Plan your week

Stephen Richards Covey (1932 – 2012) was an American educator, author, businessman, and keynote speaker. His most popular book is The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. His other books include First Things FirstPrinciple-Centered LeadershipThe 7 Habits of Highly Effective FamiliesThe 8th Habit, and The Leader In Me: How Schools and Parents Around the World Are Inspiring Greatness, One Child at a Time.

A viewer of the video summarized: Three principles for effective weekly planning: 1. Review mission and roles (in work, community, home; don’t forget the “relationship” with yourself) 2. Choose big rocks i.e. the single most critical task that will move the needle. 3. Schedule the week i.e. dedicate time and plan the big rock activity into your schedule. Then plan other activities around it.

Why the Schlieffen Plan failed

The Schlieffen Plan was the blueprint for Germany’s army to avoid a two-front war with Russia and France. It was supposed to be the solution for a quick victory against arch enemy France by invading Belgium and the Netherlands to circumvent French defenses.

Helmut von Moltke adapted the original plan by Alfred von Schlieffen and ultimately failed when the Germans were beaten at the Battle of the Marne. The video explains the numerous reasons why the Schlieffen Plan was doomed to fail.

Planung. Vorwegnahme.

Wikipedia in German defines Planung as: Planning describes the human capability or activity of thoughtful – or thought-anticipation – of actions that appear to be necessary in order to reach a goal.

Die Planung beschreibt die menschliche Fähigkeit Fähigkeit oder Tätigkeit zur gedanklichen Vorwegnahme von Handlungsschritten, die zur Erreichung eines Zieles notwendig scheinen.

Nürnberg – Nuremberg

Nürnberg was one of Germany’s — in fact Europe’s — leading cities 500 years ago, and was an industrial marvel. The scenic remnants of its hard medieval past are now just an added dimension of a delightfully people-friendly historic center.

Hildegard on planning

“As the fire carries the flame within itself, so it is necessary for the powers of the rational man to have a work before him.”

Hildegard von Bingen (1098 – 1179), German mystic, abbess and scientist, Catholic saint

“Wie das Feuer die Flamme in sich trägt, so ist es für die Kräfte des vernunftbegabten Menschen notwendig, ein Werk vor sich zu haben.”

6 surprising things forbidden in Germany 

It’s no secret that Germans love rules. But some surprising things can get you into trouble here. Don’t worry – Rachel is here to keep you on the right side of the law!

YouTube comments:

“An important German law that most countries don’t have is Unterlassene Hilfeleistung or duty to rescue. If you see someone in trouble who needs help, you must, by law, try to help them. Example: If you see an accident on the roadside where someone is injured. You must stop, call an ambulance and apply first aid till help arrives. Just driving by is an offence.”

“That’s really true about the insults. A friend of mine had a rather aggressive elderly neighbor who lived below him. My buddy was only allowed to move around the apartment as quietly as possible or he would receive a hail of complaints. One day his parents were visiting and the neighbor rang the doorbell and complained about “noise”, yelled abusive words and made insulting gestures. His father filed a complaint (there were enough witnesses) and the neighbor ended up in court – as it turned out later, not for the first time. He had to pay €900. Since then, the neighbor never yelled again against him.”

“Most of these laws are actually quite useful even if they sound petty. Anyone who has tried calling the police in the UK complaining about noise and has been told you will have to contact the council will agree. There is a little known minor breach of the law (Ordungswidrigkeit) in Germany titled “Unnützes Hin- und Herfahren” (unnecessary driving around). You can be fined up to €100 if you are caught driving around for no apparent reason in a built-up area if this is disturbing people. It sounds ridiculous but it stops all those eejits who drive up and down the road with music blasting out of their cars.”

German vs. American

Watch the video. Then ask yourself the following: If this video was about the American approach to short- and long-term goals, what would be the maximum length of short-term and of long-term? Then answer the same question if the video was about the German approach to short- and long-term goals.

2,000 year history

German history dates back over two thousand years. Back to when the Romans controlled the German lands west of the Rhine River. The history of the Germanic tribes, however, goes back centuries further.

From 2000 BC to German unification

This one hour documentary unravels the history of the Germans from their prehistorical arrival on continental Europe in 2000 BC up to the unification of the German people under the flag of the German Empire, orchestrated by Otto von Bismarck of Prussia in 1871, followed by the horrrors of the 20th century – the first and second world wars, which resulted in the final unification of Germany as we know it today.

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