Codex73

The Ascent of Open Source AI Language Models

2023-03-27T16:15:34Z

One Phrase..... "Dalai, LLama, Alpaca". The era of open source AI Language Models started and it will not end there. ChatGPT(OpenAI) is simply the innovator, just as Apple brough the Iphone innovation which altered the smart phone market with it's onscreen perfected keyboard & AppStore developer driven incentives. As much as I'm exited for Artificial Intelligence and it's sudden explosion into the technology ecosystem, I believe we are still in the very early stages of knowing the outcome and impact it will have.

(source: https://thegradient.pub/understanding-evaluation-metrics-for-language-models/)

As Sam Altman(https://twitter.com/sama) said himself, CEO of OpenAI on an interview with Lex Friedman(a well know computer scientist, podcaster, and artificial intelligence researcher) "Sam Altman: OpenAI CEO on GPT-4, ChatGPT, and the Future of AI | Lex Fridman Podcast #367", ChatGPT itself could end up being remembered as a leap into the future in the ever growing story about artificial intelligence. In other words, the technology at hand, it's usage and impact is currently at a very early stages.

Open Source AI Language Models in my humble opinion, their adoption, evolution, their ease of use on implementations on the next two years could change the current landscape forever eliminating bias that currently exists on available public models like GPT-4, Bard and others.

Just like every new impactful innovative technology that has come to us in the past, eg iPhone, Printing Press, Telephone, Camera, etc.

Give the people the power to be part of molding and affecting the system, great things will come.

How to install cron (crond, crontab) in CentOS

2014-09-19T14:58:21Z

sudo yum install vixie-cron crontabs
sudo /sbin/chkconfig crond on
sudo /sbin/service crond start

Upgrade PHP 5.3 to 5.4 on CentOS 6

2014-09-18T05:34:23Z

I had to recently update PHP 5.3 on my CodeAnywhere DevBox to PHP 5.4.32. The operating system running on CodeAnywhere DevBox instances is Centos 6.5. and it uses yum package manager. These are the exact commands I ran on the DevBox

sudo rpm -Uvh http://download.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/6/i386/epel-release-6-8.noarch.rpm

sudo rpm -Uvh http://rpms.famillecollet.com/enterprise/remi-release-6.rpm

sudo yum --enablerepo=remi,remi-test install httpd php php-common

sudo yum --enablerepo=remi,remi-test install php-pecl-apc php-cli php-pear php-pdo php-mysql php-pgsql php-pecl-mongo php-sqlite php-pecl-memcache php-pecl-memcached php-gd php-mbstring php-mcrypt php-xml

After this, it's done! You could simply create a php file and run phpinfo() to check the version.

Take the best

2013-04-04T20:15:14Z

Listen. Take the best. Leave the rest. By Richard Branson. Founder of Virgin Group

Freelancers beware, you're worth a lot more

2013-03-27T01:47:25Z

So occasionally I take jobs on the Elance network. Elance is one if not the largest staffing platform for freelancer pros (like me, yep). I've signed up to receive email notifications everyday of available jobs that matches some key settings. In my case I have one search query that has: All Jobs / WordPress / IT & Programming / Fixed Price / Posted: Within 24 hours The above will usually render quick jobs withing $100 - $1000, sometimes i'l go through an email and see something like this below:

Yes, I'm not kidding, freelancing it's not piece of cake and it's weird the things people ask sometimes. Ok, so let's go through the problems on this listing:

$25 dollars to make a one page website. No matter if it's one page, it will at least take 1hr (speedy Gonzalez mode).
You are expected to send samples of work. This will take you at least 20 minutes. Your time is worth more.
You'll have only one day to deliver the goods. This is not counting revisions and change requests. "MUST BE DONE IN ONE DAY!" -> what happens if this doesn't happen?
The employer believes it's a SIMPLE JOB, not a good sign.
The employer don't know English well, check out the grammar errors on the listing highlights.

I want to encourage freelancing professionals to look for signs of problems before even considering doing a job. Believe me, checking out these and other signs of trouble when freelancing, setting expectations, charging the correct amount for your freelancing efforts it's essential to make it as a freelancer. Don't forget to be super nice, but look out for yourself first. Did I said first?

Drop me a line, let me know how can I help.

Why we ditch our ideas

2013-03-25T18:45:34Z

Generating ideas and their execution is not as hard as it seem, I think we all can do this. Sometimes we can come up with ideas just by looking around us, taking a shower or using a product. I ask myself sometimes why I think so much how to improve, change, expand or even create stuff. The answer I find more appropriate is that I like creating them, bringing these to life, from a thought, to the drawing board (or digital) to the physical world. Some of you might have a similar "Good to Have Problem" as I do. You might think of lots of ideas, concepts, ways to change an existing product, websites, designs, businesses and so on. We all love for things to be adjusted to fit our own mold, our way of thinking and certainly our taste. I believe this is how we might tend to come up with ideas.

I think we might all share similar patterns when we decide to Kill Ideas. We say to ourself things like: that might not work, it might not be liked, it's worthless, somebody else have already done it, nobody will care, too hard to make and the list goes on...... almost endless self inflicted wounds. Today, I can tell you that I'm in the process of bringing my first product to market, a train ride that I never thought possible to even come close to doing.

Trust in yourself, gather feedback and follow your gut. (important: have fun while doing this <- secret ingredient)

Books I Enjoyed

2012-07-04T16:36:17Z

How to Stop Worrying and Start Living Dale Carnegie

How to Win Friends and Influence People Dale Carnegie

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff--and it's all small stuff Richard Carlson

Don't Worry, Make Money Richard Carlson

Ignore Everybody Hugh MacLeod

One Simple Idea Stephen Key

Making Ideas Happen: Overcoming the Obstacles Between Vision and Reality Scott Belsky

Rework Jason Fried, David Heinemeier Hansson

The lean startup Eric Ries

It's your idea, so push harder

2012-06-22T03:30:20Z

It's getting close for an appointment with a small team I've reached out for help with a product I've been working with. I get ready, head out and arrive at the meeting 5 minutes late(got lost), somewhat exited, a little nervous and specially anxious to meet the group. Shortly after been greeted and after having apologized for been slightly late, I was told that It will be a while before they will be able to meet with me. Of course I said, "No Problem!", "It's Ok", "Sure!". What else could I have said? It's my idea and I definitely need help from them, I love my idea so much that "Yes!", of course I'll wait.

What happened during the next 2 hours:

I was listened to for 5 minutes only.
The complete idea was put into question.
Some expressed -> "I did the wrong sequence of steps".
Some said -> product "might not work".
You should do this, that or wait.
What is your budget?
What you really need is this.
You won't be able to function without this.

The moral of this event is simple, sometimes tend to forget:

It's your idea, push harder!

I remind myself of this every day. Nobody believes, feels or cares as much as you do about your idea. After all, it's yours, not theirs. You though about it, conceptualized it, trusted your gut and push it. Don't forget this. It's fine to ask for help. In fact, I will strongly suggest you seek for help, any help, it will help you think and move faster also.

Take the punch, learn, go faster and sharper.

Yes, you can learn something from any situation, no matter how bad it was. Don't get discouraged with situations which might go against your belief or mostly your inner passion. If your idea is good enough for yourself, take that as at least a good indicator that others might think similarly. Do it, don't stop.

Can Decision Making Make You Happier?

2011-12-15T19:18:50Z

I have found than when I immerse myself in decision making, I experience an emotional boost the next day. So, why is this happening? I believe that making a decision can be described in a couple words. One of them is progress. Every time we make some kind of choice, we progress for the good or the bad. There's movement! Action! Things get unstuck and start rolling... you know the drill. This might sound all too redundant -- and it might be, but I had to put it down in writing because for me, the benefits of decision making are simply noticeable. When I have too many things on my mind, it is usually related to those things I have not acted on. Yeah, we all use to-do lists, agendas, project management, notes, reminders..., you name it, but I am certain that if you pressured yourself to act on your "to-dos" with real decision, you will eventually feel much better. It works for me! Just try it.

Strengthen Your Decision Making Skills Every day

Start Something
Stop Something
Say Yes
Say No
Remove Something
Change Path on Something...

Make a decision on something every single day. Moving forward CAN make you happier.

Start With Yourself

2011-11-28T05:59:00Z

If you want to be successful, you have to start with yourself. The best way to improve your life is to improve on you.

I'm not sure you haven't heard this story before, but it really illustrates something important:

It just happened that I had the need to do some work on my car. I looked for a fair market price for the job by making some calls. After simple research I found that the job could be done for 75 percent less if I exercised some patience. I could order some parts and hire the labor directly. Sure, there would be trade-offs, such as warranty and other bells and whistles, but I did not mind it.

I bought the parts, hired somebody to do labor and paid this person for 3 hours of work at two times 1/2 the normal rate for this type of labor, well done job. I later called this same person to do further work, he agreed to come. Unfortunately I ended up waiting two days in a row for him to show. He never showed up. There was no call to cancel. So, what does this have to do with starting with yourself?

If you do not start with yourself by learning to communicate effectively and follow through with self-responsibility, you will delay your success. Don't be a one timer! Always create long term relationships, and leave doors open. Be the best and nourish what you have.

If you’re going to pursue a start-up, business venture, or anything else that has meaning for you, start with yourself by digging deep and asking "Will people like this package?" If the answer is anything other than a definite "yes", make self-improvement your top priority.

Starting a Start Up - Nobody is Stopping You

2011-10-25T18:53:04Z

We all have a creative spark -- the desire to be better, and to have something unique. We think we can accomplish the impossible (dream?). Interestingly enough, we tend to believe those who have acquired wealth have some kind of special talents, magical thoughts, or just good luck. I think that way myself from time to time. Maybe you do too. I personally prefer positive remarks over negative(fear); it's just my taste. It took some effort for me to see past his method.

Qualities of a Successful Entrepreneur 3.0

Minimum requirements:

loves Challenge
likes Risk
In constant search of the Unknown
enjoys Helping Others
willing to make Sacrifice
sees a vision but able to act in Gradients
shares his Knowledge
listens to others but ultimately follows his Gut
likes People
not afraid to express Emotions
accepts criticism

It is beneficial to listen to other people who have created success, read books about it, and ask for opinions, but in the end we all have to follow our gut -- our passion, and we must keep building on it. As cheesy as it may sound, we can all be a Gates or Jobs. We can create something meaningful. We can turn all the reasons not to to do a start-up into an exploration of our positive qualities. Why not give it a try? You can do it! I don't see anybody stopping you from starting a start-up, but you!

Please share, If you found value in this article.

Find Your Fuel and Burn It Wisely

2011-10-11T20:44:12Z

One thing I've found hard in life has been finding that single thing which powered me in my all of my pursuits. I am referring to that passion -- that love for what we do, and the reason behind it all. To understand it, you must find your fuel. After years of operating technology , web development shops, and working for corporations, I have found that it can all be boiled down to "creating stuff other people use". Over the span of the last 10 years I've been unconsciously creating systems, designing, servicing, and feeling great when others enjoy my work. It is that satisfaction that makes me move forward. There are thousands of ways to make stuff others can benefit from or use. It can be anything. The key is to find what makes you feel good about making others feel good. It may take some time, but you will find your fuel. Jeff Bezos once said:

I imagined himself as an very old person, then thought about how it will feel if I didn't execute his dream (his idea), would I regret it when I have years to live.......

So, what is your FUEL? What makes you feel good? If you could do one more thing in life, what would it be? =============================

If you've enjoyed this post or found it useful, please share it with others, and be sure to comment. I want to know what works for you. Did you find your fuel? What is it?

Thanks very much for reading.

Francisco Suarez @codex73

Start Ups - You Are by Yourself

2011-10-01T00:49:00Z

I often stress that when we go into new adventures and step into the unknown, as with start ups, we sometimes think the world around us will notice and will come to help magically, as though our first steps will amaze everyone around us. It doesn't happen like that. When we have a bunch of ideas we would like to pursue, the desire for validation and assistance from others becomes even more amplified. This is especially true with entrepreneurship. There is risk involved with start ups, and it is up to the individual to get through it all. We like to have our ideas and business ventures validated, confirmed, tested, and proven by others. It provides an explainable sense of satisfaction when others tell us "That's right! What a great idea! You can do it!" The problem I see with this approach is that we wait to actually start up.

We have a hopeful expectation for something that may not arrive. This can effectively hold your ideas and would-be implementations hostage (indefinitely). It can be compared to an endless loop in programming, where the ideas continue forever because the condition for execution is never met. I have come to realize that having expectations that others are as excited about your business is good -- to a certain level, but is not good to have the idea that you cannot move without that pat on the back, or that extra push forward. When you do this for too long, your ideas will fall by the wayside. When it comes to start ups, it all begins and ends with you. My advice is to work towards your vision by yourself instead of focusing on garnering unclear expectations from others about what the your ideas, products, and ventures should be.

Start ups require you to get moving by yourself.

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If you've enjoyed this post or maybe got some kick out of it, share with others as you please.

I'll love to hear from you and help you.

Thanks very much for reading.

Out of Your Comfort Zone

2011-09-28T05:24:00Z

I've read lots of motivational, business, and leadership books. I truly enjoy a variety of subjects. To me, books and other sources of good content should provide at the minimal, a different perspective. They should require you to get out of your comfort zone. Interestingly enough, I have come to realize that change can't be directly influenced by any content (books, audio, blogs, etc). Although these help to give us ideas and reasons for motivating ourselves, our best comes when we make up our own recipe -- that secret sauce, or custom program, and decide what feels best for ourselves.

There is really no guide to success or failure....stop looking, It doesn't exist. Instead, build your own as you go, learn it well and execute it.

In other words, think for yourself and step out of your comfort zone. During 2001-2006, while running an outsourcing information technology business for small companies, colleges, and government entities, I didn't had time to look for content on improving or taking operations to the next level. However, I did learn something valuable, and it shapes my thoughts, execution of ideas, and business ventures. I have found that every time I step outside my comfort zone (routine... the usual... that safe place...), take controlled risks, and pull away feeling SAFE, I execute ideas faster and better. I recharge myself with certainty and have tons of fun. Successful entrepreneurs, big thinkers and others have mastered staying away from that safe place, challenging themselves and charging up their certainty every day. They take the idea of stepping out of your comfort zone very seriously, and experience serious benefits from it. Are you creating your own custom recipe for success? Very nice article by Owen Greaves on The Future Of Business Is Not Playing It Safe

Negative Feedback Does Not Exist

2011-09-24T07:00:00Z

We often hear others write or say "I got negative feedback", or "I only heard bad things" when ideas are shared. I believe there really is no such thing as negative feedback. Any advice you get can be used for positive purposes. I've come up with a basic way to go about explaining how I view positive and negative feedback. Imagine you have the task of running a survey across 200 people at a conference. Your purpose lies in finding out what they like, what they believe needs to be changed, and seeking out any issues that may have been avoided. When you are done, it is unlikely that you'll go back and ask each of the survey participants for the reason they selected survey answers the way in which they did. It doesn't work that way.

Surveys are a one-way collection method and they are meant to be utilized with a purpose. A survey has the primary purpose of collecting both positive and negative opinions from a group of people on specific topics. Asking individuals or groups for feedback should be treated in the same manner:

feedback = opinion (points of view) = mini surveys (two way)

When we form ideas and ask opinions of things we'd like to execute or conceptualize, we need to understand our goal is to Ask => Retrieve It => Clarify => Repeat Clarifying why we get negative feedback is more important than defending ourselves by trying to diminish the source of the feedback. Apply what you learn from negative feedback, and you will end up with more positive feedback when you run another survey.

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A good article on negative criticism: What is the best way to handle negative criticism?

Bad Ideas Can Be Transformed

2011-09-22T05:13:00Z

Whether we have bad ideas, or very good ideas, we get very attached to them. We guard them as secrets in our heads. Sometimes (maybe most of the time) we fantasize about our ideas more than we actually work at materializing them (e.g prototypes, presentations, making wire-frames, collaborating with others, business, organization, group, etc).

Every day, there are hundreds -- even thousands of good and bad ideas being conceived and implemented. Imagine if we could join our brains like clusters of computers and share it's output. This is what communication does. Communication at its core allows us to our share thoughts, ideas, and points of view. We can gather feedback, work together, and exchange emotions. I personally don't like when somebody tells me "I don't like it", or asks, "What does it do?", or "What is it for?". It is much better to hear, "Oh, I get it..", "I love it!", "When are you launching?", or "Wow, people could use something like that!". As we build and conceptualize our thoughts, we need to ask questions of more people, gather even more feedback, form lots opinions, bounce ideas more, and simplify them. Think of this as a factory with the high speed factor in place (How to Kill Your Ideas). Don't ask questions with the line of thought, "Why shouldn't it work?" . Instead, ask "Why will this work?" questions. You can read more about asking the right questions in the article called "How I brew ideas like Flash". Nobody's opinion that your idea is a bad idea matters. You have to sort through the feedback and draw your own conclusions. I won't let negative feedback bring me down. If somebody were to come to me and tell me that I have bad ideas, my response will be "How could it be better?"

Generate Ideas Like Flash

2011-09-19T19:09:00Z

It is easy to generate ideas. The work comes with separating the good from the bad and then executing a plan. I wrote a post a while ago named "Stop the Idea Frenzy", in which I explained how I managed to stop the impulse to gather ideas, and execute them instead. Some have asked what I do to come up with ideas so fast. Let's see... We talk to lots different people everyday. This usually starts with the closest ones to us. This could include family, neighbors, friends, work colleagues, gas station clerk, your coffee server, etc). Now, consider how you would like to improve on something that affects your own and others' lives, then think about how you'll do it if everything you think is needed is already available. For example, money, time, market, supporters... . Once you generate ideas, then you have 50 million people fill out a survey to answer any doubts on your solutions. Well, here's the trick: You cannot do that type of survey for every single thing you believe could be better.

How I Generate Ideas

I ask my closest circle questions in this context:

Imagine if we had a ______ , wouldn't that be nice?
If you had something to do ____, how would you do it?
What do you think would work to make this useful?

To generate ideas that are useful, you must learn to ask the right questions to reinforce (not validate) your feelings, listen with your built-in mega recorder (your brain), play back your day as much as possible, and carefully mix your thoughts to find a common thread. When you practice this type of brainstorming, you will strengthen your skills and learn how to generate ideas like Flash.

Is it possible to steal ideas?

2011-09-19T06:17:00Z

After a two hour discussion on the subject of ideas and innovation, my mother in law introduced a question she believed I could answer. The question was as follows: "Is it true that the Facebook guy stole somebody's idea, as the movie portrays?" It was a very good question. I knew I could only answer by defining the idea of an idea. I've seen the movie (good one by the way), but I really don't know the whole story behind the start of the idea , and I have never been interested in the conception of Facebook. In fact, "The Social Network" does not influence my thinking, but it has reinforced my feelings towards idea execution and business. I do not believe it is possible to steal ideas.

My answer was as follows: "No, he didn't stole somebody's idea. Nobody "owns" an idea. You can't patent an idea. You patent the process. A working concept is a process being built, not an idea." I have come to understand that we tend to ask questions which consciously and unconsciously align in one way or another to our thoughts and needs for information. We complete our own theories with questions and we answer these with communication, reading and vision. This natural process helps us form opinions which in turn helps form ideas, concepts (sets of ideas which interact), and vision. The world is not inundated with "idea thieves", it is not possible to steal ideas. There are many examples we could use around this topic. My belief is that this one in particular (Facebook), became popular because of its tremendous success as a social networking platform. An idea is a thought about how something should work. It is an answer to a question that has been generated by the mind. An idea is not a fully proven step-by-step guide you can follow through with ease of completion. People have to build their ideas into concepts and then follow through by making and executing a plan.

People do not steal ideas.

However, people have been known to steal a plan.

"The unanswered question is the one unasked." - Unknown

How to Use Feedback

2011-09-16T03:56:00Z

We tend to depend on feedback to decide whether an idea is valid or whether it should be tossed aside. Over time, I have learned that negative feedback is considered to be criticism. There is even a special name for it. It is called "constructive criticism", but what does that actually mean? Criticism is not constructive unless you know how to use feedback to build on your success. Gathering both positive and negative feedback is indeed an important part of forming ideas, both in business and in every day life. It should not be confused with validation.

I've trained myself to abstain from replying to the feedback of others. It doesn't matter whether I hear it, or read it. I collect this information in order to use feedback. I analyze it, and put the results into action.

How to Use Feedback Constructively

Ask yourself:

Why did I ask for feedback (not sure, different views, spot checking, opinions)?
What can I accomplish with it?

Remember: Feedback is not only about validation. When compiling feedback, go through the answers you receive and ask yourself: Should I respond to it with anything with another question (another feedback request), or simply thank the responder for their input? Whether it is positive or negative, we must stop arguing about it, and learn how to respond to and use feedback.

Executing Ideas Is Not About Speed

2011-09-14T04:10:00Z

I've come to learn (the hard way) over the years that executing ideas is all about motion, not speed. So what do I mean by motion and not speed? Let me explain.

We entrepreneurs, creatives and visionaries are:

* great thinkers (over thinkers too) * confident of our own intelligence * unique in how we feel * driven by motivation I believe and have learned from experience that idea execution is all about motion not speed. This is proven. If you want to be successful, concentrate on executing ideas, not the speed. Sometimes we stop moving the ball forward with nonsense considerations trapped within our heads. This is often caused by our own impatience. Rather than keeping ideas in motion, we are overly concerned with how fast we can implement those ideas.

A reader compared this to the story of the tortoise and the hare. My response was "Exactly!". In order to make ideas come to life we have to focus on executing (staying in motion) ideas better and not on trying to get "there" faster. Do not push so hard that your once-wonderful ideas exhaust themselves and end up resting by the roadside. Execute ideas with the determination of continuance.

The Death of an Idea

2011-09-13T05:39:00Z

The death of an idea is not always a bad thing. You most likely have at least 20 ideas that you strongly believe could succeed if you could only figure out how to implement them. Some of these do become a burden. You may even endlessly ruminate on your own unproven theories without stopping to realize that your theories may not be built on good ideas. If you evaluate objectively, you will start to find ways your idea could fail. Rather than giving in to the endless evaluation, you might consider that it is time to kill it.

If you are not able to invert thoughts towards thinking of ways these could succeed and how you'll best execute, kill the idea. I mean scratch it; delete it; overwrite it... just get over the death of an idea and move on. I have done this many times.

Your time is precious, so you better use it on ideas that have a chance at life. Hint: I apply this iteration method to just about any thought. It WORKS.

Form Ideas Without Trying to be Nostradamus

2011-09-11T17:52:00Z

We all form ideas around how we can make or improve on things. I probably have 200+ ideas for creating web applications on my list, some of which are new, unproven concepts. The cold truth is that we think too much about consequences when we form ideas. I call these the "What If's".

I am not saying that we shouldn't plan, contemplate, compare, analyze competition, or take time to be sure of what we're embarking on.

My point is simple: Doubt and uncertainty will always exist to some extent. The key is in training yourself to trust yourself more, follow your gut, and believe that every successful idea ever created started the same way -- as a simple thought. Unfortunately, most of us cannot predict the future, but we can decide where we want to go. In my case, I've decided I wanted to dedicate my life to working with computers, programming, technology, entrepreneurship, family life, ideas, helping people... Don't try to predict the future....when you form ideas, you can't be Nostradamus!

Think Less of these:

What if it doesn't work?
What if people don't like it?
What if I run out of money?
What if I'm completely alone?
What could happen?
What will it take?
What if others think I'm crazy?

Do more of this:

Gather feedback, good or bad.
Figure out how you'll explain your idea to others in less than 150 characters.
Decide what you want to pursue in life (or which ideas to execute).
Measure your passion about what you're doing.
Find out what's holding you up and overcome this (fear,past experiences of failure,innovation,perception or the What If's)
Trust yourself when you form ideas

Quitting Your Day Job Nuts?

2011-09-09T15:42:00Z

This is not intended for us as a guide which could ultimately lead you to quit your day job and/or abandon your daily responsibilities. I'll try to explain my reasoning behind the decision to leave a very cool day job as an Information Technology professional where I really was pulling in enough money. Some would say that making the decision to quit your day job when it offers financial security is completely nuts.

There are a few things to point out before we dive into story mode.....

I'm not a professional blogger (please bear with me).
I do like to write and share my experiences (good or bad).
I didn't have tons of money saved or ready to burn (enough to reset, I'll explain more).
I didn't have anybody suggesting I should quit my day job. (really...).
I had previously run a small business for 5-6 straight years (with both good and failures).
I like telling you about my story. I think you'll get something good out of it.

I have to admit that through the years while operating a small consulting / web design office, I became addicted to working on stuff I created, conceptualized, planted, built on so much that it' has become a part of me. Interestingly enough, I've found out that what I appreciated the most about running the business was not the freedom or the money, it was the relationships I was able to build with people. I've come to realize, after being five years out on the entrepreneur wagon, those relationships are what I've missed the most ,and of course the building blocks part (custom web, systems, design, etc) which was the door or medium to start those relationships. You see, I was good at web design and computer consulting, but it was the passion behind it that made the business work and the relationships grow. I still use my passion. I may be nuts, but still, I was able to quit my day job. If you think you might be nuts to quit your day job, consider this: If you have that gut instinct -- that passion, you can make a go of your ideas without feeling that you have sacrificed too much.

Stop the idea frenzy!

2011-05-31T15:41:00Z

A few days ago I found myself with thoughts in my head which where becoming more painful as time went by. I was generating so many ideas that I could not even track them all, let alone write them down before I had forgotten them. It bothered me that I was forgetting some of these almost instantly. Some of those I had forgotten, I had believed were very good (really bad concepts in reality).

Why was I worried about writing down ideas (good or bad)? I had even perfected idea note writing to multiple scenarios. I kept a piece of paper ready in my pocket, I had my mobile notes @evernote, and even had photos of random pieces of paper I used to write down anything I liked to do -- after all, those ideas might just change the world... . I couldn't stop! I started reading books on how to stop this idea frenzy and start creating.

Why didn't I execute any of the ideas I had collected over the years?
Was it because of previous failure?
Am I afraid to be successful?
Am I afraid of having too much success? Is there such thing?

After long nights without sleep an reading until words were blurring on the page, I learned that 100 ideas later (most of them really bad ones), I WASN'T STARTING ANYTHING! Every thought I wrote down was pushing the success wagon farther away from me. Each new idea kept me from acting on the ideas I already had. How did I get out of the idea frenzy? After reading a handful of good books from "Making Ideas Happen" to those authored by Seth Godin , I noted that they all said the same thing: Just DO it! Start! Start! Start! This is what worked for me: I stopped the idea frenzy. I picked the three that made the most sense, scratched two, and executed one!! It is time to start something -- anything! Just move in one direction (forward) and have fun while you do it.