Category Archives for Motivate, Mindset & Mood

3-top-peak-performance-entrepreneurial-articles-week-february-2-2015

Each week I read a number of peak performance and entrepreneurial articles from various online resources. Here are my top three picks this week. I have added my comment about each article and would like to hear what you think too.

Super Bowl XLIX: Patriots beat Seahawks for Brady’s fourth title

By Ollie Williams, for CNN

Where Katy Perry needed a big cat, the New England Patriots were carried to a stunning comeback by the resilience of Tom Brady. Read More

My Comment: Congratulations Patriots!

Managing Emotions in the Workplace: Do Positive and Negative Attitudes Drive Performance?

You know the type: coworkers who never have anything positive to say, whether at the weekly staff meeting or in the cafeteria line. They can suck the energy from a brainstorming session with a few choice comments. Their bad mood frequently puts others in one, too. Their negativity can contaminate even good news. “We engage in emotional contagion,” says Sigal Barsade, a Wharton management professor who studies the influence of emotions on the workplace. “Emotions travel from person to person like a virus.” Read More

My Comment: Excellent article on communication

What Are the 10 Greatest Inventions of Our Time?

By: Daniel Schlenoff

A competition sponsored in 1913 by Scientific American asked for essays on the 10 greatest inventions. The rules: “our time” meant the previous quarter century, 1888 to 1913; the invention had to be patentable and was considered to date from its “commercial introduction.” Read More

My Comment: Innovation is essential to progress.

3 TOP PEAK PERFORMANCE AND ENTREPRENEURIAL ARTICLES WEEK OF JANUARY 12, 2015

Each week I read a number of peak performance and entrepreneurial articles from various online resources. Here are my top three picks this week. I have added my comment about each article and would like to hear what you think too.

Entrepreneurship is not about boundaries: Dr Subhash Chandra

By: DNA Correspondent

An entrepreneur is someone who sees no boundaries and entrepreneurship is not about boundaries. This and several other life experiences were shared by Dr Subhash Chandra, chairman, Essel Groupand Zee with several businessmen. Chandra was in city on the invite of the ?entrepreneurs to conduct Zee MediaCorporation’s flagship show Dr Subhash Chandra (DSC) Show – an initiative that looks to give back to the society.  Read More

My Comment: Spectacular article… There are no boundaries in entrepreneurship (think of age and athleticism)

A Closer Look at Roger Federer’s 1,000 Match Wins

By: Nick McCarvel

Another Roger Federer win, another tennis milestone.

The 17-time major champion etched his name further into history on Sunday night in Brisbane, Australia, winning the Australian Open tune-up event and, along with it, his 1,000th career singles match, making the Swiss star just the third man to do so in the Open era.  Read More

My Comment:  Congratulations Roger! He’s played tennis in 28 countries.

[Executive Edge] Francis Kong to business owners: Soft skills are essential

By: Ezra Ferraz

The Philippines will continue to rapidly change in 2015.

With Internet and smartphone penetration increasing across the country, more tech companies will seize the opportunities that arise in the digital space.

While most pundits will advise on business strategy or technical know-how, Francis Kong, a renowned motivational speaker and business consultant with an entrepreneurial experience from retail to manufacturing, emphasized though that business leaders need to focus on what he deems essential: soft skills. Read More

My Comment:  You’ll connect better with soft skills.

Value and Benefits of Non-Violence

“Live your great dreams they become greater.” – Raj Gavurla

When I heard the name Mahatma Gandhi, I did not realize his importance globally.  Non-violence resonated with me. Think of the opposite.  What’s the need?

Before attending a talk on non-violence, I thought of the violence I have seen.  My first discussion of violence was in fourth grade.  My friends and I were discussing how to defend ourselves.  My Bruce Lee impersonation with sound effects sent a friend frighteningly into the supplies closet.  Two guys fighting in the school cafeteria in sixth grade was my first encounter with violence.  One threw chairs and the place cleared out with students in shock and not knowing how to respond.  We couldn’t believe what was happening.

The next occurrence of violence occurred on a Sunday driving through downtown as a sixteen year old.  As I slowly drove by, two men were fighting.  A car stopped ahead of me and a mountain of a man stepped out in a three piece suit.  He single handedly separated the two.  They didn’t have a chance!

In history class my high school teacher assigned us a term paper.  My paper was on the book, The Life of Mahatma Gandhi.  A fascinating read by Louis Fischer and years later in 1982 the movie Gandhi played in theaters.  The most vivid scenes for me was a reporter on the phone relaying the story of how Gandhi was leading a non-violence movement in South Africa and then India.

Violence didn’t occur again until I visited Hollywood on a tour bus parked adjacent to Grauman’s Chinese Theatre for tourists to shop for souvenirs.  People screamed and began to gather, therefore, I rushed across the street because I’ve heard of people passing out from seeing a star.  Brad Pitt, then they faint.

A car pulled up and three guys attacked another.  A mob ensued.  They were beating him and he fell to the ground. They continued to kick him! The girls with the guys tried to stop the violence.  As the girls were being pushed aside, losing footing, and clothing, me and a guy running from the other side of the street were about to step in to help the girls.  I’m not sure what I would have done.  In hindsight, I think the best I could have done was to yell at the top of my voice. Fortunately, we heard a police siren and the guys doing the beating ran off.

As a motivational and inspirational speaker and author, I’ve been on the platform in front of diverse groups: Business and community groups, athletes, detainees in the mental health quad at the Greenville Detention Center, facilitate a mental health support group, and train police officers.  Many of them have experienced violence either perpetrated by another or themselves.

I emphasize the following:

1.  Non-violence towards yourself

2.  Non-violence towards another

To have a deeper appreciation of non-violence the thought provoking talk I attended was part of an event at the Vedic Center of Greenville in Ahimsa Hall by Shrimiti Kamalaji (Gandhi Foundation).  Ahimsa means non-violence.

My question to her: With the increase in non-military violence how do we create a non-violence movement in our community and society in order to consistently enable individuals’ dreams, aspirations, and hope successfully?

1.  Non-violence isn’t to be legislated

2.  Use self-discipline, aspirations, and passion for inner-peace

As I reflected on her answer, I think of the courage of Malala Yousafzai, (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rNhZu3ttIU, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOqIotJrFVM, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrWttENgWNE) and of using books, pens, teachers, and education as a weapon and the non-violence movement in Hong Kong for democracy.

The words of Gandhi still reverberate:

“It has always been a mystery to me how men can feel themselves honoured by the humiliation of their fellow beings.” – Mahatma Gandhi

Think about what non-violence would look like in your community.

1.  The evening news wouldn’t open with someone being shot, a school shooting, or a story on bullying.

Deeper

2.  Doctor’s offices and hospitals serve sick people not cases of domestic violence

Deeper

3.  There’s no suicide.

Deeper

What fills the void?

Consistently enable individuals’ dreams successfully. Without enabling great dreams there is apathy and violence as means for survival.  Be determined to help, assist, and support someone you know and don’t know with earning and achieving great dreams because by doing so we find better ways and create new jobs (an occupation that didn’t exist) and better jobs (ones with career progression) to generate economic growth, peace, and raise the standard of living locally, nationally, and throughout the world.

Before we are capable of doing so, we need non-violence to produce economic growth and peace. What can you be involved with or do to create a non-violence movement in your community?

List three ways non-violence brings economic growth:

1. ____________________________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________________________________

List three ways for you to benefit from non-violence:

1. ____________________________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________________________________

By having a conversation with a group or a person about the items you listed you have an opportunity to enrich and expand or create a non-violence movement in your community.  We will have a better future by creating a non-violence movement in communities throughout the nation and world.  Enable great dreams – they become greater.

3 TOP PEAK PERFORMANCE AND ENTREPRENEURIAL ARTICLES WEEK OF JANUARY 26, 2015

Each week I read a number of peak performance and entrepreneurial articles from various online resources. Here are my top three picks this week. I have added my comment about each article and would like to hear what you think too.

10 Medical Breakthroughs That Sound Like Science Fiction

These high-tech innovations just might save your life

By: Denny Watkins

The news that comes out of research universities and hospitals often sounds too hopeful:  Here’s a gene that maybe, could potentially end obesity.  This newly discovered protein pathway might sort-of, some day cure cancer. Do any of the thousands of studies published each year result in a meaningful change in someone’s life? Read More

My Comment:  Grow life 

Coach K Earns Career Win No. 1,000 in No. 5 Duke’s Win Over St. John’s

By: Scott Phillips

Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski reached a milestone by winning game No. 1,000 as the No. 5 Blue Devils bested St. John’s 77-68 on Sunday at Madison Square Garden.The Philippines will continue to rapidly change in 2015. Read More

My Comment:  Congratulations Coach K! 

9 Numbers Business Owners Need To Know

By: Rhonda Abrams

Eight Steps On How To Lose Weight and Stay Fit (Healthy)

“Consistently win each quarter.” – Raj Gavurla

Many people make a New Year’s resolution to lose weight and stay fit (healthy). By doing so you think your appearance is more attractive and you feel fit (healthy). Therefore, you have more confidence in your ability to achieve your dreams, goals, and mission.

1. It’s Mental
First and foremost you need to ask yourself how will making your appearance more attractive and being healthy make your ability to achieve your goals become easier. The results of achieving your weight loss and health goals are more than a number on a scale or a specific goal. The reason being is there are several benefits to doing so. Some you didn’t think of occur.

An example of a benefit is you do not have as many negative thoughts. You are unconsciously able to do what you need in the area of weight and health versus subconsciously having to think about whether what you are doing is helping or not.

By responding to your negative thoughts that are derailing you from success you upgrade your unconscious mind. Examples of negative thoughts are:

1. I’ve tried this before and don’t continue seeing the benefits.

Respond with I’ve learned how to do it better.

2. Does this really work (disbelief)?

Respond with believe it’s really this easy.

3. Just one won’t make a difference.

Respond with your criteria for what is edible and what exercises are needed.

Therefore, you are enabling your success not depriving yourself. When you believe you are enabling success you need to manage it to set further goals to benefit from your successes. There isn’t an ending point. There is continuation and progression (process) towards your new dreams, goals, and mission. Ones you didn’t have when you started. You have a robust life.

2. Health/Nutrition (Eat Right)
Some people currently have physical and/or mental health that need treatment. Research the best treatment(s) for you. If what you are doing or taking is working then stick with it. If it is not working do research for another form of treatment.

Examples include talking with your family doctor, specialist, chiropractor, trainer, and/or coach. There are natural, pharmaceutical, and stretching exercises for you to try. Don’t quit by thinking there isn’t a way. People are working to find a better way.

With entrepreneurial advancements in humanness, medicine, and technology you can lead a robust life. For example, a resource for chronic pain is a book, Pain Free, by Pete Egoscue. The stretching exercises are very easy and do not involve intense physical therapy.

Eat Right
Eating right is an individualized approach. For example some people need carbs in the morning and some need protein instead. Create a criteria for the foods you can eat and you’ll be amazed with so many advancements in food products and cooking what is available for you to eat and enjoy. Get out of the rut of eating the same foods, add variety and flavor to the foods you eat.

For example, my individualized eating plan is protein and raw organic vegetables in the morning, water, and tea. This is the first quarter of the day. A couple of hours before lunch I eat organic fruit. Lunch starts the second quarter. Between two and four I eat organic vegetables and organic fruits. Have water, tea, or another beverage of choice. Drink slowly.  Dinner starts the third quarter. For dinner I eat more carbs.  After dinner starts the fourth quarter. I drink water, tea, or a beverage of my choice.

My criteria for eating right:
Eat 1/2 of what I use to eat for each meal, no refined sugar, limit the bread, limit the caffeine, no alcohol, eating right also makes you healthy

3. Exercise
Learn how to exercise. By doing repetitive exercise your body becomes bored and there is overuse of the muscles. This is why the gains stop. Add variety and set personal best records for you to achieve.

My criteria for exercising:
Variety, warm up, cardio on some days (walk, run, jazzercise), weights on some days (lift slowly), sports on some days (several to choose from).  Exercising also makes you healthy. I exercise for strength, quickness, and speed.  Stretch everyday.

The world’s best exercise is a four mile walk.  I’ve known several people with and without health challenges implement a four mile walk to succeed.

4. Work
There is paid work, volunteer work, and hobbies to keep you engaged. Find work that is important to you and you can do well. Working will keep your mind of your health and eating. It gives you the opportunity to be a productive citizen making a living, helping, and doing for your family, friends, and others.

5. Meditate
I meditate to clear my mind, therefore, making it function better and for balance. When the mind is consistently transformed it has the power to make everything easy. For me an hour is perfect. Pick the amount of time right for you. It also helps me with my timing.

6. Have Something To Look Forward To In The Evening
It’s nice to have something relaxing and fun in the evening. Invite someone to spend time with family, friends, watch a game, watch tv, listen to music, read, or attend an event.

7. Pray
There is spiritual growth. It brings wellness, good deeds, and peace.

8. Rest
To rejuvenate you need to rest specific activities. This can be in your work and in exercise. Give your mind and body the break it needs to renew these activities. That doesn’t mean to stop working or exercising or eating right completely. It means to work on a different activity, take a month or three off from weights, or tune in to another activity. I sleep at the same time on the weekdays.

Daily do something for your health/nutrition, exercise, work, meditate, have something to look forward to in the evening, pray, and rest. Be sure to inform the people who need to know about your whereabouts to coordinate with them so they don’t worry and things get done.

Continue to learn to get more skilled in each of the above steps to make living a robust life easier.

3 TOP PEAK PERFORMANCE AND ENTREPRENEURIAL ARTICLES WEEK OF JANUARY 5 2015

Each week I read a number of peak performance and entrepreneurial articles from various online resources. Here are my top three picks this week. I have added my comment about each article and would like to hear what you think too.

Entrepreneurship is not about boundaries: Dr Subhash Chandra
By: dna Correspondent

An entrepreneur is someone who sees no boundaries and entrepreneurship is not about boundaries. This and several other life experiences were shared by Dr Subhash Chandra, chairman, Essel Group and Zee with several businessmen. Chandra was in city on the invite of the ?entrepreneurs to conduct Zee Media Corporation’s flagship show Dr Subhash Chandra (DSC) Show – an initiative that looks to give back to the society.  Read More

My Comment:  Excellent article about the mood, mindsdet, and motivation needed to use entrepreneurship to make something revolutionary happen 

Create Your Own Job, HAH!
By: Martin Henry

We have opened up the new year with youth unemployment hovering around 40 per cent.

The unemployment number for the overall labour force is around 14 per cent. But we have to read these numbers bearing in mind what the Statistical Institute (STATIN) means by unemployment: Persons without work who are actively seeking work when the survey is done. The single largest block of workers in Jamaica is made up of those who have dropped out of the STATIN labour force and earn a money from one kind of hustling or another.  Read More

My Comment:  Good insights into entrepreneurship and its role in economic development and growth, and social prosperity.  

9 Ways to Help Get You Out of That Bad Mood                                                                                               By: Sara Altschule

 

Sometimes you’re in a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad mood. The sun might be shining, but all you can see are dark clouds up ahead. Bad moods can get the best of us. They grab hold of you tightly, making them hard to shake off. You have a choice – you can either let the darkness surround you, or you can try your best to break free of its grip.  Read More

My Comment:  Excellent article on the importance of mood.  Consistently apply as needed to benefit from your infinite moods.

3 TOP PEAK PERFORMANCE AND ENTREPRENEURIAL ARTICLES FOR THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 15, 2014

Each week I read a number of peak performance and entrepreneurial articles from various online resources. Here are my top three picks this week. I have added my comment about each article and would like to hear what you think too.

How I Had To Change My Mindset When I Became An Entrepreneur
By: Ryan Clements

2008 was the last time that I received a paycheque as an employee. Ever since that time, 100% of our family income has been business income derived from various entrepreneurial ventures.  Read More

My Comment:  Research, learn, apply the learning, develop to grow

Marcus Mariota Winning the Heisman Gives Hope That The Man Is Remembered As Much As The Player
By: Jason Quick

While most around the nation looked at Marcus Mariota holding his Heisman Trophy on Saturday night and thought of his excellence on the football field, there was an entirely different reaction from his own team in Eugene.  Read More

My Comment:  Being nice is the key ingredient to success

Internal and external health: What’s that?
By Rick Daman

Health is internal and external. The majority of people want external healthy appearances. Maybe we all do. But is an external healthy appearance more important than internal health? This is what we need to figure out before we start and continue our quest to a healthy lifestyle. How do you look at exercise and health?  Read More

My Comment: Excellent explanation of the importance of your inner voice

Come Out of Your Shell

“You’re suppose to shine brighter.” – Raj Gavurla

When performance coaching there are reasons why people don’t consistently perform well.  Although we may do something excellent, sometimes we don’t know what makes it excellent.  Here are tips to help you know how to perform and to make it easier for you to deliver better results.

1.  Mentally Prepare and Debrief

There are so many people asking too much of themselves.  What do I mean?

 Examples:

Winging a Presentation

By actually investing time and really looking at the words, how it sounds, and your body movements you can gain tremendous appreciation for the art of speaking and improve your communication skills.  The most essential skill we have is our ability to communicate.  We communicate when we speak, write, present, and perform.  One of the best ways to learn is through self-awareness when you see someone else doing it well.  It will take time for you to learn how to become more appreciative, however, as you do learn to pay attention you’ll start to build your knowledge base of communication skills.  Then, apply them to your work. Look into hiring a presentation skills coach.

Not preparing for a conference call

By preparing ahead of time you’ll know how to start a call and take it to productive completion.  Put a structure to your call.  Some helpful questions to prepare:

1.  What has been happening with this person?

2.  What is the most important thing we need to discuss?

3.  What steps are needed to make progress?

4.  How does each of us come out ahead?

Making a sales call without going through how to respond to prospects needs, wants, sensitivities, and concerns

This is why sales people experience fear and do not feel comfortable selling.  When you are discovering and offering real value you are being helpful.  Prospects and clients want this and with your help you can solve their needs.  If you can’t help or solve their need, then refer them to someone else.

Scheduling too many meetings back to back not giving you ample time to refocus and prepare

Keep in mind you want quality productivity not super productivity.  With quality you feel a sense of accomplishment.  With super productivity you’re in a rat race.

Not asking the right question 

We are in dynamic times requiring adaptability and agility.  Ask the right question and you’ll get the answers you need to be helpful and make wiser decisions.  During your research you might think it’s obvious what they need, however, until you actually have a conversation you will not know the best solution.  After delivering excellent results, debrief to know what made it so.  Sometime we do things excellently, however, we don’t have the knowledge of what is being done to make it come across as excellent.

This happens a lot when presenting or performing.  For example, while performing I asked someone afterwards what makes that line funny.  I don’t mean to funny.  Their response was the way I dead pan it.  That was what made it funny.  Now I have an expanded knowledge base I can use at the appropriate time.  There are countless examples like this one.  When you are skilled at using them your results will be better.  You’ll shine brighter and have a robust repertoire of skills.

3 TOP PEAK PERFORMANCE AND ENTREPRENEURIAL ARTICLES FOR THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 8, 2014

Each week I read a number of peak performance and entrepreneurial articles from various online resources. Here are my top three picks this week. I have added my comment about each article and would like to hear what you think too.

STRATEGY Ten Ways to Spot an Opportunity
Finding ways to compete differently is hard. This will make it easier.
BY PAUL B. BROWN

Once you come up with a promising insight, there is no guarantee that success will follow, of course.
You need to turn a great insight into a thriving business, which is incredibly difficult.
But with that throat-clearing out of the way, you can apply 10 simple tests to discover an idea worth pursuing.
Read More

My Comment: Excellent approaches for growth strategies

Regain Focus Right Now With This 15-Minute Exercise
Feeling distracted? Here are 5 simple steps to quickly get you back on point.
BY KEVIN DAUM

People are often multitasking today, but sometimes it just becomes overload, and then distraction can overwhelm you. If you are doing work that requires concentration, you will need to regain your focus to complete the job. Read More

My Comment: Keeping a notebook works. Learn how to get in your zone

7 Foods That Help Boost Your Mood
By: CARINA WOLFF

When stressed out or feeling down, it’s usually not our first instinct to turn to food as a cure. Many of us have heard the famous quote by Hippocrates, “Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food,” and this philosophy also holds true when it comes to boosting your mood. Food plays a huge role in our physical health, but it surprisingly affects our mental health as well. Read More

My Comment: Consistency and variety are needed