你最好跑快点

每天早晨都有一只羚羊醒来,
知道一定要跑得比最快的狮子还要快,
不然就会被吃掉.

每天早晨都有一头狮子醒来,
知道一定要扑上一只羚羊,
不然就会饿死.

不论你是狮子还是羚羊,
当太阳升起时,
你最好跑快点.

(取自:世界是平的)

STOP Your Negative Thoughts

“What we focus on, we empower and enlarge. Good multiplies when focused upon. Negativity multiplies when focused upon. The choice is ours: Which do we want more of?”
- Julia Cameron

Negative thinking can make all sorts of things incredibly difficult. It is like a leak in your confidence bucket – constantly drip-drip-dripping away your confidence and self esteem. At the same time, it will sabotage your self belief and your achievements too. And we need to know that negative thoughts are not reserved for just a few people or situations. Everyone is plagued by negative thoughts at one time or another.

Research shows that people who receive positive distractions for just eight minutes show a remarkable change in their moods and in breaking the cycle of repetitive thought. So, next time you catch yourself repeating the same negative thoughts over and over in your mind, use the STOP acronym:

1. S – Say the word STOP!
Interrupt your internal destructive thoughts. Tell yourself firmly to “STOP” over thinking. Be strict, and don’t let them intrude on your thoughts. It also might be helpful to visualize a box to place all your negative thoughts in, which you may open at a later date or time.

2. T – TAKE a break!
Take a deep breath. Then, take a break. Go for a walk or a hike, read a great book, listen to your favorite music. Do something to take your attention away from over thinking, and if possible, change the environment.

3. O – Focus on the OUTCOME!
Focus on the OUTCOME of your goals. Affirm why you are committed to your goals. The way we feel and what we experience in our body comes from what we focus our attention upon during a given moment. And at any moment, we are “deleting” most of what is going on around us. That is, to feel bad, we have to delete (not focus on, not think about) everything that’s great in our life. And vice versa. For us to feel good, we have to delete the things we could feel bad about.

4. P – PRAISE yourself!
PRAISE and acknowledge yourself for the progress you are making. Remember, you’re looking for progress, not perfection! Give yourself a reward every time you’re successful with overcoming negative thoughts.

Remember, you are what you think!

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Warning: 8 Body Language Killers!!!

“A significant amount of communication occurs through body language. Though we can’t see our own, everyone else does. If you’re saying one thing and thinking another, your body language may well give you away.”

- Gerri King, Ph.D.

Did you know that 55% of communication is visual (body language, eye contact) and 38% is vocal (pitch, speed, volume, tone of voice)? That means only 7% involves your actual words. And when the spotlight is on you — whether one-on-one in a job interview or when making a presentation to a large group — you need to communicate effectively on all levels.But how do you develop better language skills?

When it comes to body language, simply avoiding the most common mistakes and replacing them with more confident movements will make a big difference. Here you will find eight body language killers that will leave your audience underwhelmed and unimpressed. Train yourself to avoid them, and you’ll see that simple changes can make all the difference.

Mistake #1. Avoiding eye contact.

Do you read directly from a PowerPoint presentation instead of addressing the audience? In a one-on-one conversation, do you glance to the side, down at your feet, or at the desk? Ever catch yourself looking over the shoulder of the person you’re talking to? What it says about you is that you lack confidence, you are nervous and unprepared.

The winning technique: Keeping your eyes on your audience. Spend 80% to 90% of the time looking into the eyes of your listeners. The vast majority of people spend far too much time looking down at notes, PowerPoint slides or at the table in front of them. Not surprisingly, most speakers can change this behavior instantly simply by watching video of themselves. Powerful business leaders look at their listeners directly in the eye when delivering their message.

Mistake #2. Blocking: putting something between you and your listeners.

Another common mistake is putting something between you and your listeners. Crossing your arms, standing behind a podium or chair, or talking to someone from behind a computer monitor are all examples of blocking, which prevents a real connection from taking place. Even a folder on a desk can break the connection and create
distance.

The winning technique: Staying “open.” Keep your hands apart and your palms up, pointed toward the ceiling. Remove physical barriers between you and your listeners.

Mistake #3. Fidgeting, rocking or swaying.

What it says about you is that you’re nervous, unsure or unprepared. So, stop fidgeting. Fidgeting, rocking and swaying don’t serve any purpose. Let’s imagine for a second a top executive of a computer company who has to deliver the news of a product delay to a major investor. He and his team actually have the event under control,
and they have learned valuable lessons from their failure. But his body language suggests otherwise.

His biggest problem is rocking back and forth as he delivers the presentation. It reflects a lack of competence and control. By eventually learning to move with purpose, he can avoid career suicide. The investor will leave the next presentation confident that the project is well under control.

Mistake #4. Keeping your hands in your pockets or clasped together.

Keeping your hands stiffly by your side or stuck in your pockets can give the impression that you’re uninterested, uncommitted or nervous — whether you are or not.

The solution here is too simple: Take your hands out of your pocket and use them for purposeful, assertive hand gestures. Engaging both hands above the waist is an example of a complex hand gesture that reflects complex thinking and gives the listener confidence in the speaker.

Mistake #5. Standing or sitting perfectly still.

Ineffective speakers barely move, staying in one spot during a presentation. What it says about them: They are rigid, nervous, boring — not engaging or dynamic.

The winning technique: Animate your body, not your slides. Walk. Move. Most speakers think they need to stand ridged in one place. What they don’t realize is that movement is not only acceptable, it’s welcome. Some of the greatest business speakers walk into the audience, and are constantly moving… but with purpose!

For example, a dynamic speaker will walk from one side of the room to another to deliver their message. He points to a slide instead of reading from it, places his hand on someone’s shoulders instead of keeping the distance.

Mistake #6. Slouching, leaning back, or being hunched over.

Poor posture is often associated with a lack of confidence and can reflect — or be presumed to reflect — a lack of
engagement or interest. What it says about you: You are unauthoritative; you lack confidence.

The winning technique: Keeping your head up and back straight. When standing stationary, place feet at shoulder width and lean slightly forward — you will look far more interested, engaged, and enthusiastic.
Pull your shoulders slightly forward as well — you’ll appear more masculine. Head and spine should be straight. Don’t use a tabletop or podium as an excuse to lean on it.

Mistake #7. Using phony gestures.

What it says about you is that you’re overcoached, unnatural or artificial. Use gestures; just don’t overdo it. Researchers have shown that gestures reflect complex thought. Gestures leave listeners with the perception of confidence, competence and control. But the minute you try to copy a hand gesture, you risk looking contrived — like a bad politician.

President George Bush Sr. used gestures that were often incongruous with his words, as if he had been overcoached. It was like watching mismatched audio in a bad B-movie. You may not command quite as wide an
audience as President Bush did, but, nonetheless, the last thing you want is for your own colleagues and friends to make fun of you after a meeting.

Mistake #8. Jingling coins, tapping toes & other annoying movements.

What it says about you is that you’re nervous, unpolished or insufficiently concerned with details. Use a video camera to tape yourself. Play it back with a critical eye. Do you find annoying gestures that you weren’t aware of? I once watched an author who had written a book on leadership discuss his project. He couldn’t help but jingle all the coins in his pocket throughout the entire talk. He didn’t sell very many books that day, and he certainly didn’t score points on the leadership scale.

Nervous energy will reflect itself in toe-tapping, touching your face or moving your leg up and down. It’s an easy fix once you catch yourself in the act!

Dynamic and powerful body language will help you kick up the power of your presentations, whether you’re interviewing for a job, climbing the career ladder or occupying the corner office. So work on your body language. Pay as much attention to it as the words you use, and watch your influence soar!

 

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10 Amazingly Simple Tricks To Turn Your Brain Into A Powerful Thinking Machine

There are two basic principles to keep your brain healthy and sharp
as you age: variety and curiosity. When anything you do becomes second
nature, you need to make a change. If you can do the crossword puzzle
in your sleep, it’s time for you to move on to a new challenge in order
to get the best workout for your brain. Curiosity about the world
around you, how it works and how you can understand it will keep your
brain working fast and efficiently. Use the ideas below to help attain
your quest for mental fitness.

1. Read a Book

Pick a book on an entirely new subject. Read a novel set in Egypt.
Learn about economics. There are many excellent popular non-fiction
books that do a great job entertaining you while teaching about a
subject. Become an expert in something new each week. Branch out from
familiar reading topics. If you usually read history books, try a
contemporary novel. Read foreign authors, the classics and random
books. Not only will your brain get a workout by imagining different
time periods, cultures and peoples, you will also have interesting
stories to tell about your reading, what it makes you think of and the
connections you draw between modem life and the words.

2. Play Games

Games are a wonderful way to tease and challenge your brain. Suduko,
crosswords and electronic games can all improve your brain’s speed and
memory. These games rely on logic, word skills, math and more. These
games are also fun. You’ll get benefit more by doing these games a
little bit every day-spend 15 minutes or so, not hours.

3. Use Your Opposite Hand

Spend the day doing things with your non-dominant hand. If you are
left-handed, open doors with your right hand. If you are right-handed,
try using your keys with your left. This simple task will cause your
brain to lay down some new pathways and rethink daily tasks. Wear your
watch on the opposite hand to remind you to switch.

4. Learn Phone Numbers

Our modem phones remember every number that calls them. No one
memorizes phone numbers anymore, but it is a great memory Skill. Learn
a new phone number everyday.

5. Eat for Your Brain

Your brain needs you to eat healthy fats. Focus on fish oils from
wild salmon, nuts such as walnuts, seeds such as flax seed and olive
oil. Eat more of these foods and less saturated fats. Eliminate
transfats completely from your diet.

6. Break the Routine

We love our routines. We have hobbies and pastimes that we could do
for hours on end. But the more something is second nature, the less our
brains have to work to do it. To really help your brain stay young,
challenge it. Change routes to the grocery store, use your opposite
hand to open doors and eat dessert first. All this will force your
brain to wake up from habits and pay attention again.

7. Go a Different way

Drive or walk a different way to wherever you go. This little change
in routine helps the brain practice special memory and directions. Try
different side streets go through stores in a different order anything
to change your route.

8. Learn a New Skill

Learning a new skill works multiple areas of the brain. Your memory
comes into play, you learn new movements and you associate things
differently. Reading Shakespeare, learning to cook and building an
airplane out of tooth picks all will challenge your brain and give you
something to think about.

9. Make Lists

Lists are wonderful. Making lists helps us to associate items with
one another. Make a list of all the places you have traveled. Make a
list of the tastiest foods you have eaten. Make a list of the best
presents you have been given. Make one list every day to jog your
memory and make new connections. But don’t become too reliant on them.
Make your grocery list, but then try to shop without it. Use the list
once you have put every item you can think of in your cart. Do the same
with your “to do” lists.

10. Choose a new skill

Find something that captivates you that you can do easily in your
home and doesn’t cost too much. Photography with a digital camera,
learning to draw, learning a musical instrument learning new cooking
styles, or writing are all great choices.

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Before we could change the world, learn these…

I happen to listen to Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People recently. It is a self-help book first published in 1936, eventually selling 15 million copies. According to Carnegie, financial success is due 15 percent to professional knowledge and 85 percent to “the ability to express ideas, to assume leadership, and to arouse enthusiasm among people.” He teaches these skills through underlying principles of dealing with people so that they feel important and appreciated. The book has four major sections and the fundamental principles of each of it are listed below:

Fundamental Techniques in Handling People:

“Don’t criticize, condemn or complain.”

“Give people a feeling of importance; praise the good parts of them.”

“Get the other person to want to do what you want them to by arousing their desires.”

6 Ways to Make People Like You:

“Become genuinely interested in other people.”

“Smile.”

“Remember that a man’s name is to him the sweetest and most important sound in any language.”

“Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.”

“Talk in the terms of the other man’s interest.”

“Make the other person feel important and do it sincerely.”

12 Ways to Win People to Your Way of Thinking:

“Avoid arguments.”

“Show respect for the other person’s opinions. Never tell someone they are wrong.”

“If you’re wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.”

“Begin in a friendly way.”

“Start with questions the other person will answer yes to.”

“Let the other person do the talking.”

“Let the other person feel the idea is his/hers.”

“Try honestly to see things from the other person’s point of view.”

“Sympathize with the other person.”

“Appeal to noble motives.”

“Dramatize your ideas.”

“Throw down a challenge.”

9 Ways to Change People Without Giving Offense or Arousing Resentment:

“Begin with praise and honest appreciation.”

“Call attention to other people’s mistakes indirectly.”

“Talk about your own mistakes first.”

“Ask questions instead of giving direct orders.”

“Let the other person save face.”

“Praise every improvement.”

“Give them a fine reputation to live up to.”

“Encourage them by making their faults seem easy to correct.”

“Make the other person happy about doing what you suggest.”