The One Skill That Will Earn You Money, No Matter What You Do
Communication
No matter what you do in life, communication will earn you money.
You’re a person working in a cubicle on hard problems. The ability to present your work to the boss during performance reviews will make or break you. The ability to present your work to coworkers will help your project go better. The ability to talk to peers at conferences will open up new connections and possibly new career paths for you.
You’re a person who’s involved with artistic work. Your ability to sell your work relies on your ability to communicate. In many cases, your work itself relies on an ability to communicate - art speaks, does it not?
You work at a minimum wage job at a burger joint. Good communication skills get you to the front counter, where the work is typically more varied and more interesting and you have the opportunity to show off customer relations skills to the manager, who will begin to value you as a key employee, leading to potential raises and better scheduling.
You’re standing at the bus stop. Other people are waiting around, mostly just fidgeting. Keeping quiet will earn you nothing. Starting a conversation with the guy in the business suit holding a copy of one of your favorite books might start a valuable friendship.
Here are ten things you can do immediately to improve that skill.
Introduce yourself to others as often as is reasonably possible. If you’re in a situation where you’re in close public quarters with others that you do not know (like a meeting room, a party, or a dinner table), introduce yourself to them, and initiate some conversation. Likely, if you’re sitting there quiet and nervous, they’re feeling the exact same way. Even in the worst case scenario - the conversation doesn’t go well - at the very least, you got some conversational practice out of the deal.
Make a concerted effort to remember names well enough that you can call them by name later. Always ask for people’s names and try very hard to remember them. At the end of the conversation, get a business card from them and, later, jot what you can remember about them down on the back of the card - the occasion in which you met, any key information that stands out, etc. If you can’t get a business card, jot their name down in a notebook with similar information. This will help you remember. Then, if you think you might be meeting that person again, review the information a bit before you go. This will help you immediately have an impact on them the next time you meet.
Take every opportunity you can get to speak in front of a crowd and give presentations. If you’ve got an opportunity to speak in public, always take it. Not only does this force you to know how to organize your thoughts and communicate them to others, it provides countless opportunities to open up interactions with people who share your interests and concerns.
Put extra care into explaining your work to others. Whenever you have a chance to explain your work to others, put in plenty of care so that they’re able to understand it without their eyes glossing over. Comment your code. Think of everyday analogies for what you’re doing and use them. Try as hard as you can to avoid technical talk unless the situation specifically calls for it. In short, the better you can explain what you’re doing to a layman, the better you’ll appear not only to upper management, but to people in future interview situations.
Share what you know about your work as widely as possible.
It’s always worthwhile to start a blog covering your professional area. Not only does it give you an opportunity to sort through your thoughts and concepts, it also allows you to share your ideas with a wide world. Plus, doing it regularly simply makes you a better communicator. Here are five great examples of strong professional blogs:
Joel on Software is written by Joel Spolsky, a software developer
Seth’s Blog is written by Seth Godin, a marketing consultant
Jeffrey Zeldman Presents is written by Jeffrey Zeldman, a web developer
DennisKennedy.blog is written by Dennis Kennedy, a lawyer
Doctor David’s Blog is written by Dr. Davide Loeb, a pediatric oncologist
Compliment others sincerely. If someone does something well, compliment them, and do it sincerely. Most people go through the drudgery of their workday and their daily life without realizing that people sincerely appreciate their efforts. Thank people for the effort they put out for you, from the company president all the way down to the janitorial staff. Thank the administrative assistant who helped you get your paperwork filed. Compliment the person at the beauty salon who just got an excellent new hair style. I even go so far as to tell people that I see on the street that they look beautiful today or that they’re wearing great clothes (”I love that jacket!”). Even if it gets you nothing more than a thank you, you’d be shocked how often such things come back around in the long run.
Participate in social groups where you have a high likelihood of meeting new people. Find a group or two that match your interests or beliefs (faith, community service, books, etc.) and get involved. Go to those meetings and make an effort to meet new people there. Take leadership roles.
Attend conferences and conventions with the goal of meeting people. Don’t attend conferences in order to listen to the talks. Attend conferences to meet people. As soon as you’ve decided to go to a conference, see if you can get involved in the organization a bit. Help run a session, or be a “substitute” speaker if one is needed. During the rest of the meeting, make an effort to meet people who share your specific interests and work on building the beginning of friendships with them. If you’re eating alone at a conference, you’re wasting that conference.
When people talk, listen and ask occasional questions. Most people prefer to talk about themselves and their own interests much more than listening. If you’re having a one-on-one conversation, most people tend to feel best about it when they’ve done about 60-65% of the talking. That means that you’ll almost always make for a better conversationalist if you shoot for 35-40% of the talking. The best way to do that is to just listen carefully to what the other person is saying. Watch them - don’t let your eyes wander. Ask an occasional question or two. This doesn’t mean you should be silent, but it does mean you should let the other person do the brunt of the talking.
Talk about your own mistakes before ever criticizing others. If you’re ever in a position to criticize others, always be up front with your own mistakes, foibles, and flaws. You will never come off well if you try to create an air of perfection around yourself while criticizing others. It’s never a bad idea to lead with an anecdote about a mistake you’ve made in the past, even in interview situations (of course, there you’ll want to continue by explaining how you fixed the mistake, if reasonable). Trying to come off as perfect makes you seem less human and thus criticism from you seems much less palatable. Show some flaws - you’ll come off better in the end.
Copied from The Simple Dollar Blog
Workout Music – Rage!
I posted this recently at Gyminee – thought I would share
I have some different playlists on the iPod for lifting workouts including Queen, The Offspring, and The Darkness.
But the one that really gets me 'zoned in' and agro to get that last rep is Rage Against the Machine. I just have the best of. Driving beats and mad as hell - shout it like you mean it lyrics.
To me RATM sound like the soundtrack to a prize fight. If you need to focus and get the distractions of the day or other people in the gym out of your mind then Rage On!
Western Spaghetti by PES
This is a fantastic stop motion video
I don't think I want to eat this spaghetti
The essentials of good business writing
Good business writing is at the heart of successful marketing. Without it you will be at best, misunderstood, at worst, totally ignored. Follow these simple guidelines to ensure your business writing hits the spot.
Write readable sentences by writing the way you talk
There is a misconception that good business writing is complex and flowery. It is simply not true. The only people who can ignore this advice are lawyers by virtue of the fact that it is their intention to make everything more complex than it need be, especially as they are paid by the hour to explain to you what they have written!
Use ordinary words
Don’t try to be too clever; don’t use a long word where a short one will do.
Variety
Vary your punctuation and sentence length to add life and movement to your writing.
Use the personal pronoun
Use "I" or "we" wherever you can.
Make your point
Make your main point early and make it easy to find. Don't introduce new ideas until you have thoroughly explained the first.
Intention
Make your purpose for writing clear. Say what you have found, address the issue or problem and make a recommendation or provide a solution. Tell the reader very clearly what you want them to do. Never make the assumption that the reader will make the mental leap between the information and what you want them to do about it.
Structure
Help your reader get to the point by revealing the structure of the document. Allow them to have control over what they discover and when.
White space
Leave plenty of white space. This can be created by using headings, lists, bullet points and short paragraphs.
Use font types wisely
If in doubt stick to the classic fonts. Don't litter your writing with bold, italics CAPITALS or underline; it makes the text harder to read.
Wherever possible, remember:
- Use the active voice
- Use ordinary words
- Construct clear, simple sentences
- Concrete not abstract – use examples, metaphors and details
- Personal
- Informal, conversational style
- Make every word count or get rid of it
- Use just enough punctuation to assist the reader
- Watch your grammar – don’t switch tense.
- Say what you mean and mean what you say
- Don't use jargon - if you have to, explain it the first time you use it
- Strive to express yourself clearly
- Get to the point fast, or at least allow the reader the option to if they choose to
But most of all have fun with it. Never be afraid to reflect your own personality in your writing and it's okay to break a few rules now and again!
Karen McCreadie is a freelance writer – capable of writing anything from a marketing brochure to a website to ghost writing your next book! Ghost writing is her specialty.
Original article link http://www.flyingsolo.com.au/p196318265_The-essentials-of-good-business-writing.html
I’m going for Wolverine's work-out
This is sort of what I have been doing, that is:
- More exercise
- More protein
- Less carbs
- More regular eating and smaller portions (I have been slack on that these couple of cold weeks)
It’s working for me so far – see me at Gyminee
I like the reference to low HI diet. The less processed the better
Off to the gym this arvo I think :)
ninemsn talks to the hairy man's trainer Michael Ryan about how he got that body.
Fancy a superhero's body? The Hulk is a mean, green muscle machine, Superman's a six-pack wielding cliché and Spider-Man is too lycra-clad to envy. But Hugh Jackman's Wolverine is quite a different story. A well-conditioned torso, chest and arms are something your everyday man could aspire too.
Building up a new burly physique isn't something that only the likes of a celebrity preparing for the part of the animalistic superhero can achieve, of course. According to his personal trainer and good friend, Michael Ryan, it's within all of our reach with a little dedication.
So, is Hugh naturally muscular and therefore not a good representation of your average man?
Not at all! I've worked with him for over 20 years and when we first met he was skinny. In fact, he had chicken legs! He has built his body gradually over the years. He's 39 now and looking better than ever.
Hugh's very well-stacked for his title role in Wolverine. Did you put him through hours of gruelling training a day?
The routine was intense but it was for 1.5 hours for six days a week. It wasn't a complicated regime at all and something anyone can do. It was based on four or five lifting sessions and a cardiovascular session.
The key to our success with his body was variation. A lot of guys head for the gym day-in day-out and do the same thing every time and then wonder why their body stays the same. Make a point of working different muscles, building on the weight you can lift and getting your heart beating with a mix of running, swimming or cross-training.
No tight-clad yoga sessions then?
Not for this role! But we have used yoga in the past to condition his body. It's a fantastic way of toning and elongating muscles.
Ah, but once you've got all that muscle, a few days off and it turns to flab?
Not the case. I think if you ask anyone who has successfully improved their body with a regular workout, going back to old ways is not an option. It's not hard to maintain muscle if you are dedicated to keeping up a routine. Hugh's finished filming now but rang from New York to let me know he's keeping up the good work!
How big a part does diet play in achieving a body like Wolverine's?
It plays a huge part. If you think about the fact that only 1.5 hours is spent training, it's the 22.5 hours after that are the worry. We put Hugh on a six-meals-a-day plan that consisted of high-protein foods. Think fish, meat and pulses.
What we put a big focus on was basing the diet on as low an HI [human interference] diet as possible. Basically as untouched, unmodified by human hands as possible. It's how the body functions at its optimum level.
Does it get harder to achieve a Wolverine-esque body as you get older?
Well Hugh's almost 40 and we didn't face any issues. Men can peak in their mid-40 so age isn't as big a factor as you'd think. Getting the body you want is about balance and dedication.
6 Things Money Cannot Help you Achieve
Written on 6/06/2008 by Shilpan Patel of Success Soul
Imagine you are Mr. Bill Gates, czar of the wealth. Life is great; you're the richest man on the earth. You can buy anything in life, right? Wrong. Before you ride on the jet of euphoria and focus your entire life on earning money, know there are simply things that a roll of hundred dollar bills cannot get for you, not even if you are Mr. Gates.
If you are perplexed, let me explain my theory. It may sound like an oxymoron but money has its Achilles’ heel. All of our false perceptions about money have one common flaw - they identify money as something external to us, they identify money as the tool to accumulate abundance to please others by accumulating possessions.
What money can't buy mostly lies within us. Nonetheless, trading our life energy for money can deprive us from inner nourishment that can eventually lead our lives into a downward spiral.
1. Time: Money is a tool for trade. With that said, we spend a good chunk of our allotted time on this earth getting, spending, worrying and fantasizing about money. You can't buy the time and save it in your storeroom even if you are Mr. Gates. On the contrary, money takes away your time that could have been spent playing with your children or having a long walk with your alter ego. When the sun sets, a day goes away from our life forever. No money has power to bring that back to life.
2. Self Awareness: Ignorance is bliss, right? It's a curse. Not having self-awareness and self-consciousness lead to decisions that can cost you dearly. Well, the cost may be life itself. As a result, many people live a mediocre life without living for a true purpose. Their ignorance can't be transmuted into awareness with money. They believe that their ignorance is their awareness.
3. Self esteem: I have a plethora of examples to prove that no money can purchase self-esteem. Self-esteem is earned from within. If you are your worst enemy, gods of money can't rescue you from the self-destruction you inflict on yourself. King of rock Elvis Presley had the best life one can imagine with no dearth of cash. He took his own life with the deprivation of self-esteem.
4. Health: As I write this, I found out that Senator Kennedy has brain cancer, and it is terminal. Of course money can get him the best health care possible but no money can buy insurance for a life. We buy insurance for just about everything including our life but money can never bring life back.
5. Respect: Try this. Slap someone on his face and then hand him $100 to get his respect. Will you get it? I doubt it. We all live our life in pursuit of self-respect from peers, from family members, from our alter ego and even from strangers. No money can buy respect from others if our actions speak volumes about our negativity - insult, rudeness and lack of respect for others.
6. Happiness: This is controversial. Money can buy happiness if it is spent on to bring grater financial security for the family. However, money can't buy happiness if the purpose is to make money to make other people happy. The chase of possession of possessions can never find its destination with incessant desire to accumulate more possessions. Happiness comes from within. When we trade so much time and energy to get money, we deprive our inner self from the food of happiness.
I'm sure that you either are nodding you head in disbelief by now, or you've been enlightened by the revelation that, after all, money can't buy some of what matters most in our life. I'll be glad to get a zap or a hug from you.
Inside the space station
This is a bloody amazing video of life on the International Space Station. I am sure they don't spend all day goofing off but this just looks like fun
Alex as Art
Here’s a photo of Alex on his first day of school turned into a Rubik’s cube
Created with dumpr.net - fun with your photos
Don’t know why – I just thought this site was cool and wanted to try out the photo effects
There is a great effect that can change a pic into a sketch artist’s drawing but you have to pay for that one.
Here’s one of Alex’s recent drawings made into an art work on a gallery wall
Art Museum by dumpr.net
Zürich Chamber Orchestra | Roller Coaster
Awesome web animation vid set to classical music
Sleep deprivation is not a badge of honour
This is an interesting article on missing sleep. The guy is right – some people plan on it or don’t do enough to avoid it. Some bosses expect or encourage overtime and so on too
The photo in this link is right - just ask any new parent if sleep deprivation encourages creativity. Our 2 year old has been having some bed-wetting problems again lately. We nearly had it mastered and he will again soon I am sure. But getting up in the middle of the night to wash him and strip the bed totally sucks.
We all miss some sleep occasionally but the 2 caveats are:
- Avoid missing sleep and don't plan to miss sleep
- When you do - catch it up as soon as possible - without wrecking your sleep patterns
Easier said than done I know :)
Link to post by David at 37signals.com
