Category Archives: Continuous Improvement

Are You and Influencer or an Addict on Social Media?

Continuous Improvement, Influencer, Social Media

Are You and Influencer or an Addict on Social Media? Maybe you are both.

Social media can be a powerful tool for good. Use it to raise awareness about critical issues, support causes you care about, and connect with others who share your values. Also, social media can cause depression, confusion, destroy your privacy and security, ruin your relationships with friends and family.

1. Scrolling aimlessly on social media is addictive. Stop it Stand up and take a walk.

It’s easy to get sucked into the endless scroll of social media, wasting hours of our time. Be mindful of how much time you’re spending on social media, and make sure that it’s not taking away from other important activities in your life, such as spending time with loved ones, pursuing your hobbies, or getting enough sleep.

When you find that you are just scrolling on social media, close your apps and put your device away. Get physically active.

2. Be intentional about what you post.

If you want to build an audience, know what your audience wants to know.

Before you post anything on social media, take a moment to think about what you’re saying and how it might be perceived by others. Avoid posting anything that is offensive, inflammatory, or hurtful. Be respectful of others’ opinions, even if you don’t agree with them.

3. Be careful about sharing personal information.

Social media is a public platform, so be careful about sharing personal information that you wouldn’t want to be seen by everyone in the world. This includes your address, phone number, email address, and other sensitive information.

4. Use social media to connect with others.

Social media is a terrific way to stay connected with friends and family, both near and far. Use it to share updates about your life, reach out to old friends, and make new connections.

5. Use social media to learn about the world around you.

Social media can be a terrific way to learn about current events, diverse cultures, and innovative ideas. Follow news organizations, experts, and thought leaders on social media to stay informed and engaged with the world around you.

Photo by Joe Woods on Unsplash

 

The next best thing to being wise oneself is to live in a circle of those who are. C. S. Lewis

Surround Yourself with the Smartest People

Beliefs, Confidence, Continuous Improvement, Influencer, Network Connections, Quotes, Reflections

The next best thing to being wise oneself is to live in a circle of those who are.
C. S. Lewis

In the pursuit of personal and professional growth, the adage “surround yourself with people who are smarter than you” holds a profound truth. Embracing the company of those who possess greater knowledge and skills can be a powerful catalyst for development and innovation.

Why Seek Smarter Company?
The benefits of surrounding oneself with more intelligent individuals are manifold. Firstly, it fosters an environment of continuous learning. Being around those who challenge our understanding pushes us to expand our knowledge base and question our preconceived notions. It’s a dynamic setting where ideas are exchanged, and intellectual boundaries are stretched.

Moreover, smarter colleagues act as a source of inspiration. They set a higher standard of excellence, motivating us to elevate our performance and strive for greater achievements. Their expertise and problem-solving abilities can also provide valuable insights that lead to more effective decision-making.

The Impact on Innovation
Innovation thrives in diverse and intellectually stimulating environments. When smart people come together, the synergy of their combined perspectives and experiences can lead to breakthroughs that might not occur in isolation. This collaborative intelligence is the bedrock of successful teams and organizations.

Creating a Smarter Circle
Building a network of intelligent individuals requires intentionality. It involves seeking out mentors, joining professional groups, attending conferences, and engaging in communities where knowledge-sharing is prevalent. It’s about being proactive in one’s own growth journey and recognizing the value that others bring to the table.

Conclusion
The wisdom of surrounding yourself with smarter individuals is not about diminishing one’s self-worth but about recognizing the power of collective intelligence. It’s a humble acknowledgment that we all have something to learn from one another. By embracing this mindset, we open ourselves up to a world of endless possibilities and growth.

Remember, intelligence is not just about academic prowess; it encompasses emotional, social, and creative intelligence as well. So, when we talk about surrounding ourselves with ‘smarter’ people, it’s about seeking those who can complement and enhance our own abilities in various spheres of life. It’s a journey well worth embarking on.

 

Photo by Filip Zrnzević on Unsplash

“If you’re growing a garden, you need to pull out the weeds, but flowers will die if all you do is pick weeds. They need sunshine and water. People are the same.” From "The Score Takes Care of Itself" by Bill Walsh

Positive Coaching

Confidence, Continuous Improvement, Emotional Intelligence, Quotes

“If you’re growing a garden, you need to pull out the weeds, but flowers will die if all you do is pick weeds. They need sunshine and water. People are the same.” From “The Score Takes Care of Itself” by Bill Walsh on the importance of Positive Coaching

Photo by Jean Lucas Camilo on Unsplash

Don’t Worry About What Other People Think

Confidence, Continuous Improvement, Emotional Intelligence

“You wouldn’t worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do.”
― Eleanor Roosevelt

I don’t worry about what other people think. I can’t control what people carry around in their minds. The mental obsession over what other people think doesn’t improve how people see me. Additionally, I can think about better things, the good things in my life and solutions for making my life better.

Smile. Say something nice about yourself. Make a list of your blessings. ~ Jay Wren

Blessings

Beliefs, Continuous Improvement, Emotional Intelligence, Forgiveness, Gratitude, Success

It is your responsibility to stop thinking negative thoughts about yourself before they become fixed in your mind as beliefs. Smile. Say something nice about yourself. Make a list of your blessings.

Smile

There are many things that you can do to calm your jitters.  Perhaps the most overlooked way is simply to smile.  People smile when they are happy.  And equally important is that smiling can help you feel happy.  “Fake ’till you make it” is an ambiguous term.  Some people see it as a disingenuous way of faking your skills.  Another view is that faking confidence can help you gain confidence. A smile triggers thoughts that generate happiness.
The smiley face emoji says to other people you approve of what they have to say.  Smiling has a similar effect.  It tells people you approve of them.  It creates trust and helps people open up to you.

You are generating charisma.  People find your presence attractive.  Your smiling helps people feel more confident and comfortable being around you.  In turn, they smile and you feel confident from their signal of approval.

A frown will chase away friends.  Ah, but there is something about a smile that attracts people and draws people to you.

So, let it go.  When you see people, start with a smile.  As people approach, nod and smile.  When you are shaking hands with people, look at them and smile.

Social Anxiety: Is It Killing Your Career?

“Don’t let the world change your smile.  Let your smile change the world.”  A Work in Progress by Connor Franta

Social anxiety is common.  People who are shy are not the only people who experience social anxiety.  People who are confident about what they say or do around friends and family may feel social anxiety when they are among strangers or in front of an audience.

Social anxiety can make you avoid opportunities for work, fun, and networking.  It can cut your opportunities for leadership roles.  Your anxiety can generate signals that make it harder for people to reach out to you.

Photo by Solen Feyissa on Unsplash

Great leaders have things in common. They also have different ways to find their individual greatness.

Uniquely Great

Beliefs, Continuous Improvement, Emotional Intelligence, Gratitude, Leadership

Great leaders have things in common. They also have different ways to find their individual greatness.

Here are eight ways you can find your own individual greatness. 

Find the beat of your own drum and march to it. 

It is so easy for me to get distracted and off course when I look at what other people are doing and imitate those people. What I often find is that the direction that those people are going is completely off track from where I want to be. If I can just trust the beat of my drum, I can stay on task, trust my instincts, and create work that is original and produces fantastic results. 

Be happy today. 

“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared. ” Buddha

Happiness is an inside job. When I feel sad, I acknowledge that I am sad. I do not focus on the things that I believe are making me sad. Often my feelings come along and I seem to find ideas to hang them on. I admit that I am sad, I experience the feeling of sadness, and I let it pass on its way. If I do not attach ideas to my feelings, most of the time my feelings only hang around for a minute or two, and I get a fresh, often invigorating sense of my world. 

Focus on doing things accurately. 

My baseball coaches said see the ball and hit the ball. In football, the coaches said see the ball and catch the ball. Watch the baseball all the way into your bat. Watch the football all the way into your hands and arms. 

Create new things instead of perfecting old things. 

I have worked drafts of articles so many times that I have lost track of what I had in mind when I started writing the article. I have found that the best way to work on any project and carry it forward to the finish is to write a statement of what I want to do. Second, I create an outline of the things that I need to do to do the task. Third, I fill in the details of completing the task. Whether I am washing my car or writing an article, the process of the same. 

Keep projects simple. 

The steps are pretty much the same for each project

Wash Car Write Article 
Tools: bucket, soap, sponge, towels, water hose Tools: Laptop
Spray the car.  List paragraph headings
Sponge wash car.  Write material to match

headings. 
Rinse the car.  Proofread the article. 
Dry the car.  Post the article on my website. 

Finding Your Individual Greatness through Personal Growth

Emphasize the things that are working and build on those things. 

Sometimes it is easy for me to get off track, discouraged, and lose my sense of direction. When this happens, I can focus on the things that I did when things were working and simply repeat those things. 

Keep an open mind to new ideas to simplify and make your life easier. 

I see new, simple, even free ways to do the same things that have been a struggle. I created the table above in Microsoft Word. For anyone who has ever tried to insert a table in a website, you will know that tables make some material easier to read and the table can be a challenge to create and support through editing. 

Take criticism as suggestions that can help you. 

I remember working with an applicant on her resume. She told me that the things that I told her she had already covered with other recruiters and had even had her resume written professionally. I said simply that I understood and that the only thing that mattered is that she manages her resume in the way that she feels will be most effective for getting her interview. 

Photo by Nabil Naidu on Unsplash

All those things I learned as a child about healthy living are by coincidence the same things that adults do to become winners. Jay Wren

10 Ways Winners Become Winners

Continuous Improvement, Emotional Intelligence, Gratitude, Health and Fitness, Success

All those things I learned as a child about healthy living are by coincidence the same things that adults do to become winners. ~ Jay Wren

10 Ways Winners Become Winners

There are countless ways to become a winner. Here are ten things I see winners doing that help me.

Winners own their mistakes.

They correct them. They move forward. They don’t let life’s little mistakes lie around and create problems and stress.

Winners don’t apologize all the time.

People who are apologizing all the time aren’t correcting mistakes. They are just trying to deal with the stress of insecurities without understanding why they feel insecure.

Winners talk to friends.

Just having friends helps us beat stress.  Talking to friends gets us out of my own head and into the present moment. Talking to friends helps me get my bearings. Talking to friends can also help me deal with the stress of insecurities that can cause me to apologize all the time.

Winners do it now.

Of course, we feel stressed when we keep putting off what we need to do. I win when I do the things I need to do.

Winners write it down.

When something is bothering me, I can write it down. Writing takes the sting out of stress. If I have something that I need to do but can’t do now, I can write it down. Having a list creates a plan of action. Having the plan helps me become more productive. When I become more productive, I have a sense of accomplishment. I feel less stress.

Winners eat healthy stuff first.

We must eat. Sometimes our cravings are going to make us eat junk. Winners don’t worry about it. But they eat the healthy stuff first.

Winners take breaks!

No one can run wind sprints all day long. Winners take breaks. Breaks make us more productive. People who work in virtual offices can easily forget to take breaks. I stand up. I walk away from my desk and walk around for five minutes. I lie down for a couple of minutes. I take breaks by getting away from my work. Not taking breaks creates fatigue, which screws up our perspective and stresses us out.

Winners get plenty of sleep.

Lack of sleep causes depression and anxiety. Lack of sleep creates stress. I get plenty of sleep and live with a clear, rested mind.

Winners get real!

It is so easy to believe that we have some kind of control over national or international event way beyond our control. Get real. We can’t police the universe! Being the police officer of the universe is completely fruitless and painfully stressful.

Winners get help!

Asking for help does remarkable things. Winners gain the advantage of getting help with their success. With one person rowing, you can power a small boat or a canoe. With dozens of people rowing, you can move a large ship.

Photo by Codioful (Formerly Gradienta) on Unsplash

 

Professional Development You probably have more potential than you realize, and you may underestimate the value of talent. If you are struggling, what may be missing is the opportunity to learn and grow. You may simply lack professional development. ~ www.jaywren.com

Continuing Professional Development: 5 Elements for Continued Growth

Continuous Improvement

Continuing Professional Development and the 5 Elements of Learning.

If you want to become a power performer, you probably have more potential than you realize, and you may underestimate the value of talent. If you are struggling, what may be missing is the opportunity to learn and grow. You are lacking professional development.

Advisors

Nearly everyone has an opinion, but not everyone is an expert advisor.

Expert advisors are not necessarily someone you pay to guide or teach you. They can be friends, relatives, or even people you know through your friends and relatives.

A veteran professional in most fields can help you reach gain understanding and reach decisions. If the person is a professional in the information you need, they can help you make better decisions.

Teachers and professional trainers have credentials or certifications to help you with information. Great teachers and trainers are expert advisors.

In closing, advisors help you with professional development as they help you to grow and to make better decisions.

Repetition Training

Training is critical to performance growth. Physical training builds strength, increases agility, and expands the initial response. Mental training increases memory, decision accuracy, and mental quickness. Skills training makes us more effective performers in your career. Growth comes from the repetition of training.

New Interests

Develop new interests. We can continue to grow as we develop and learn from new interests. We don’t have to be an expert in every field, but we can grow as professionals as we learn more about changes happening in our professional life.

Location

Choosing the right location is critical to our continued growth. If a person wants to become a downhill skier but can never get to a place to ski, the person needs to change the setting to carry out the goal. Likewise, writers, engineers, doctors (that is, people of all professionals) grow when they put themselves in locations that provide for success.

Setting

Additionally, setting is critical to success. In the best setting, we can have better focus. If a person does not pay attention and must go over material several times to get the point, the person may never understand the material at all. If a person does not have focus when performing a task, just doing the task correctly is impossible. Setting aside distractions help us create greater focus and increase learning. Therefore, the best setting is the one that makes easier to focus.

Continuing Professional Development

We must grow to stay current with changes in our industry. Additionally, it is not enough that we can do our job. We must be able to do a better job than current and new workers entering the workplace. Professional development will may our jobs easier and less stressful. It will increase our competence and our confidence.

Remember, if you want to become a power performer, you probably have more potential than you realize, and you may underestimate the value of talent. If you are struggling, what may be missing is the opportunity to learn and grow. You may lack professional development. #ProfessionalDevelopment

Stick with winners. Surround yourself with people who will make you smarter, healthier, happier, and more successful. ~ www.jaywren.com

Stick with Winners For Personal and Professional Success

Continuous Improvement, Success

Stick with winners. Surround yourself with people who will make you smarter, healthier, happier, and more successful.

Personal and Professional Life

In your personal and professional life, surround yourself with winners. Learning how these people have become successful and remain successful can help you learn how to build success in your own personal and professional life.

Networking

Additionally, these successful people can help you network with other successful people. On a broader basis join groups full of successful people.

On many levels throughout your career, your network of successful people can open doors to new opportunities for greater success.

Winners and Setbacks

Everyone has setbacks. Successful people have experience in overcoming setbacks. Through their experience, they can provide you with mental and emotional guidance. They can inspire us to be successful again. Often, these people have experience and knowledge in dealing with situations that challenge us. They can become practical guides or advisors in tackling challenging situations and overcoming setbacks.

Winning Teams

If we are the team leader, pick winners for your team. Add people who have experience and skills that add to your own experience and skills. Even, hire people who are smarter than you. These people will only help you make better decisions. As they grow, reward them with positive reviews and opportunities for promotion. Remember that someday these people may be able to help you move up in your career.

Winners in Your Personal Life

Outside of work, stick with winners who are your friends.

I have friends and mentors who are doctors, attorneys, members of the clergy, engineers, bankers, contractors, state administrators, chemists, judges, athletes, and others. I became friends with these people, because I enjoy their company. These people are interesting and intelligent people and teach me many things within the scope of their profession.

However, I do not pick my friends for their professional advice. My friends are people with whom I bond over common interests.

I have had occasions when my friends have provided me with professional services. I met them in their office for professional purposes. One friend wrote my will. Another wrote an employment contract. Another friend became my primary care physician. For these purposes, I paid these people and met them in their office.

On the other hand, I have friends who have the knowledge to point me in the right direction. For example, one friend who is a doctor, during lunch, recommended that I see a dermatologist.

A second friend who is a chemist calmed my fears about my liability over a fire that broke out in one of my offices. I was anxious about the damage to a building from the sprinkler system. He said that the fire department would likely find the cause of the fire and that my business could not have caused that fire.

As it turned out, the fire investigators found that a smoker had thrown a cigarette into a waste paper basket and started the fire. The fire activated the ceiling sprinkler system, which had immediately extinguished the fire before the evidence (the cigarette butt and the trash) had completely burned in the basket.

Another example is that my friend who is a senior state administrator is terrific in negotiations and has helped me work through more than one difficult discussion with clients and other friends.

Stick with Winners

As you pick your friends around the office and after work, pick people who can help you grow as a professional and as a person. I have found that picking friends in this way has made my life more fun, more interesting, and has helped me through countless challenging situations.