Sunday Videos: Guess the Theme Win a Prize from GTDtimes
June 8th, 2008 Oliver StarrCategories | Getting Things Done | Video
Happy Sunday. I thought that it might be fun to try something new at GTDtimes starting with this Sunday’s Videos.
Here’s the deal: assuming that this rates positively with readers, starting today the videos selected for the Sunday video posts will share a common theme. This theme may be obvious, it may not. It may be related to GTD or perhaps only obliquely related to GTD. It is up to you, the readers, to figure out what the theme is.
The first person each weekend to correctly identify the theme and make a comment that not only identifies the theme correctly but also rationalizes why this is the correct answer will win a gift from GTDtimes.
Each month, we’ll take the winners from each weekly contest, as well as everyone who guessed incorrectly prior to the winner’s comment and we will draw one name from this group. This lucky person will not only win something from GTDtimes, but in addition he or she will be given the opportunity to either author an original post, select a previously published post that they’ve authored, or identify some other post that they wish to promote (assuming that we aren’t precluded from publishing such a post for copyright reasons) and we will publish this post on GTDtimes.
Each monthly winner will also have the option of selecting the theme and the videos for the week following their win should they want to participate. Hopefully this will add another dimension of enjoyment to the videos and will make for some interesting viewing.
Here are this Sunday’s videos:
And because he’s so incredible some more Laird Footage for your viewing pleasure:
An extra hint since this one is proving difficult:
Lance Armstrong is “the man”. I had the privilege of racing with Lance for a number of years on the US National Team and competing against him as a professional- his intensity and desire to prevail are hard to put into words.
Imagine having 23 consecutive perfect days… Now imagine having those 23 perfect days at the same time each year for seven years in a row. This is beyond astonishing. It is probably beyond comprehension. The significance of this achievement cannot be reasonably compared to any other athletic accomplishment. Every other record simply pales in comparison. Think about what it takes to achieve this level of perfection and you’ll have solved my riddle for this week.
Awesome footage. Hmmm, here’s my guess:
I think the theme is “Getting Things Done with Control and Perspective”.
Each person is demonstrating the right amount of control and perspective to achieve their goal - they are Captain & Commander of their respective domains.
Cheers
Simon
I’m going with a theme of discipline. The only way people can consistently do things that seem impossible is through a disciplined practice and development.
Hi everyone. Those are both excellent guesses but neither one has nailed it…yet.
One thing I forgot to mention in my original post is that I will post to the comments as soon as I see that someone has correctly identified the theme for that week.
Keep those guesses coming!
Oliver Starr, Editor
Wow, they were gorgeous.
I don’t know what the theme is, but The videos got me thinking about implicit learning and “expanded intelligence,” leading to creative feats requiring experience and more experience. Explicit learning is relatively fast, you learn a bunch of facts and rules. Implicit learning is subtle and slow, and it happens outside of our awareness. Learning any skill may begin with explicit instruction, but then repetition might potentially lead to mastery in all kinds of unexpected situations. Exactly what happens with a great musician, a great surgeon, etc.
Connection to GTD –the prior comment about mastery and relaxed control is on it. Maybe mastery allows for the relaxation we saw in those videos. Its having a prime flow experience. When we’re working in a flow state (where you have no idea of time, you can’t be interrupted, your concentration is that great) we lose all self-consciousness and relaxation seems a part of the equation.
Great videos, thanks.
So far, Lynn is the closest but there’s still a key word missing from all the guesses so far…
Keep trying. This is fun!
Editor
Outcome thinking …..then focus.
Commitment to a goal.
Mind like water.
Oh my gosh, you guys are all soo close but there’s still one particular word that I haven’t seen yet…
Editor
Fluidity?
Determination
There is real beauty in their actions and how they are consummate masters of control and perspective. How about elegant rythm?
Blackbelt
Reach your goals, no matter how impossible they seem, or how bad the obstacles may be. And replay it in slow-motion.
Innovation.
You know, each guess so far could have also been the theme of these videos, but so far no one has managed to come back with the theme that I have in mind when I look at all four of these short films.
I’m going to give it another 24 hours and then if there’s still no correct answer I’ll reveal it.
If that happens what I’ll also do is take the names of everyone that left a comment with a guess and I’ll draw one of those names as the winner of the weekly prize.
Of course every individual that makes a comment will also have an entry into the monthly giveaway as well. In addition, for the monthly price you can get multiple chances to win - if you guess (right or wrong, doesn’t matter which) on multiple Sundays in any month, you’ll get an entry for each Sunday.
No stuffing the box though - you only get a single entry for each set of videos - even if you make multiple guesses on a single day.
So…you’ve got 24 hours left to identify the theme so put on your thinking caps and make a few guesses.
This really isn’t that hard and I can promise you that when you hear what the theme is you’re going to do a Homer Simpson; “Doh! I shoulda thought of that”.
Editor
Trust in your system
These individuals just seem to have the ‘instinct’ to make the correct choice at the split second necessary to attack, survive, etc. etc.
Okay Folks. Nearly a week has gone by and I still haven’t seen the answer I was looking for so I’m going to reveal it. I can’t believe I managed to stump all of you! Are you ready for your “DOH!” moment?
As I said, each of these athletes has something in common and it is this that is the theme of the videos. I thought for sure when I wrote about Lance someone would pick it up.
During the moments here and for Lance during 23 consecutive days seven Julys in a row, these men were all in the zone.
That was the phrase I was looking for with “zone” being the operative word.
Everyone that took a shot at it will be entered into the monthly drawing. Be sure to check back on Sunday for next week’s contest.