Category: Purpose

What Are Some Unusual Collaborations?

Following up on Sunday’s question about unusual collaborations, what are some of the notable ones that come to mind?

Share why if you wish.

What Makes Unusual Collaborations Work?

Human history is filled with collaborations, and some of those have been quite unusual. When two people who seem to have nothing in common make magic, why does it work?

In many ways, the story of humans is one of collaboration. What one relatively weak and unassuming individual cannot do, a group can accomplish relatively easily. Working together has made our species masters of the world.

Even now, this kind of collaboration can be seen everywhere. What is a company, after all, if not a group of individuals pooling their talents and efforts? Some are working on manufacturing, some on marketing, others on sales, and so on.

Some of the most obvious examples happen in music. It is easy to see that two (or more) musical artists are collaborating when they perform, and perhaps even write, a song together.

Some of these pairings or groupings can seem a little odd, but can actually produce beautiful music. It might not be obvious that, say, a country singer might perform with an Irish band. Or an elder statesman singer of standards would match up well with a young pop star.

While these musical collaborations are quite visible, they are not the exception. There are examples of unexpected team-ups throughout our society.

This should be too surprising, of course. After all, one of the benefits of collaboration is finding others who have skills, knowledge, or connections that you lack. This would naturally suggest unusual pairings or groupings.

What is it that can make an unusual pairing work, and what are some of the things that might cause that same pairing to fail? What are the ingredients for a good collaboration? And how might you use this information to choose who you want to work with?

Related questions: How can we encourage collaboration? Competition or collaboration? How does your personal life influence your work life?

Are Routines Boring?

By their very nature, routines tend to repeat the same things over and over, usually without much variation. Does that make them boring?

We all develop routines in our lives. This is because they can be useful to us in a number of different ways.

First off, they can help conserve mental energy. For instance, once you define a morning ritual and perform it a few times, you don’t have to think about it too much. Your brain can go on autopilot while you brush your teeth, get dressed, make your regular breakfast, and so on.

Another benefit comes about from developing useful or healthy habits. If you want to get in shape, say, then always exercising at the same time of day or on the same days of the week can help create a habit. Once the habit is created, it is easier to maintain the lifestyle you want.

Routines can also help you in your interactions with others. Your boss will like it if you regularly get to work at the same time each day. Your spouse appreciates a predictable schedule when they need to reach you or when planning out the week.

These are all ways behaving with some consistency can help you. However, even if it is beneficial, is it boring?

If the goal is to repeat the same actions and behaviors over and over, that would seem to be boring. There would likely be a corresponding decrease in spontaneity. There is a small distance between a routine and a rut.

But is that truly the case? How can you avoid boredom while maintaining consistency? Do you even care if you are boring, if you are doing what you find meaningful?

Related questions: What is one thing you feel the need to do every day? Do you have morning rituals? Variety or consistency?

 

How Do You Make It Possible To Do What You Love?

Even if you know what you want to do with your life, there can be many things preventing you from doing it. How do you overcome them?

There are many obstacles that can get in your way. The most obvious, of course, is that you may not know what it is that you love to do. Finding what fulfills you is one of the great projects in life.

If you are lucky enough to know what you love to do, there are still several things that may stand in your way.

For instance, you may not have the necessary skills or attributes. If you love playing basketball but are only five and a half feet tall, the most you can be is an enthusiastic amateur.

Similarly, health concerns may prevent you from doing what makes you happy. A musician might lose their hearing, say, or a writer could lose their eyesight.

Financial obstacles may get in the way as well. If you love something that requires a lot of money but you don’t have it, what then? Do you learn to live without, or find some way of doing an expansive activity on the cheap? Or maybe find an extra way to earn the necessary funds?

There may also be time restrictions, geographical limitations, too much competition, or any number of other potential problems.

When faced with such an obstacle, what do you do? Can you think of a specific instance in your life that fits this description? How did you overcome it, or did you reluctantly give up on your passion or your dream? How might you handle a future issue that could arise?

Related questions: What are you passionate about? What do you do best? Why do we like what we like? What gives you purpose? What are you willing to sacrifice?