice a day I am on the train with people I do not know. Very defined time box of 30 minutes, completely sealed from the rest of my life by the gates of two trains stations. My challenge is to think of an idea, take a picture, write the headline and text, design the cover and publish an interesting post… while I am on the train.
You know me, everything must be branded, so “THE DAILY TRAINER” Is born.
Enjoy The Ride
I take the train almost every day, about a 1-hour drive. Then getting off it at the same station in TLV. However, Today, I stay
This is the 9th day of Operation “Guardian of the Walls” (Started May 10th). Incoming missiles falling down on Tel Aviv are starting to be
However shorter and made out of wood, the ladder has great in common with the iron-made train tracks. It is not that the one is
Out of context does not mean not interesting. As far as affecting my train morning journey, this beautiful field is out of context. Nevertheless, it
All of the trains stopping in this station will take me to my destination, even those that are not scheduled on the board right now.
The tall proud seniors’ back seats are showing their experience. They know exactly how to back you up and provide the needed support for the
Sometimes things seem to be closed, on the outside, while on the inside, they are active and having a metamorphosis. Five months have passed since
The best thing about 2020 is it’s end. For the last few months, there are no trains to my city. The train company even do
It is all about attitude. This dog is totally out there. As little as he is, in his mind, he is a guard dog. So
This was a surprise, As I was not expecting to find a truck on the railway tracks. Not today, not ever. Yet, here it is
It is not my train. I usually take the next one, leaving at 08:30. However, today, thanks to the state lockdown, they have canceled all
COVID 19 regulations are strict. Keeping a social distance is the call of the hour and can save lives. Even the train gets it. At
Switching trains couldn’t help it from noticing that the city is watching me. Not all of it, only one building looking over the fence who
These times of COVID19 are strange in many unpleasant ways. The country is under closure, we are asked to stay within 1Km from home, and
With billions of victims worldwide, discrimination is a much more dangerous epidemic than the COVID19, yet we live with it. How do you deal with
I like to thank the railway company for making this algorithm clear: If you put a man and a woman together, you might get a
Many of the photographs we are taking are hard to be placed in time, we need to date them in order to know when they
At first glimpse, it is ruin, absolutely everything is broken. However, it is only the window that is shattered. It can be replaced easily. The
With his backpack full, zipped and ready for work. His black electric scooter helmet ready for the coming ride. And the mask on his face
The train company uses this corona times to run heavy maintenance across all platforms, platform 3 included. I was not surprised to find the heavy
We all wear masks, always. Only now they are physical and visible Can you recognize the masks people are wearing when they are engaging you?
At the end of the day, just like at the end of this train, there is only one driver. Onboard the train, there are hundreds
It has been over 5 months since my last train ride. At first look, nothing has changed nevertheless nothing is the same. Covid-19 has closed
Not so long ago, just before the Corona “season” started, it used to be people, not only poles, standing in line in front of this train station. However, for a few months now, the train is shut down, and all its stations nationwide are closed. So how does one get to work?
The flags outside my train station are waving. They are the only ones outdoor celebrating Israel’s 72nd independence day. Everything is closed. Everyone must stay at home, and there are no trains or any kind of public transportation. How much genuinely independent are we, if the government can take our freedom away so easily?
The train station is closed. The economy is shut down. Even the daily trainer is affected by the #CoronaVirus. Yet, looking deep into it, I can already see the light at the end of the tunnel. Slowly, but surely Business is coming back. Yes, there is caution. Of Course, there is a new way of conducting meetings. Sure, the needed services are a little different. However, they are emerging – Life will always find a way.
In your work and projects, do you find the CoronaVirus to be a disaster, a problem, or an opportunity? Did you stay in the darkness, not knowing where to turn to, or have you found your way to the light?
Share with me your best move.
Yes, it is this time of the month, when I pay my monthly payment to the train company. This is my financial investment in having a job, and also in “The Daily Trainer.”
Now I can ride for the next 30 days for free 🙂
This week was special. Sunday and Monday were full of work. Tuesday and Wednesday were Yom Kippur. A day of fast, of giving and receiving forgiveness and an in-depth look into yourself, confronting what you have done poorly (in your relationships) last year. Thursday was a workweek in a day sort of speak, and this week is starting with two days of Sukkot holiday, following by the rest of the weekdays, each is a work & holiday combine. This season is a professional challenge and personal and family fun.
Enjoy the holiday.
This is how my train looks from the street!!! next to the station. I am one minute late… Now I will need to wait another 35 minutes for the next train.
Many of us, while working on projects, have the tendency to be flexible about timing at the beginning of the project, and as time pass, we escalate and work under tremendous time pressure. How many things are done at the very last minute?
We don’t pay it any attention, yet it is a crucial part of any railway. Millions of kilometers of unnoticeable gravel, that use to be proud mountains.
Whatever you do in life, be a mountain. Don’t let yourself worn down into gravel, or people will use you to their own needs, and you will never be a mountain again.
This post is about the power of accountability.
How do you pass the time between times?
Waiting for the train to come is a time between times. You are here, and there is nothing you can do to rush things up. So how do you pass this time, and how is technology helps you turn it into quality/usable time.
Every project has some time between times moment. Do you “engineer” these moments into your project road map, or bump into them unprepared?
All the time, I am hearing that today, if you stop, you’re moving backward. If you move forward, you stay in place. And that in order to move forward and not fall behind, you must run ahead, full power, all the time.
And then again, all these people are waiting for the train to… stop!
There is no one on the platform. Only the leftovers are silent proof for the people that were here earlier.
In most cases, as we find ourselves stepping into a new position, a new role, a new project, even a new office, it is earlier done/used by others. Many times, we will find their “leftovers,” things they abandoned, thought are not worth taking, maybe just forgotten or kindly left for us to discover.
1 New Year. 2 Days. 3 Post
It was a very short week, only two days between “Rosh Hashanah,” the Jewish new year, and this weekend. Also, the coming week will be like that, from Sunday to Tuesday, as we leave for the “Yom Kippur” holiday. This time has almost nonworking days; we move from one holiday to the next; however, our goals and targets, stay high. One of the things I learn at this time is that we can be more efficient and that there is not a direct link between houres of work and achievements. However, there is a direct link between focus, efficiency, and performance. See you tomorrow on the Daily Trainer.
I hope you enjoy “The Daily Trainer” And don’t forget to subscribe.
The banner on the right side is promoting an app that promotes services like shuttles, collaborative cars, scooters & bike rental and more, to get you to the high-tec work center (dozens of companies with thousands of employees) located only a few minutes drives from the train station.
The real value of a service, a company and even a real person is the economy, and ecosystem growing around it, depending on it for their existence, showing their trust in it. As the Ecosystem is growing, so are your value and responsibility.
A day train under the spotlight would be much less noticeable.
It has been a week since my last train ride. We have celebrated “Rosh Hashanah” (The Jewish new year) + a weekend, and it all sums together to a great long vacation. Coming back this morning to the train and see that nothing has changed… Is it good or bad?
This week was special as it was the last week of the Jewish year (Tonight we celebrate new year). The previous post was about the last car of the train, and the other 5 also got an excellent rating. So it is a nice closure for this year. This week will also be mostly holiday, with post opportunities only on Wednesday and Thursday. Make sure to follow and read the first post of the year on Wednesday morning. Have a great year.
I hope you enjoy “The Daily Trainer” And don’t forget to subscribe.
All of the train cars look the same… only the last one is specially designed for bicycles and scooters. It has a big shower and a cool ramp, and the seats…. look at the seats.
The foldable bikes are a great piece of engineering. Combining two contradicting principles ➊ To Be comfortable and efficient like any bike. ➋ To taking minimum space and be easy to carry and handle in crowded places like the train.
How foldable are you in real life? Can you master contradictory principles in your task and assignments? This is a must-have skill multitasking and personal growth.
A camera is just a camera. It is the use you make of it that counts.
In the real world, the use you are making with your time, set of skills, job title, and even tools (like the computer you are using), that determine who are you for real, and imply others how to treat you.
Are you a selfie or a security camera?
I made it just on time. So I had no time to look for an idea to shoot nor to write about.
Also in real life and at work, getting to move on a very tight schedule, deny us from our freedom to plan ahead and focus on our objectives.
I am on the train, we just started moving as I look out the window at these gates, all are green, all are open. I wish the gates in my destination will be so welcoming.
We come across “open” opportunities all the time. Most of them are beyond our reach, some of them will lead you to the wrong destination. The difference between a false opportunity and a good opportunity is that a good opportunity is the one you can use.
My good opportunity is the next station.
In the train, just like in real life, we have options, I could take this train, and stand like a sardine all the way to work or I could wait for the next one, like I did, and sit comfortably and write this post.
This week was efficient in many ways, as it was perfectly cut in the middle by the elections. It is like having two weekends in one week. In the rest of the week, the train took me to 4 amazing workdays, and we see progress in some things very close to my heart. Soon to be shared.
I hope you enjoy “The Daily Trainer” And don’t forget to subscribe.
Sometimes the real meaning is in the small details. Like this closed train-car doors, and the little green-lighted button that will open them for you.
Let’s talk about UI. By now, I already know where the train-car door will be. It is always at the same spot, as the trains are about the same length. However, If I like to take a different cabin, I need to guess where the door will be located.
I see this empty newspaper stand, and I can hear my mother’s voice saying “No news is Good news,” I think it says something about the news industry and the product we are custom to receive from it.
Some people just hit the piano. Others can play it. The technique is the same, Push a key, and the piano will make a sound. However, the know-how of the timing, the sequence of the notes, and how to express your self, lead to a completely different outcome.
It is a matter of perspective. As the train enters the station, you might guess it is the same length as any other, but you don’t know until a few seconds later.
As you go into a project or take any other commitment, it takes time to get the perspective that will allow you to see it’s actual size and length. Plan for it to be longer and more demanding than expected, and sometimes you will be surprised for the better.
We are always looking for action, for something to be happening. We are on a continuing quest after the ultimate story. We are so much into it that we forget to cherish the “Nothing is Happening” moments, like the one in the picture. Just a bunch of people in a random train car, on the way to work… not such a big deal. But it is.
Standing next to the locked train, for the long seconds before it starts to go and leave me on the platform, is frustrating. This is the definition of maximum waiting time to the next train.
In life as in business, missing the deadline always comes with its penalty. It cost time, money and prestige. You can be frustrated, but it will be better if you will learn your lesson. Either way, the next train will arrive, and it seems like you are the first in line.
The books are out there for everyone to read and educate. Only a handful actually makes the effort, most people are “too busy” for learning.
This week was dominated by #Press4Word2019, held in #TLV. This is the biggest #WordPress event in Israel. We took there 16×7 meter space at prime location and started our own engagement. Election day in Israel will take place this Tuesday… and we couldn’t resist the temptation: our concept was: ISRAEL IS VOTING #ELEMENTOR.
Before onboarding a train, it is wise to ask it’s destination, or you might find yourself miles and hours away. The guy with the blue shirt, he is the gatekeeper. On the train, he knows it all.
We have this tendency to surround ourselves with a routine cocoon, to do the same thing over and over again, and build our day and doing around it. Changing this habit, even slightly (one station down the line), will bring new experiences into our life, exposing us to some new opportunities.
Images can be deceptive as they address only one of our five senses. In this case, it is an excellent picture of a train station at night. However, the smell coming from the cargo train, hidden in the darkness, fully loaded with the entire city garbage, is breathtaking.
As long as you are on the train, it does not matter if you are the first or the last to get on board, we will all get to the station at the same time, together.
Winning teams should be built around this concept as well, putting seniority aside and focus on contribution, performance, and achievements.
Down the road, the last one to join may be the most influential.
The Belief That Dreams Will Come True, Is The Base of Our Economy.
The people in the picture are here only because they believe that the train will come (more or less) on time and take them to their destination. On the other hand, the trains company spends millions of dollars on infrastructures and schedules based on the belief that people will prefer to take the train.
➊ Business is the promise that our beliefs will come true.
➋ Reality is the fulfillment of our promises.
➌ Chaos strikes when the promise to fulfill our dreams is broken.
How fundamentals are dreams in your business plan, and how reliable is your plan to fulfill them?
All of the trains passing my station (in the direction of TLV) pass my destination station, and will stop at all the TLV stations. After that each taking its own course, heading a different destination.
It is relatively easy to build a “short distance” team, as almost everybody can relate to the short time goals. Building a company or a long term team, demands to be more accurate and clear about your goals and long term “destination”, or the wrong people will onboard.
As an employee looking have a long term relationship with a company, look for the one heading your “destination”.
This week was very exciting, as the “The Daily Trainer” passed the 50 posts barrier. With hundreds (and on some posts, thousands) of organic views and engagements. You know I write “The Daily Trainer” on the train, usually between the same daily stations. What can possibly be so exciting? I thought I would run out of subjects to write about within a few days. Turns out to be that, when you are truly ready to listen, the stories will come to you.
I hope you are enjoying my journey and find value in “The Daily Trainer.”
At first glance, they all look the same. However, where it counts e.g. the location of the station and the destination of the trains, they are totally different.
The same is with tasks, goals, and projects. Focus on what counts.
Having a personal roadmap you can understand is great. However, working with other people, team members, peers, customers, etc. That demands a roadmap everyone can relate to and understand as well.
Designers and Developers talk in different languages. Sales and Marketing, are different cultures. Finance and Creative… these people come from totally different planets.
Is your roadmap “multicultural” in this way? Is it clear for everyone? Can they use it and follow it even when you are not around?
Looking out through the train station fence to the street, I noticed all these free birds out there and realized that I am the one inside the birdcage.
In a way, Fitting into the train’s schedules and train station’s locations is a “cage”. When working on a project it is easy to neglect our freedom and fit into the “cage” of the mission, narrowing down our options and developing a dependence on peers, providers or procedures.
Sometimes, it is for the best. Just do it knowingly and willingly.
True, even on the escalators, you need to stand on your own. However, moving up is very efficient and automatic.
Taking that into the business world, its all about getting on your “career escalators”:
1 – Look for the one that will take you all the way up to the level of your skills.
2 – Before getting on the escalators, Make sure you know where you want to go and what you want to do once there.
Everything and everyone are #1. The best in the world. The leaders of the category. The best in their field. Everyone is an expert. In most cases, #1 is just a number, no more and no less than #2.
However, In this case, there is no question that this plat is #1 on my way home.
This gate marks the border between here and not yet there. Cross it, and you are no longer at your origin location, but still far away from your destination.
This gate can be a kickoff meeting for a new project; The desition to look for a new business or personal relationship; Committing to learning something new, or maybe it is something else.
What do you think, this gate is a decision or the first step in its implementation?
Nowadays, Standing is line seems to be a basic skill. It applies also to times when you are working on projects and waiting for others to finish their tasks, so you can move on. It applies as well on many other occasions in life. Knowing how to Actively choosing your line is a Must-Have skill in order to be efficient and successful.
From a business point of view, one platform is a great success while the other is a complete failure. From a management perspective, it is all about the goal and the vision. People do not care about the station, they care about where they are heading, about their destination. They will stand in line for your “train” to take them to their dream.
This week became very intense as it moved on, many unplanned tasked took big bites of every minute, I needed to reschedule my work and free time calendar more than once a day, by Tuesday, my evening running program got interrupted, and by Wednesday, even the time on the train was devoted to that. Hopefully, the coming week will be more efficient, and The Daily Trainer will be back to full power.
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Being Quiet makes us nervous. Many think that if they do not talk, people will not recognize their true value. Try being quiet in a meeting, and you will see others “purring” themselves into the quiet, filling the gaps. Alternatively, it will become embarrassing, or the meeting will end.
Being quiet is a luxury. It is an acquired taste. It is something you grow into. Quiet provides the opportunity to listen, the time to think, and the stage to say words of value.
Quiet is the gap between your sentences of value.
We are hiring, looking for great people to join the Elementor team, are you the one?
Open positions: https://lnkd.in/gM7wjm3
Where ever you are heading, part of the way will be done in broad daylight, for everyone to see, and part will be done in the shadow, away from the public attention.
Like a train coming out of a tunnel or a picture coming out of the darkroom; The best Research & Strategy are done in the shadow. Activity & Execution needs plenty of light to flourish and be fruitful.
Sometimes you are on top sometimes you are down, This is the truth of every project, career, and relationship. As long as you are on the right train it doesn’t matter. However, remember to get off at the right station.
Give it a moment. A train is about 100m long and weighs around 90 – 120 tons. It can pass the deck at 120km/h or get to a complete stop so people can quickly get on and off. All of this only 10 cm from the platform.
Working on your big and challenging project, what are the gaps that you build into it? The same go for your personal relationships.
With so many channels, and with everybody’s attention dedicated to the smartphone, voice; LOUD AND CLEAR!!! is the way to gain back the attention. Let me hear your story.
The thing is that you never know. This morning I meet Natan Leibzon at the station, and everything about this post has changed. The destination is the same, but the experience depends on the people sharing the ride.
For me, “The Daily Trainer” is a tool to look deeper, and find a daily insight to guide me rue the day. In a way, things I am doing at work or at home, have some kind of a dialog with the “The-Daily-Trainer” posts. I find it to be intriguing. This week was the first full 5 days 10 posts week, and still, so many insights are waiting to be discovered next week.
I hope you are enjoying The Daily Trainer,
if so, please subscribe.
Comments, shares, and likes are also welcome.
Every season with its own trends. I use the train, ride an electric scooter and look at the seasonal bloom. What is the season in your side of the world?
Some people fear the bridge between the train cabins and will never discover the full potential of a train.
However, Mooving between cabins, while you are on the running train, opens up an all-new world of opportunities. (e.g., I spot some empty seats).
The fact that you can go solo, does not mean you will reach a different destination.
This locomotive is going solo, however, it is still using the same tracks. It is like some people that start their own business but keep using the same old habits.
Wow, Stop has such a terminal reputation! “Everything comes to a stop,” “Stop what you are doing,” “Please stop!”, “Stop this project, kill it.” However, most of the time, a Stop is just a station on your way, An opportunity to get off/on the train and move on.
I have five Stops on my way to work… It is going to be a great day.
The price of a train ride is fixed. Also, the cost of operation is the same, maybe even higher at low traffic time. However, the amount of passengers is varying. How’s that make sense?
Is your pricing model dynamic, responsive and up to date?
In a still Image, The only way of knowing if the train is arriving or departing is by looking at people behavior. That applies to many business and life events, always look at the people.
You think you know what to expect… That’s right, the unexpected.
Wikipedia: “The black swan theory or theory of black swan events is a metaphor that describes an event that comes as a surprise, has a major effect, and is often inappropriately rationalized after the fact with the benefit of hindsight. The term is based on an ancient saying that presumed black swans did not exist – a saying that became reinterpreted to teach a different lesson after black swans were discovered in the wild.”
Time is the only limited resource. Work, Famly, Friends, Studies, Fun, Whatever?… ➊ How do you spend your precious time? ➋ How much of it is spending and how much is investing?
In a way, when using a car, you can manipulate time. You can drive faster or slower, even choose a different road altogether. With the train, it is different. I missed trains by only a few seconds and been early to others by as much as 30 min.
TIMING IS A SKILL, and I must admit; It took me some time to master it.
The best answer will be that you are leading and ahead of the competition. However, It can also be:
1. You are late and lost the train.
You are much too early. The competition will rise, as the train is about to arrive.
2. Your line of vision is blocked, as you move on, you will see everyone, already waiting on the platform.
3. You are getting on the wrong platform.
4. It is a dream, and you are about to wake up.
In many aspects, this week was very intense. I have found “The Daily Trainer” to be a great way to distinguish between family and work time. Like a lemon sorbet actively separate between the flavors of the courses in a Chef’s Restaurant, encouraging me to enjoy all flavors.
Enjoy.
Signs are there because someone has put them there. They are meant to control us as a group, and we are socially programmed to follow physical and metaphorical signs.
Once in a while, there is a sign that says… don’t follow signs blindly.
The best way to be more effective is to be short, strong and to the point. I have learned this from my morning espresso.
Best practice: Condense your meetings, emails, daily tasks list, all-around wording, etc.
Standing like that on the train platform, they looked so connected and full of confidence. Being part of a team is a very powerful.
Standing still as opportunity pass you by, may seem to some people as being out of focus or blur. I suggest, start moving.
No dought that the first association regarding the term “Behind Closed Doors” in a negative one. However, I just got on the train, and that means that in a second, the train will start moving and I will be on my way home… and that is a super positive thing.
Almost always the situation derives its meaning from Timing, Context, and Intent.
I couldn’t help it from thinking if telling people to “feel at home” is always a good idea. We all like people around us to feel great and be comfortable, secure and productive. However Maybe, “feel at home” is a little bit too much?
If you have any suggestions on how people should feel in order to be at their best, please share below.
This is a great insight.
Every business, every project, every relationship, might get to a stop. The questions are:
1. Do you see the signs?
2. Is this your stop? If so, are you ready to move on?
3. If it is not your stop, Do you have a plan on how to stay on the train?
Everything we do, everything we create, everything that has ever been man-made, It is all about the people. Customers, Users, Employees, Managers, Suppliers, Competitors, Providers, Audience, Pears, Friends & Family, Me…
The family vacation In Poznan, Poland, was amazing and it took me off the train this week. Bottom line this article will be shorter than the usual, but the lack of post is filled with my wife and kids laughter and some great family memories.
The startup dilemma: Your project is at a “station” waiting for the next “train” to take it forward, is going to take some time. Sometimes trains are delayed, or even canceled. Should you exit now or wait?
Let’s assume that you decide to invest the time, take the risk, and wait. Will you have an exit opportunity at the next station? And if so, will it be better then the one in front of you?
Unless you are the last living thing in the universe, it is always teamwork. Even when you think you are going solo, you are still a part of a team, and you need each other. So whenever you take care of yourself, pay attention to your companions, take care of them as well… first.
This week was special as it took place both in Israel and in the beautiful Poznań, Poland. Also it is not only about work snd ideas, having my family with me on the train made it about family and quality time as well.