Some people are naturally pessimistic and are happy being so. They view themselves as pragmatic and as having a better sense of reality. Then there are those of us who feel weighed down by negativity and wish that we could be more optimistic. This is completely possible. It all lies in the way we perceive things...
1. Stress management
When we conceal our anxieties, they only build. Each concern can snowball into a feeling of being overwhelmed. Each person has their own way of letting off steam. This varies from exercise, to listening to music, to reading a good book. More of us are beginning to realize how important proper stress management is to both our physical and mental health.
2. Constant reality checks
It is sometimes necessary to debate the validity of your concerns to determine whether they are rational or not. This is called self-rationalization and one of the most recognized methods is the worst case scenario. This is when you consider the worst possible situation, then go on to consider whether it is likely to happen. For example, a loved one said they would call once they arrived by subway to a certain destination. They should have reached that destination 15 minutes ago. You may dream up scenarios of there being a train accident or some other frightful incident took place. But after a little thought, you find that it's more probable that they either have yet to reach their stop or they will simply call you when it is convenient for them. You never want to leap to conclusions and cause yourself unnecessary stress.
3. Support of friends and family
Friends and family are usually more than willing to provide you with a much needed reality check. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have close friends and family members to confide in though. It is detrimental to find some type of support when you are feeling extremely confused or overwhelmed. This support may have to come from a trusted co-worker or a member of a support group. Sometimes all it takes is another person's point of view to put things into perspective.
4. Own your feelings
Accept that you have complete control over your perceptions and internal responses. You may not have control over what happened on your commute to work that upset you. But you are able to decide whether you become relieved when the day is finally over, or frustrated, claiming you are always being dealt a bad hand.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
4 POWERFUL STEPS TO FIRE UP UR MOTIVATION!!!!!
It's so difficult to go on when everything seems to fail, isn't it? Are there times in your life when you really want to callit "quits" because you just can't see any good results from allthe hard work you've done?
Hold your horses!
Never ever think of giving up. Winners never quit and quittersnever win. Take all negative words out of your mental dictionaryand focus on the solutions with utmost conviction and patience.The battle is never lost until you've abandon your vision.
But what if you're really exhausted physically, mentally, andmost of all emotionally? Here are some sources of motivationto prompt you in reaching the peak of accomplishment.
1) The Overwhelming Feeling of Attaining your Desired End
How would you feel after accomplishing your mission? Of courseyou will feel ecstatic. You might be shedding tears of joy. Letthis tremendous feeling sink in and encourage you to persist despite all odds.
When I was studying for the Board Exams, I used this technique to motivate me. I would envision the sweetness of folks callingme a CPA. It would command respect. People will look up tome as a higher level of authority. And I would have betterchances of finding a good job. I absorbed all these greatperceptions into my inner being in order to achieve my ultimategoal.
2) The Reward System
How would you feel if you've entered a contest, but there are no prizes for the winners? It's not very encouraging, isn't it?
The same principles apply to your vision. Reward yourself afteraccomplishing a goal. Set a particular incentive for every objective.
Let's say if you've achieved a particular task, you'll treat yourself to your favorite restaurant. When you've finisheda bigger task, you'll go on a vacation.
Got the idea?
Just set something gratifying to indulge in after completinga certain undertaking.
3) The Powerful Force of Humanity
If you want to succeed, surround yourself with the right kind of people who will support and encourage you all the way.
Be with people who have the same beliefs and aspirations asyours. Positive aura is generated by this fusion of collective energy from people of "like minds."
On the contrary, being with people who oppose your ways ofthinking may trigger a negative, yet very powerful, kind ofmotivation.
Has anyone ever said to you that "You'll never get anywhere"or "You're wasting your time with what you're doing?"
Didn't it made you furious and determined enough to prove tothem how wrong they were? This is what I'm talking about.
When aggravated, you will do anything to make those who areagainst you swallow their words. But of course, your mainfocus should be on the acccomplishment of your goal and notfor the purpose of revenge. Never let your emotions towardothers alter your main objective.
4) Take Care Of Your Health
Exercise regularly. Fill your brains with enough oxygen toallow you to do your daily tasks with more vigor and energy.
Take regular breaks if time allows. Having the will power to continue despite all hardships is extremely important, but you should still know your limits.
If you don't take enough rest, you will not be able to thinkclearly and you will not be able to do your tasks properly.In the process, you will just get more frustrated.
Take sufficient sleep and recharge yourself after a hard day'swork. Never, ever ignore your health. I've learned my lessonwhen I sacrificed my health for the sake of success. I've worked very long hours everyday and just got minimal sleep.As a result, I became ill.
It's not worth it. Success won't matter if you don't havegood health to enjoy it.
Fire up your motivation and live life to the fullest!
Hold your horses!
Never ever think of giving up. Winners never quit and quittersnever win. Take all negative words out of your mental dictionaryand focus on the solutions with utmost conviction and patience.The battle is never lost until you've abandon your vision.
But what if you're really exhausted physically, mentally, andmost of all emotionally? Here are some sources of motivationto prompt you in reaching the peak of accomplishment.
1) The Overwhelming Feeling of Attaining your Desired End
How would you feel after accomplishing your mission? Of courseyou will feel ecstatic. You might be shedding tears of joy. Letthis tremendous feeling sink in and encourage you to persist despite all odds.
When I was studying for the Board Exams, I used this technique to motivate me. I would envision the sweetness of folks callingme a CPA. It would command respect. People will look up tome as a higher level of authority. And I would have betterchances of finding a good job. I absorbed all these greatperceptions into my inner being in order to achieve my ultimategoal.
2) The Reward System
How would you feel if you've entered a contest, but there are no prizes for the winners? It's not very encouraging, isn't it?
The same principles apply to your vision. Reward yourself afteraccomplishing a goal. Set a particular incentive for every objective.
Let's say if you've achieved a particular task, you'll treat yourself to your favorite restaurant. When you've finisheda bigger task, you'll go on a vacation.
Got the idea?
Just set something gratifying to indulge in after completinga certain undertaking.
3) The Powerful Force of Humanity
If you want to succeed, surround yourself with the right kind of people who will support and encourage you all the way.
Be with people who have the same beliefs and aspirations asyours. Positive aura is generated by this fusion of collective energy from people of "like minds."
On the contrary, being with people who oppose your ways ofthinking may trigger a negative, yet very powerful, kind ofmotivation.
Has anyone ever said to you that "You'll never get anywhere"or "You're wasting your time with what you're doing?"
Didn't it made you furious and determined enough to prove tothem how wrong they were? This is what I'm talking about.
When aggravated, you will do anything to make those who areagainst you swallow their words. But of course, your mainfocus should be on the acccomplishment of your goal and notfor the purpose of revenge. Never let your emotions towardothers alter your main objective.
4) Take Care Of Your Health
Exercise regularly. Fill your brains with enough oxygen toallow you to do your daily tasks with more vigor and energy.
Take regular breaks if time allows. Having the will power to continue despite all hardships is extremely important, but you should still know your limits.
If you don't take enough rest, you will not be able to thinkclearly and you will not be able to do your tasks properly.In the process, you will just get more frustrated.
Take sufficient sleep and recharge yourself after a hard day'swork. Never, ever ignore your health. I've learned my lessonwhen I sacrificed my health for the sake of success. I've worked very long hours everyday and just got minimal sleep.As a result, I became ill.
It's not worth it. Success won't matter if you don't havegood health to enjoy it.
Fire up your motivation and live life to the fullest!
GETTING WHAT U REALLY WANT
Everyone wants something in life, love, money, success, recognition ... Yet too many people fail to realize their desires, and nearly all of them for the same reason. They seem to go whichever way the wheel turns, as if they have no control over their situation. If their vehicle takes them to places they never intended to be, or crashes into the brickwall of utter despair, that's just the cruelty of fate.
Don't get me wrong, I realize that truly horrible things do happen to folks, and through no fault of their own. Gigantic obstacles are placed in our way sometimes, that seem absolutely insurmountable. Generally speaking, however, getting what you really want out of life is a matter of three (possibly four) simple steps.
Firstly - and this may seem like a no-brainer - you have to decide what it is you want the most. Decide what to aim for, with some specificity. Don't make a laundry list of wishes, but focus on one thing at a time. If you're not sure about where you want to go, there's no point in getting into the vehicle in the first place.
Secondly, create an action plan. This will be your map for getting from point A, where you are now, to point B, where you want to go. You know what you want, what steps are you going to take to get it?
Some things are obvious. If you want a better job, start with skills assessment and maybe some additional training. Then you'll need to sell yourself and your skills either to your present employer for a promotion into the new position you want, or to a new employer.
Other goals will require a bit more thought. Some will really leave you stuck without a clue of how to get there. Not to worry, though, no matter where it is you want to go, someone, somewhere has probably already been there. So what did they do to get there, what road did they take? Books, biographies and such, can be a real help with this. So hit the library if you're in need of guidelines.
Get ideas, get advice, create a good map for yourself, and know where you're going. Write it down, and make sure you can read it every day.
The third and final step is execution. Do what you planned. Take the steps you outlined on your road map and be persistent. If you run into naysayers, simply ignore them. Everyone who ever did anything great always ran into naysayers.
Never take your eyes off the goal. Keep pushing. Whatever you do, do not give up until you have what you desire in your hands. Never, ever give into the notion that you 'can't get there from here.'
Decide - Plan - Execute. It is really that simple.
About that fourth step. Sometimes your action plans may not get you to where you want to be. Maybe something is missing, maybe some step is not quite right. If you find this is the case, after exercising your full patience and persistence, you simply must rework your plan.
Look at it, figure out what's missing, and get back at it. It's just like following a map through a place you've never been before. If you find taking a particular road takes you to the wrong town, rather than turning around and going home, giving up, you take a second look at your map, figure out where you made the wrong turn, and get back on the road.
Whatever you do -- Keep your hands on the wheel!
Don't get me wrong, I realize that truly horrible things do happen to folks, and through no fault of their own. Gigantic obstacles are placed in our way sometimes, that seem absolutely insurmountable. Generally speaking, however, getting what you really want out of life is a matter of three (possibly four) simple steps.
Firstly - and this may seem like a no-brainer - you have to decide what it is you want the most. Decide what to aim for, with some specificity. Don't make a laundry list of wishes, but focus on one thing at a time. If you're not sure about where you want to go, there's no point in getting into the vehicle in the first place.
Secondly, create an action plan. This will be your map for getting from point A, where you are now, to point B, where you want to go. You know what you want, what steps are you going to take to get it?
Some things are obvious. If you want a better job, start with skills assessment and maybe some additional training. Then you'll need to sell yourself and your skills either to your present employer for a promotion into the new position you want, or to a new employer.
Other goals will require a bit more thought. Some will really leave you stuck without a clue of how to get there. Not to worry, though, no matter where it is you want to go, someone, somewhere has probably already been there. So what did they do to get there, what road did they take? Books, biographies and such, can be a real help with this. So hit the library if you're in need of guidelines.
Get ideas, get advice, create a good map for yourself, and know where you're going. Write it down, and make sure you can read it every day.
The third and final step is execution. Do what you planned. Take the steps you outlined on your road map and be persistent. If you run into naysayers, simply ignore them. Everyone who ever did anything great always ran into naysayers.
Never take your eyes off the goal. Keep pushing. Whatever you do, do not give up until you have what you desire in your hands. Never, ever give into the notion that you 'can't get there from here.'
Decide - Plan - Execute. It is really that simple.
About that fourth step. Sometimes your action plans may not get you to where you want to be. Maybe something is missing, maybe some step is not quite right. If you find this is the case, after exercising your full patience and persistence, you simply must rework your plan.
Look at it, figure out what's missing, and get back at it. It's just like following a map through a place you've never been before. If you find taking a particular road takes you to the wrong town, rather than turning around and going home, giving up, you take a second look at your map, figure out where you made the wrong turn, and get back on the road.
Whatever you do -- Keep your hands on the wheel!
TEN STEPS TO CREATE MORE LIFE OF YOUR LIFE!!!
When people begin to investigate career change, often they don't want a new career at all. They love their career -- but they also want time for creating a life outside work. As a lifetime leisure-seeker, I've created ten tips to help you get started on the quest for "more time in your life -- and more fun."
1. Decide where leisure ranks on your list of values. Are you working to pay for something that you don't value very much?
2. Seize moments during the day, evening, lunchtime and weekend. Time management guru Alan Lakein calls this the "Swiss cheese method:" using the holes. Think "fun" in fifteen-minute segments.
3. Buy leisure time. Hiring a teenager to mow your lawn may give you an hour or more, depending on the size of your property. Get even more creative. For a price, your pet-sitter might be persuaded to take Fluffy to the vet and Fido to the groomer.
4. Stop doing things that nobody will miss.
I once worked with someone who stopped answering requests for reports from "senior management." When a vice president asked, "Where is your report?" he would prepare one on the spot. Most of the time, nobody noticed!
Same goes for housekeeping: do you need the "cleanest house in town" award?
5. Set limits and set them again. Saying "no" to invitations is a beginning. You can also define your scope: "I will be happy to help as long as I can do the work on Saturday."
I've role-played scenarios with clients who think the earth will cave in if they say "no." Often they're amazed to find nobody missed them.
6. Stop losing energy to procrastination or fear. If you dread making that call or put off changing that light bulb, do it now and enjoy leisure, guilt-free.
7. Ignore the pressure of, "Everybody else is participating." Chances are everybody else is miserable -- or isn't doing any more than you are.
Ten Tips to Create More Life for Your Life, Motivation, Motivation articles, Motivation information, about Motivation, what is Motivation, Motivation Information
Ten Tips to Create More Life for Your Life
When people begin to investigate career change, often they don't want a new career at all. They love their career -- but they also want time for creating a life outside work. As a lifetime leisure-seeker, I've created ten tips to help you get started on the quest for "more time in your life -- and more fun."
1. Decide where leisure ranks on your list of values. Are you working to pay for something that you don't value very much?
2. Seize moments during the day, evening, lunchtime and weekend. Time management guru Alan Lakein calls this the "Swiss cheese method:" using the holes. Think "fun" in fifteen-minute segments.
3. Buy leisure time. Hiring a teenager to mow your lawn may give you an hour or more, depending on the size of your property. Get even more creative. For a price, your pet-sitter might be persuaded to take Fluffy to the vet and Fido to the groomer.
4. Stop doing things that nobody will miss.
I once worked with someone who stopped answering requests for reports from "senior management." When a vice president asked, "Where is your report?" he would prepare one on the spot. Most of the time, nobody noticed!
Same goes for housekeeping: do you need the "cleanest house in town" award?
5. Set limits and set them again. Saying "no" to invitations is a beginning. You can also define your scope: "I will be happy to help as long as I can do the work on Saturday."
I've role-played scenarios with clients who think the earth will cave in if they say "no." Often they're amazed to find nobody missed them.
6. Stop losing energy to procrastination or fear. If you dread making that call or put off changing that light bulb, do it now and enjoy leisure, guilt-free.
7. Ignore the pressure of, "Everybody else is participating." Chances are everybody else is miserable -- or isn't doing any more than you are.
8. Prioritize your time for energy boosters and time expanders? Meditation, journal writing and exercise will increase your energy and miraculously add hours to your day.
9. Grab a large block of time each week to do exactly what you want. Two hours? A whole afternoon? An afternoon in an art museum (or an evening at a basketball game) will often unravel the knots that keep you working late.
10. Call for outside help if you're still trapped by the "should" monitor. Find a friend, counselor or coach -- someone who can offer you an objective insight and clarify priorities.
Bonus tip: Remind yourself every day: Very few people on their deathbed say, "I wish I'd spent more time at the office," or, "I should have done more dusting." Will you be one of the few?
1. Decide where leisure ranks on your list of values. Are you working to pay for something that you don't value very much?
2. Seize moments during the day, evening, lunchtime and weekend. Time management guru Alan Lakein calls this the "Swiss cheese method:" using the holes. Think "fun" in fifteen-minute segments.
3. Buy leisure time. Hiring a teenager to mow your lawn may give you an hour or more, depending on the size of your property. Get even more creative. For a price, your pet-sitter might be persuaded to take Fluffy to the vet and Fido to the groomer.
4. Stop doing things that nobody will miss.
I once worked with someone who stopped answering requests for reports from "senior management." When a vice president asked, "Where is your report?" he would prepare one on the spot. Most of the time, nobody noticed!
Same goes for housekeeping: do you need the "cleanest house in town" award?
5. Set limits and set them again. Saying "no" to invitations is a beginning. You can also define your scope: "I will be happy to help as long as I can do the work on Saturday."
I've role-played scenarios with clients who think the earth will cave in if they say "no." Often they're amazed to find nobody missed them.
6. Stop losing energy to procrastination or fear. If you dread making that call or put off changing that light bulb, do it now and enjoy leisure, guilt-free.
7. Ignore the pressure of, "Everybody else is participating." Chances are everybody else is miserable -- or isn't doing any more than you are.
Ten Tips to Create More Life for Your Life, Motivation, Motivation articles, Motivation information, about Motivation, what is Motivation, Motivation Information
Ten Tips to Create More Life for Your Life
When people begin to investigate career change, often they don't want a new career at all. They love their career -- but they also want time for creating a life outside work. As a lifetime leisure-seeker, I've created ten tips to help you get started on the quest for "more time in your life -- and more fun."
1. Decide where leisure ranks on your list of values. Are you working to pay for something that you don't value very much?
2. Seize moments during the day, evening, lunchtime and weekend. Time management guru Alan Lakein calls this the "Swiss cheese method:" using the holes. Think "fun" in fifteen-minute segments.
3. Buy leisure time. Hiring a teenager to mow your lawn may give you an hour or more, depending on the size of your property. Get even more creative. For a price, your pet-sitter might be persuaded to take Fluffy to the vet and Fido to the groomer.
4. Stop doing things that nobody will miss.
I once worked with someone who stopped answering requests for reports from "senior management." When a vice president asked, "Where is your report?" he would prepare one on the spot. Most of the time, nobody noticed!
Same goes for housekeeping: do you need the "cleanest house in town" award?
5. Set limits and set them again. Saying "no" to invitations is a beginning. You can also define your scope: "I will be happy to help as long as I can do the work on Saturday."
I've role-played scenarios with clients who think the earth will cave in if they say "no." Often they're amazed to find nobody missed them.
6. Stop losing energy to procrastination or fear. If you dread making that call or put off changing that light bulb, do it now and enjoy leisure, guilt-free.
7. Ignore the pressure of, "Everybody else is participating." Chances are everybody else is miserable -- or isn't doing any more than you are.
8. Prioritize your time for energy boosters and time expanders? Meditation, journal writing and exercise will increase your energy and miraculously add hours to your day.
9. Grab a large block of time each week to do exactly what you want. Two hours? A whole afternoon? An afternoon in an art museum (or an evening at a basketball game) will often unravel the knots that keep you working late.
10. Call for outside help if you're still trapped by the "should" monitor. Find a friend, counselor or coach -- someone who can offer you an objective insight and clarify priorities.
Bonus tip: Remind yourself every day: Very few people on their deathbed say, "I wish I'd spent more time at the office," or, "I should have done more dusting." Will you be one of the few?
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
ARE U A CREATIVE PERSON!!!
It may surprise you, but the answer is "NO"
Pretend for a moment that you live on an isolated island where there are no modern conveniences such as television, phones, faxes, computers, books, etc. However, you have an extremely fine set of art supplies (presumably left there in previous years by a passing trade ship.)
You've always liked to paint scenes from your island ... the birds, trees, people, clouds, etc. Finally, you decide you need a new challenge so you go into a deep meditation and you see a vision. Its beauty and power excite you and you work on your painting for days and weeks in a joyful frenzy.
Finally it's finished and you show it to your friends and family. They are stunned and call you a creative genius. The painting is hung in the most prominent place on the island and people start calling you to paint pictures for them. You become rich and famous ... at least on your island.
One day, a ship lands and some people come ashore and happen by where your painting hangs. You step closer, eagerly anticipating their acclaim, then you hear, "Hey, look! Someone has copied the Mona Lisa."
What happens to your status as a creative genius? (It probably plummeted with the islanders and never existed at all with the visitors.)
Did it have anything to do with you as a talented artist or original thinker? (No ... it only had to do with the viewers' perceptions of your work.)
So, when we say you're not a creative person, it's because no one can be a creative person, he or she can only be perceived as a creative person.
According to Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in his new book Creativity, there are three requirements for creativity:
Field: A field of endeavor such as art, music, science, business, architecture, etc., which has a set of rules or norms.
Work: Something (book, painting, product, etc.) which goes beyond the rules or norms of the field.
Judges: A group of people who know the rules and norms of the field, see the work created, and judge it novel and worthy.
There are many ways to fail the creativity test that have little to do with you or your work:
1. If your field doesn't have accepted rules or norms or has rules and norms that are highly inflexible, it's hard to be deemed creative. Street sweepers, lettuce pickers, crossing guards, sales clerks, nurses, stock brokers, accountants, etc., have a very limited range in which to be creative in their fields. If they move outside that range, they're not perceived as creative, they're probably fired.
2. If your work is not seen by the judges. We honor Da Vinci's creativity because we can see his artwork and his drawings of helicopters and other futuristic devices. We do not recognize the creativity of the hermit in Iowa who fills volumes of notebooks with possibly brilliant but unread or unreadable scrawls.
3. If the judges do not consider your work novel and worthy. This is highly subjective and time-sensitive. The creative work of one generation may be considered quaint or passe by the next, only to be rediscovered and praised as creative by a future set of judges.
When people talk about someone as being "such a creative person," they are generally referring to that person's originality. The person is always doing something new or has a certain flare about them. Originality is an important part of creativity but it doesn't automatically make someone creative. Only the judges who perceive the work as novel and worthy can do that.
It may surprise you now, but the answer is "Yes!"
Look around you and identify the most joyful people you know ... the people who radiate life and goodwill. Chances are excellent that you'll find them expressing themselves in significant ways.
You'll find:
a teacher connecting with students in a powerful, transforming way
an entrepreneur working long hours building a business
a dancer learning a complicated routine
a rock climber inching up a challenging crevass
a parent planning a birthday party
a lawyer researching an obscure case
a jazz pianist composing
a cook experimenting with an unusual seasoning
a fisherman trying to outsmart a wily trout
a designer sketching a fashion layout
a minister writing a sermon
a poet capturing a metaphor
an engineer tinkering with a problematic device
a twelve-year-old kid "playing" endlessly with graphics software
What all these folks have in common is that they're learning, exploring, breaking through barriers, generating ideas, rejecting ideas, solving problems, identifying opportunities, making judgments, receiving input from others and their senses, experimenting, trying, failing, trying again. In other words, they're creating ... creating works of art, experiences, inventions, pictures, words, relationships, music, recipes, fun, and self-fulfillment.
Every one of them is exercising creativity, because that's what we do. It comes with the territory of being a human being. We create. We are creative beings. We create because it helps us survive and it feels good ... it brings us joy.
When we don't create, when we don't learn and grow, it brings us pain. It deadens us. When this innate urge to create is thwarted or stifled, we turn to unhealthy substitutes such as drugs, alcohol, crime, violence, etc. to lessen the pain.
So the answer to the question of "Are you creative?" is an overwhelming "yes!" All of us have the need to create and it has nothing to do with whether or not someone else labels us "creative." To eliminate part of the confusion about creativity, perhaps we should use "Creativity" (big-C) to mean the kind of creativity that is recognized by a group of judges and "creativity" (small-c) to mean the innate drive each of us have to express ourselves.
Our focus should be on small-c creativity because that's all we can control ... and that's where the fun is. As we learn more and more ways to generate ideas and express our unique combination of talents, skills and life experiences, we might earn a big-C Creativity label but that is a side-effect, a cherry on top of the life-sundae ... nice, but not the main event.
Pretend for a moment that you live on an isolated island where there are no modern conveniences such as television, phones, faxes, computers, books, etc. However, you have an extremely fine set of art supplies (presumably left there in previous years by a passing trade ship.)
You've always liked to paint scenes from your island ... the birds, trees, people, clouds, etc. Finally, you decide you need a new challenge so you go into a deep meditation and you see a vision. Its beauty and power excite you and you work on your painting for days and weeks in a joyful frenzy.
Finally it's finished and you show it to your friends and family. They are stunned and call you a creative genius. The painting is hung in the most prominent place on the island and people start calling you to paint pictures for them. You become rich and famous ... at least on your island.
One day, a ship lands and some people come ashore and happen by where your painting hangs. You step closer, eagerly anticipating their acclaim, then you hear, "Hey, look! Someone has copied the Mona Lisa."
What happens to your status as a creative genius? (It probably plummeted with the islanders and never existed at all with the visitors.)
Did it have anything to do with you as a talented artist or original thinker? (No ... it only had to do with the viewers' perceptions of your work.)
So, when we say you're not a creative person, it's because no one can be a creative person, he or she can only be perceived as a creative person.
According to Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in his new book Creativity, there are three requirements for creativity:
Field: A field of endeavor such as art, music, science, business, architecture, etc., which has a set of rules or norms.
Work: Something (book, painting, product, etc.) which goes beyond the rules or norms of the field.
Judges: A group of people who know the rules and norms of the field, see the work created, and judge it novel and worthy.
There are many ways to fail the creativity test that have little to do with you or your work:
1. If your field doesn't have accepted rules or norms or has rules and norms that are highly inflexible, it's hard to be deemed creative. Street sweepers, lettuce pickers, crossing guards, sales clerks, nurses, stock brokers, accountants, etc., have a very limited range in which to be creative in their fields. If they move outside that range, they're not perceived as creative, they're probably fired.
2. If your work is not seen by the judges. We honor Da Vinci's creativity because we can see his artwork and his drawings of helicopters and other futuristic devices. We do not recognize the creativity of the hermit in Iowa who fills volumes of notebooks with possibly brilliant but unread or unreadable scrawls.
3. If the judges do not consider your work novel and worthy. This is highly subjective and time-sensitive. The creative work of one generation may be considered quaint or passe by the next, only to be rediscovered and praised as creative by a future set of judges.
When people talk about someone as being "such a creative person," they are generally referring to that person's originality. The person is always doing something new or has a certain flare about them. Originality is an important part of creativity but it doesn't automatically make someone creative. Only the judges who perceive the work as novel and worthy can do that.
It may surprise you now, but the answer is "Yes!"
Look around you and identify the most joyful people you know ... the people who radiate life and goodwill. Chances are excellent that you'll find them expressing themselves in significant ways.
You'll find:
a teacher connecting with students in a powerful, transforming way
an entrepreneur working long hours building a business
a dancer learning a complicated routine
a rock climber inching up a challenging crevass
a parent planning a birthday party
a lawyer researching an obscure case
a jazz pianist composing
a cook experimenting with an unusual seasoning
a fisherman trying to outsmart a wily trout
a designer sketching a fashion layout
a minister writing a sermon
a poet capturing a metaphor
an engineer tinkering with a problematic device
a twelve-year-old kid "playing" endlessly with graphics software
What all these folks have in common is that they're learning, exploring, breaking through barriers, generating ideas, rejecting ideas, solving problems, identifying opportunities, making judgments, receiving input from others and their senses, experimenting, trying, failing, trying again. In other words, they're creating ... creating works of art, experiences, inventions, pictures, words, relationships, music, recipes, fun, and self-fulfillment.
Every one of them is exercising creativity, because that's what we do. It comes with the territory of being a human being. We create. We are creative beings. We create because it helps us survive and it feels good ... it brings us joy.
When we don't create, when we don't learn and grow, it brings us pain. It deadens us. When this innate urge to create is thwarted or stifled, we turn to unhealthy substitutes such as drugs, alcohol, crime, violence, etc. to lessen the pain.
So the answer to the question of "Are you creative?" is an overwhelming "yes!" All of us have the need to create and it has nothing to do with whether or not someone else labels us "creative." To eliminate part of the confusion about creativity, perhaps we should use "Creativity" (big-C) to mean the kind of creativity that is recognized by a group of judges and "creativity" (small-c) to mean the innate drive each of us have to express ourselves.
Our focus should be on small-c creativity because that's all we can control ... and that's where the fun is. As we learn more and more ways to generate ideas and express our unique combination of talents, skills and life experiences, we might earn a big-C Creativity label but that is a side-effect, a cherry on top of the life-sundae ... nice, but not the main event.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
FIVE WAYS TO USE MONEY
If you think about it, there are really only five things you can do with money:
earn it
spend it
save it
invest it
give it
That may sound simple. But when it comes to actually doing it, all sorts of questions arise, such as:
“How much money do I need to earn?”
“How much should I save?”
“How much should I spend?”
“Where should I invest it?”
“How much should I give?”
The following Scriptures and advice will help you to begin thinking through these issues:
Earning
Most people have to earn an income some way or another. Some people do this by working at a job, others own their own business, and still others earn their living through more unconventional means, such as investing in real estate or the stock market. Whichever way you earn your money, a key decision in this area is determining how much money you actually need to survive.
Many people fall into the trap of working more than they need to, simply because they can’t say no to the extra money. They put in overtime at work, thus depriving themselves, their family, their friends, their church, and their community of time they could spend investing in other types of capital, such as social and spiritual capital. Other people don’t work enough, thus depriving their family of the things they need and enjoy and causing others to have to pick up the slack. The key is to find the balance so you are able to earn a comfortable living without falling prey to the pitfalls of either extreme. Ask God to guide you in this area.
Spending
The first rule of spending is to always spend less than you earn. The minute you start spending more than you’re taking in, you incur what is called negative margin or deficit. Deficit is different from a loan in that deficit adds continually to your debt and are unable to pay it back. As you keep overspending each month, your debt just keeps growing and growing. Before long, you and your entire family will become a slave to it.
The way to avoid debt and live within your means is to create a monthly budget with different categories for things like shelter, food, clothing, transportation, and so on. A financial planner can help you develop a budget that’s right for you. But simply creating a budget won’t solve your financial problems. You have to stick to it. Be disciplined. When the money is gone from a certain category, that’s it until next month. Don’t borrow against your future, because the future is always uncertain.
If you’re already in debt, you’ll have to take this into consideration when you create your budget. There are plenty of actions you can take to reduce your debt, such as using some of your margin to pay it off, paying off your high interest loans first, consolidating all of your loans into a single, low interest, monthly payment, cutting back to a single credit card and paying off the balance at the end of each month, and simply learning how to delay gratification so you don’t get into this mess again. Once again, a financial planner can help you work through these options.
It seems like incurring some debt is inevitable today, especially when it comes to purchasing costly items such as vehicles or a home. But it’s not always necessary, particularly for expendables, such as furniture, appliances, or electronic equipment. However, before you incur any debt of any size, spend time in prayer and evaluate the spiritual, economic, psychological and personal ramifications of that decision. If you stick to doing things on a cash-only basis, you may have to wait a little longer to purchase what you want, but it will definitely be worth it in the long run.
A final area of spending we should mention is taxes (cf. Luke 20:25; Romans 13:7). In this case, you need to strike a balance between your civic duty and paying more than you need to. Cheating on your tax return seems like a victimless crime, and it’s easy to let your ethics slide in this area. But honesty is crucial to everything you do—particularly in the little things. So be honest on your tax return, but don’t pay more than you have to. A good steward endeavours to reduce taxes as much as is legally possible. Studies have shown that a dollar in hand of an individual consumer is much more effective than it is in hands of government. So by reducing your taxes, you’re actually helping out the economy! Plus, you can use the money you receive from your tax return for other things, such as reducing your debt or adding to your giving or savings budgets.
Saving
The extra money you have left over (or should have left over) at the end of each month after paying your living expenses, taxes, debts, and meeting your giving budget is called savings or margin. Your savings should always be planned and regular. Determine what percentage of your income you can save each month, and then divide that amount into short-term and long-term savings. Use the short-term savings for things like family vacations and acquiring smaller items, such as a stereo or new appliances. Long-term savings should be set aside for a new vehicle or other expendables that require a significant amount of funds. You should also set aside a contingency fund, usually 3-6 months of income, in the event that you temporarily lose your ability to earn income.
While saving money is prudent and wise, there is a fine line between saving and hoarding. A good way to tell the difference is to ask yourself whether you’re putting your trust in your savings or in God. As your savings account grows, make sure your faith in God’s provision grows along with it!
InvestingInvesting your money wisely is crucial to getting the most return on your time and effort. After all, you’ve worked hard for your money. Isn’t it time it did some work for you?
Investing
It is just like any other financial decision. First, you should pray and ask God how much he wants you to invest and where he wants you to put it. Any financial planner will tell you that your portfolio should contain a mix of low, medium, and high-risk investments. How much is allocated to each area depends on your risk tolerance and your financial goals. Areas to invest include government bonds, GICs, real estate, mutual funds, and individual stocks. We strongly urge you to consult with a financial planner prior to making any major decisions in this area. The last thing you want to do after earning your money is to watch it all drain away through a poor investment strategy.
Giving
As with saving, your giving should always be planned and regular. Choose your charities wisely, and make sure they’re putting as much of your money as possible into their primary work rather than miring it all in overhead. It’s also okay to keep some money aside in a contingency fund for those “spur of the moment” donations. However, regular giving allows you to budget from month to month. It also enables you to take full advantage of the tax credits available, thus increasing your margin. You can use this extra money for additional giving, to defray living expenses or to reduce your debt.
Although tithing or giving one-tenth of your income is a good place to start, it is by no means mandatory - and you definitely don’t have to limit yourself to this amount! Ask God where he would like you to direct your giving, and revisit the amount you give each year. Remember: All money is God’s money; you are the stewards so don’t hold on to it too tightly when he is trying to teach you to live generously. As the Bible says, those who sow generously will also reap generously.
earn it
spend it
save it
invest it
give it
That may sound simple. But when it comes to actually doing it, all sorts of questions arise, such as:
“How much money do I need to earn?”
“How much should I save?”
“How much should I spend?”
“Where should I invest it?”
“How much should I give?”
The following Scriptures and advice will help you to begin thinking through these issues:
Earning
Most people have to earn an income some way or another. Some people do this by working at a job, others own their own business, and still others earn their living through more unconventional means, such as investing in real estate or the stock market. Whichever way you earn your money, a key decision in this area is determining how much money you actually need to survive.
Many people fall into the trap of working more than they need to, simply because they can’t say no to the extra money. They put in overtime at work, thus depriving themselves, their family, their friends, their church, and their community of time they could spend investing in other types of capital, such as social and spiritual capital. Other people don’t work enough, thus depriving their family of the things they need and enjoy and causing others to have to pick up the slack. The key is to find the balance so you are able to earn a comfortable living without falling prey to the pitfalls of either extreme. Ask God to guide you in this area.
Spending
The first rule of spending is to always spend less than you earn. The minute you start spending more than you’re taking in, you incur what is called negative margin or deficit. Deficit is different from a loan in that deficit adds continually to your debt and are unable to pay it back. As you keep overspending each month, your debt just keeps growing and growing. Before long, you and your entire family will become a slave to it.
The way to avoid debt and live within your means is to create a monthly budget with different categories for things like shelter, food, clothing, transportation, and so on. A financial planner can help you develop a budget that’s right for you. But simply creating a budget won’t solve your financial problems. You have to stick to it. Be disciplined. When the money is gone from a certain category, that’s it until next month. Don’t borrow against your future, because the future is always uncertain.
If you’re already in debt, you’ll have to take this into consideration when you create your budget. There are plenty of actions you can take to reduce your debt, such as using some of your margin to pay it off, paying off your high interest loans first, consolidating all of your loans into a single, low interest, monthly payment, cutting back to a single credit card and paying off the balance at the end of each month, and simply learning how to delay gratification so you don’t get into this mess again. Once again, a financial planner can help you work through these options.
It seems like incurring some debt is inevitable today, especially when it comes to purchasing costly items such as vehicles or a home. But it’s not always necessary, particularly for expendables, such as furniture, appliances, or electronic equipment. However, before you incur any debt of any size, spend time in prayer and evaluate the spiritual, economic, psychological and personal ramifications of that decision. If you stick to doing things on a cash-only basis, you may have to wait a little longer to purchase what you want, but it will definitely be worth it in the long run.
A final area of spending we should mention is taxes (cf. Luke 20:25; Romans 13:7). In this case, you need to strike a balance between your civic duty and paying more than you need to. Cheating on your tax return seems like a victimless crime, and it’s easy to let your ethics slide in this area. But honesty is crucial to everything you do—particularly in the little things. So be honest on your tax return, but don’t pay more than you have to. A good steward endeavours to reduce taxes as much as is legally possible. Studies have shown that a dollar in hand of an individual consumer is much more effective than it is in hands of government. So by reducing your taxes, you’re actually helping out the economy! Plus, you can use the money you receive from your tax return for other things, such as reducing your debt or adding to your giving or savings budgets.
Saving
The extra money you have left over (or should have left over) at the end of each month after paying your living expenses, taxes, debts, and meeting your giving budget is called savings or margin. Your savings should always be planned and regular. Determine what percentage of your income you can save each month, and then divide that amount into short-term and long-term savings. Use the short-term savings for things like family vacations and acquiring smaller items, such as a stereo or new appliances. Long-term savings should be set aside for a new vehicle or other expendables that require a significant amount of funds. You should also set aside a contingency fund, usually 3-6 months of income, in the event that you temporarily lose your ability to earn income.
While saving money is prudent and wise, there is a fine line between saving and hoarding. A good way to tell the difference is to ask yourself whether you’re putting your trust in your savings or in God. As your savings account grows, make sure your faith in God’s provision grows along with it!
InvestingInvesting your money wisely is crucial to getting the most return on your time and effort. After all, you’ve worked hard for your money. Isn’t it time it did some work for you?
Investing
It is just like any other financial decision. First, you should pray and ask God how much he wants you to invest and where he wants you to put it. Any financial planner will tell you that your portfolio should contain a mix of low, medium, and high-risk investments. How much is allocated to each area depends on your risk tolerance and your financial goals. Areas to invest include government bonds, GICs, real estate, mutual funds, and individual stocks. We strongly urge you to consult with a financial planner prior to making any major decisions in this area. The last thing you want to do after earning your money is to watch it all drain away through a poor investment strategy.
Giving
As with saving, your giving should always be planned and regular. Choose your charities wisely, and make sure they’re putting as much of your money as possible into their primary work rather than miring it all in overhead. It’s also okay to keep some money aside in a contingency fund for those “spur of the moment” donations. However, regular giving allows you to budget from month to month. It also enables you to take full advantage of the tax credits available, thus increasing your margin. You can use this extra money for additional giving, to defray living expenses or to reduce your debt.
Although tithing or giving one-tenth of your income is a good place to start, it is by no means mandatory - and you definitely don’t have to limit yourself to this amount! Ask God where he would like you to direct your giving, and revisit the amount you give each year. Remember: All money is God’s money; you are the stewards so don’t hold on to it too tightly when he is trying to teach you to live generously. As the Bible says, those who sow generously will also reap generously.
ELEVATE UR HAPPINESS WITH THESE 10 KEYS!!
Use these Ten Keys for Finding Happiness in Your Life
1. Live on purpose. Joyful aliveness connects you with your purpose. Learn the skills you need to create happiness. Discover the activities and pursuits that make your heart sing! These engaging activities provide clues to your purpose and will assist you in finding happiness.If you want to maintain desperation and unhappiness, then believe that life has no purpose.
2. Find Happiness right now. No other time exists for experiencing happiness. Only the present moment contains the spark of life!You may also create misery by constantly wanting to speed ahead to some other time. Most people live their lives wanting to exist elsewhere and elsewhen.
3. Accept total responsibility for your life! You create your reality and your emotions. Your power and focus exceed your wildest dreams. See this short video about finding happiness through creating reality.You can choose to blame and whine, pretending that your life situation came from without, rather than from within. As within, so without. Accept total responsibility for all.
4. Act in boldness. Take on challenges and pursue lofty goals. Overcoming difficulties and obstacles provide some of the most exquisite joys in life.To create misery, play it totally safe. Never do anything scary or risky. Follow your fears and let them guide your actions. For happiness and joy - feel the fear, and do it anyway!
5. Expect happiness. Hope consists of a perfect expectation of desirable things to come. Picture desirable things to come. You choose what to think about, and what to visualize in your mind's eye! Imagine yourself finding happiness.Despair consists of a perfect expectation of undesirable things to come. To increase despair, simply imagine in detail terrible things that may happen to you. The better your imagination, the deeper the despair. You get what you truly expect, so expect happiness.
6. Increase your awareness. Feel your emotions consciously. Identify your core beliefs. Constantly learn and grow from the inside. Your unhealthy attitudes, habits, and behaviors will start to drop away like fall leaves. Watch this quick video on identifying emotions.To maintain apathy and misery, just remain unaware. Allow clarity to flee from you like a deer from a hunter. Remain in unconsciousness and cloudiness - afraid to explore your beliefs.
7. Build your connections. Our relationships give life meaning and happiness. All of us truly connect to one another in the inner world. Building connections in the physical world builds on this inner reality and helps us in finding happiness.To create misery, simply separate yourself from others. Think that you exist as an independent entity, and other people merely drag you down. Insist on separateness and division. Deny the truth of connectedness and pursue unreality.
8. Learn and read daily. We grow in large measure due to the people we meet and the books we read. Did you read 52 books last year? Did you foster more friendships? We create happiness when we grow and increase our wisdom.To prevent happiness, try not to meet any new people this year, and don't read any new books either. Simply stay just the same person with the exact same ideas. For optimal joy, go for optimal growth and learning!
9. Serve other people. Truly recognize other people as real people, with needs and wants just like your own. Think how you can bring a smile to someone, and then do it! Give increased life in every encounter. Service is a huge key for finding happiness in your life.To create misery, ignore other people and totally concern yourself with your own needs. Don't think of other people as real.
10. Prioritize your actions. Know your goals and purposes, and put power and faith into every action. Do each action with focus and purpose, and know why you choose the activities you expend your energy on.If you want to decrease joy, simply do as many things as you can each day. Never think of which tasks connect with your goals, simply busy yourself with work.
Enjoy the Ten Keys to Finding Happiness!
1. Live on purpose. Joyful aliveness connects you with your purpose. Learn the skills you need to create happiness. Discover the activities and pursuits that make your heart sing! These engaging activities provide clues to your purpose and will assist you in finding happiness.If you want to maintain desperation and unhappiness, then believe that life has no purpose.
2. Find Happiness right now. No other time exists for experiencing happiness. Only the present moment contains the spark of life!You may also create misery by constantly wanting to speed ahead to some other time. Most people live their lives wanting to exist elsewhere and elsewhen.
3. Accept total responsibility for your life! You create your reality and your emotions. Your power and focus exceed your wildest dreams. See this short video about finding happiness through creating reality.You can choose to blame and whine, pretending that your life situation came from without, rather than from within. As within, so without. Accept total responsibility for all.
4. Act in boldness. Take on challenges and pursue lofty goals. Overcoming difficulties and obstacles provide some of the most exquisite joys in life.To create misery, play it totally safe. Never do anything scary or risky. Follow your fears and let them guide your actions. For happiness and joy - feel the fear, and do it anyway!
5. Expect happiness. Hope consists of a perfect expectation of desirable things to come. Picture desirable things to come. You choose what to think about, and what to visualize in your mind's eye! Imagine yourself finding happiness.Despair consists of a perfect expectation of undesirable things to come. To increase despair, simply imagine in detail terrible things that may happen to you. The better your imagination, the deeper the despair. You get what you truly expect, so expect happiness.
6. Increase your awareness. Feel your emotions consciously. Identify your core beliefs. Constantly learn and grow from the inside. Your unhealthy attitudes, habits, and behaviors will start to drop away like fall leaves. Watch this quick video on identifying emotions.To maintain apathy and misery, just remain unaware. Allow clarity to flee from you like a deer from a hunter. Remain in unconsciousness and cloudiness - afraid to explore your beliefs.
7. Build your connections. Our relationships give life meaning and happiness. All of us truly connect to one another in the inner world. Building connections in the physical world builds on this inner reality and helps us in finding happiness.To create misery, simply separate yourself from others. Think that you exist as an independent entity, and other people merely drag you down. Insist on separateness and division. Deny the truth of connectedness and pursue unreality.
8. Learn and read daily. We grow in large measure due to the people we meet and the books we read. Did you read 52 books last year? Did you foster more friendships? We create happiness when we grow and increase our wisdom.To prevent happiness, try not to meet any new people this year, and don't read any new books either. Simply stay just the same person with the exact same ideas. For optimal joy, go for optimal growth and learning!
9. Serve other people. Truly recognize other people as real people, with needs and wants just like your own. Think how you can bring a smile to someone, and then do it! Give increased life in every encounter. Service is a huge key for finding happiness in your life.To create misery, ignore other people and totally concern yourself with your own needs. Don't think of other people as real.
10. Prioritize your actions. Know your goals and purposes, and put power and faith into every action. Do each action with focus and purpose, and know why you choose the activities you expend your energy on.If you want to decrease joy, simply do as many things as you can each day. Never think of which tasks connect with your goals, simply busy yourself with work.
Enjoy the Ten Keys to Finding Happiness!
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