Modern philosopher Nassim Taleb has warned of the “narrative fallacy”—the tendency to assemble unrelated events of the past into stories. These stories, however gratifying to create, are inherently misleading. What’s need is a strong sense of objectivity. A difficult task when it comes to ourselves, and perhaps our chosen profession. Yet, that objectivity is key to helping us take the steps toward improving our business, personal life, and even our health.
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Sales is a tricky business and can tempt you to ‘put on’ a different persona which can sabotage your sales success. This week we look at five keys to remaining authentic…
In his New York Times column, Kevin Roose writes, “if you’re anything like me — and the statistics suggest you probably are, at least where smartphones are concerned — you have one, too”. He notes that unlike addictions that carry a stigma, such as alcohol or opiates, phone addiction is largely accepted. Accepting that his phone use was a problem he enlisted the help of Catherine Price, a fellow journalist, and author of “How to break up with your phone”- a 30-day guide to breaking phone habits.
Here are a few of Catherine’s techniques Kevin put into practice that we should perhaps consider…
“If you seek tranquility, do less”, said Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Note he didn’t say do nothing, just less. Less of what? Less of what matters least and more of what matters most.
This week’s challenge is to keep a time diary. Whether it’s on your computer, calendar or a notepad doesn’t matter. Just log down how your time is spent, including what you do when you get home- dinner, watching television, reading, etc. Next Friday review how you spent your time and ask yourself if this is your highest and best use of your time. Do our activities match my stated goals and values?
When we do less, what we do get’s better. Our remaining..
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Perhaps the strongest force on the planet lives between our ears- emotion. When it comes to our emotions we have two choices: learn to manage them or remove ourselves from the circumstances which trigger them. For most, the latter is not an option and truth be told one can only run so far from the things which stir negative feelings.
That said, consider for a moment that your emotions as a…
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On my way to the studios to record this episode, I braved the roadways successfully, only to experience a major setback just feet from my destination. The storms of life can often catch us off guard, but how we prepare and respond is what matters most.
We are all familiar with the phrase imprinted on our currency which reads e Pluribus Unum: ‘Out of many, one”. As the Roman empire continued to expand the unspoken civic religion was to take many individuals from its far-flung territories and turn them into a Roman. Centuries later this worthy phrase was adopted by a newly-formed nation whose founders knew well the importance of a diverse yet unified people.
Today the reverse mortgage industry embodies this famous Latin phrase with a sales force of varying backgrounds, expertise and age groups. Chief among the unifying factors is the underlying ethos of reverse mortgage professionals- that is to...
If you want to travel abroad you will need a passport. And truth be told, many of us find ourselves occasionally stuck on the continent of negativity hoping someday to make the trip to the land of optimism. But first you’ll need a passport, and that passport is your attitude...
What determines your reality? Why are constraints good for us? We examine these questions and more…
Peace can be found in the midst of turmoil. The Greeks have one particular word they use for tranquility- euthymia which the stoic philosopher Seneca defines as ‘believing in yourself and trusting that you are on the right path’. The challenge Seneca says is to avoid doubt by following the countless footpaths of those wandering in every direction. Walking in that state produces tranquility.
