January 27th, 2009 I posted a mindmap explaining my 2009 goals. Now, at the dawn of 2010, Pinching the Ostrich’s 2nd year, it’s as good a time as any to take a look at if and how well I did.

de Bono certification 8/10



It took a little longer than originally anticipated, but I have no regrets about that what so ever. Mary Lou Leistikow, de Bono master trainer, gave me the opportunity to not only do my certification test in the wonderful setting of her farm, she allowed me to turn the day into a Pinching the Ostrich experience for everyone who showed up. 
It was a wonderful day. I got to spend the day with a bunch of truly inspirational people, received beautiful gifts and passed the certification course with flying colors.


SIT certification 4/10



Nope. I thought I’d do a certification course in Systematic Inventive Thinking, only to find that there’s no actual organization to get a certification from. Sure, there are a few that could show you the ropes really well, but nothing de Bono like. Not to worry, I took an intro course and really got my mind stretched. SIT really is a very different route to fresh ideas. Interesting to say the least, although I haven’t figured out if this is my cup of tea. Regardless, it’s always good to learn a few different angels. 


OU London study: The Arts Past & Present 6/10



This was pretty intense. The arts study at the OU London was nothing I had thought it would be. I assumed it would be about -isms, name-dropping and mumbling AH and Oh in front of art I wasn’t necessarily to understand. Assumptions Karl, assumptions. 
7 tutor marked assignments and one end-of-course task later, I’m happy to report that I know better now.  
From Benin bronze sculptures over Stalin’s reputation, all the way to Doctor Faustus’ blank verse. Oh dear. It was quite a ride, with an overall score of 74% on my TMA’s and a rather disappointing 56% on my end of course test. Disappointing in the sense that it’s  only fair to say that I didn’t quite give it my best shot. On the contrary. I got the final marks I deserved. Good lesson though for the upcoming “Cognitive Psychology” course at the OU. 


Four artistic challenges 7/10



These, for lack of a better word, I loved this with all my heart. This is the life people. Not just reading and studying, but truly and wholeheartedly diving in. What a treat. 
There was the prudent yet useful start with Julia Cameron’s “The Artist’s Way”. Then there was Cynthia Morris’ “Create Art that you love" and Gerry O’Leary’s “Paint with light”. I am still to do then Youtube clip in Gerry’s assignment, but I was truly stunned by what both “create art that you love” and “paint with light” did for me.

The final art challenge is a peculiar one. Geerdine Kuypers’ “From the Shadow into the Light through Diversity, lies the force towards unity and a new world.” There will be a separate article on the idea I have about this assignment. But as you may have guessed, it is still a work in progress. 
Still, despite how wonderful it was doing these “Connect to anyone” challenges, I still have the feeling that I somehow didn’t really get to the bottom of it. There’s more. There’s less. There’s undiscovered country out there. 


Business 6/10



Despite the world wide crisis, I had my best year yet. And what’s even more important, the type of workshops and the energy that surrounds them has changed profoundly. It has become far more personal, which is a good thing imho. And although I cannot say why exactly, I have the feeling that I am just scratching the surface.
My intentions with Creativity Today and ZAYAZ haven’t materialized yet, which is a shame really and requires quite a bit more focus from my part. 


But as my 2009 coach, Dr. David DeHaven said “people often overestimate what they can achieve in one year, but underestimate what they can do in ten.” True.
Not that I am going to wait 9 more years to get where I want, but things are starting to take off. It’s too early to say too much about the plans, but they are looking good. I’m really excited about the work I will be doing on both these initiatives before the summer. I’ll keep you guys posted. 


Overcome two fears 8/10



If I had to choose one item from the lot, it would be this one. There is no way I could have imagined the empowering energy of dealing with your small and bigger fears.
The first one was placing my braces as a preparation to surgically correct my underbite. That underbite will be taken care off this July.
The second fear, I am working on as I write this. I cannot tell you what I am doing because I am working towards an event that will go public in a few months. But this I can tell you.

The theme I am working on is the fear of public humiliation. You know the one I am talking about: fear of public speaking, fear of singing in front of a crowd. That kind of stuff.
This “Overcome Anything” part of Pinching the Ostrich...I mean, really. This alone makes it worth my while.


Hightened sense 6/10



I was kind of vague when I formulated this goal. But somehow it did present it self to me as the end of 2009 in quite an unexpected way. I have been a partner with COCD (centre for the development of creative thinking) for roughly 3 years and really felt privileged because of that. 
But as I progressed through the year I began to notice that being part of a safe and comfortable organization has a downside: it’s safe and comfortable.

As weird as it may sound, my believes and disbelieves in what PtO is and can become needed to get away from that. So I did. 
If I want to get PtO to the next level, I have to go to the next level. So since yesterday, I am no longer part of COCD and started my own firm. The website and how PtO relates to that will launch around March 1st. 
I really should be careful what I wish for.


 Wife and children 7/10



The idea was to see to it that “Pinching the Ostrich” would not be at the expense of my wife and children. Actually, the idea was to go for the opposite. 
I can’t really speak for my children. They are still in the phase that daddy is their hero no matter what. But my darling wife, well, she gave me something to ponder about. When I asked her, it must have been around April, how she felt about the entire experiment she said that she was happy for me. She said that my mind is always on. My thoughts and ideas are all over the place. Now at least, she said, you’re able to focus that energy on something. You have far more peace of mind since PtO, which is as good for you as it is for me. I hadn’t thought of it that way.


But it wasn’t until September when she really startled me. A month earlier we had done the most amazing hot air balloon flight, which she thoroughly enjoyed. She said: “I have seen now what it is you do. And I want that too.” I asked what it was I did. She said: “You make people’s eyes shine...I want that too.”
I couldn’t be more humbled by those words. She is now actively looking how she can pinch the ostriches in her life too. That, I did not see coming, at all. 
It’s too early to tell what this will bring to her and the rest of us, but I am tremendously happy about it and terribly proud of her.


Health 5/10



I started off splendidly and feel of the wagon again mid spring. Crawled on during the summer. Lost it again and now I’m at it again. Note to self: Be very clear on your goals with regards to your fitness goals. 
I know what level I can reach, because I did this before, so this should be a no-brainer. But if there is one area I need a little more than just a pinch, it’s in this area. 
I can run 5k now. But my bodyfat to lean mass ratio is definitely not where it should be. Focus Karl, focus!


 Filling the mental well 6/10


What can I say. I was intrigued by this year’s studies, severely challenged by the 4 artistic challenges, I discovered Twitter as a means to boil my thoughts about creativity down to 140 characters, have devoured 4 Moleskin notebooks and read quite a number of books on creativity related subjects. Not too bad, but no real AHA, WOW or other blissful cries.
The Twitter quotes will get their rightful place on the new website (March). Maybe this is something: Stop finding answers, Karl. Go for questions. 


Speed reading, memory techniques 5/10

Did work on those, and the speed reading is...no pun intended...up to speed. But the memory techniques, well, the meter hasn’t hit 500 random items just yet. I’m at 40. Yep. That’s it. The good news is, I didn’t really work on it. So how is that good news? Well, if I had worked on it and all I would have been able to do was remember 40 items...that would have been a problem. :-)


The essence of PtO 6/10

Getting the entire concept of PtO wrapped into a two minute elevator pitch, not there yet. But he concept has evolved bigtime. I remember the first time I talked to a friend on the phone about the idea. I left him with a splitting headache.
In the meantime I have been fortunate enough to be invited as a speaker to several events. It challenged me to boil things down to an hour, half an hour, 20 minutes.
Still, the aim was SUCCES. No not success, but succes. To make the concept Simple, Unexpected, Concrete, Credible, Emotional and have a great Story to tell. 
I sense there is quite a lot of room for improvement there. 


Creativitips on Youtube 1/10



Nope, they didn’t make it over there. But I did continue to write them in Dutch for the COCD website. The newsletter that accompanies the creativitips ended up having over 2.500 subscribers. Not bad, but not what I set out to do.
Here too, I think I found a way to get them onto Youtube as part of the new website without it taking too much of my time making them.

But this is just the list of things I planned to do and may or may not have finished successfully. What about the things that have happened I didn’t plan for?

• PtO got to be the closing talk at the 1st TEDx Flanders event.
• PtO accidently got a seat at ECCI XI and was chosen “Best of ECCI”
• I was invited to Vancouver Island, Canada by Gary and Jaën Wannamaker. Two wonderful people who gave a whole new dimension to the word hospitality.
• A hilarious short term exposition in the Tate Modern
• A private dinner with Dr. Edward de Bono
• A not so private but totally awesome dinner in Angélique Schmeinck's hot air balloon
• Too many names to mention of totally amazing people I was privileged enough to meet and/or work with.


How did Michaelangelo put it? "The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it."

To cut a long story short: aim higher in 2010, Karl. Aim much, much higher.

Take care,
Karl

Share

« Back