Self-Motivation
David Goggins
Former Navy Seal
Career Development
Bryan Cranston
Actor
Critical Thinking
Liv Boeree
International Poker Champion
Emotional Intelligence
Amaryllis Fox
Former CIA Clandestine Operative
Management
Chris Hadfield
Retired Canadian Astronaut & Author
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Haven’t found your niche? This might be why.
Most people don't know what they're passionate about.
07 May, 2020
- A niche, in terms of the economy and what you do for a living, is often considered a special talent or service that speaks to you on a different, secondary level. Adam Davidson, co-founder of NPR's "Planet Money" argues that when a niche finds an audience and becomes a successful business, it evolves into its own primary economy.
- For most people, finding something you're passionate about can take a long time. The search should happen concurrently with your current job and life, not in place of them.
- It won't be easy and there will have to be sacrifices, Davidson says. But when it's something that you can't live without doing, then it is worth investing the time and effort.
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<div class="amazon-assets-widget__title" style="display: block;">The Passion Economy: The New Rules for Thriving in the Twenty-First Century</div>
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How to maximize performance and minimize stress during the COVID-19 pandemic
Flow Research Collective COO Rian Doris explains how to harness the power of your nervous system to find your flow during a pandemic.
01 May, 2020
Image by Ridkous Mykhail on Shutterstock
- Knowing the difference between healthy stress (eustress) and unhealthy stress (distress) can help you maximize your performance during difficult times.
- The Flow Research Collective helps to decode the flow states of your mind so you can live (and work) in the zone, even during a pandemic.
- COO of The Flow Research Collective, Rian Doris, explains how to find your maximum potential and harness the power of your nervous system to work for you instead of against you.
<p>Not all forms of stress are bad for you. In fact, some forms of stress can be positive—healthy, even. Positive stress, called eustress, can drive us to be more productive, healthier, more active, and more engaging in our lives. Negative stress, called distress, is what leads to loss of productivity, declining physical and mental health, and exhaustion.</p><p>According to Rian Doris, COO at the <a href="https://www.flowresearchcollective.com/" target="_blank">Flow Research Collective</a>, <em>"There is absolutely nothing wrong with eustress - in fact, it's critical for the vast majority of function within our body and nervous systems. It's what allows us to improve our health, our fitness, our resilience. It's chronic stress that can have a very systemic negative impact on our health long term."</em></p><ul class="ee-ul"></ul>
How to find your flow and maximize your performance during the COVID-19 pandemic
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzE4MDc3OC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNTc3Mzc4Mn0.jWjWzkpW5farRcGt70YCWHtcK-xkLAd_bYDwPmLvP6k/img.png?width=980" id="5bd13" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="b8762aae0f21100b36ee6a7467c0ab42" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="infographic courtesy of the Flow Research Collective finding your state of flow" />Finding your "flow channel" can help you maintain healthy stress and decrease unhealthy stress.
Image by Flow Research Collective
<p><strong></strong><strong>Increasing our capacity: What we perceive as stress goes down when we become more capable of coping with stressful situations.</strong></p><p>When it comes to increasing our capacity for handling negative stress, there are a few ways we can accomplish this - most of them are what are referred to as "bottom-up approaches." </p><p>A bottom-up approach is like piecing together a puzzle made of our various systems to give a more complex and complete picture . We need to ensure all of our systems are working at optimal levels without being too overwhelmed so they can function better together. </p><p><u>Things you can do to achieve this kind of systemic functionality include: </u></p><ul><li>Movement - exercising, running, jogging, or going for a walk.</li><li>Breathing exercises that help us practice mindfulness and achieve a calm state of mind.</li><li>Hot and cold therapy or other types of sensation therapy that can get us more in tune with our bodies. </li></ul><p><strong>Decreasing the impact: Manage how stress impacts our lives so the negative impact doesn't overwhelm our systems. </strong></p><p>While decreasing the impact of <a href="https://bigthink.com/mind-brain/seven-stress-personalities" target="_self">stress</a> is important, it's certainly not an easy thing to accomplish. After all, if we could simply decrease how negative stress impacts us then it would not be so much of a problem. </p><p>Especially in unprecedented times such as when we're dealing with a pandemic, it's not as easy to shield our system from the negative impacts of chronic stress. </p><p>Cognitive reframing is essentially changing the way you look at something, and as a result, changing your experience of it. This can turn a traumatic event (such as experiencing a pandemic or a major trauma in your life) into something that can be a challenge that is eventually overcome—or it can be as simple as depicting a really bad day as a "bump in the road" in your overall happy life. </p><p>Using <a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/cognitive-reframing-for-stress-management-3144872" target="_blank">certain reframing techniques</a> can actually change how your body responds to negative stress. Your body's stress response is triggered by perceived information around that stress—change the perception, change the response. </p><p><u>The pattern to follow with cognitive reframing is: </u></p><ol><li>Learn about thinking patterns (<a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/about-explanatory-styles-3145110" target="_blank">explanatory styles</a>). </li><li>Notice your own thoughts as they come. </li><li>Challenge negative thoughts and trace them to their origins. </li><li>Replace the root negative thought with a more positive thought. </li></ol><p>Cognitive reframing takes a lot of practice but you can do this as often as you'd like in your daily life and eventually it becomes easier to stop negative thoughts before they become chronic stressors. </p><p><strong>Keep in mind the challenge/skill balance when dealing with stress.</strong></p><p>According to Doris, a flow exists in the sweet spot between challenge and skill. This flow happens when we undertake challenges or goals in life that are optimally challenging for you to complete - not too easy that it requires no effort and not too difficult that it overwhelms your system.</p><p>Keeping this challenge/skill balance in mind for things in our daily lives can help us navigate our stressors, especially during a pandemic <a href="https://bigthink.com/surprising-science/coronavirus-impact-on-economy" target="_self">such as COVID-19</a>. Anything too easy doesn't pose as a challenge and doesn't excite us. However, if the challenge is too difficult, it overwhelms us and becomes a source of unhealthy chronic stress instead of healthy eustress. </p><p><em>"The challenge level for almost everyone has been increased in a systemic way by COVID-19, which means what we should do is decrease the challenge level in our own lives and the things we have control over in order to get us back to that challenge/skill sweet spot." </em></p>
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Finding your purpose: A less intimidating approach
Removing the pressure of finding your "dying passion" makes it easier to connect with the "why" of your work.
27 April, 2020
- Do you know your purpose in life? If not, London Business School professor Dan Cable says that's OK. It's normal, even.
- Many people have trouble finding their purpose because the task itself is too demanding. One way to solve this problem is by connecting with the end user of your work.
- For example, Microsoft will take its teams on site to interview clients and find solutions. Programmers understand who's using their products by hearing it straight from the source, and this gives more meaning to their work.
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<div class="amazon-assets-widget__title" style="display: block;">Alive at Work: The Neuroscience of Helping Your People Love What They Do</div>
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What Shark Tank investor Daymond John looks for in a business pitch
It takes more than a good idea to land a shark as a business partner.
23 March, 2020
- As a successful entrepreneur, investor, and one of the stars of 'Shark Tank,' Daymond John is used to being pitched business ideas. In this interview, he shares what separates bad pitches from great pitches.
- Beyond the idea, how well (or not) he and potential business partners will work together is a big factor.
- Proof that the person did their research and some of the legwork before hand also goes a long way.
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How to make healthy financial choices every day, according to a financial psychologist
How reframing your emotions and changing your daily behavior can help you save money.
28 February, 2020
Photo by Yulia Grigoryeva on Shutterstock
- There is a psychological connection between your emotions and your spending habits. Many people live in a "reactionary" mode where they spend money in reaction to the day's events.
- Living in "intention mode" can help you reframe daily financial decisions - "how will this get me closer to my future goals?"
- Financial psychologist Dr. Tracy Thomas shares her tips for harnessing the power of emotion and intent to create a healthy, financially stable life.
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How your emotions drive your financial habits
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMjgzNDE2MC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTU5OTA1MDYyNH0.YTc70b9tnpbLTr7mE8Bm-sL7f_IRqlxVmE2zex76PLQ/img.jpg?width=1245&coordinates=0%2C0%2C0%2C41&height=700" id="ebf5d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="bc1b6d1437bff56a07b0f928b3674e25" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="piggy bank drowning in water concept debt" />Your feelings and emotions deeply affect your financial habits...learn how to control them for better financial decision-making.
Image by Lightspring on Shutterstock
<p><a href="https://www.drtracyinc.com/about/" target="_blank">Dr. Tracy Thomas</a> is a psychologist and self-proclaimed emotional scientist who helps highly driven, emotionally sensitive people harness their emotional strength to live an elevated life.</p><p><em>"At one time,"</em> <a href="https://cheddar.com/media/the-psychology-behind-saving-money" target="_blank">Thomas explains</a>, <em>"emotional-sensitivity was believed to be a weakness. However, new work into emotional sensitivity reveals that emotionally sensitive people aren't just overly-emotional, 'touchy' or 'hyper-sensitive'. Without knowing it, they actually possess an incredible gift of creativity, intelligence and intuition."</em> </p><p><strong>Your feelings deeply affect your financial habits.</strong></p><p>When emotionally sensitive people combine their gifts with drive and motivation, it becomes an asset that can lead them to wealth, success, and happiness.</p><p>There is a psychological connection between your emotions and your spending habits. As human beings, our emotions drive most everything we do — and the choices we make with our money are deeply affected by how we interact and react to things that happen in our lives. </p><p><strong>Reactionary spending</strong></p><p>Living in reaction is something we do most of the time, according to Dr. Thomas. When we're in a reaction, we tend to create chaos. We aren't able to harness our emotional energy into creating positive investments and outcomes. </p><p>Living in reaction means that we're often simply reacting to our immediate situation, immediate wants, immediate "needs" with little thought to the needs of our future self.</p><p>The more reactive you are, the more you will simply "engage with life" instead of investing in building the life you truly desire. </p><p><strong>Intentional spending</strong></p><p>Acting with intention when it comes to your financial life doesn't mean removing all emotion from the situation at hand. In fact, you are just redirecting those emotions. </p><p>To act financially with intention, Dr. Tracy Thomas suggests that we consider what our future self would want us to invest in today. Making emotional choices doesn't have to be a bad thing - as long as those emotional choices live to serve you in the future instead of in the moment.</p><p>Living in a state of reactivity also creates distractions. We are sidetracked from our original, long-term goals and lose sight of what we really care about. Ridding your life of financial distractions can help you focus your energy on giving your future self what they desire most. </p>Changing the way we think about finances
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMjgzNDE1Ny9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNjk3NTgwOX0.Qn3VNMlVW1XAnaWBYn4uPP1PZ5miWewOyF82KUZp7Pw/img.jpg?width=1245&coordinates=0%2C89%2C0%2C15&height=700" id="0cdb0" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="e3e5e831e7303f12937668b575458d42" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="glass jars filling with coins growing plant concept saving money" />Reframe what it means to "save money" into something that is more positive by placing emotional meaning in your investments.
Photo by ShutterOK on Shutterstock
<p>Most people, according to Dr. Thomas, are reactive by nature. We react to our immediate emotions, needs and desires - often putting our long-term goals at risk. The first step in changing the way you interact with money is recognizing that there are emotions and behaviors in your life that need to change.</p><p><strong>Monitor your behavior: Am I going to be intentional or reactive today?</strong></p><p>A big part of this change, Dr. Thomas says, is monitoring your daily behavior and really taking note of when you are reactive and when you are intentional. </p><p>From there, you will be able to identify healthy and detrimental behaviors that are affecting your ability to live a financially healthy lifestyle. </p><p><strong>When you go to spend any of your money, Dr. Thomas suggests you ask yourself these kinds of questions: </strong></p><ul><li>Is this an intention? If so, what is my intent with this purchase?</li><li>Is this a reaction? If so, is this a valid reactionary expense or something I can avoid?</li><li>How will this purchase (or lack of purchase) bring me closer to my future goals?</li><li>Will this decision create my desired outcome?</li></ul><p><strong>Think about money as a motivation, not a restriction.</strong></p><p>Thinking about money in terms of "savings" can feel restricting and often unmotivating. However, thinking about money in terms of "motivation" for your future goals (whether that be a house, a car, a trip, etc) can help you reframe what it means to "save money". </p><p>In your mind, no longer is "saving money" something you "have to do" - it's something you want to do. Saving money becomes a goal in itself, rather than something that feels like a burden or responsibility. </p><p><strong>Refocus on what you are really invested in by adding meaning to your investments.</strong></p><p>Reframing what it means to save money includes refocusing on what your investments are, both financially and emotionally. </p><p>If you are currently invested in a home in which you want to do major renovations, that can be a financial motivator. Saving money (to later spend on renovations) will increase the value of your home. </p><p>If you are currently investing in a trip for your family, this can be a great emotional motivation. Creating life-long memories and providing a fun vacation for your loved ones is a wonderful goal to keep in mind that will help pull yourself out of reactionary choices and help you think more rationally when it comes to saving money. </p><p><strong>The importance of thinking about your savings on a deeper, emotional level</strong></p><p>According to <a href="https://www.briantracy.com/blog/financial-success/be-your-very-own-money-saving-expert-how-to-save-frugal-living-save-money/" target="_blank">Brian Tracy</a>, a leading sales, management, and business success advocate, one of the most important things we can do to better our financial choices is to become a life-long student of how to save money. </p><p>Investing is about more than just what's in your bank account - it's a way of life.</p><p>Dr. Tracy Thomas also believes that changing the way we view our savings (and money, in general) is about more than just making smarter decisions with the money we have - it's about changing the way we view money at all. </p><p><em>"Your savings goals are really your outcomes for your life. It's about creating something you really want."</em> says Dr. Thomas. If you spend your life in a reactive process, savings tends to lack the powerful drive that successful, wealthy people give to it.</p><p>While impulsive, emotional purchases are key signs of bad spending habits, there is merit to pulling yourself out of that reactionary spending mode and still maintaining and emotional intelligence when it comes to your spending habits. Completely separating your emotions from your finances can only make things more difficult, as there are no motivating, impactful meanings behind your financial decision-making processes anymore.</p><p>The key is to take yourself out of emotional reactionary spending and still maintain an emotional motivator to creating a healthy financial life. </p><p>Thinking about your finances as a powerful and emotional driving force that will create a better life for yourself and the things that are important to you in your life (your business, your family, etc) can make things more cognitively clear when it comes to making day-to-day financial choices. </p><p><strong><em>"The budget is not just a collection of numbers, but an expression of our values and aspirations."</em> </strong>- Jacob Lew</p>
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