The temptation of tools

Have you ever read one of the advertisements for a great time management, financial management, or communications device or application and thought, "Man, that's just what I need!" I cannot count the times earlier in my professional life that I would attend a seminar, buy a product, or try a new approach in an effort to solve my challenges. I had so much that I wanted to accomplish, and I just couldn't find a way to make it happen.

So, in my office, there are pile of PIMs (personal information managers), the remains of my old Day Timers, materials from a number of seminars on "time management" (more on that misnomer in a future entry), and half a dozen PDAs (personal digital assistants). While some have proven themselves useful at some level, none were a panacea.

...and yet the temptation is always there for a "quick fix." I might think, "If I just have a tool to help me do this, it will all come together." This is a symptom of our time; the idea that somehow something outside of me will give me what I need to be successful in life and with the challenges that I face. What do you think? Is that even possible?

...til next time...