Goal Achievement ! Yes Passion can help!

Most of us run through daily life focused on achieving. During waking hours we are chained to a computer, run from one meeting to another, while attending to the constant demands on our time via phone, text, email & twitter... Its a flurry of never ending activity. All this due to an incessant need to succeed or just meet obligations. However things don't always go to plan, its easy to get distracted or disheartened when we run into issues while constant challenges that make the achievement of our goals ever so hard. Challenges in our lives come from various sources, environmental, corporate, internal politics even family. When such challenges come our way you wonder what more do I have to do??

8 Steps to build a Social Media Strategy for the Individual

Most Australian organisations are coming to terms with Social Media while individuals around the world are enjoying the benefits provided by social media platforms, at a personal and social level.

I am a firm believer that an effective approach to social media can help you professionally by letting you voice your distinctive capabilities to an audience previously not within your reach. Facebook today reaches over 300 Million People and that's a bigger market than the whole of the EU or US. With Twitter & LinkedIn numbers increasing by the minute if not second your audience is getting bigger by the day and your accessibility is all at your finger tips.

Reinventing yourself Mid Career - Get back that spark !!

As a keen analyst of personal and organisational success, I had an inspiring discussion with a successful yet a spirit filled person earlier today. What I mean by spirit filled is, someone quite content, very content in fact, at peace with her self and the environment around her, yet looking for ways of achieving further success. Now this is great. You dont often meet such people in a given week, so I always enjoy such conversations and this was over lunch on a beautiful summer’s day in a lovely café in Sydney's CBD.

During our conversation, I was asked for my advice on how you recreate or re-invent yourself especially in your middle years once you have achieved your goals that you have set for your self in your youth and reached a level of fulfilment. No doubt a degree of complacency often transcends with time with the achievement of goals and the long journey travelled in between.

Listening to the man on the street

                       

Around 2pm this afternoon, I was stopped by a turbened Indian gentlemen on the bridge that connects Greenwood Plaza and Elizebeth Plaza in North Sydney. I am not sure why I stopped. His first words were "Sir you have a lucky face" and I thought who is this person ? is he a con man ? and started to walk suspiscously, he however asked me to wait a minute in a very compelling kind of a way which I did, he then asked me a few questions which I answered. The man then wrote a note on a piece of paper which I was asked to hold in my palm... he then went on to ask me what my wife's name was and my age which I reluctantly answered. At this point he told me a few things that are happening right now in my life rather accurately which I was very curious about and then asked me to look at the piece of paper... I was astounded to see my wife's name and my age written on it .... Amazingly accurately with the right spelling, phew !! ... and I was unnerved.

Does any one know how this stuff is done ? I am very keen to know.
The man had a very peaceful and serene look on his face... I was yet uncomfortable with this unknown man from the street telling me about my self... you feel completely vulnerable yet you want to know more... I kept wondering if I should go back and ask him more, but.. I was sure that life is what you make of, you create your success with your own deep desires, you make your own luck by etching it in your subconscous mind and taking planned and consistent action towards your goals.. day in day out whilst working on our weaknesses that often inhibit us from our true potential. However through planned action to first understand them and then to improve upon our weaknesses will certainly help to overcome them over time. I for one often thought I spoke too much and listned too little When I analysed myself a few years ago. (My wife reckons I have many more which I prefer you not to know :-) )
Joining Toastmasters and the advice of my inspiring wife (you know what I mean :-) has helped me with improving this weakness to be a much better listener while being a better speaker... more improvement to happen here ...

As I close, I am firm in my belief it is us through our deep desire and action that we create our future. Not by words of wise men on street corners or nay sayers at work, amongst family or friends however compelling and convincing they may sound. One of my favourite quotes best articulates this message, "Lets set our course by the stars in the sky and not by the lights of passing ships" .

Have a GREAT DAY ...

Communication is a Gift

Good communication is a gift. A gift that can be learnt and continually improved. The ability to learn the arts of Listening, thinking & speaking can help you socially, at home with your family and most certainly professionally. Most of us can speak well, but to articulate our thoughts and opinions in the best possible way enables your audience to listen to you and take notice of not just what you said but also of you. It builds respect, enhances your ability as a leader and most importantly makes you a good listener a thinker. Priceless virtues. I learnt and improved most of these qualities when I joined the Toastmasters Organisation, a not for profit International Organisation that dedicates it self to helping its members to learn the important arts of listening , thinking and speaking... So don’t leave this page and take no action, if you think the gift of communication can help you with your career or personal life to be more fulfilling, Google the closest Toastmasters club to your home or workplace and give them a call. You will not be disappointed with your decision