Tuesday, October 3, 2017

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - October 3rd


Never a failure, always a learner.  – Rihanna

If a child can’t learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn. – Ignacio Estrada

ü  Did you know that Mary Todd Lincoln conducted some shady accounting while she resided in the White House with the President?  She had a spending problem! 

ü  Did you know that President Woodrow Wilson conducted the first presidential press conference in 1913?

ü  Did you know that each president has a social secretary that plans various public events at the White House daily?

I love to learn and I love to read.  However, I recently discovered podcasts and audio books.  Yes, I know they have been around for a long time, but I was not convinced I could learn from them. 

I tend to be more of an auditory learner because I often repeat words/phrases verbally or silently in my head to grasp a concept, but I still had the mindset that I had to read something to truly learn.  Additionally, as a lady that constantly wants to be doing something just listening to something is hard for me.  I questioned if I would learn from listening to something while doing something else (multitasking).  Research has shown that multitasking is not beneficial and it takes longer to complete the various tasks because going between two tasks actually delays completion and learning. 

My quest to determine if I could do a task and learn from a podcast/audiobook at the same time began.  If I am going to do both tasks, I want to benefit from both of them!  

After researching and my own personal experience, I believe that it depends on the tasks being completed.  For me, I know I can listen to a podcast or an audiobook while running and I will learn.  Running is a habit, very simple for me and it does not compete for any mental resources that I would use to listen to a podcast.  Furthermore, I believe while multitasking (listening to a podcast and doing another task) a learner will grasp broad concepts, but remembering the small intricate details of something such as dates in history will be more difficult. 

CHALLENGE: What new idea or habit can you incorporate into your life before 2017 ends?

Resources:















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Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - September 26th


Nothing is impossible, the word itself says, I’m possible. – Audrey Hepburn

Success doesn’t happen overnight.  Keep your eye on the prize and don’t look back. – Erin Andrews

Setting a goal is not the main thing.  It is deciding how you will go about achieving it and staying with that plan. – Tom Landry

Do you know who Paul Wittgenstein is?  Neither did I when I heard his name on an episode of M*A*S*H called “Morale Victory”.  Wittgenstein was an Austrian concert pianist who lost his right arm via amputation during World War I.  During his time as a POW in a Siberian internment camp, he determined in his mind to make a career for himself as a one-armed (left) pianist.  He found an overturned crate in the camp and drew the lines of piano keys on the crate.  Daily he would “practice” his piano.  When a visiting dignitary saw Wittgenstein “practicing” on his crate, he was overcome with emotion and had him transferred to a camp that had an old piano, which Wittgenstein used to learn to play with only his left hand.  In 1915, Wittgenstein was released through a Russian/Austrian POW exchange program.  With defiant determination, he relaunched his career and became a success. 

As the third quarter of 2017 ends, I am reminded via Wittgenstein’s story that life does not always go as we plan.  However, we should never give up and push even harder to accomplish our goals and dreams. 
It’s always too early to quit. – Norman Vincent Peale

CHALLENGE: Review your 2017 goals.  How are you doing?  What changes do you need to make to accomplish your 2017 goals and finish the year strong?


Resources:





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Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - September 19th


I think maybe my attention span is too long to tweet. – Nick Rhodes

Being close to nature, in general, helps boost a child’s attention span. – Richard Louv

A short attention span makes all of your perceptions and relationships shallow and unsatisfying. – Eckhart Tolle

According to a study conducted by the National Center for Biotechnology Information and the U.S. National Library of Medicine, goldfish have surpassed humans with longer attention spans.  The study stated that goldfish have a 9 second attention span; whereas, adults are now at an all-time low of 8.25 seconds. 

In Leon Watson’s article titled “Humans have shorter attention span than goldfish, thanks to smartphones”, he says the digital lifestyle has created this decline.  However, Bruce Morton, a researcher at the University of Western Ontario’s Brain and Mind Institute, believes that the shorter attention span is due to humans craving information.  With so much information, people quickly review information and then move on to the next source of data.

With only about two months left to work on goals in 2017 (December is all about family and parties so I am not counting that month), this is a great time to remove hindrances and help increase the attention span to help finish strong in 2017!

If you want to take some time away from technology and work on accomplishing a few goals without hearing “dings” while working on task, here are a couple ideas:

1.       Conduct a social media detox for a couple days allowing your mind to refocus on daily tasks.

2.       When working on the “ONE BIG THING” for the day, remove distractions such as phones, television, etc. allowing yourself to focus that one objective.

3.       Set a stop watch for a certain amount of time to work on a task.  With a set end time, it will be easier to focus on the task. 

A quick disclaimer…I love technology, use it daily and it makes my life so much better.  However, I occasionally need to remove myself from it. 

You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club. - Jack London

CHALLENGE: What changes do you need to make to have a better attention span than the goldfish?



Resources:






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Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - September 12th


Wake up every day and look forward to learning something new. – Richard Branson

I’m an early riser and feel that some of the best ideas come to you between 5 and 6am. – Jonathan Weeks

If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed. - William H. McRaven

Life is getting back to “normal” as summer has ended and we are heading into fall.  As we are getting back into a rhythm, we will all encounter days that craziness happens and we feel like nothing gets accomplished.    

While on my road trip to Pennsylvania, I read retired Admiral William McRaven’s book, “Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…And Maybe the World”.  The former Navy Seal provides 10 ideas to incorporate into life to help individuals change.  The first idea that he talks about is making your bed every morning.  He believes that if you get up every morning and make your bed you are accomplishing the first task for the day.  By accomplishing that task, you will gain a sense of pride and it will encourage you to do another task.  Additionally, he believes that if you have a bad day you will see the made bed when you return home and will be encouraged that you accomplished something today and tomorrow will be better.

There are various articles about what successful people do in the morning (a few are listed below in the resources section).  Successful people say they read, workout, meditate, do their one BIG task for the day, etc.  early in the morning.

I have tasks that I want to complete every day; however, after reading McRaven’s book, I changed my mindset.  My goal is to complete those 5 tasks every day before 8am.  With this new mindset, I go throughout my day knowing I accomplished “something” and I am ready to tackle whatever the world brings me next.   

CHALLENGE:  If you do not have a list of daily tasks you want to accomplish, create the list.  Then create your morning routine to accomplish them before you proceed with the rest of the day. 

Resources:

Retired Admiral McRaven’s Commencement Speech at the University of Texas - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxBQLFLei70







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Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - Septmeber 5th


I’ll stake everything on chocolate. – Milton Snavely Hershey

I started with ambition and intention of making the best chocolate that money or skill could make, regardless of the cost of manufacture. – Milton Snavely Hershey

My best advice to you is - when you tackle a job stick to it until you have mastered it. - Milton Snavely Hershey

My success is the result of not being satisfied with mediocrity, and in making the most of my opportunities. - Milton Snavely Hershey

CHOCOLATE is the most amazing thing ever put on this earth in my opinion and to think Hershey’s chocolate was almost never created! 

Over Labor Day weekend, I traveled to Hershey, Pennsylvania (and a few other places that provided some great stories!) and visited Hershey’s Chocolate World to learn how they make chocolate.  When I started the tour, there was a sign that read:

A Tale of

Determination

Delicious Chocolate

and

Lasting Goodness.

Milton Hershey was born in Derry Township, Pennsylvania and had a hard childhood.  At 13, he dropped out of school and at 14 he became an apprentice for a master confectioner in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  Four years later, he borrowed money from his aunt and set up a candy shop in Philadelphia.  He had no success at his candy shop so he closed the business and reunited with his father in Denver.  While there, he worked as a confectioner and discovered caramel and how they used fresh milk to make it.  With an entrepreneur spirit, he decided to try his hand at his own business again in Chicago and New York.  Both businesses failed.  Determined he could own a successful candy company, he returned to Lancaster, Pennsylvania and started the Lancaster Caramel Company.  Soon he was shipping caramel candy all over the United States.   

In 1893, he was at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago when he became intrigued with the art of making chocolate and a few years later he opened the Hershey Chocolate Company.  With his new fascination with chocolate, he became determined to create a formula that would allow him to batch produce and bulk distribute milk chocolate candy.

He sold the Lancaster Caramel Company in 1900 and in a few years his expectations for his chocolate venture had far exceeded anything he thought.  In 1907, he created the Hershey Kiss and in 1924 the foil wrapper was added.

CHALLENGE:  If not for the failure of 3 candy companies owned by Milton Hershey, we would not have the Hershey Kiss.  During the hard times of life when you are confused and frustrated, eat a Hershey Kiss and remember the determination and resolve Milton Hershey went through for you to enjoy the sweat, amazing pleasure!



Resources:




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Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - August 29th


There’s nothing wrong with things taking time. – James Dyson
You need a stubborn belief in an idea in order to see it realized. – James Dyson

Life is a mountain of solvable problems, and I enjoy that.  – James Dyson

According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a habit is:


a :  a behavior pattern acquired by frequent repetition or physiologic exposure that shows itself in regularity or increased facility of performance


b :  an acquired mode of behavior that has become nearly or completely involuntary – got up early from a force of habit


5,126…that is the number of failed prototypes that James Dyson attempted before he created the Dual Cyclone bagless vacuum cleaner.  It took 15 years of experimenting, learning and persevering before he created the “bag-free DC-07” in 2002.  Dyson has a thirst for knowledge and experimentation.  He continually wants to understand “why”.  Because he has the habit of continually learning, his tenacity and enthusiasm pushed him forward to finally create the bagless vacuum on his 5,127 try!  


There is no such things as a quantum leap. There is only dogged persistence – and in the end you make it look like a quantum leap. – James Dyson


CHALLENGE:  As you continue to work on implementing new habits into your life, remember to learn from the failures and find the internal tenacity to push forward to accomplish your dreams.



For Further Reading:











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Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - August 22nd


Habits are formed by the repetition of particular acts. They are strengthened by an increase in the number of repeated acts. Habits are also weakened or broken, and contrary habits are formed by the repetition of contrary acts. – Mortimer Adler



All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsion, habit, reason, passion, and desire. - Aristotle



I never could have done what I have done without the habits of punctuality, order, and diligence, without the determination to concentrate myself on one subject at a time. – Charles Dickens


Now that you have created a list of new habits to incorporate into your life, what’s next?

According to John Assarf, the human mind is built to run on automatic allowing the brain to process complex issues with the freed up space from habits.  To create new habits, the habits need to be broken down into the simplest actions that allow the individual to do them easily, immediately and naturally.  

New habits should be easy actions the individual can do, will do and has the desire to start doing instantly.  Assarf believes that when an individual proves to themselves that they can do the new action and then completes the new action, they are creating new neural patterns.  The neural patterns consistently repeated creates a new habit.  Each time the individual participates in the new habit, they are building up their self-esteem encouraging themselves to repeat it again. 


Everything you do or don’t do leaves an imprint on your self-esteem. – John Assarf


CHALLENGE:  Take your list of new habits and break them down into the simplest actions and incorporate them into your daily life to start creating new habits.



For Further Reading:




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Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - August 15th


Good habits are just as addictive as bad habits, but much more rewarding.  - https://www.pinterest.com/pin/364650901051314012
A habit is something you can do without thinking - which is why most of us have so many of them. -  Frank A. Clark
Good habits are worth being fanatical about. - John Irving

It is easier to prevent bad habits than to break them. - Benjamin Franklin

Incorporating new habits or reincorporating good former habits back into our lives is a great way to change the trajectory of our futures.  According to John Dryden, he said:

We first make our habits, and then our habits make us.

When establishing new habits in your life, it is important to incorporate habits that will improve, challenge and strengthen you for the future.  Habits are the cornerstone for you accomplishing your goals and your goals catapult you into accomplishing your dreams. 

As fall is approaching, it is a great time to incorporate new habits into your life.  Here are a few to consider:

·       Daily reading

·       Listen to a daily podcast

·       Daily writing/journaling

·       Exercise

·       Positive self-talk

·       Daily gratitude

·       Meditation

For other ideas for new habits, here is a great website: http://www.developgoodhabits.com/good-daily-habits-list/

 CHALLENGE:   Create a list of habits that you want to incorporate or reincorporate into your life.   



For Further Reading:













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Tuesday, August 8, 2017

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - August 8th


Depending on what they are, our habits will either make us or break us. We become what we repeatedly do. - Sean Covey


Make no mistake about it. Bad habits are called 'bad' for a reason. They kill our productivity and creativity. They slow us down. They hold us back from achieving our goals. And they're detrimental to our health. - John Rampton


Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going. - Jim Ryun
The “dog days of summer” will soon be ending and the weather will be cooling down.  In a couple months, the leaves will be changing colors!


During this wonderful, relaxing summer, have you started any new “bad” habits that you need to find a way to stop?  According to The Power of Habit author Charles Duhigg, the best time to stop/change a habit is during vacation.  He says changing environments removes the cues and rewards that the individual receives when participating in a “bad” habit so the disruption of their “normal routine” provides a great time to change a habit.    


CHALLENGE:   As you plan for the final relaxing activities of the summer and plan maybe one last get-away, create a list of “bad” habits that you need to change/remove from your life to help refocus on accomplishing your 2017 goals.   


Resources:



http://www.sciencealert.com/here-s-how-long-it-takes-to-break-a-habit-according-to-science
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Tuesday, August 1, 2017

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - August 1st


Don't raise your voice, improve your argument. – Desmond Tutu [Address at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Houghton, Johannesburg, South Africa, 23 November 2004]

You cannot reason people out of a position that they did not reason themselves into. ― Ben Goldacre, Bad Science



People almost invariably arrive at their beliefs not on the basis of proof but on the basis of what they find attractive. ― Blaise Pascal, De l'art de persuader



 The belief that you can’t change other people is not only disempowering, it is scientifically false. – Michelle Gielan and Shawn Anchor


Over the last couple weeks, Terri’s Tuesday Tip of the Week has been discussing how Thomas Jefferson was a very persuasive individual because he had passion, skill and vision.

Some individuals are natural persuaders and others are not.  Alan H. Monroe created a process in the mid-1930s that is often discussed in sales courses and used to develop persuasive speeches.  The five steps and a description are listed below:

Attention – Grab the audience’s attention by stating a quotation, shocking example or a unique statistic.

Need – Show the audience that they have a need that they may not realize they have, which will motivate them to action.

Satisfaction – Provide a specific solution that can be implemented to solve the problem.

Visualization – Describe specifically (provide visual and detailed explanation) what will happen if the audience does or does not implement the solution.

Action – Explain what action the audience can do to solve the problem.


A great example of Monroe’s Motivation Sequence is shown in Snuggie commercials.  Here is an example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEJgy4_3ZYA.



 CHALLENGE:   Implement Monroe’s Motivated Sequence in your daily interactions.



Resources:






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