Your Own Space Odyssey

This article is about space and about odyssey, not about the book 2001 -a space odyssey. The latter of the two terms can refer to the mythical Odyssey or to his journey. Your own personal space odyssey is about your personal quest for … (more) space.

Some refer to it as a budget, in the organizational setting, others refer to it as freedom, and others may experience to be somehow locked in a situation — a prison — from which they cannot escape. Every architectural works starts with it. And even that we may not always conscious of it, it dominates most things in our life. Space.

Under normal circumstances we take the space that is “left” for us as granted. Normal circumstances are quite dominating in the fact that they do not seem to change a lot. We are stuck to daily habits and a network which gives us only limited space to maneuver.

Others – there is nothing new in what I write – may call it “saying No,” when you respond mechanically to a command: “would you please do this for me.” The problem is that if you continue these external commands you risk a live run by others. But “saying No” to these “sirenes” is only one part of the story.

Others – there is nothing new in what I write – may call it negotiation skills. Know how to get what you want and exchange as little as possible in return. Indeed space is also where negotiating is about. Don’t let others take too much from you.

Space is what it all starts with, and it should be your quest to get more of it, without hurting others. You don’t have to travel far to get more of it. Reading an article may be just enough and than act on it.

Only think of all those situations where you limit yourself to an existing box full of constraints. And free yourself.

Your own space odyssey is a very simple journey you can make every day and return with more: space.

© 2008 Hans Bool