The Irrelevant Coaching II

This blog is written mostly tongue in cheek. Some points may be informative. Please provide your feedback.
If you suffer from self-irrelevancy, please seek professional advice.

Hello. What's my take on the Dale Begg-Smith story? The coaching he would've been receiving in the practices he was missing was irrelevant. Dale was at the top without it.
The question the coaches were asking themselves was also irrelevant. Instead of asking "What can we do to get Dale to attend more practices?", they should've been asking "Why is Dale #1 in spite of missing some practices?".
The answer to the latter question was probably was related to the Pareto Principle, which Ferriss says changed his life. Begg-Smith was probably focusing on the 20% of training which gave him 80% of his results. If the coaches would've found out what that 20% was, they and the team would've become better.
Always ask what part of the coaching you receive is relevant.

Regards,
Irrelevant

The Irrelevant Coaching

This blog is written mostly tongue in cheek. Some points may be informative. Please provide your feedback.
If you suffer from self-irrelevancy, please seek professional advice.

Hello. I just got a wonderful book, "The 4-Hour Work Week", by Timothy Ferriss. Very early in the book he brought up a story which still pains me 18 months later.
Dale Begg-Smith, a Canadian, was very successful as a teenage businessman, so much so that he had a Lamborghini. He was also arguably the best male moguls skier in the world. However, his coaches didn't like the fact Begg-Smith was missing some practices. As a result, they basically told him to come out more or leave.
Begg-Smith went to Australia, became a citizen, and won the 2006 Olympic gold medal for them instead of Canada. When asked why he did it, Begg-Smith took the high road, and said he couldn't meet the Canadian training schedule.
What do I think? Find out tomorrow.

Regards,
Irrelevant

The Irrelevant "No Thanks" II

This blog is written mostly tongue in cheek. Some points may be informative. Please provide your feedback.
If you suffer from self-irrelevancy, please seek professional advice.

Hello. What finally stopped my hostess from offering me more food and drink? It wasn't the glass of milk, because the questions came again after I got the glass.
What I said was "Hostess, you've been so kind to me I have to give you a hug".
How did that change things? If shifted my hostess' perceptive of me. Physical contact is an excellent way of having someone instantly evaluate whether you are relevant or irrelevant. I went from being a relevant customer to an irrelevant unhuggable person. I went from valued to unvalued in a few seconds. It was great!
Please note if you are irrelevant you want to use this method only as a last resort. Otherwise, you won't have any contact with anyone.

Regards,
Irrelevant

The Irrelevant "No Thanks"

This blog is written mostly tongue in cheek. Some points may be informative. Please provide your feedback.
If you suffer from self-irrelevancy, please seek professional advice.

Hello. Yesterday I visited a good friend's house. The wife was part of a restaurant-owing family. Needless to say, she can really cook!
When I had had all that I wanted, she asked if I wanted more. Repeatedly. I must've said "no thanks" 1o times. Finally I said yes to another offer of more milk.
Why the continuous asking even after I'd made it as clear as socially possible I didn't want anything else? My "no thanks" was irrelevant. The hostess was brought up in a service industry where it's unforgivable to not ask if the customer is happy. There is no taking "no thanks" for an answer.
So was I getting tired of saying "no thanks"? Absolutely. If I didn't know this woman well, I would've been ready to yell. Fortunately I found a way to stop her from asking (besides getting more milk), which I'll share tomorrow.

Regards,
Irrelevant

The Irrelevant Promise III

This blog is written mostly tongue in cheek. Some points may be informative. Please provide your feedback.
If you suffer from self-irrelvancy, please seek professional advice.

The main organizers will not change their ticket policy, or any other thing about this event, if I suggest it. Why? Two reasons:

1. The event is very successful
2. I'm irrelevant

They have no reason to change it because of the first reason, which I respect. And they would torch any idea I try to introduce, probably in mid-sentence, for the second reason.

Is this fair? Of course it is. We all do it.

Regards,

Irrelevant

The Irrelevant Promise II

This blog is written mostly tongue in cheek. Some points may be informative. Please provide your feedback.
If you suffer from self-irrelevancy, please seek professional advice.

Hello. Why do the main organizers think a promise is relevant? Because they know most of the attendees personally. There have been a few problems with their approach of accepting the word of people when they say they'll pay, but it hasn't changed their opinion of the people who didn't come through.
My pleas of the concert ticket approach have been irrelevant because of the emotions involved. To tell someone they have to pay by the end of the month or they lose their spot is tough for the organizers.
It's not tough for me however, because I use the concert ticket argument with them. Once they hear that, most of them come through quickly with a payment. They usually don't think any less of me, because that's impossible.
Will our policy change to the concert ticket approach? More tomorrow.

Regards,
Irrelevant

The Irrelevant Promise

This blog is written mostly tongue in cheek. Some points may be informative. Please provide your feedback.
If you suffer from self-irrelevancy, please seek professional advice.

Hello. As mentioned, my spouse and I are part of a large fundraising event. Each year we like to give last year's attendees first chance to attend again.
I've always been of the opinion this event should sell tickets like concerts and sports events. That is, people have to pay for the tickets. If they do, they're coming. If not, then they are assumed to not be coming.
My spouse and the other main organizer disagree. They say if someone says they'll pay, that's acceptable. However, it's been my experience this type of promise is irrelevant.
Why? Because a person could give us a credit card number, a post-dated cheque or a cash downpayment in lieu of the full dollar amount. Anything to secure their attendance. Our participants do not have any money issues, so this should be acceptable.
Then why isn't it to the organizers? More tomorrow.

Regards,
Irrelevant

The Irrelevant Rain Question

This blog is written mostly tongue in cheek. Some points may be informative. Please provide your feedback.
If you suffer from self-irrelvancy, please seek professional advice.

Hello. Yesterday I was asked by a golfer if I thought it was going to rain. I've determined my answer was going to be irrelevant no matter what I said.
Why? Because if I said no, it's not going to rain, the golfers are obviously going to keep playing. They have given me some credibility in weather forecasting.
If I say yes, it's going to rain, that's not what they want to hear. They'll correctly say I have no weather forecasting skills, and continue to play.
In summary, no matter what I say, they will continue to golf. Therefore my answer is irrelevant.
What freedom this gives me! I can say it will snow! Or that a tsunami is on its way. Or a huge temperature increase will occur in one hour!
Know when a question is irrelevant and revel in the freedom.

Regards,
Irrelevant

The Irrelevant 80%

This blog is written mostly tongue in cheek. Some points may be informative. Please provide your feedback.
If you suffer from self-irrelevancy, please seek professional advice.

Hello. The Pareto Principle is what I've spent my life dedicating myself to. I think it's such a great principle, but I've found most people think it's irrelevant.
Why? Because while people usually agree with Pareto in theory, if you then told them 80% of their time is spent only getting 20% of their results, they'd be shocked. "You mean I could do in one day at my job what it now takes me 4 days to do?" they'd say. Yes, I believe that's true.
Think of it as a business that generates $1 million in sales, but has $800,000 in expenses. The net profit is $200,000. That would be the same as a business that has $200,000 in sales, and no expenses.
Since 80% of a company, or an employee's time, is irrelevant, it's quite possible for a company or a person to greatly reduce their irrelevant time and/or resources. Please be one of those people starting now.

Regards,
Irrelevant

The Irrelevant Excuse III

This blog is written mostly tongue in cheek. Some points may be informative. Please provide your feedback.
If you suffer from self-irrelevancy, please seek professional advice.

Hello. Should Stephen Ames and others stop telling their true opinions on subjects, even if they're not politically correct? I don't think so.
Why? Because telling the truth means everyone knows where you stand. It means your thoughts are relevant. If you do not say what you truly mean, then you're saying to yourself your thoughts are irrelevant.
I'd rather listen to Stephen Ames or John Daly or Boo Weekley in a press conference any day over Tiger Woods or Mike Weir. Woods and Weir are a corporation's dream, meaning they're a fan's and reporter's nightmare. Ames, Daly and Weekley are the reverse, yet they are memorable, original, at times funny, at times controversial, and always relevant.

Regards,
Irrelevant

The Irrelevant Excuse II

This blog is written mostly tongue in cheek. Some points may be informative. Please provide your feedback.
If you suffer from self-irrelevancy, please seek professional advice.

Hello. Why do people not reveal their true opinions? Why do they offer irrelevant excuses instead?
The social roadmap is the dictator. There is such an emphasis on being politically correct these days that anyone who speaks the truth is said to be a "loose cannon" or worse.
A very good case in point in the golf world right now is Stephen Ames, originally born in Trinidad and Tobago, but now living in Calgary. Ames was passed over for Mike Weir by President's Cup captain Gary Player as a pick to fill out the team. Player said it was important to have a Canadian, and Weir is worshipped more than Ames, even though it can be argued Ames is a better player right now.
Ames speaks his mind, and it seems to get him into trouble. It may be a factor why he wasn't picked. Should he stop? More tomorrow.

Regards,
Irrelevant

The Irrelevant Excuse

This blog is written mostly tongue in cheek. Some points may be informative. Please provide your feedback.
If you suffer from self-irrelevancy, please seek professional advice.

Hello. The other day I asked my spouse if she wanted to do something with me. The reply I got back didn't ring true with me. I asked if that excuse was not available if the answer would've been yes. The reply was no. That means my spouse's original excuse was irrelevant.
Why do people come up with irrelevant excuses? Why does the "I've got a headache" excuse have to be used? Why can't people just say what's on their minds?
What people who use irrelevant excuses don't realize is making any excuse that isn't the truth makes the person receiving that type of excuse irrelevant. Therefore, if someone is irrelevant in their world, why lie to them? People cannot be worried about irrelevant people's feelings, right? So why not tell them the truth, that they aren't interested in being close friends right now? More tomorrow.

Regards,
Irrelevant

The Irrelevant Water Treading

This blog is written mostly tongue in cheek. Some points may be informative. Please provide your feedback.
If you suffer from self-irrelevancy, please seek professional advice.

Hello. My 5 year old is a much improved swimmer. However, swimming in the deep end is still a ways off.
When the water gets too deep, how does this novice handle it? Simply by floating on the back.
Why is this relevant? Because when I was little, I was taught to tread water if I was in trouble. I was to sit upright so just my head was out of water. My legs were kicking. My arms were moving back and forth.
Why do this water treading at all, when floating on the back is easier and uses less energy (and a 5 year old can do it)? Treading water is now irrelevant.
What does this teach us? That many conventional training methods for swimming and other activities can be reviewed to see if they are the best way. Don't assume conventional techniques are correct. A 5 year old could prove you wrong.

Regards,
Irrelevant

The Irrelevant Intellegence II

This blog is written mostly tongue in cheek. Some points may be informative. Please provide your feedback.
If you suffer from self-irrelevancy, please seek professional advice.

Hello. Why can intelligence be irrelevant, or even a hindrance, to a situation? Because not all people (or animals) think intelligently. And not all people are interested in intelligent things (think pet rocks).
So, if you think something should be a hot seller, say, because it's an intelligent product everyone needs, you may be barking up the wrong tree. In fact that thought process is irrelevant.
What you should be asking is what does everyone want, and looking at the emotional angle. In yesterday's example, I though the raccoon was getting sick of having a bright light shining in its face. I also thought it may want some food, which was unavailable in our garage. This led me to conclude the garage would be less interesting if it looked normal and had no food.
Always consider relevant emotions when looking at a situation, and ignore intelligence, because it's irrelevant.

Regards,
Irrelevant

The Irrelevant Intellegence

This blog is written mostly tongue in cheek. Some points may be informative. Please provide your feedback.
If you suffer from self-irrelevancy, please seek professional advice.

Hello. My apologies for not writing Monday. It was a vacation in Ontario.
The other evening my spouse found a raccoon in our garage. After several attempts to get it out, I was awakened. Obviously my spouse thought I could deal best with a dumb animal.
After observing the situation for a couple of minutes while my spouse provided an account of efforts made to that point, I turned the garage lights off. A couple of minutes later, our garage had one less mammal.
What happened? My spouse's intelligence was irrelevant to the situation. In fact it was a hindrance. There is no way my spouse could've solved this problem.
I, on the other hand, was not limited by my intelligence, because I don't have any. My lack of intelligence became an asset when dealing with a raccoon.
How can this benefit myself and others? More tomorrow.

Regards,
Irrelevant

The Irrelevant Gettogether II

This blog is written mostly tongue in cheek. Some points may be informative. Please provide your feedback.
If you suffer from self-irrelevancy, please seek professional advice.

Hello. Does yesterday's advice about seeking new relationships seem cruel? In a way. But think of it as tough love.
Would you really want to desperately try to arrange gettogethers with people who would not want to do the same with you? Do you think that's better than trying to find someone who thinks you're relevant?
I watched "The Millionaire Inside" on CNBC Tuesday. One of the main points was you are only as successful as your 5 closest friends. If those friends think a gettogether with you is irrelevant, won't that make you feel irrelevant in general?
Making new friends is never easy. And at first they may consider you irrelevant. However, if you bring something to the table, you'll become relevant very soon.

Regards,
Irrelevant

The Irrelevant Gettogether

This blog is written mostly tongue in cheek. Some points may be informative. Please provide your feedback.
If you suffer from self-irrelevancy, please seek professional advice.

Hello. Today I golfed with a good friend. We'd played many times before. However, today was different. Why? Because it was the first time I could remember that my friend booked the tee time.
Why does that matter? That's the whole point. Whoever books the tee time thinks the other person or people in the group are relevant. Otherwise, my friend would not be as anxious to book a time. Would you want to spend 5+ hours with an irrelevant person?
If you want to find out how relevant you are to someone else, try to get them to book a gettogether, whether it's a golf game, dinner, movie or other social event. If they hesitate, then you'll know you're irrelevant in their eyes. You can move on to form newer, healthier relationships.
More tomorrow.

Regards,
Irrelevant