When To HALT DECISIONS

When To HALT DECISIONS

Borrowing this cover page from reknown Australian transformation coach and author Emma Queen, what her cover tells us when we're either HUNGRY, ANGRY, LONELY or TIRED, that is the time for us to HALT DECISIONS.  Results from studies show that we should avoid making important decisions on an empty stomach, literally speaking as that hunger significantly altered people's decision-making, making them impatient and more likely to settle for a small reward that arrives sooner than a larger one promised at a later date📗📙📘

There was an experiment designed by neuroscientists wherein respondents were asked questions relating to food, money, and other rewards when satiated and again when they had skipped a meal.  The results show that while it was NOT surprising that hungry people were more likely to settle for smaller food incentives that arrived sooner, the researchers found that being hungry actually changes preferences for rewards entirely unrelated to food.  So, there was a large effect on people's preferences💴💵💷

That study indicates that a reluctance to defer gratification may carry over into other kinds of decision, even on financial and interpersonal ones.  So, it is really imperative for us to be aware that hunger might affect our preferences in ways we DON'T necessarily anticipate or predict.  There is even a lurking danger for people experiencing hunger due to poverty may make decisions that entrench their situation💎💎💎

Emma Queen's studies went a step farther than those researches because she highlighted that besides being hungry, even anger, loneliness or being tired are factors that are as impactful to decisions as being hungry.  Further, the studies show that there was a large effect as people's preferences shifted dramatically from the long-term to the short-term when hungry❎❎❎

These results fit well into a larger effort in psychology to map the factors that influence our DECISION MAKING.  This potentially empowers people as they may foresee and mitigate the effects of being HUNGRY, ANGRY, LONELY or TIRED.  Those are the times when we should HALT DECISIONS, holding it in abeyance❗❗❗

Oh, Life Is NOT A Sprint. It Is A Marathon!

Oh, Life Is NOT A Sprint.  It Is A Marathon!

These days, let's accept the reality that we are all playing a high stakes game of ONE AND DONE.  WHICH means, we have exactly one life to do everything we can ever do.  There will be NO do-overs, NOT even second chances.  It's either we use this life well OR lose it.  Oh, Life Is NOT A Sprint.  It Is A Marathon!  It's indeed a tough job separating truth from legend.  Even the breakthroughs in life seem to question conventional beliefs💴💷💵

Having said that, please DON'T get me wrong.  The fact that life is a marathon does NOT tell us to procrastinate, excuse-making and all kinds of diversionary behavior which will only succeed to sabotage our chances of accelerating our results and enjoy the massively abundant fruits of life, fruits of our labor📗📙📘

Much as we were guided in life to sit still.  Stand in line.  Keep your head down.  Follow the rules.  Do as we're told.  Play it safe.  DON'T risk it.  Wait your turn.  Ask permission.  Slow down.  BUT much as I subscribe that LIFE IS NOT A SPRINT, I firmly believe that within the marathon, life is a series of HIGH-PERFORMANCE SPRINTS💎💎💎

Let's face it.  We live in a world of accelerated change and exponential growth.  Technology is multiplying our capabilities as a civilization.  YET, too many of us seem to operate with antiquated beliefs, outdated tactics and even inferior execution skills.  Rather than adapt to the demands of change and accept the idea that we should push for HIGH-PERFORMANCE SPRINTS, a vast majority still resists and even reject the need for CHANGE❎❎❎

Yet, we look closely at the landscape across, we'll find a small group of people who refuse to think and act like the masses.  They are the non-conformist who buck the system, who question conventional belief and as a result, wind up doing extraordinary things in an implausibly short amount of time.  BUT we should have a fair chance similar to the SUCCESS STORIES we hear around✅✅✅

Step YES, Step NO

Step YES, Step NO

Hearing Step YES, Step NO reminds me of children long time back when there were no gadgets, no internet.  Fast forward to today, we live in the midst of technologies and unabated social media apps all around us.  NOT to blame technology and social media, BUT let's face it, they are a major influence with us creating our own COMFORT ZONEs💴💷💵

Let's face it, each of us has our own COMFORT ZONEs which, more than actual place, is a psychological/emotional/behavioral construct that defines the routine of our daily life.  Being in one's COMFORT ZONEs implies familiarity, safety and security.  It described the 'patterned world' of our existence, keeps us relatively comfortable and calm, and helps us stay emotionally even, free from anxiety and worry to a great degree📗📙📘

Creating a COMFORT ZONE is a health adaptation for much of our lives.  BUT so is stepping out of our COMFORT ZONE when it's time TO transition, TO grow, TO transform.  In fact, experiencing a little stress and anxiety now and then is a good thing too.  If all you ever do is stay wrapped in your little cocoon, keeping warm and cozy, you may be missing out on a lot, like NEW experiences, NEW challenges, and risks💎💎💎

And looking at the bigger picture, if you CAN'T step out of your COMFORT ZONE, you may experience difficult making CHANGE or transitioning, growing, and ultimately transforming.  In the shortest words, all those things that define WHO you are and give your life meaning.  Simply put, WHAT we fear most about challenging ourselves is that we may fail and/or even get hurt.  BUT most of us have the ability to rise to the occasion, overcome hurdles and actually succeed in accomplishing something new and challenging enough❗❗❗

Definitely there will be DISRUPTIONS in our life [just like that Covid pandemic] and that should lead us to really serious soul-searching as we need to learn to see the world in some very new ways.  So, let's throw away the window the old ways of STEP YES, STEP NO because our 'REAL LIFE' awaits us when we step out of our own COMFORT ZONEs✅✅✅

Flux Mindset, Anyone

Flux Mindset, Anyone

In the 'turbulent' world we live in now, everyone of us need to put more focus to improve our tolerance for UNCERTAINTY and that ability to embrace CHANGE in all its forms at all levels.  BTW, this is NOT just for organizations.  We as individuals just CAN'T afford to ignore or NOT invest in terms of effort to prepare us with a Flux Mindset, that state of confusion, dread and imbalance borne out of a lack of control, even economic upheavals, existential threats, rapidly evolving technologies, the fierce WAR FOR TALENT, work-life stresses, and even mental health crises.  Plug in the full-blown war between Israel and the Palestinians, we now have the recipe for a Flux Mindset💴💷💵

This laundry list of factors would leave us at a loss how to tackle the slew of issues we're facing, mired in the midst of anxieties, incapable of even inching forward.  By itself, this is a complicated set of dynamics to address given both the slew of factors and the importance of given people's lives are at stake📗📙📘

BUT, there is OPPORTUNITY IN CHAOS. and studies show that we can endeavor to develop that Flux Mindset in which CHANGE is NOT seen as inherently frightening, and uncertainty leads to less stress.  This leads to personal benefits so we can experience less fatigue.  This UNCERTAINTY will always be around us and much of what lies ahead in life remains uncertain.  Yet, as human beings, we crave for security.  We want to feel safe and have a sense of control over our lives and well-being💎💎💎

FEAR and UNCERTAINTY can leave us feeling stressed, anxious and sometimes powerless over the direction of our life.  It can drain us emotionally and trap us in a downward spiral of endless "WHAT IFs" and worse-case scenarios about what tomorrow may bring.  True, we're all different in HOW much UNCERTAINTY we can tolerate in our life💊💊💊

Some people seem to enjoy taking risks and living unpredictable lives [I'm NOT that one, though].  While others find the randomness of life deeply distressing [I'm NOT distressed either].  Bottom line is to take earnest, serious efforts to better deal with UNCONTROLLABLE CIRCUMSTANCES, alleviate our anxiety and face the unknown with more confidence.  That's a FLUX MINDSET❗❗❗

CONFIDENCE - You USE It Or LOSE It

CONFIDENCE - You USE It Or LOSE It

People like people with CONFIDENCE.  Would you agree with my statement that EVEN IF people are spouting complete nonsense, say it CONFIDENTLY and people are more likely to believe it.  It's NOT fair BUT that's the thing.  With CONFIDENCE, USE It Or LOSE It.  The fact of life is that most people live n a restricted circle of potential.  And studies show that the reason many people NEVER fulfill their potential is NOT a lack of intelligence, opportunity OR resources, BUT a lack of belief in themselves.  OR put another way, too little SELF-CONFIDENCE.  Without it, you can do little📗📙📘

BUT what is CONFIDENCE anyway?  Often, people think of CONFIDENCE as something that the lucky few are born with and the rest are left wishing for.  NOT TRUE.  CONFIDENCE is NOT a fixed attribute. Instead, it is the outcome of the thoughts we think and the actions we take.  NO more.  NO less.  It is NOT even based on your actual ability to succeed at a task but your BELIEF you ability to succeed💷💵💴

Let's rattle off concrete examples of BELIEF:

• Your BELIEF to speak in front an audience
• Your BELIEF to learn a new skill/knowledge
• Your BELIEF to lead a team to achieve a goal
• Your BELIEF to handle & manage conflict
• Your BELIEF to change job if you need to
• Your BELIEF to exit a relationship if indeed
• Your BELIEF to go outside your comfort zone

For the longest time, it has been established that the BELIEFS we hold, TRUE or NOT, direct our actions and shape our lives.  The GOOD news is that new studies reveal that we can literally REWIRE our brains in ways that affect our thoughts and behavior at any age.  WHICH means that NO matter how timid OR doubt-laden you've been up to now, building that SELF-CONFIDENCE which in psychology jargon is called VOLITIONAL.  In layman's terms, it is called BY CHOICE✅✅✅

With consistent effort and that COURAGE to take risk, trust me, we can gradually expand our own CONFIDENCE.  And with it, our capacity to build more of it.  But be warned that CONFIDENCE can wax and wane throughout our lives.  It is boosted when we experience a win or receive a prize.  It takes a HIT when our efforts fall short of the mark OR when we're criticized OR when we simply feel a lack of external recognition.  There you go, you got that CONFIDENCE which either you USE it OR you LOSE it❌❌❌

What 2024 Brings You

What 2024 Brings You

As we did bid adieu to 2023 and welcomed 2024, likely some of us are so engrossed browsing and searching for those pieces of GOOD TIDINGS we can hear from our favorite astrologer's Zodiac sign forecasts.  And there's NOTHING wrong with that BUT What 2024 Brings You does NOT hinge as to WHAT is in store for us in 2024 on the basis of the Zodiac sign forecasts BUT instead, the bigger question looking all over us is HOW and WHAT should we do to prepare ourselves when 2024 kicks in.  So, with due courtesy to our Zodiac sign followers, let's refocus back the lens to us because WHAT 2024 BRINGS you hinges significantly on WHAT and HOW  will you bring 2024 over to you💵💴💷

Let's start off with your MINDSET.  Clear your distractions.  Create a plan and focus on it.  Create a roadmap for yourself covering 2024.  Set a few handful major GOALS [DON'T come up with a long list of GOALS not realistic to be achieved].  And lastly, convince your brain to FOCUS only on those handful of major GOALS, preferably NO MORE THAN 3 major GOALS.  And consider HEALTH as 1 of your major GOALS.  That leaves you with 2 major GOALS to achieve realistically in 2024📗📙📘

Besides NOT being held 'hostage' by the Zodiac-based forecasts, enough in managing your TIME.  TIME to manage your ENERGY LEVELS.  Are you an early riser?  OR a night owl?  NOT just finding out your optimum energy level, BUT more importantly, knowing HOW to boost your energy WHEN you're down is imperative to note.  Anything else?  Clear the CLUTTER around you, that's physically, mentally and even digitally❎❎❎

Thing is, removing everything that you know will cause DISTRACTIONS in you, whether in your personal life OR work life.  Maybe it's the unnecessary tasks that have nothing to do with your path to reach your GOALS.  Unnecessary people WHO are not encouraging you.  Only keep things that you know will help to improve your FOCUS in life✅✅✅

What else?  CREATE a plan to take care of yourself.  Quit BAD habits.  Eat healthy food.  Sleep well.  Even better, CREATE a "HABIT TRACKER" of your 'NON-NEGOTIABLES' that are going to help you create a better life like, DUMP SMOKING, even vapes.  If possible, AVOID getting drunk due to excessive drinks.  REFLECT as well.  Learn more about yourself from the last year and pick up lessons from there and apply it this 2024.  Plus, learn a skill or two, to further equip yourself.  And lastly, UNFOLLOW all unimportant accounts on social media.  You should know better WHAT are the important accounts, obviously, your family, your trusted friends at the very least.  Our takeaway?  We should have a better handle as to WHAT 2024 BRINGS YOU❗❗❗

Why FOLLOW THROUGH Matters

Why FOLLOW THROUGH Matters

Everything [or most things in life anyways] are oozing with Xcitement at the start.  NEW school.  NEW job.  NEW relationship.  NEW business.  Then just like the bathroom water, it waxes HOT then wanes.  And this is quite a puzzle because no one is exempt from this vicious cycle.  Why FOLLOW THROUGH Matters💴💷💵

Now, if FOLLOW THROUGH is quite foreign to you, let me introduce you to venture into the golf course.  And while I am NO golfer, playing it gives us the best concrete opportunity to dutifully FOLLOW THROUGH each time you hit the golf ball.  You CAN'T let that ball end up in the lake.  Neither in the dense greeneries.  Nor lying incognito somewhere between the seventy two holes in the golf course📗📙📘

Looking back at my years of working in the corporate world, i can bluntly opine that, generally, organizations can shave off EXCESS FAT anywhere from 20% to 50% if only FOLLOW THROUGH is deeply embedded in every member of the workforce.  Conversely, I opine that anywhere from 20% to 50% would NOT have been delivered or produced unless managers and team leaders [and sometimes in mediocre organizations, even up to CxO-level] did the FOLLOW THROUGH💰💰💰

In the workspace, failure to meet deadline, breaches of SLA [service level agreements], failed commitments, failed return calls to clients and even lapses in operational delivery are the most common lapses we see quite often regardless of culture, country or even industry.  Often, we did complete a task because the action of it is "DONE" but we under-emphasize how powerful it is to continue developing, tracking and monitoring operations and relationships💎💎💎

When we hear FOLLOW THROUGH, we tend to think of taking action BUT a large part of FOLLOW THROUGH is about figuring out HOW things will be done.  Once you define your goals, set aside some time to decide just HOW you will reach and achieve them.  WHAT steps will be needed to accomplish them?  WHO will do WHICH steps and WHEN?  WHAT is the desired time-line?  If a strategy does NOT address the "HOWS", it is almost certainly doomed to failure.  This is where FOLLOW THROUGH needs to be embedded for it to be avoided as an overhead in efforts and time✅✅✅

Passion Is NOT Found. It Is BUILT.

Passion Is NOT Found.  It Is BUILT.

For many donkey years before, I firmly believed that PASSION IS FOUND.  I am WRONG.  I thought it's like you HAVE IT or you DON'T.  Mea culpa.  Probably I learned things the damn hard way because after I stumbled, got bruised and 'almost fell off the cliff', I reached this irreversible realization that Passion Is NOT Found.  It Is BUILT.  HOW and WHY it took me donkey years to come to grips with that realization is moot and academic.  WHAT matters I am NOT off-track anymore😃😃😃

When I was quite active in the job market then, I've long believed that the admonition to 'FIND YOUR PASSION" is some of the worst [ever] career advice I ever heard.  It probably comes from my personal experience because I always dreamed to be a lawyer because, besides my communications proficiency, geo-politics and all those legal tussles really pulled me towards envisioning that legal career.  BUT I did doubt my passion when I dropped from law school to switch over to a technology career, spending years for intensive IBM trainings📗📙📘

Now, let's call a spade a spade.  The idea that PASSION is a pre-requisite to career happiness and achievement is way off-base.  That kind of 'crap' advice encompasses two damaging MYTHS about PASSION that, like all MYTHS, have a kernel of truth to them.  First off, is the MYTH that if you do "WHAT YOU LOVE" eventually you'll get good enough at it that you will be paid lots of money to do it.  That advice is followed that we should NOT worry about $$$$ as we are getting your career off the ground because it will MAGICALLY fall from the sky after some time you spend doing WHAT you love💚💛💜

Sadly, that is NOT always true.  While it is true that people generally perform better at tasks they like than those they DON'T, and high performance can lead to compensation.  BUT plenty of people are PASSIONATE about things they AREN'T good at!  And there are many jobs that even the most skilled people DON'T make much money at.  The advice NEVER seems to square those two realities❌❌❌

The second MYTH is that if you find and follow your PASSION, you will be blissfully happy every minute of your working life.  BUT that's just AIN'T true.  Lots of 'DREAM' careers include elements that AREN'T fun.  This MYTH is utterly damaging because it can lead people to quit jobs that they may be quite good at and could provide them the life they want.  To rectify this skewed thinking, let us agree that PASSION IS NOT FOUND.  IT IS BUILT✅✅✅

Bias For Action

C'mon, Let's Develop Our Bias For Action

Heard of the Pareto Principle often referred to as the 80/20 Principle?  Which explains that more often, 80% of the results arise from the 20% most productive portion.  BUT we'll NOT discuss Pareto Principle as that is NOT my domain.  Instead, let's spend time to push hard to have that Bias For Action embedded within us💴💷💵

So, what is Bias For Action?  That is an individual's instinct to take action and make quick decisions.  What separates such individuals from the rest of the pack is that they are NOT one to shy away from CHANGE if they feel it is merited.  Taking a step farther, they are willing to take RISKs, run TESTs and embrace  in a "VUCA" [Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous] environment.  Where they DON'T have all the information but understand that decisions need to be made quickly.  That Bias For Action is the anti-thesis of DEFAULT BIAS where individuals favor the status quo📗📙📘

At Amazon [owned by filthy rich Jeff Bezos with a net worth of $148 Billion], Bias For Action is one of its core leadership principles.  From Jeff Bezos down the line, they preach that "SPEED MATTERS.  MANY DECISIONS ARE REVERSIBLE AND DON'T NEED EXTENSIVE STUDY.  WE VALUE CALCULATED RISK-TAKING'💎💎💎

Dan Rose, a close confidant of Jeff Bezos who was with him for 20 years, shared why that Bias For Action was a critical lesson he took away from his time in Amazon.  To quote Rose "JEFF BEZOS WAS NOT ALWAYS RIGHT BUT HE WAS ALWAYS READY TO ACT" [and as per Dan Rose, Jeff Bezos 'WAS RIGHT MUCH MORE THAN WRONG'.  He further shared it in his tweets that "WHENEVER THERE'S DOUBT ABOUT WHETHER TO ACT OR WAIT, I ALWAYS ERR ON THE SIDE OF TAKING ACTION" ✅✅✅

The last one-liner from Dan Rose was so quotable when he said "I WANT TO GET MOVING.  I'D RATHER FAIL TRYING THAN SUCCEED BY NOT ACTING".   Now, if you DON'T see yourself now with Bias For Action, not to fret as you can gain this characteristic.  Sometimes, what we need is confidence, practice and experience.  Topping all these is one's resoluteness to develop and enhance that Bias For Action as part of his persona❗❗❗

What Your CRAVINGS Are Telling You

What Your CRAVINGS Are Telling You

What Your CRAVINGS Are Telling You  Oooooops, our thread today has got nothing to do with foodies OR culinary arts at all.  Unfortunately, when we hear CRAVINGS, what pops up in our minds are pastries, ice cream, burger, Starbucks drinks or even Korean Samgyupsal.  WHAT gets overlooked is the fact that we do have CRAVINGS that really matter💵💴💷

In numerous studies, the results show that SAFETY, BELONGING and MATTERING are where our CRAVINGS revolve around as they are essential to our brain and our ability to perform work, at home and in life overall.  The greater the feeling SAFETY, both emotional and physical so we can take risks, the greater the feeling of connection with others, OR the feeling that we're in this TOGETHER and we belong TOGETHER📗📙📘

The greater the feeling that we personally MATTER and make a DIFFERENCE and are contributing to the greater good, then the GREATER our success, the relationship, the family, the team, the individual.  In every communication, in every conflict, we are subconsciously programming as much as you may try💎💎💎

We need to be aware as to WHAT triggers CRAVINGS.  Our environment does trigger because of WHAT we see, smell or associated memory.  A tonic CRAVING is defined as experiencing a CRAVING in a certain moment without a trigger from the environment.  Like smelling the tempting aroma from a bakery.  OR stress hormones make us CRAVE for high-fat, sugary foods.  When we have acute stress, we may NOT have that appetite BUT when stress is more long-lasting, our bodies produce cortisol.  This is a hormone  that is helpful for getting us out of a dangerous situation✅✅✅

Even our brain chemicals is wired to CRAVE certain foods.  This explains why manufacturers create foods that make us come back for more.  And the BLISS POINT is a measurement HOW rewarding a food tastes.  WHEN we eat something that's highly processed and has a lot of sugar and fat, this BLISS POINT can produce a similar response.  In a nutshell, CRAVINGS need to be heard, recognized and acted upon❗❗❗