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Browse published articles attributed to Avil Beckford, with full-archive search.
Every day we are bombarded with problems to solve and decisions to make. And the quality of our solutions and decisions are only as good as the information they are based on. With so much information at our fingertips, how can we systematically analyze the information for better results? How can we judge the accuracy of certain pieces of information that’s floating everywhere that everyone is using?
I have always prided myself on being very aware and having excellent observation skills, but every so often something happens, which takes me down a notch or two and reminds me that there is always room for improvement. There are lessons to learn every day. In 2003, my niece and I travelled to Grenada for the Caribbean Gift and Craft Show held in late September. As is our practice when we travel, based on recommendations from the hotel where we were staying, we hired a local as our tour guide. We spent quite some time on a tour of a Nutmeg Factory.
Are you tired of using the same quotes over and over again, or seeing the same quotes being used everywhere? The perfect quotes that are well placed can make the difference between a ho-hum piece of communication and one that is music to the ears of your audience. But, if we all using the same quotes, our writing quickly becomes stale. What can you do about using the same old quotes all the time? Actually a lot. Whenever I saw a great quote that I liked, I would enter it into my "Quotes That I Like" file for future use.
There are many lessons around us, if we but take the time to BE instead of DO. Many of these lessons we can learn from successful people, many who are further along the path that we are traveling, or have already completed the jou ey. Have you ever wondered what makes a highly accomplished individual tick? I have! I have also wondered what motivates them and how they stay motivated.
People are often seeking inspiration, and that is why most of us have a favorite quote.
Many have long touted the efficiency of multitasking, especially with the availability of the numerous technological tools for busy executives, but recent research studies have proven otherwise. In one research study to test attention and memory, “low multitaskers” consistently outperformed “high multitaskers.” Another research study indicated that shifting gears from one task to another, especially one that is less familiar actually costs time. George Fraser, named “Black America’s #1 Networker” by Black Enterprise Magazine, obviously agrees with the research findings.
If you could turn back the hands of time and make amends for an earlier mistake, a major one, would you? And, have you been fixated on this mistake, perhaps had many sleepless nights over it? Judging by the amount of research conducted on regret over the years, these questions should not be taken lightly. The ability to disengage from regrets, especially as we grow older, is paramount since research by Dr. Carsten Wrosch and Dr. Isabelle Bauer from Concordia University revealed that holding on to regrets can affect health. “Regrets are a double-edged sword,” says Wrosch.
Once again that uncomfortable feeling pays a visit, but this time you cannot close the door and just ignore it. The discomfort that you are feeling is with yourself. Your life does not fit you, and it has not for a long time. You know that you cannot alter your life the way you would a garment, because the life you are living simply was not made with you in mind. You have been fooling yourself, and have been living a lie for so long, that you no longer know the real you.
Are we hardwired to automatically place limits on ourselves? We set limits on our earning potential, on how much we can accomplish in life. We are either too young or too old, have too much or too little education and the reasons go on and on about why we cannot do something. Many of us suffer from excusitis. And, I was no different until I started to pay close attention to the stories I tell myself about why I did not honor commitments to myself. Setting limits on ourselves is a self-fulfilling prophecy because we get exactly what we expect.
I got the opportunity to interview my hero and invisible mentor, Jim Rohn, a few years ago. On December 5, 2009, Jim Rohn a business philosopher and teacher, passed away from pulmonary fibrosis. I was very saddened by the news, but his words will live on, and I am grateful for the 30 minutes that he was in my life. How I Got to Interview Jim Rohn A few years ago I interviewed Jim Rohn for my newsletter Ambeck Edge, and my book Tales of People Who Get It.
Problem Solving 101 There are four steps in the creative problem solving process. Any professional can use the process outlined below to problem solve better and faster. - Preparation - Incubation - Illumination - Verification/Implementation Anatomy of a Problem Solving Process Stage I: Preparation (Research/Gather ideas) - Describe a challenge or problem that you’re having. Writing down the problem makes it more concrete for you.
“How do you motivate yourself and stay motivated?” is one of the questions I pose to the accomplished people whom I interview. These very accomplished individuals know something that many do not know. They are all self-motivated because they are doing what they love to do, so they just do it.
For people to start reading and make it a habit, they have to understand why reading is important to them. Reading has to be driven by a need, and then and only then will they make the time to do so. Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and other successful people understand this, and that is why they read with purpose, and read books that make them think. A study by the Institute for Policy Studies and United for a Fair Economy indicates that, “in 2007, CEOs in the United States took home an average of $10.5 million, 344 times the take-home for typical American workers .
Over a period of five years I have interviewed several successful people to uncover the secrets to their success. One of the many questions that I ask is “in your opinion, what is the formula for success?” Another question is “What are some lessons that you have learned so far?” I culled 10 formulas for success and 15 lessons learned to share, since learning from others, helps to shorten the learning curve. Formulas for Success - I take care of myself as well as my company.
“Don't live down to expectations. Go out there and do something remarkable,” Wendy Wasserstein, American Playwright (October 18, 1950 – January 30, 2006)
Are you an asset or a cost to your employer? How valuable and indispensable are you? And, are you recession-proof? Professionals who expect to progress within corporate environments today have to be able to stand apart from their peers. One of the ways to stand apart from the crowd is to develop your mind by learning continuously, investing in professional development. Knowledge is indeed currency, only if you use it to make yourself invaluable.
Have you ever used a piece of information you saw floating around everywhere without checking its accuracy? If you have, do not feel badly, because most people do exactly what you do. Most assume that because everyone is saying it makes it right. A few years ago, I interviewed a business coach, and one of the questions that I asked him was what his favourite quote was. He responded that he had two favourite quotes. For this article I will focus on one quote to demonstrate a point. My interviewee said that the quote was often attributed to Einstein, but he had seen variations of the quote.
Professionals skilled in problem solving stand apart from people who are less gifted because they boldly face daily problems and challenges. They are better able to adapt to rapidly changing environments and are therefore worth more to their employers.
“Why do I keep on making the same mistakes over and over again? You’d think I would have learned by now,” you say to yourself. And, when you read Autobiography in Five Short Chapters, you find yourself laughing, not because the poem is funny. You are laughing at yourself because you feel a connection to Portia Nelson's words. She is speaking your words. Autobiography in Five Short Chapters Chapter 1
Fooled again! Why do I keep on making the same mistakes over and over again? And each time the price I pay increases exponentially. You think I would have learned by now. In my defence, though the outcomes were the same, the situations which were presented to me appeared different at the outset. Yes I finally learned, but at a great personal costs. I decided that I had to change so I made deep seated changes for permanent change. Was it easy? No! I had to walk away from relationships that were destructive to me.
In a recent interview, when asked, “What are five things that people can do to thrive in tough times?” one of the five things Linda Hollander, The Wealthy Bag Lady suggested was to have an advisory team. A group of people you can always call on to ask for help. Your advisory group should consist of individuals who will assist you in holding fast to your vision. They are your mentors, so surround yourself with people who you can learn things from. An important aspect of professional success involves having mentoring relationships.
Think back to a time when you were operating in the zone and were unstoppable, what elements contributed to your off-the-charts performance? Great work environment? Committed team members? Work you loved and were good at? Now, think back to another situation where you were stressed, floundering, unhappy, feeling devalued and constantly feeling that you had nothing to contribute, what elements were present? Toxic work environment? Overly demanding boss? Work you were unqualified to perform or work that did not feed your soul?
A distillation of interview responses conducted for my book Tales of People Who Get It provides 13 clues that alert you when you are speaking to people who “get it.” These 13 ItnessPoints are critical to successful living for people who want to live a more fulfilled life. - Learn continuously/read voraciously: Learning is an endless process that continues throughout life. Invest in yourself by making personal and professional development a priority. Each year, decide on a learning theme.
Every day professionals are bombarded with problems to solve and decisions to make. And the quality of your solutions and decisions are only as good as the information they are based on. With so much information at your fingertips, how can you systematically check the reliability and accuracy of the information for better results?
Tales of successes are all around just waiting to be discovered.
We are socialized to think and act a certain way. And, we often put self-imposed barriers around ourselves, which constrains our thinking and how much we can achieve in life. We learn to travel the path of least resistance, instead of the road less travelled. Yet we wonder why our results in life are mediocre. To break free, we have to start making small changes, simple shifts in our mindset. We have to think without borders and make connections, even when there appears to be no connections. How to think without borders Let us take the following quote by Dr.
Everyone loves a good quote because they come in handy when we are communicating, whether it be orally or written. But many of us always stick to the same quotes. And, there are times when the popular quotes are the best ones, but as a practice, whenever you read, look out for phrases that resonate with you, record them for later use, and in no time you will have a list of quotes that are different. I conduct many interviews and I am often looking for phrases that strike a chord with me.
We have all heard that it's important to repeat positive affirmations to help us realize our goals. We keep on saying our affirmations every day and nothing happens. I attended a workshop and learned that you have to repeat your affirmations 108 times to raise them to the level where manifestation takes place. The following week, while reading The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity, I learned that the number 15 is a significant number. The author further added that each day you need to say your affirmations for at least 15 minutes, and write them out at least 15 times.
Do you find competing work and non-work life responsibilities to be a major cause of stress in your life? In our current business world, professionals have the tendency to work harder and longer hours with the hope that they will miss the next layoff sweep. Considering the speed and scope of change, in any profession today, it is easy for individuals to become so consumed with their career that they quickly lose perspective of what is really important.
When fear envelops you, how do you ride it through? When panic or anxiety overcomes you, how do you respond? When you find yourself confronted with regrettable situations, what do you do? To achieve true success we have to master our emotions and master our SELF. But how can we do that? Recently, I was introduced to Raja Yoga, an ancient, and the highest form of yoga, which brings the mind and emotions into balance. It is a route to self-realization. I found the idea of self-mastery and peace of mind very attractive.