When Working Smarter is Dumber

This article comes from an idea by Edward Shapard at EdwardShapard.com about how to work smarter, not harder which you can read here. It had a profound affect on me, and I'm sure it will on you.

The moral of the story is that it's all very well developing systems to help you get more done, but are you factoring in the time (read: down-time) it takes to perfect your system? It takes time to get things off the ground so ensure the project you intend to spend your valuable time on warrants it. This applies to many scenarios, and I'm sure you can of a few of your own.

Take the plethora of "successful" internet marketers these days who brag about their huge incomes from zero to $zillions in a matter of days, even hours. But again, like the character in Mr Shapard's story, they fail to inform us that it took four or five, even ten years to perfect their "system" before it made a cent. Get the picture? And what were they doing before that? Developing, tweaking, designing, troubleshooting etc. (again think Mr McDuck!)

Any kind of personal development is a case in point.

Let me explain. I can recall (with some discomfort when I look back at it) the reams of notes and exercises I performed diligently as part of my personal development "education" process prescribed in some of the books I read. Although many of the exercises were useful, my point is, don't get bogged down with the 'how to's.' I discovered the 'system' could be, and is in fact, never ending!

Sounds silly. It's not.

Think more in terms of Herbert Spencer's famous quote "The great aim of education is not knowledge but ACTION."

Look at your own life and identify if the time you spend on attempting to work "smarter" is, in fact dumber. I wasted hours (and numerous notebooks!) looking for answers I didn't really need. I got caught up in the system instead of the action part. The system was the action and it had zero tangible results. Less is more is certainly true for me, what's true for you?

Can 'The World's Most Influencial Thinker' Help Us Succeed? (The answer is far more surprising, and more fascinating, than we could ever have imagined)

Do we really need another book about success?

In his book 'Outliers' Thomas Gladwell defines success as '...this perennially interesting question; and there are so many different answers depending on who you ask and when you ask them. And that is why we keep returning to it. If there was some simple little algorithm we could apply, it wouldn't capture our imagination in the same way.'

The Economist says 'A compelling read with an important message; by understanding better what makes people successful we should be able to produce more successful (and happy )people'

William Leith of the Evening Standard adds 'It will make you feel happy. It will make you realise that if you're not successful it might not be your fault'

Time says 'Makes geniuses look a bit less special, and the rest of us a bit more so'

Gladwell argues that there is something profoundly wrong with the way we make sense of success. In fact, you may never look at some sports in the same way again. 'Outliers' is a book you won't want to put down. It's easy to read and Gladwell goes to great lengths to evidence his conclusions. Many times I found myself reading past my daily cut-off point just to get to the next chapter and the conclusion of his next revelation!

I first discovered the book from a close friend. We often discussed careers over the years and this was one such occasion. We had been discussing the length of time and the amount of work we had been putting into our present careers when my friend remembered a figure from Malcolm of 10,000 hours (or ten years) to become expert enough in your chosen field before a breakthrough to success! This number seemed about right (ask my wife!) What's more, Gladwell cites many examples from sports teams, software programmers, and rock stars to name but a few!

Before you can become an expert in your chosen field, you need the opportunity to learn how to be an expert - and this takes time. Many people look for a quick solution to bypass the amount of time it takes to succeed, but this is only part of the equation as Gladwell skillfully explains.

'Outliers' by Malcolm Gladwell discusses the eternal question of why some people achieve so much more than others. The answer is far more surprising, and more fascinating, than we could ever have imagined.

Do You Really Want What You Say You Want?

Eric Thomas is somewhat of a phenomenon. Here is a guy who passionately tells it how it is! Eric gets down to the nitty-gritty and puts the 'real' reasons in your space as to why you may not be achieving the kind of success you say you want. Take note, Eric pulls no punches here (I was even a little shocked myself).

Winston Churchill famously once said "Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened."  This is one such truth.

I trust this brief video gives you that extra impetus to go after that which you say you want. If nothing else, I'm confident you'll be looking up more of Eric's dynamic videos!

The Story of Self-Talk And How To Empower Yourself

Shad Helmstetter provides proven evidence about how our programming during our childhoods is responsible for the people we are today. More importantly, he offers practical suggestions and exercises on how we can change and improve our chances of success today in his book called 'What To Say When You Talk To Yourself.' I highly recommend it.

Dr Helmstetter reckons the average 18 year old has been told 'No' or what they could not do more than 180,000 times! And during his speaking engagements he has met people who could not recall a single instance of being told what they could do!

Isn't it about time you started programming yourself for positive change in a way that's already familiar to you? Dr Helmstetter shows you how you can re-program any part of your life that has been holding you back.

What To Do When Faced With The Irresistible 'Work-From-Home' Online Offer

Ah, the irresistible 'Work-From-Home' online offer:

"When I Told My Friends I Was Going To Earn $1,000 A Week, They Just Laughed At Me. Now They're Begging Me For My Secret."

Well, you might say, I'm big enough to make my own choices, and you'd be right! But what if all the information you needed to make an informed choice just wasn't available? Even a little research online often brings up a full page of reviews by the same company and its employees, with links back to the same videos and sales page!

So what then? By the time you reach the end of the skillfully prepared sales spiel, you're already half convinced (often against your better judgement) and your credit card is ready to make payment.

I wanted to mention this especially after all my years online I should have known better! I recently watched one of these skillfully crafted and drawn out videos (one hour+) in which the 'seller' pushes all manner of emotional buttons to give a truly heart-wrenching rags to riches story of how they overcame incredible odds to become a success.

And (for a limited period, of course) they're offering their entire 'system' free to show you how you can do the same. And all this can be achieved with no effort (naturally) taking only 2 hours a day 'working' from your soon-to-be-acquired beach front property (probably in your swimwear!). You get the picture!

Often these tales are SO compelling you find yourself sitting through the whole shenanigans just to see what's on offer at the end! This type of presentation is highly engaging, persuasive and well-polished. But have you ever noticed they NEVER tell you what you have to do to earn the riches they claim? All you have to do is give your email address, a small payment and bingo!

So, why do we fall for these types of ads? Are we so naive and desperate to earn our riches that we think some 'magic, no-work-needed system' will do the work for us? Often we want to make up for lost time and get suckered in to the promise of a better lifestyle seemingly in a matter of several months. Who wouldn't want that?

Tip: if something sounds too good to be true, it IS too good to be true! And, if it looks like a duck and sounds like a duck, it IS a duck no matter what anyone is trying to tell (read 'sell') you!

These sales pages and ads often appeal on an emotional level which is so hard to resist, especially as their audience (most folks in fact wanting to earn additional income from home) often have important reasons for wanting to earn an additional income. You have your reasons just like me.

These offers have a single purpose; to separate you from your hard-earned cash with little or no regard for your success. By the time you sign up, you realise the reality is far from the sales pitch, and you've spent your money and you're angry for being suckered in, vowing to be more careful in future.

So, what should we do. Use a little common sense. Remember the duck! Don't be suckered in by the 'limited time' offers and call to immediate action. After all, this is your life, your money and your future.

The sort of information to look out for in any potential offer online should tell you: 

• exactly what's involved before asking for a single penny
• should let you poke around for as long as you want to find out as much information as you need, educating you in the process without bothering you at the same time
• should offer a money back trial and guarantee with no catches
• access to tons of real-life testimonials made by actual business owners for you to check out yourself - no carefully selected stories from the company
• be able to do your own research to find out the truth about the business, its history, owner(s) and what it takes to succeed - honestly
• be able to build your own picture (without persuasion) to decide if the business is right for you, and your lifestyle (yes, work will be involved)
• you should be able to see yourself working and enjoying your business as a result of your own findings
• all the tools and resources to build this business should be in one place without the need to buy anything else to achieve the results you want, and should do the job the company claims
• ideally a live community where you can connect with like-minded people who are already achieving the results you aspire to, who want to help you succeed because they were once exactly where you are right now.
• a track record of success

Decide for yourself is what I'm saying.

Make an informed choice. This is the sort of information I've been talking about with no bells and whistles to temp you out of your hard-earned cash. Just sound, proven evidence of success and a how-to system that leads you every step of the way and delivers.

Just remember, it's YOU who has to do the work! But you knew that already right? I hope this information has helped you like it has helped me. Please let me know what you think...

How to Be More Social by Eduard Ezeanu

Useful post courtesy of Eduard Ezeanu from his blog People Skills Decoded

Do you want to overcome shyness or anxiety and be confident and charismatic? Do you want to make effortless conversation with anyone, make friends easily and fully enjoy life?



If you tend to be shy, quiet or anxious in social situations, learning how to be more social is one of the most important things you can do. Put into application the right know-how on how to be more social and you’ll see outstanding transformations. You’ll find it easier to make friends, get noticed and have fun in social settings.

As a social confidence coach, most of what I do is help others discover how to be more social and implement this understanding effectively. I want to share with you some of the key ideas that have helped these persons without fail. I discuss them in more detail and also provide other powerful advice in this free presentation.

Approach Being More Social Progressively

The common mistake that people who want to be more sociable make is that they try to achieve this all of a sudden. I know you may crave to be the person who talks with everybody at a party, tells captivating stories and mesmerizes others. And you can become that person. But not overnight. It’s essential to approach this as a gradual process and take it one day at a time.

For example, you may start by simply getting out of the house more; or asking more questions during conversation, and once this gets easier, move on to something more challenging. Focus on making progress, not on radically changing yourself in an instant, and you’ll get very far. Anybody who wants to teach you how to be more social and promises a total transformation in a flash is just trying to swindle you.

Learn the Rules and Play the Game

I big issue for many people who want to find out how to be more social is that they don’t have a minimal understanding of the basic social etiquette.

For example, they often don’t know if it’s OK to ask a work colleague a personal question (the answer is: yes) or when is it proper to do so (the answer is: after you’ve gotten to know each other a bit at a professional level first). Now, I typically don’t give a lot of heed to etiquette. But there are some fundamental norms for social interaction that it’s good to understand. And once you understand them, you can feel more confident in social situations and be more outgoing.

So I encourage you to ask yourself: what do I feel I need to understand better about social interactions. Then seek this understanding you require. Sometimes just asking some questions to a few more socially savvy acquaintances is enough. Other times you may want to actually pick up a book or do a course on social dynamics and the art of conversation.

One small warning here: don’t overdo it. The point is to learn the basic etiquette and try to comply with it most of the time. Don’t try to become the perfect conversationalist who always follows the rules. That’s impossible and frankly, it would make you quite boring.

Focus Externally, Not Internally During Social Interactions

One thing I often notice at people who are reserved is that they’re regularly inside their head while interacting with others. They scrutinize their behavior, try to find ways impress, or criticize themselves in their inner dialog. It’s no surprise that many times they seem to not be paying real attention to the interaction.

If this sounds familiar, then a crucial step forward for you is to focus more externally during social interactions. Pay attention to the other person, what they’re saying, and sometimes observe the context you’re in. But avoid being in your head. This switch in your focus will achieve two things: it will lower your nervousness and it will allow you to have better reactions during the interaction. In time, this will make you more confident to initiate interactions and express yourself.

Work On Your Self-Image

Whenever I coach a person and we explore their desire to be more social, we reliably discover that there is a deeper issue that doesn’t permit them to be as sociable as they would like to be. Many times they have some sort of an inferiority complex, self-image issues or a lack of self-esteem. Having a hard time interacting with others is just a symptom, but it is not the core problem.

In this case, it’s essential to work on the deeper issue in order to get rid of the symptom. You need to change your thinking patterns about yourself, and weed out those limiting beliefs you have about you. Change your thinking, and you change your entire social life.

You now have the basic guidelines on how to be more social. In order to see real results, it’s important to capably put hem into practice. Ultimately, it is proper action that separates the winners from the losers; the people who revamp their social life from the people who just complain and dream of a better day.

Image courtesy of Mark Sebastian

How to Make Changes Stick by Eduard Ezeanu

Courtesy of Steve Aitchison's blog Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life

 

Any person who’s into personal development knows that changing your thinking, behavior or emotional reactions is complicated enough. But things often get even more complicated because that change doesn’t stick. You finally got in the habit of eating healthy and hitting the gym every day, then something sidetracks you and you find yourself eating junk food and slacking it again. You finally managed to build your social confidence and be more social, only to find that old anxiety creeping in again one day when you’re in a social setting, and preventing you from being outgoing. Unfortunately, old negative habits often do come back, many times just when we think we got rid of them, and sometimes they come back with a vengeance. This is why it’s important to be able not only to make change happen, but also to make it stick. As a coach, I put a great deal of focus in helping my clients with both these aspects. I’d like to share with you the most important 5 strategies they, as well as myself, have used successfully to make new habits stick.

 

 

1. Expect and Accept Regress

As far as I can tell, regress is a natural part of progress. When we improve, we frequently make two steps forward, one step back. Our mind falls back on old habits several times until it lets go of them completely to make room for the new habits. What truly matters is how you react when regress happens. If you see it as something terrible that shouldn’t happen or as a sign that you can’t truly change, you’ll likely be shocked, become disillusioned and give up. Obviously, not a good outcome. On the other hand, if you see regress as a natural part of self-improvement, you expect it to come about and you accept it when it does. You take notice of it, then you put your eyes back on the target and you keep moving forward. Sooner or later, the change will stick permanently.

2. Choose Regularity over Intensity

One thing I’ve noticed is that, for building new habits, it’s much more effective to practice something 15 minutes every day for 30 days than 3 hours every day for 3 days. And the latest psychological research tends to support this idea as well. Even though the overall amount of time dedicated to practicing is somewhat smaller in the first case, the new habit will be more likely to stick. And even if you will regress eventually, it will be to a lesser degree and easier to overcome. This is because regularity is more important than intensity in forming new mental associations, which are reflected in new habits. Both of them are essential, but regularity seems to be the priority. Take this into account when you establish how much you implement something each day and for how many days.

3. Don’t Stop Practicing Too Early

On a related note, most people tend to stop practicing stuff too early. Usually, when a new habit starts to take form, when they finally see the desired behavior, feeling or way of thinking emerging on its own, they take it as a sign that the change is done and so they stop practicing. However, this is not true. If you don’t keep practicing at that point, in a few days you’ll go right back to your old habit. The new habit may feel natural at that point, but part of this is only temporary. You need to keep practicing it and to reinforce it in your mind in order to make the change stick. I can’t stress enough how important this is.

4. Incentivize Yourself to Practice

Realizing the long-term benefits of doing something regularly is simply not enough to keep you doing it. Sometimes it’s not even enough to get you started. Just look at all the people who know the long-term benefits they will achieve if they stop smoking, or drinking, or eating sweets, but still they don’t. You need to create and sustain the emotional drive to practice. This is where instant incentives come in: rewards that you give yourself immediately for practicing something, but you forbid yourself from accessing if you don’t practice. In my view, a good practice routine entails daily practice activities, combined with daily incentives to actually do them. In my experience, this is the only approach that works in the long-run.

5. Seek Outside Support

The truth is, other people are a powerful force that you can employ to help make change happen and then keep practicing to make it stick. There are lots of ways to employ them. You can get some of your friends to engage in making the same changes you want to make and you can help keep each other accountable. You can work with a trainer, coach or instructor who supervises your practice and, likewise, helps to keep you accountable. Look around, see the options you have for getting support from others and use them. Change is much easier when others are there to help you. Ultimately, making change stick is from my perspective a matter of working smarter, not harder. You need to have a good understanding of how your mind works in installing new habits and to apply this understanding in the way you organize you day to day activity. This is what works. This is what allows you to genuinely grow and thrive in this world.

 

Thanks to Eduard Ezeanu a guest author on Steve Aitchison's Blog