There are a lot of "influential thinkers" out there - Travis is the real deal!
Here is a good piece😊
We’re always chasing something—be it a promotion, a new car, or a significant other. This
leads to the belief that, “When (blank) happens, I’ll finally be happy.”
The mistaken notion that major life events dictate your happiness and sadness is so
prevalent that psychologists have a name for it: impact bias. The reality is, event-based
happiness is fleeting.
Happiness is synthetic—you either create it, or you don’t. Happiness that lasts is earned
through your habits. Supremely happy people have honed habits that maintain their
happiness day in, day out. Try out their habits, and see what they do for you:
1. They slow down to appreciate life’s little pleasures.
By nature, we fall into routines. In some ways, this is a good thing. It saves precious
brainpower and creates comfort. However, sometimes you get so caught up in your routine
that you fail to appreciate the little things in life. Happy people know how important it is to
savor the taste of their meal, revel in the amazing conversation they just had, or even just
step outside to take a deep breath of fresh air.
2. They exercise.
Getting your body moving for as little as 10 minutes releases GABA, a neurotransmitter that
makes your brain feel soothed and keeps you in control of your impulses. Happy people
schedule regular exercise and follow through on it because they know it pays huge
dividends for their mood.
3. They spend money on other people.
Research shows that spending money on other people makes you much happier than
spending it on yourself. This is especially true of small things that demonstrate effort, such
as going out of your way to buy your friend a book that you know they will like.
4. They surround themselves with the right people.
Happiness spreads through people. Surrounding yourself with happy people builds
confidence, stimulates creativity, and it’s flat-out fun. Hanging around negative people has
the opposite effect. They want people to join their pity party so that they can feel better
about themselves. Think of it this way: If a person were smoking, would you sit there all
afternoon inhaling the second-hand smoke? You’d distance yourself, and you should do the
same with negative people.
5. They stay positive.
Bad things happen to everyone, including happy people. Instead of complaining about how
things could have been or should have been, happy people reflect on everything they’re
grateful for. Then they find the best solution available to the problem, tackle it, and move
on. Nothing fuels unhappiness quite like pessimism. The problem with a pessimistic
attitude, apart from the damage it does to your mood, is that it becomes a self-fulfilling
prophecy: if you expect bad things, you’re more likely to experience negative events.
Pessimistic thoughts are hard to shake off until you recognize how illogical they are. Force
yourself to look at the facts, and you’ll see that things are not nearly as bad as they seem.
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6. They get enough sleep.
I’ve beaten this one to death over the years and can’t say enough about the importance of
sleep to improving your mood, focus, and self-control. When you sleep, your brain literally
recharges, removing toxic proteins that accumulate during the day as byproducts of normal
neuronal activity. This ensures that you wake up alert and clear-headed. Your energy,
attention, and memory are all reduced when you don’t get enough quality sleep. Sleep
deprivation also raises stress hormone levels on its own, even without a stressor present.
Happy people make sleep a priority, because it makes them feel great and they know how
lousy they feel when they’re sleep deprived.
7. They have deep conversations.
Happy people know that happiness and substance go hand-in-hand. They avoid gossip,
small talk, and judging others. Instead they focus on meaningful interactions. They engage
with other people on a deeper level, because they know that doing so feels good, builds an
emotional connection, and is an interesting way to learn.
8. They help others.
Taking the time to help people not only makes them happy, but it also makes you happy.
Helping other people gives you a surge of oxytocin, serotonin, and dopamine, all of which
create good feelings. In a Harvard study, employees who helped others were 10 times
more likely to be focused at work and 40% more likely to get a promotion. The same study
showed that people who consistently provided social support were the most likely to be
happy during times of high stress. As long as you make certain that you aren’t
overcommitting yourself, helping others is sure to have a positive influence on your mood.
9. They make an effort to be happy.
No one wakes up feeling happy every day and supremely happy people are no exception.
They just work at it harder than everyone else. They know how easy it is to get sucked into
a routine where you don’t monitor your emotions or actively try to be happy and positive.
Happy people constantly evaluate their moods and make decisions with their happiness in
mind.
10. They have a growth mindset. 2/3
People’s core attitudes fall into one of two categories: a fixed mindset or a growth mindset.
With a fixed mindset, you believe you are who you are and you cannot change. This
creates problems when you’re challenged, because anything that appears to be more than
you can handle is bound to make you feel hopeless and overwhelmed. People with a
growth mindset believe that they can improve with effort. This makes them happier because
they are better at handling difficulties. They also outperform those with a fixed mindset
because they embrace challenges, treating them as opportunities to learn something new.
Bringing It All Together
Happiness can be tough to maintain, but investing in the right habits pays off. Adopting
even a few of the habits from this list will make a big difference in your mood.
Friday, August 24, 2018
Wednesday, August 22, 2018
Monday, August 13, 2018
Getting A Promotion! Easy?
I cannot agree with everything here, but certainly one of the better articles I have come across recently.
Looking for a promotion? Here are the 7
simple steps to getting there.
GETTING A PROMOTION in work is no mean
feat – the competition is fierce, and the ladder is a tough climb.
There can often be ‘rules’ around getting promoted that will
never appear on paper, and office politics can play a role, too.
Clara Whitaker, a ‘Career Doctor’ specialising in bringing a
spark back to burned-out executives, says that there are two main
factors that hold people back from promotion. Firstly, “a
misalignment with their managers and/or the company”. And secondly,
“lack of trust in [a person’s] own ability to pull it off.”
Misalignment is difficult to get around – your job may only promote
after a certain amount of time in a role, or not at all. But a lack
of trust in yourself can be even trickier to manage. If you’re
ready for that extra responsibility, though, these tips will help to
get the spotlight on you.
1. Know exactly what you want “When I
work with my clients, I always use a set of tests and questionnaires
to clearly map out what they want out of their careers and lives, why
they want it and how they’re going to get there,” says Clara. “So
they can have a clear vision of what success looks like for them,
instead of for other people.” This helps them understand where they
can fit themselves into a new role, as well as the promotion market
at their company and beyond. It is, in Clara’s words, being “smart
about your career”. Kieran O’Connell, an executive with DIT
Hothouse, also recommends having a clear roadmap for yourself. “You
have to have a permanent campaign for career progression,” he says.
2. Decide whether you need to upskill
“Investing in education, learning and development is one of the
single biggest factors influencing both employability and the ability
to progress,” says Dr Ronan Carberry, Senior Lecturer in Management
at UCC and the Irish Management Institute. It may not seem like the
most obvious thing to do, but going back to education can have a real
impact on your job aspirations. Kieran O’Connell recently completed
a Masters in Business in order to keep up with the demands of the
market. “When everyone has a degree, no one does,” he says. “So
one of the best ways to differentiate yourself is to upskill.” Not
only does it differentiate you, but letting your boss know that
you’re working on something new shows initiative and drive. “The
ability to articulate what specific skills and competencies have been
developed as a result of completing a course or programme is hugely
important [to career progression],” says Dr Carberry. If you can’t
take on a degree – and let’s face it, many of us can’t – you
might have a think about night or online courses too.
3. Prepare, prepare, prepare Once you
decide you want a promotion, it’s best to set the wheels in motion
– so that by the time a position crops up, you have everything
ready to go as if the interview were tomorrow. “For starters,
assess your current skill set, check out what the new position would
entail, and prepare, prepare, prepare for the role,” says Clara
Whitaker. “Look beyond your current position to see where else you
can add value: what opportunities or threats can you perceive?”
4. Find a mentor Another tactic is to
ask for help within the organisation. Dr Carberry recommends “seeking
out mentoring or sponsorship opportunities.” Having a powerful
employee on your side can make all the difference, he says. “Here
the sponsor acts as an advocate for an employee when it comes to
career opportunities, promotions, and who has the power to effect
change.”
5. Help your manager succeed “If you
want to get ahead, you have to start thinking and acting like you’re
ahead.” says Clara. “That means understanding the differences in
scope, responsibility, skills and vision that will be necessary to
the new role, and preparing accordingly.” In other words: start
acting like you’re already in the role you’re coveting. Taking on
extra responsibilities and working as hard as you can get you noticed
by a superior – in all the right ways. “You are more likely to be
noticed as someone deserving if you consistently help your boss
succeed, and rally the troops to help you help her succeed,”
according to Clara. Dr Carberry recommends preparing “a concise
document that clearly outlines your proven track record and provides
concrete details on the impact you’ve had on the business”.
Aligning this with the company’s objectives, where possible, is a
sure-fire way to stand out.
6. Know where the company is going
“What helps [with self-promotion] is to think about the position
you want and then build a compelling argument as to how it aligns
with the objectives of your boss and the organisation,” says Dr
Carberry. Many companies have a long-term strategic plan or vision
for the company, as well as for the staff – it’s worth finding
and studying this, as more often than not it’s a bible to
management. Knowing it inside out not only impresses in an interview
setting, but it can help you build a coherent strategy for your new
role. Clara stresses the importance of doing your homework too. “Know
what the company’s short and long term goals are and how you can
add value to them. And research the market to find out what it pays
someone with your experience and qualifications.”
7. Have a plan B (and be ready to look
elsewhere) Much as the idea of being told ‘No’ may turn your
stomach, Clara says it’s important to be ready for rejection –
without expecting it. “Always have a plan B” she advises.
“Companies are not always able or willing to promote employees at
certain times. It happens. So what would your next steps be if your
request for a promotion was met with a ‘No’?” If you’re
knocked back, try not to take it personally – it really is just
business. At the very least, your boss knows that you’re willing,
ready and able to up-skill – and it also might be a good time to
shop around, says Dr Carberry. “Research shows that one of the best
ways to get a pay raise is to switch organisations between three and
five years after you started there. Less than three years may be too
little time to develop the most marketable skills and after five
years people become tied to the organisation.” So maybe if your
time is up, and you’re not getting that promotion, it’s best to
take your newly sharpened skills elsewhere.
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