The Lion, The Otter, The Beaver And The Golden Retriever

                                                                     Everyday is a brand new day,
                                                                       everyday is a journey.


Rise, O my soul, with thy desires to heaven,

And with divinest contemplation use

Thy time where time's eternity is given,

And let vain thoughts no more thy thoughts abuse;

But down in darkness let them lie:

So live thy better, let thy worse thoughts die!

--Sir Walter Raleigh.

Let's have some fun today! Recently, I've come across the following personality test from author Gary Smalley. Are you the lion, the otter, the beaver or the golden retriever? 

SCENARIO 1

You receive a text message from a friend asking a question.  Lion – Respond using the fewest possible letters. It is quite possible that your text cannot be understood by the recipient. In fact, when asked later, you might not even be able to understand what you wrote.  Otter – Text back using as many words and emoticons as possible. Continue the conversation by inviting your friend to some event.  Golden Retriever – Pick up the phone and call them. Be sure to ask them how their family is.  Beaver – When you notice the message, text a short message back, but use correct capitalization and punctuation.

SCENARIO 2

You’re approaching a door. There is a person about 25 feet behind you walking toward the same door.  Lion – “There was a person? What person?”  Otter – Hold the door, stick out your hand, and loudly remark “Where’s my tip?”  Golden Retriever – Hold the door, smile, and ask the person if they’re having a good day.  Beaver – Consider briefly the amount of time it would take to hold the door vs. your schedule to determine if it’s worth the effort. If you do decide to hold the door, you’ll enter it first, and hold it open behind you.

SCENARIO 3

You’re given a task and some specific instructions on what to do.  Lion – Identify the most efficient way to complete the task and do it immediately. The instructions were just a suggestion for someone who didn’t know what they were doing.  Otter – Discuss it with your friends at lunch. Express your utter disbelief at the absurdity of it. When you finally do complete it, e-mail it back and copy in a few other people.  Golden Retriever – Next time you see the person who assigned it to make sure you completely understand what is being asked. Ask a few times to ensure you know how to please them.  Beaver – Prioritize the task among your other work. When you get to it, follow the instructions completely, even if you know a better way. Double check your work before submitting.

Havea blessed day everyone.