Photo Credit: Frank-Bernard

Awareness is one of the first steps a person must take to grow intellectually. Once I experienced the real-time awareness of my thoughts, I had the choice to focus on what I deemed important. Being able to see the difference of superficial thoughts compared to ideas and concepts that took my breath away, it was like looking at low quality Hershey’s chocolate bars compared to Lady Godiva truffles.

My “think” time became a precious commodity and I began to fiercely protect it from intruders. As I devoured books on thought like Marilyn vos Savant‘s, “Brain Building in Just 12 Weeks“, my mind continued to expand and make connections between all sorts of things I had not been able to see before. One example was math. I always thought I sucked at math. I mean serious mental block whenever I heard or saw numbers. Through exercises of logic, I was able to break through this barrier and now can keep a running tally of my groceries and can come within a $3 accuracy at the checkout by doing the numbers in my head.

I’m writing this for a different reason. Scott Hanselman replied to someone on Twitter about how he can sleep when he is dead. I chimed in with my thoughts on working at night; working when America sleeps and not conforming to society. Liz Burr on Twitter agreed too.

It’s not about being a full time employee for someone else or being a freelancer. For me, it’s about being in sync with productivity. For years, I struggled to get up early, blah, blah, blah and run in the hamster wheel. What I got from it was stress and not much to show for at the end of the day.

Nearly all that I’ve learned about technology has been absorbed after the sun goes down. I’ve been doing this since I was a teenager (staying up late).  I’ve spent countless Saturday nights reading, testing and trying out new software…I like to think I’m well on my way to those 10,000 hours Malcolm Gladwell talks about.  Now being 31 years old and embracing myself as I am, I listen to my inner energy and not to other folks chatter about what they think I should be doing.

Scott recommended a sci-fi book that looks pretty good about people who are genetically engineered to not need sleep and the rift it causes, “Beggars in Spain” and I’ve added it to my Amazon wishlist.

I am an advocate for exploration of the mind, the universe and for humans to comprehend their full potential by spending less time in front of the television and more time reflecting on their own intellect.

Unsolicited advice is just that; not asked for.  Now if someone loses their job and they’re moaning and complaining about not having a job and you offer them suggestions on how to get back on their feet, I think that’s different than folks out of the blue saying, “Don’t you ever sleep?”

I know when I am in my zone.  I can feel that I’m centered and focused on the task at hand.  I feel great!  When I get in my zone, everything else becomes  a whisper to me.  I check my list to see where I’m at and track my progress;  I savor the zone.  I wish I could  be in the zone every day at the same time but that’s not how I experience my creativity and intelligence.

Go against the grain…step out of the moo heard and off the hamster wheel to experience your mind and productivity in sync for the first time in your life.