Management of Measurement Constructs
Enforcing Efficiency with Horoscope Preparation
Within the Peter Principle pantheon of insights, there’s a phrase recognizing the obvious that applies importantly to our work preparing horoscopes: work fills the time that exists. –Not the time that is required, but all the time possible!
The new astrologer will spend daaaaaays poring over horoscope drawings and sheets of measurement notations in search for some miracle statement that will bring analysis to life. There is no reliable, meaningful organization to the preparation process; the eyes don’t know where to go; concepts don’t form out of the fragments. The consultation time arrives, and the astrologer is drained from the work and anxiety about the challenge ahead, and is completely preoccupied with remembering anything that might be significant to impress the client. –This way of doing the work easily becomes a habit. The astrologer gradually becomes disgruntled and, in the face of better ways of doing it, even ‘testy’ and resistant about solving the problem. It’s embarrassing.
On the “up” side, we hope the astrologer realizes that all this is dysfunctional, inefficient to the extreme, and about as far away from meaningful analysis as one can get. In the end, all the measurement details will threaten to have overlooked the existence of the human being. They exist and are pursued only to vindicate astrology and, in turn, the astrologer.
Gradually, during my Master’s Certification Course, I wean my students from over-measurement, from insignificant or even useless measurements, and obsessing over the measurement process. Actually, in the first four Lessons in the Course, they will have learned practically all the analytical tools necessary for the fullest and deepest orientation to the horoscope. Three Lessons a bit later present all time-measurement ideas upon which they can rely. It’s a dramatic transition through these Lessons. –Indeed, we must know that each Lesson requires some 50 hours of study and work. But the fact remains that what is learned is so relevant, richly humanized, and framed in ways of communication that ring bells!
Check your horoscope preparation process. How long do you prepare? How do you know when you’re finished? [A key question!] Is the preparation the same length of time for each client? [In other words, is your preparation time reliable in structure and duration to do each horoscope up to your highest standard?]
On the practical side of this discussion, if your preparation process is hit-or-miss, shooting off into myriad measurement alleys, filled with frustration and bewilderment, how can you possibly anticipate doing more than one horoscope a week, a day? Read this as “how can you anticipate earning a living with the astrology you love so much?”
Recommendations
Astrologers need Process to support analysis and organize time. It’s called “technique” … technique is learned by every professional … painters, singers, pianists, surgeons, psychoanalysts, cooks, etc.
1. Organizing Organize the steps of your preparation. In effect, actually write down the step-by-step procedure you follow every single time you look at and study a horoscope. If you don’t know a procedure that holds together from beginning to end, that makes sense, you better get one. –You may come up with 8-10 steps. Write them down. Follow them always. Refine them continuously.
2. Timing your work How long do you take to go through your organized procedure? I know that my procedure from soup to nuts takes me 23-25 minutes, but took me a long time to get to that efficiency level, and I know I can even shorten that if necessary. –Your organization time may get chopped back from a week to two hours, when the organizing kicks in and a routine starts to show itself. Then you work to get that whittled down to an hour and a half … an hour … and maybe in a year or so, under an hour. This is the transforming process for your professionalism and confidence.
How long is your consultation discussion? –Remember: normal adult concentration span rarely exceeds one hour and twenty minutes! How can you shorten the time to an hour? Are you talking about things that simply are not at all important?
3. Scheduling As you develop greater organization and efficient time management, book two clients back to back, i.e., and hour and a half apart on the same day. Accomplish this and take stock of your achievement! Congratulations! –Then, work toward three consecutive clients on the same day, in the same morning perhaps! Even though you may only have three clients lined up for the entire week, put them in consecutive time-slots. You will be forcing yourself to prepare efficiently; to order your mind efficiently; and professional stamina will develop.
Believe me, within these organization frames, the astrologer becomes more effective! Confidence grows. The astrologer is dealing with what’s important to the client. A relationship is born in practically every consultation. And business improves.