Blog

Reading Time: 2 minutes

I originally created Bill’s World (billcraig.info) in early 2009. I would add posts on a very irregular basis. The site was really just another tool to express what I was thinking about at the time. It was more for my benefit, than anyone else.

Eleven years later, I figured it was time to dust it off and modernize the web site a little. Also over that time period I have completely changed my life and work focus. The last few years I slowed down a little and explored many new areas of interests that are surprisingly linked together in ways that I will explore on this site and other web sites directly related to the new areas. The home page for this site reflects the new areas of interest. As I update this site each of new areas will be detailed more and links to sites and social media related to new area will be included.

When COVID started in early 2020, I dropped the ball yet again on this web site. Finally, in November 2023 I decided to bring it back to life yet again. Hopefully third time is the charm as they say. Whomever “they” are.

This web site has two purposes:

1) Explore ideas and write posts of interest to me and maybe others, and

2) Act as a hub to all the interest areas I am proceeding to develop into movements, initiatives, not-for-profits and for profit based enterprises.

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Reading Time: 4 minutes

I was listening to self-improvement/development guru Brendan Burchard’s Growth Day daily fire, like I do every day first thing in the morning. On March 3, 2024 he did one of those switches where he relies on a previous recording. When Brendan does this it usually means its going to be a little lengthy so I find ways to avoid listening. It was also a more faith based discussion with pastor Steven Furtick. For me that’s usually another reason not to want to listen.

Organized religion is a challenge for me. I like a lot of the values that come from the various religions, but I just don’t like the structures, processes, stories and the need to believe in stuff I consider a little out there. We believe what we need to believe for the context we are in. Religion has a purpose for many and I would never argue that.

As I usually do every day, I take notes when I listen to the Daily Fire by Brendan Burchard. I have been doing that now for almost two years. Since this day’s Daily Fire was longer than usual at 42 minutes and it was announced as highly faith based, my desire to take notes was not there. At the very beginning of the audio content Brendan and pastor Steven Furtick mentioned six mindsets. I always love to hear about mindsets, so I decided to listen to the beginning to get the introductory discussion on the six mindsets. I was hoping to capture just enough to assess how I could capture those mindsets and potentially integrate them into my thinking and the mindsets I focus on having on a daily basis.

Unfortunately, or fortunately for me it ended up I had to listen to the whole Daily Fire content to get the discussion on the mindsets. It was close. The first few minutes they mentioned the first three mindsets quickly, however on the fourth mindset they went deep. It was also very faith-based. After that I’m not sure if they ever mentioned the fifth or sixth mindset.

In going deep on the fourth mindset they did get into the story of Gideon from the bible. I knew nothing of the story but appreciated the key messages that Brendan and Steven suggested the story reflected.

Listening to the whole Daily Fire with Brendan and Steven was informative as always even with the faith-based focus. After that I decide to dig just a little bit deeper into the story of Gideon by asking ChatGPT to elaborate on the key messages behind the story.

I asked CHATGPT “What is the key messages from the story of Gideon in the bible?”

ChatGPT responded with (reference – GPT 4 LLM on Mar 3, 2024)

The story of Gideon, found in the Book of Judges (chapters 6 through 8) in the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament, offers several key messages and themes that are both inspirational and reflective of broader spiritual and moral principles. Here are some of the central messages derived from Gideon’s story:

1. Divine Selection and Empowerment: Gideon was an unlikely hero, chosen by God to lead the Israelites against the Midianites, despite his own self-doubts and his family’s low status. This underscores the theme that God often chooses unexpected individuals to fulfill divine plans, emphasizing empowerment and potential in everyone, regardless of their perceived weaknesses or social standing.
2. Faith and Obedience: Throughout the narrative, Gideon’s faith and obedience to God’s commands play a critical role. Despite his initial hesitance and requests for signs (fleece test), once convinced, Gideon follows God’s instructions, even when they seem illogical or risky, such as reducing his army to just 300 men. This illustrates the importance of faith and obedience to divine guidance, even in the face of uncertainty or fear.
3. Humility and Leadership: Gideon’s humility is evident when he doubts his ability to lead and when he refuses kingship after his victory, saying that the Lord shall rule over Israel. This reflects the values of humility and servant leadership, suggesting that true leaders prioritize the greater good over personal power or glory.
4. God’s Providential Care and Deliverance: The story highlights God’s care for His people, providing deliverance from oppression through miraculous means. This serves as a reminder of divine providence and the belief that God intervenes in human affairs to guide and protect those who are faithful.
5. The Power of Few: Gideon’s victory with just 300 men against a vastly larger army demonstrates that success does not solely depend on numbers or might but on strategic planning, faith, and divine support. This teaches that with faith and the right approach, small groups can achieve great things.
6. Personal Transformation: Gideon’s journey is also one of personal growth and transformation—from a man hiding in fear to a courageous leader. This signifies the potential for personal development and overcoming limitations when one is open to divine guidance and willing to take action.
7. Idolatry and Faithfulness: Before leading the Israelites to victory, Gideon destroys his father’s altar to Baal, confronting idolatry directly. This act, and the challenges he faces from his own people as a result, emphasize the theme of faithfulness to God and the rejection of false idols.

Gideon’s story, with its rich themes of faith, humility, divine selection, and the power of the few, offers timeless lessons on leadership, the importance of trust in a higher power, and the potential for personal transformation. It encourages readers to consider how faith, humility, and obedience to ethical principles can lead to meaningful change and success, aligning well with values of unity consciousness and long-term impact, emphasizing the importance of individual actions within a larger community or divine plan.

The results were beneficial for my ongoing journey of self development and helping to refine clarity of what I am trying to achieve with this web site and a few of the initiatives I’m interested in – Global Flourish, Flourish Rebel and others.

Reading Time: 5 minutes

The more I discussed with the CEO and subsequent investigation/research I performed, I realized many of my entrepreneurial initiatives could make use of the approach and the platform. My initiatives around positive life, living and longevity; applying positive psychology techniques (interventions) to improve happiness, quality of life, and wellbeing; global flourish, flourishing enterprises and more could all benefit from the approach and the platform.

The discussion with the CEO also identified several additional use cases beyond what I could think of in our initial discussion

I had actually seen this done many years ago with the very successful Global Citizen initiative that used a similar approach to motivate people from around the world to commit and perform a large variety of socio-economic and political actions related to key global challenges – poverty, education…

As with everything I do these days, I needed to step back and do a little more research about behavioral psychology and commitment-based nudging and other mechanisms. I’m interested in how the approach could be applied beyond the individual. Could it be applied to teams, organizations, communities, regions and beyond.

A little bit of background:

Commitment-based nudging is a behavioral psychology technique that encourages individuals to follow through with their intentions or commitments by using social and psychological prompts. The idea is to leverage the human tendency to want to be consistent with their commitments and maintain a positive self-image.

Key Elements of Commitment-Based Nudging:

1. Public Commitments:
   • Making commitments public can increase the likelihood of following through. For example, announcing a goal to friends or family creates a social expectation and a sense of accountability.
2. Written Commitments:
   • Writing down commitments can make them more tangible and concrete. This can be as simple as signing a pledge or writing a personal contract.
3. Incremental Steps:
   • Breaking down commitments into smaller, manageable steps can make the overall goal less daunting and more achievable.
4. Reminder Systems:
   • Regular reminders, such as emails, texts, or calendar alerts, can help individuals stay on track with their commitments.
5. Positive Reinforcement:
   • Providing positive feedback or rewards for progress can reinforce the behavior and motivate individuals to continue.

Any quality platform for commitment-based nudging should have features that support the above key elements.

Examples of Commitment-Based Nudging:

1. Health and Fitness:
   • A gym might encourage new members to sign a commitment contract that specifies their workout goals and frequency.
2. Environmental Actions:
   • Initiatives like pledging to reduce plastic use or to participate in recycling programs can use commitment-based nudging to foster environmentally friendly behaviors.
3. Financial Goals:
   • Financial institutions may use commitment savings accounts where individuals commit to regular deposits to reach a savings goal.

Psychological Mechanisms:

• Consistency Principle:
  • People strive for consistency between their commitments and actions. Once they make a commitment, especially publicly or in writing, they are more likely to act in ways that align with it.
• Social Proof:
  • Seeing others make similar commitments can create a sense of social pressure and motivation to follow through.
• Self-Perception:
  • Committing to a goal can shape one’s self-perception, leading to behavior that aligns with the new self-image.

Commitment-based nudging effectively leverages these psychological principles to encourage positive behavioral changes and improve follow-through on intentions and goals.

Then I wanted to explore the use beyond just individuals:

The table below delineates how various entities such as individuals, teams, organizations, enterprises, communities, and regions can utilize the features of commitment-based nudging in behavioral psychology.

Entity	Public Commitments	Written Commitments	Incremental Steps	Reminder Systems	Positive Reinforcement
Individual	Share goals with friends or family	Write and sign personal goals or promises	Break down goals into smaller, manageable tasks	Set personal reminders on phone or calendar	Reward oneself for achieving milestones
Team	Announce team goals in meetings	Team members sign a collective agreement	Assign specific tasks to team members	Send regular updates and reminders via email or messaging	Recognize and celebrate team achievements
Organization	Publish organizational goals to all employees	Create formal documents for departmental objectives	Set quarterly targets and break down annual goals	Implement an internal newsletter or alert system	Offer incentives and bonuses for meeting targets
Enterprise	Publicly commit to sustainability or social goals	Formalize commitments through strategic documents	Develop a roadmap with clear milestones	Use enterprise-wide communication tools for reminders	Recognize partner organizations for contributions
Community	Hold town hall meetings to discuss community initiatives	Community members sign pledges for community projects	Break initiatives into phases (e.g., park cleanup phases)	Community bulletin boards, social media updates	Host community events to celebrate progress
Region	Public announcements of regional development plans	Regional leaders sign intergovernmental agreements	Develop step-by-step regional development plans	Regional newsletters, press releases, and social media	Regional awards and recognition programs

Explanation of Features:

1. Public Commitments:
   • Individual: Sharing goals with close connections to create a sense of accountability.
   • Team: Announcing team goals in meetings to foster a collective sense of purpose.
   • Organization: Broadcasting organizational objectives to ensure all employees are aligned.
   • Enterprise: Making commitments known to all stakeholders to demonstrate transparency and accountability.
   • Community: Engaging community members in open forums to discuss and commit to initiatives.
   • Region: Using public channels to announce plans, garnering support and collaboration from all regional stakeholders.
2. Written Commitments:
   • Individual: Writing personal goals to solidify intentions.
   • Team: Team agreements to ensure everyone is on the same page.
   • Organization: Departmental documents that outline objectives and expectations.
   • Enterprise: Strategic documents that formalize enterprise-wide commitments.
   • Community: Pledges from community members to participate in local projects.
   • Region: Formal agreements between regional leaders to ensure cooperation.
3. Incremental Steps:
   • Individual: Dividing goals into smaller, actionable tasks to avoid being overwhelmed.
   • Team: Assigning specific roles and tasks to team members to ensure progress.
   • Organization: Setting quarterly targets to maintain focus and momentum.
   • Enterprise: Creating a detailed roadmap to achieve long-term goals.
   • Community: Phasing community projects to manage resources effectively.
   • Region: Outlining step-by-step plans for regional development to ensure systematic progress.
4. Reminder Systems:
   • Individual: Personal alerts to keep goals top-of-mind.
   • Team: Regular updates to ensure all members are aligned and informed.
   • Organization: Internal communications to keep employees engaged with organizational goals.
   • Enterprise: Communication tools to keep all stakeholders updated on progress.
   • Community: Bulletins and social media updates to keep the community informed.
   • Region: Using multiple channels to communicate progress and updates to the public.
5. Positive Reinforcement:
   • Individual: Self-rewards to stay motivated.
   • Team: Celebrating team successes to build morale and motivation.
   • Organization: Incentives to recognize and reward employee contributions.
   • Enterprise: Recognizing partner contributions to foster a collaborative environment.
   • Community: Community events to celebrate milestones and achievements.
   • Region: Awards programs to recognize significant contributions to regional development.

One other area that lodged into my mind after exploring commitment-based nudging and behavioral psychology was the potential linkage to micro-learning platforms and of course AI. More on that in the near future.

Reading Time: 6 minutes

On the old billcraig.info web site I had a collection of manifestos that I liked and collected over time. Unfortunately, the collection has been lost with time. What I called manifestos at the time were more often than not really creeds. My favorite back then and still now is the Holstee Manifesto.

Over a few years there was more red ink than the original black ink of the manifesto original text. It was a great conversation piece.

I’m currently working on creating new creeds and manifestos for a couple of my initiatives. One called the Flourish Manifesto and the other Wellbeing Manifesto. I’ll focus on the Flourish Manifesto first, then the Wellbeing Manifesto.

To prepare I thought it important to differentiate between a creed and a manifesto.

Creeds and Manifestos are structured expressions of beliefs or intentions, applicable to a variety of contexts. Here’s a comparison:

Creed

• Nature: A creed, in a broader sense, can be understood as a formal statement of beliefs, principles, or ethical standards that guide the behavior and practices of an individual or group.
• Purpose: Its primary function is to articulate a foundational set of values or convictions, fostering a sense of identity and cohesion among those who share these beliefs.
• Context: While traditionally associated with religious faiths, the concept of a creed can be extended to any set of guiding principles or core values that individuals or groups live by, such as professional ethics or personal philosophies.
• Structure: A creed typically follows a concise, formulaic structure, presenting a series of statements that affirm the core beliefs or values. These statements are often declarative, starting with phrases like “I believe,” “We believe,” or simply enumerating the key principles. The structure is designed to be easily memorizable and recitable, facilitating a shared understanding and internalization of the values.
• Typical Length: Creeds are generally brief, aiming for succinctness to ensure clarity and memorability. A typical creed might range from a single sentence to a few paragraphs, rarely exceeding a page in length. The idea is to capture the essence of the belief system or values without unnecessary complexity, making it accessible to all members of a community or group.

Manifesto

• Nature: A manifesto remains a public declaration of policies, goals, or intentions, often related to political, social, environmental, or artistic agendas.
• Purpose: It is intended to inspire, motivate, and mobilize people towards a common goal or action, outlining a clear vision and pathway for change or innovation.
• Context: Manifestos are versatile documents that can be adopted by political movements, social campaigns, artistic communities, and even businesses to express a collective stance, ambition, or set of strategies aimed at influencing change or promoting a specific agenda.
• Structure: Manifestos are more varied in structure than creeds, reflecting the diversity of intentions and contexts in which they are used. A manifesto typically begins with an introduction that outlines the current situation or problem, followed by a declaration of principles or beliefs that guide the proposed vision or solution. The main body then details specific goals, demands, or actions, often enumerated or listed to highlight their importance and sequence. The conclusion reiterates the call to action, motivating readers to join the cause or movement.
• Typical Length: The length of a manifesto can vary widely depending on its purpose and scope. It might be as short as a single page, outlining a concise set of principles and actions, or extend to several pages if a more detailed explanation, background, and action plan are necessary. Regardless of length, a manifesto aims to be compelling and persuasive, drawing readers into a shared vision and mobilizing them towards action.

As progress is made I’ll update this post with the current state of the creed or manifesto.

After writing this I came across a partial copy of past creeds and manifesto. By definition, most of the these are creeds but often call themselves manifestos.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

I like to think I’ve had a great life so far. I have done all the things expected of me from a personal life perspective and have had four very interesting career areas over my life from a working perspective. I have travelled for pleasure and work more than most people. All of that has contributed to my meaning of life expectations.

For me the meaning of life is experiences, relationships, doing meaningful things and growth. I would add exploring and learning in my meaning of life as well. I think exploring and learning cuts across the other four areas. I’m sure I’m biased and there probably is some sort of psychological phenomena making me think this, but I think life so far has been pretty darn good to excellent. Everyone has a few challenges in life, but those are the things that fade from memory especially if you have a bit of a growth mindset.

I’m sixty-five and a half now (as Dec 1, 2023) and just as when I turned fifty years old, I’ve started to ask again – What is life all about? What’s next? What should I focus on? How can I be the best person I can be? How long do I have?… I formulated my meaning of life list above when I turned fifty. I like to think that over the last fifteen years I have incorporated that meaning of life into my identity and then acted on it by first learning, then doing (action), and more importantly being. In my humble opinion (IMHO), and again realizing I’m totally biased when I say I’m a much better person now than when I was at fifty.

Over the last fifteen years I have become a much healthier person mentally, socially, physically, spiritually. Probably not so much from a financial perspective. That’s another story. When I say spiritual don’t think religion, I think of spiritual health as serving, contributing, creating value and making a positive impact to a community. The scope of the community can be yourself, family, friends, community, organizations, towns, cities, regions, provinces/states, countries, the world and even the planet. This year I discovered a term that covers that concept – Unity Consciousness. More about unity consciousness in a future post.

As I approach the second half of my sixty-fifth year I have become slightly more focused on mental and physical health. I did that because I wanted to ensure I would have a health-span that would better support my life-span as I age. To live my meaning of life, I have to be mentally, socially and physically healthy. I need health-span to equal life-span. More on that in future subsequent posts.

A person may think they have done a lot and lived a good life, but there is so much more to do. There are an abundance of opportunities and all kinds and sizes of community challenges (think unity consciousness definition of community) to contribute to addressing, adding value and making an impact on.

So at sixty-five years old, I have come to the realization that I’m only half done. I’m really just getting started. As I tell everyone now “I’m just starting the second have of my life!” I know that implies that I’ll live to 130. I realize even with the amazing progress and research on longevity and positive ageing related sciences it won’t happen. However, with my focus on mental, social, physical, and spiritual health I’m hoping my health-span will better aligned wto my life-span giving me much more time and energy to serve, contribute, create value and make an impact that is supportive of all aspects of my meaning of life.

I feel this is important for me, but should be of interest to many others. For that reason, I have also created a couple of other web and social media related initiatives on positive ageing. For now visit https://positiveagers.com . More to come in the near future.

Original post written Dec 1, 2023

Reading Time: 2 minutes

I prefer to say that we are procrastinating on life, filling in the limited time we have with spoonful’s of cheap low value so called “entertainment” that robs us of the real joys of life obtained through doing, playing, experiencing and participating in a world full of opportunities. If you think that sounds a little harsh – you’re right, it is harsh! It needs to be harsh to snap us out of the “zombie” like state we are in.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m challenged every day! TV and un-focused internet browsing (“e-wandering”) is tempting and easy to fall into – however, every year I have been able to reduce the amount and gradually slow down the “procrastination on life” – or have I? Perhaps blogging with no guarantee of an audience or writing without a particular audience in mind is just another form of “e-wandering” which is helping me to “amuse myself to death”!

Originally published on billcraig.info December 13, 2009.

Additional comment I made on this post February 21, 2010 .

Every once in a while I revisit a few books in my library. Today I picked out “The Rules of Life” by Richard Templar. I quickly scanned the 100 rules laid out in the book and noticed one that related closely to this topic. Rule 87, on page 188 said it simply and most effectively – Get Involved!
The author starts off with – “take an interest in your world. Don’t watch it on television but go out there and interact with it. Too many people are living their lives through the lives of others seen on that little screen. Or even living their lives vicariously through the lives of others in the real world…” He continues with my favourite couple of sentences:
“There is a great big wide world out there full of life, vitality, energy, experience, drive, excitement. Get involved means get out there and be part of it.”
I think the author has said it best. I will being taking his words to heart in my remaining years so keep following this post to see how it goes!