Dave Willison

Track My Feelings

2011-04-06T19:00:00.003+09:30

My mood tracking site is almost finished, find it online at http://trackmyfeelings.com

You can sign in using your Facebook account and track your mood, I intend for you to track it daily (however you can update as often as you like) and you can review your feelings using a graph over dates that you choose.

I got the idea from tracking my own mood using a Word document to combat my own depression, I found the whole process a great way to regain control of my own happiness.

If you have any advice for others or profound quotes the site also caters, feel free to post.

http://trackmyfeelings.com

Law of Attraction Simplified

2008-09-23T06:20:00.000+09:30

After constant-every-day thought I finally decided what the best approach to the law of attraction is and I’d like to share it.

The idea of the law is excellent, and it does work, but you have to work also, and work quite hard that is (note: understand that the work doesn’t necessitate the gaining of the object of desire, the work is the remembering how to do it). The good thing is that after a while (taken about a year for me) you condition your mind to notice the things that happen that are a result of what you have thought. My mind has been focused on a lot of smaller things lately and those smaller things have happened (or come to me), this increases my already happy state and just proves what I started to learn (remember) in the first place.

It seems that I’m feeling quite content in allowing the smaller things to come to me instead of concentrating on the larger ones, hey, if life (at lower levels) really is the pursuit of happiness I’m already there.

Learn. Find as much literature as you can, read and understand it. Not only will you discover the science behind it but reading such stuff will create positivity in your life if nothing else, this positivity is a building block for you to experience what you have already known (but not to your consciousness yet).

Here is a short list.

· Ask and it is Given – Esther and Jerry Hicks

· Science of Getting Rich - Wallace D. Wattles

· Thought Vibration or the Law of Attraction in the Thought World – William Walker Atkinson

· The Power of Positive Thinking – Norman Vincent Peale

· The Secret – Rhonda Byrne

Do a heap of research online, you will find plenty of material to download and read.

Simplify Your Life. When you stop complicating things you will find it a lot easier to focus and affirmate on what you want, the more you read into things the more clutter your mind will be trying to manage.

Stop it, now.

Are you able to remember the good feeling you get from moving or throwing away a heap of old useless junk? Stop being a packrat and live to your means. If you will not use it in the next 6-12 months, throw it away. Be grateful for what you have and remember, to keep your body (and thus your mind) alive the most basic need is air, food and water. Realise this and build up from it, when you do so you should feel immense happiness and gratitude for what you have and what you have around you.

Allow. Let the object come to you, let the universe bring it to you, relax and allow what is coming to you. Don’t pull the object or rush to obtain it, just let it happen. The idea of this, is simply a confidence builder for your conscious mind, confidence and happiness being a high allowing state. Imagine your mind saying “Hey, nice one, this is already on its way to me”. Do you get the idea?

“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished” – Lao Tzu

Always, Always take the time for the beauty around you

2008-09-04T21:38:00.005+09:30

I saw this while climbing a tree in a park just southeast of Adelaide. Right now is the perfect time of year to experience nature in its most intriguing form.

Out of the old, weathered, dead branch came an amazing new young shoot.

Old humans can also learn new tricks and they should do so until they are physically and mentally unable to do so.

How to ask a question

2008-09-04T07:18:00.000+09:30

I’ve found that a lot of the questions I get asked throughout my day seem to waste a lot of time, when I’m focused on my current task someone asks me a question which distracts me, my thoughts hit a brick wall and I start to refocus on the question that is asked, it happens to everyone, but unless the question is asked with a clear purpose it usually creates nothing but frustration (for me).

I recently read a great paragraph from the Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris. This has changed the way I now expect to receive my questions, this is just a start for me to start demanding the following before you ask me.

Ensure you answer yes to the following two questions.

1. Have I decided on a single meaning for each term in this question?

2. Can an answer to this question be acted upon to improve things?

Although the above two points are generally related to existentialism they can be applied to normal life, especially that of a business. Asking these two questions of the questioner can save you a heap of time. Even better is if the questioner is aware of these two before he or she begins to ask.

However you set these questions up you have to be careful not to alienate the questioner, leave ego out of it and explain that a well structured question will get better and faster results in the long run. Most people will understand be attracted to your way of thinking, and also to the fact that you are asking them to tailor that question towards a goal.

Those that aren’t attracted to your way of thinking, well, not really your problem.

Basically perfect

2008-08-29T08:08:00.002+09:30

"If we are basically positive in attitude, expecting and envisioning pleasure, satisfaction and happiness, we will attract and create people, situations, and events which conform to our positive expectations."

Shakti Gawain
Author of Creative Visualization

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Digital DJ

2008-07-02T18:35:00.005+09:30

One of my great influences and almost the singular reason that sparked the lifechanging event that was 2007 is an Aussie electro house DJ. He opened a website for electronic music and visual artists in June last year - Digital DJ.

LIKE A FACEBOOK FOR AUSSIE DJ's

Digital-DJ.com.au is about you, and for you. The DJ, the VJ, the performer, the producer, the electronic artist, the lover of music and everyone in between.

He's just started advertising hosting on Digital DJ for musicians with no strings attached. The no strings attached thing interests me, not so much as a 'free' thing to grab but more the psychology behind it. You can see this happen everywhere in this particular generation.

[Digital DJ]

It comes from the premise of Karma I guess (to keep it simple and recognisable). We're here to contribute to society, not take away from it, and thats what's still in most people's heads, especially when it comes to currency.

You may notice that in society most of those that give their all to provide for others aren't incredibly rich but are incredibly happy. It all sounds very 'Disney' and corny but thats just your ego whispering in your head. Ironically enough it's primarily your ego that does want to make other people happy, however the stronger the ego the more you want that happiness to revolve around you, sit back and take stock of why you try to make people laugh, or why you try so hard not to upset another person.

Sure there are exceptions to this rule but thats mainly because different people have a different level of control on their external influences. I guess it comes down to tipping the balance between the conscious and the subconscious and wether or not you are willing to release that control or simply let your life flow.

Perhaps as it was originally intended?

3rd Eye View

2008-06-18T16:22:00.002+09:30

Never be as good as the imagination ;)

Third Eye Project

Plan tomorrow tonight. 3 ways to always make your day productive and happy!

2008-05-06T15:39:00.002+09:30

When you sleep your subconscious is active (mainly during REM sleep), your mind is relaxed and isn’t clouded with noisy ‘awake’ thoughts. Ideas and affirmations are solidified in your mind. The strange thing is that you aren’t consciously aware of this the next day, it’s just a standard day, but everything seems to go smoothly, you’re spontaneous, efficient, happy and you can focus on your goals easier. Sleep is also a great problem solver, so use it to your advantage.

Plan to plan. Whatever your nightly routine is, try to plan 10 minutes just before you put your head on the pillow, if you spend a bit of time in bed before you actually sleep – reading books, watching television etc – you could use this 10 mins while still in bed.

Visualise. Use the power of your imagination to see what tomorrow will be like, pretend that you are living tomorrow wherever you will be, see yourself how you want to see yourself, making great decisions and results at work, feeling happy etc.

Write. Jot down your goals for tomorrow on a pad (handy to always keep one on the bedside table). When you write something down it’s more concrete than you expect, even if you throw the paper away, it stays in your subconscious. If it’s an objective then your subconscious sees it as such and starts working out solutions and paths to such a goal.

Remember to start small with your plans, just plan to have simple things happen throughout the next day, after a while you’ll get better at planning and start to advance to bigger and better things!

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Personal Development, Canine-Style

2008-04-28T19:18:00.002+09:30

I loved this post by Craig Harper, i'm considering getting a cat soon and although they are a very independent animal they still do require attention.

Remember that the key to happiness is not to have other people admire what you have (if you think about that, you may realise that that is one of the major things we strive to succeed for).

The key is to be happy no matter what.

Personal Development, Canine-Style [Lifehack.org]

J.C. Penney’s 7 Keys to a Smashing Success

2008-03-31T21:11:00.003+10:30

This is a post from The Positivity Blog

I love point 5.

Books are good. Experience is even better.

I went through a massive reading phase (still am to some extent) and those books gave me great knowledge, it also gave me a bit of a high, and excitement, but that was it, I usually didn't follow through and go out and do the things that the book talked about. Funnily enough most of the books illustrated that instead of just reading, practice, test and evaluate the ideas given.

Don't just read, get out there and make mistakes. Actually do both at the same time, life will be grand!

J.C. Penney’s 7 Keys to a Smashing Success - [The Positivity Blog]

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Improving Yourself By Having Tolerance For Others

2008-03-17T16:14:00.004+10:30

Something I have always had trouble with in the past is having tolerance for other people. The level of tolerance always varied depending on how much this person would annoy or insult me.

I realise now (moreso with adults) that this annoyance was 99% unintentional.

Social standing mainly depends upon your verbal interaction and spontaneity, an easy way to increase social standing is simply to 'Make em Laugh', when you inflict a positive emotion on another person they will subconsciously increase their attraction to you - beit friendship attraction or love attraction. As a result of this a huge chunk of our communication is often trying to make people laugh, even to the point when we automatically think 'how can i make a joke out of this' when in a particular situation or social encounter.

This leads to a sort of a desperation for some people to turn anything into an attempt to be funny. Unfortunately this usually results in a response of silence or perhaps animosity from those around him/her. This is an example of tolerance leading to disrespect among his/her peers.

What I have learnt to do is display this level of tolerance, but also let the other person know my true feelings towards the social mishap, this needs a particular level of radical honesty. Truly - from my experiences with this type of circumstance - honesty IS the best policy.

Let them finish. If you interrupt the person half way through their conversation or feat then you will only manage to insult their ego, this means that they will not listen to a constructive word you say. Show tolerance and patience, they will respect you and listen to you more when it's your turn to correct them.

Be as honest as you can be. People's minds are evolving, they are able to handle their emotions and accept critisism a lot easier. If they do seem upset at the time, it's a good chance that they will return to you with apologies and acceptance later on if you are truly honest. Once they see that you are not trying to insult them, rather observe and gently critisise.

See the situation from their viewpoint. Were you once like them? If so it would make it a lot easier to 'be in their shoes'. If not, make use of your creative mind and imagine what it would be like doing or saying the things that they have just said.

Most of the time it's just a case of inexperience which is why we make mistakes in the first place. Know that you had made the same faux pas in the past and realise that your experience now - with the other person's willingness to listen - can allow an accellerated growth of that person.

And becuase of that you will have someone that respects and really listens to you in the future. Always a Win - Win situation.

I'll leave you with an interesting exerpt from a book i'm reading (A.H. Maslow - The Farther Reaches of Human Nature). He references a letter that he received from a religious lady, this is what inspired this article.

God sees and loves us in our present condition and yet sees our potential and requires of us growth toward the potential. As we become more Godlike, can we not too, be accepting of a person in his present state while beckoning to him to take the next step?

How to Make the Time for Your Personal Goals

2008-03-12T08:59:00.002+10:30

Another post from ZenHabits.

I've been goal setting recently, the one goal that I have decided to give 90% of my attention to is to gain MCSE* certification by the end of December 2008. This is a big task as to be fully certified takes about 7 exams, which means a hell of a lot of study, something that I haven't done in a long time.

It's been a month and i've devoted myself to about 1 hour of study 6 days a week (sometimes I do a bit more during the week to cover for Saturday. Doing such a small amount in the initial stages of a goal is crucial, the reason is that it builds up a habit. Once I had formed the habit (about 30 days) I could then go up to 2 hours a night (having the time of course) and the task doesn't hit you as hard.

Start small and work your way up. Great key to living life easily.

Anyway, check out this article from ZenHabits, it's about making the time to do those goals. Pay special attention to points 8, 9 and 11.

How to Make the Time for Your Personal Goals

[ZenHabits]

7 Steps to Turn Your Self-Improvement Desires Into Reality

2008-02-12T11:07:00.000+10:30

This is a recent post on zenhabits.net

I read a lot of self improvement literature and it's all very exciting and motivating, then I go onto the next book and start something new. So really unless I re-read the books (which I try to do as much as possible) all the information does is make me excited about our capability as humans, as far as putting the words into action it does little.

I've been struggling with myself to actually do the work (which yes, there is a lot of) to put these techniques and ideas into practice. I do know that once I do start practicing them everything will work out fine. I'm just a little lazy.

This post has given me new motivation to set dates and get things done, especially this year.

Check it out!

7 Steps to turn Your Self-Improvement Desires into Reality

[ZenHabits]

How to lose your fear in life

2008-01-30T08:31:00.001+10:30

What is holding us back as human beings? Fear. We're afraid to lose, afraid to fail, afraid of humiliation. Yet when we look at other people failing we don't feel the restrictive fear that we feel with ourselves, the one big reason for this is that we see this other person as simply that - another person – the third person perspective. Because the failure is not happening to us we are able to comfortably give advice and assistance (providing we don't become part of the problem and fail ourselves of course), we may feel bad for this person, but we can feel comfortable that at the end of the day this failure isn't happening to us.

When we feel comfortable we are able to think clearly and rationally and come up with tons of solutions to a problem. But when we are in a state of embarrassment or fear or failure our mind becomes clouded, and instead of unleashing our problem solving potential we worry, cry, scream etc (which are all negative emotions in themselves).

What we need to do is regardless of the negative emotion think clearly about your own life and realise that you have nothing to worry about. This technique may seem complicated, but its very easy to simplify, read it, try it, then CREATE your own way of getting results.

Other people have been there before you

We are all human beings – if you really think to basics – just bags of meat with conscious and subconscious abilities. Whatever problem you might be having has most probably been done before by hundreds of thousands of people, no matter how rare it seems, other people have felt depression, fear, anxiety, happiness, joy, love as strong or as weak as you may be feeling it now. Other people have had and lived with strong physical pain, what makes it so difficult for you is that you are first person focused and have trouble looking past (or behind) yourself. Even a selfless person does these deeds to feel good themselves, we can't help it, it's in our nature.

But we are able to change our stance on how we feel the emotions and how we can think around them even if they are happening, if we do this we can make decisions without fear and easily live happily ever after.

Look at yourself from the third person

Most of Generation Y will find this easy as they were the kids that played computer or console games growing up, some of these games required us to control a man (or woman) through levels to collect things, complete missions or battle the character's enemy. Sometimes you controlled the character through the first person – to get a sense that you were really 'in' the game. Other times it was from a third person perspective, the camera situated itself about a metre above and behind the character. You were able to control the character and see its effects in the game. Whatever happened to this character was no real problem to you, you weren't afraid of dying, if you lost all your money then you'd just look around for more (or ways to find more), you had no problem talking to other characters in the game as you knew that you weren't actually talking to them, your character was!

If you could apply this perspective to your real life then you will find that your fear will disappear! All you have to do is just imagine yourself in the third person, then make it seem like you're controlling another person. Simple.

Try a simple exercise.

You are sitting at your computer, try to close any distractions, put on some music that really makes you feel good. Can you imagine what it would be like looking at yourself staring at the computer screen (reading this blog perhaps)? See the back of your head sitting on your shoulders, your arms may be by your side or resting on the desk in front of you. Do this a few times to get the hang of it, don't worry if you can only do it for a second or two, thats all you need. Can you see yourself do any tasks, open a program or book, hold a pen in your hands. If you can do that then the rest of life is easy.

Apply this technique to problems in the real world, you have a nasty break up with a girlfriend/boyfriend, take 5 and imagine yourself looking at yourself arguing or crying or doing things that feel very uncomfortable. If you can see yourself from that perspective then you might have a realisation that everything is not as bad as it seems, you have seen other people go through the same problems.

What about with money? In the game world when you need money you simply find ways of getting more and achieve them. This is exactly the same way in the real world, yet people feel so much fear and it holds them back. See yourself in the third person doing a thing – a legal thing – that might net you some money, an investment perhaps. It's just that much easier controlling a game character to do the thing, so try 'controlling' yourself from the third person. Result? No fear. If you lose money, then you can find another way to gain money. Complicate things less and you will find you are able to think clearer. And thinking is what turns your dreams into reality.

We are all capable of great things, as humans we can do anything, It's those people that are able to shed the fear that really achieve their dreams that they originally had. I have found the third person perspective technique invaluable of instantly removing any fear I may have in any given moment, new job, new house, selling/buying stocks, public speaking. And yet these things are tiny to what other people have achieved, if they can do it so can you.

My stars for this week

2008-01-21T10:43:00.000+10:30

Rip It Up is an Adelaide street magazine which has information about artists, gigs, food, drink and anything social thats happenning. At the back of the mag, they have the most accurate and profound star signs that I've ever read. This week just blew me away:

Last year was a huge education for you, with so much learning and growing that you may feel a little exhausted. The good news is that now you can really shine, armed with your newfound knowledge, skills and inner power and show everyone what you have accomplished. You'll feel more confident than ever.

For those of you who read this blog you'll identify that that is exactly what has been going on in 2007. And this is really paying off already in regards to my personal and professional life.

I'm a Leo by the way :)

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Why do I feel this way at a festival?

2008-01-17T09:37:00.001+10:30

I see everywhere that people love being around other people, when around them, the weaker ones are often influenced by the stronger ones, usually those with the best speaking and storytelling ability. Is it the fact that the strong ones are able to deliver a great mind picture? Or is it something that goes beyond conscious ability? Maybe we really enjoy being in large groups to feel what others are feeling or what a group feeling would be like.

Sure by looking at someone's external emotional indicators (facial features, verbal expression) we can determine how they are feeling and react accordingly. But in large groups you can't examine every single person, yet the feeling (or vibe perhaps) is still felt, if enough people feel the same thing. Over the last few months I have seen examples of this and done a small social experiment.

Festivals are a great reason for people to get together and experience this group emotion, they sometimes go to see a lot of their friends in once place, but more commonly go to listen to their favourite music played by their favourite performers. A heap of likeminded people in the one place definitely alters the thoughts of the individual.

Imagine yourself going to one, you get in the gate, perhaps you have to line up for hours or get in instantly, that's your first personal impression (and a most obvious one). You comment with your friends as you enter, if they agree you find happiness that your view is shared by other people, that happiness then projects your other feeling (wether positive or negative). This is then amplified if others are feeling the same thing, think of adding power to a radio transmitter.

Now with this amplified power another group with no knowledge (or feeling) of what is 'in the air' comes with the intention of entering the gates. Their thoughts would be influenced (slightly) by the feelings flying about the air. Our conscious minds are not so much aware of it, but if you sense a change in feeling, maybe you weren't in such a good mood before you arrived, you might feel your mood change for no apparent reason. People come together in these groups to listen to music they enjoy, and to feel the positive emotions that this type of music gives them. Lots of people in one space feeling happy, it just makes sense.

Even if it's a negative type of music, the listeners are brought together to appreciate something that they all enjoy. Enjoyment – Happiness.

Other things can make this gathering a positive or a negative one, but it really has to be felt on a large scale which is why the musicians have so much control over the overall emotion of the crowd. Those who strive to make the crowd happy, perhaps with audience involvement or good acting performance will leave with everyone in the crowd feeling refreshed and having a very high regard for the act.

Next time you go to a club, festival, concert whatever, see if you notice your mood change, ask yourself why it does so. "Oh but it was the energy of the crowd/performer", or "I was drunk with friends". Almost any 'conscious' reason you can give can be attributed to your feelings being suggested by the group emotion.

How to Slow Down Now

2008-01-14T11:00:00.000+10:30

Zen Habits has a great (guest written) article on slowing down your life to think more clearly and have better health. The most obvious thing is for stress, but slowing down can have great impact on other things like digestion, idea generating and mastering conversation.

More haste, less speed, or haste makes waste are a well-known sayings. When under pressure, the ability to act slowly and deliberately is a benefit. The wise carpenter measures twice and cuts once. Taking time to read the map instead of blindly heading off in what you guess might be the right direction makes sense.

How to Slow Down Now (Please Read Slowly) - Zen Habits

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2 Quick Ways To Get The Best Out Of Your Consumer Goods

2007-12-15T10:09:00.001+10:30

We go through our lives on automatic pilot most of the time until an event comes up that requires our attention. A change of residence, a car that needs fixing, a large unexpected bill, a new job etc. As soon as one of these things comes into our life we begin to really use what our brain was designed for, calculation and problem solving, we burst into action trying to find the best and quickest way to get the task done before we slump back into our automated 'rut' unconsciously waiting for the next event. I wonder how your life would be if you were able to – in the not busy times – better what you already have? How many of you actually ask to get a part of your life improved instead of just 'letting things happen'?

Credit Cards. I hate these things and don't own one, I can see how much debt some of my friends get into and that's enough of a reason. For those of you that do, you can always get a better deal with your interest rate just by making a phone call, especially by making a phone call. Phone operators serve people, that's their job, when a call comes across where they can actively solve a problem they feel better about themselves. Well that is inherent in all people really. You can take advantage of the operator's 'needs to help'.

Call your card company up and speak to customer service or even better, sales. Explain to them that you are trying to get out of debt and need to reduce your interest rate. If you are able to tell a story it will produce a mind picture and they will naturally be 'on your wavelength'. Go to extremes, ask for something like 3% for 12 months, if the operator cannot simply do that they (especially sales) will show you a counter offer that they can do, maybe 6 or 8%, even that would be better that what you have now right?

"Hi, I've fallen into debt over the last few months and now am trying to work my way out of it. I was hoping that you would be able to help me. I wanted to reduce my credit card interest to 0% for 12 months so I can get everything repaid"

Purchasing. This is easy, especially with a sales person over the phone. Explain your story, give them a mind picture of the situation, once they have it they will be compelled to get you the item you want for the best price. It's almost like hypnotism. Just don't make it sound pathetic like "my TV broke and I don't have enough money to pay retail for a new one", what that does is give you the lower ground, the sales person will then have more control over the conversation and therefore think that they can get a good sale out of you! That's definitely what we don't want. Show that you are a responsible person who deserves what you will be asking for, think it, visualise it!

"Hi I'm after a new laptop for a graphic design course I'll be enrolling in next year. It has to be high end, but as I'll be a student I'll be living on beans on toast [humour lifts the positivity]. What can you do for me?"

The sales person will most probably offer a repayment plan with interest. Like with credit cards interest is easy to get a good deal on, without nagging, keep giving the sales person a mind picture. Their problem solving abilities will work hard to get what is best for you.

Story telling is the key here, if you can get someone to use their imagination in your favour you will have complete control. Do you know a good story teller? Have you noticed how closely everyone listens when they speak? Even if it's something that doesn't concern you. When they speak it stimulates your imagination and paints an amazing picture in your head. That's the power of the human mind.

Are our brainwaves the key to evolution?

2007-12-06T15:32:00.000+10:30

Delta waves generate amazing insight and creative solutions to problems, these are the waves that are emitted during dream and meditation states. What makes them important? The people you notice that are always calm, quick to find answers and replies to conversational topics are more often than not in a state of flow. This state is where we have the most connection to our subconscious which thinks at a rate of about 30 000 more thoughts per second than your consciousness (which operates at about 4 thoughts per second)

Those people you see. The artists, the writers, the musicians, the CEOs and the real problems solvers are just people like you and me. What makes them special is their ability to allow the subconscious's creative talent to flow through them. Everyone has this ability. The only thing that holds you back is your ability to allow that flow, and to make your subconscious affect your daily life in a positive manner. Something I will talk about in a future post.

Think about when someone told you to 'sleep on it', this makes more sense than what I originally thought. When delta waves are emitted you are able to problem solve to superhuman levels, and thats exactly what the subconscious is. Superhuman.

New Career!

2007-12-03T18:12:00.000+10:30

Here is an example of the end result of my changing ways. I'm out of the Air Force and on to greener pastures. These 'pastures' most probably will revolve around the Defence sector, but it's a great stepping stone to enlist myself into the elite civilian workforce. This job is all I have known for the past 7.5 years and has really been the only career I've had, what a jolt to come straight out of it, roll the dice and see where I end up. Yes its scary, but I have prepared myself, I no longer feel as afraid as I would have the same time last year. Everything works itself out, and in the end, life goes on.

What a year this has been then! So many changes! So much to take in!

The RAAF have given me great lessons and eye opening expereinces, I'll never forget the work or the people (and hopefully still keep in touch), I've been many places all over the worlds, met many interesting people and some not-so-interesting people. All of which have taught me in some way or another, consciously I may forget them, but the real me will always cherish what I have learnt.

I'll leave you with a quote I heard about a few weeks ago.

The true sign of intelligence, is not knowledge, but imagination.

- Albert Einstein

How to Learn from Mistakes

2007-11-20T19:46:00.000+10:30

I don't mind learning from mistakes, be it my own or other people's. If you can deal with the humiliation and make sure that there is no lasting damage then it's one of the easiest ways to hold information, as it's an expererience based memory - ie part of the memory was you actually taking action.

This however doesn't mean you can just go head first into any situation without thinking, those who benefit the most from their mistakes are those who take damage control and plan steps to only make that mistake once.

Tejyan over at PickTheBrain has some great tips on how turn mistakes into positive experiences.

[How to Learn From Mistakes] - PickTheBrain

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and You

2007-10-17T05:25:00.000+09:30

This article revolves around Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

I’m not an expert on humanistic psychology, however I’ve been quite interested in Maslow’s works.

The first four layers of his original five stage model (see image) are what Maslow calls deficiency needs, this is where the individual would be content when these needs are filled, but if not (or deficient) they would progress to negative emotions (anxiousness, stress etc). The fifth layer is that of Self-actualisation, this is where the individual would break free and begin to take control of their life instead of just experiencing it, Generation Y is a great example of what is becoming a self-actualising society.

What confused me with the first four layers is that if the individual is constantly aware that his needs are being fulfilled – by either himself or another party – then he/she would have gratitude towards such fulfilment, therefore, instead of feeling neutral towards the needs he or she would feel positive emotions. Perhaps this is the self-actualised person in action.

Also according to his needs each of the first four layers has to be satisfied before the fifth psychological need can begin to be fulfilled. With the loss of fear could the individual concentrate on the fifth need? As far as I am aware all of the first four needs are based on fear, the fear of loss (deficiency). If we were by will able to shed this fear of loss we should be able to self-actualise. However upon doing that, all other need layers would easily fall into place.

Plant trees with your kids. Lots of them!

2007-10-15T06:28:00.000+09:30

When I was young and going through primary school I lived on a farm in North Eastern Victoria. We kept sheep and cattle and the odd crop of oats or lucerne. Half way through my time there my step father (owner of the farm) with the (monetary) support of a local environmental group decided to plant native saplings along each fence of each paddock. I hated this job, digging, planting, digging, constant watering, more digging. We spent weeks on end doing this and after planting I used to miss my other farm chores.

15 years later I revisited the farm. We had split the property into several smaller pieces and sold it off. As I drove up the long unsealed driveway the work I did so long ago was now a huge part of the farm. Tall thick foliage lined the wire fences separating each section of land, the now large trees were home to many bird species as well as providing shade to livestock. Looking at the distance I could see the other tree lines lining the horizon.

That experience taught me that everything you do makes a difference, be it positive or negative. The only factor is time. We’re all aware how our environment is degrading, do something about it, even if it doesn’t seem worth it. Plant more trees in your garden – natives are very water friendly. Compost your leftovers, trade in your car for an economical one. You don’t even have to step outside your comfort zone to help out, but if you want to there are plenty of groups that donate their time and money to give back to something that supports your amazing life!

Blog Action Day

2007-10-08T18:36:00.000+09:30

-- Shamelessly taken from http://blogactionday.org/

On October 15th, bloggers around the web will unite to put a single important issue on everyone’s mind - the environment. Every blogger will post about the environment in their own way and relating to their own topic. Our aim is to get everyone talking towards a better future.

If you have a blog, write something about the environment, anything. Might spur on something else that you can write about :)

3 Quotes on Happiness

2007-10-02T19:48:00.000+09:30

Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort.

- Franklin D. Roosevelt

Don't expect objects, money, love to bring you happiness;
Feel the happiness first and the rest will come!

- Dave Willison

Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action.

- Benjamin Disraeli

How to Beat Procrastination

2007-10-01T21:30:00.001+09:30

We all have days when no matter what we try to do, we just can't keep our focus and motivation on the task. We get distracted by the simplest thoughts and end up delaying our original objective.

The first step to beating procrastination is to recognise it, are you saying yes to other less important tasks? Do you sit down to start the task, then get up to make a coffee? Be honest with yourself and you can identify it easily.

Why are we procrastinating? Is it because we find the task unpleasant or simply because we are feeling flat and un-energetic? Perhaps it is because you don't know where to begin, if this is the case, start anywhere, write a few words on a pad, draw a mindmap (we will cover this in future issues).

A few key ideas to help you control your procrastination are:

Discipline. Simply put, just force yourself to get the task done, you might not enjoy it, but it gets easier with time.

Rewards. Promise yourself something enjoyable if you make particular milestones in the task. A treat or well deserved break.

Peer Pressure. This is a great motivator, get someone else to check on your progress now and then. You seem to strive to live up to other people's expectations more than your own.

Use these techniques, and create your own. It will get easier with practice.

3 Simple Ways to Make Goal Setting Effective

2007-09-27T18:13:00.001+09:30

Goal Setting really is the secret to success, once you get over the hurdle of initially thinking of what you want to do in life thoughts and ideas flow freely.

1. Just Do It. I always used to procrastinate with my goals. "It's ok, the goals are in my head" or "What if I don't achieve my set goals?". Before you start making excuses for yourself, just start writing stuff down. Your first one or two may seem a bit stupid, but you will get better at writing your goals after a while.

2. Review your goals everyday. One of the worst things you can do with goal setting is write them once and forget about them. If the goals are out of your mind you will find it hard to achieve them, obviously. When I started goal setting, I used to write the headings of my goals out on a bit of scrap paper, eg. Better Paying Job
or Make $50000 Cash. This is an excellent way to keep focused, the goals can be written on anything, a napkin, whiteboard, back of an envelope etc. The best thing is that you don't need to keep what you have written, you can throw it away afterwards!

The idea behind this is that every time you write those goals, your awareness is shifting to thoughts on how you can achieve the goals and you are effectively brainstorming solutions for those goals.

3. Take action! Obviously if you just write "Win $5 Million in the lottery" and never go and buy a ticket you will have a 0% chance of actually winning the lottery. The same applies to your standard goal setting. Identify your goals and really work for them, eg. If I were to have "Higher Income" for a goal, I obviously would be looking around for opportunities to do so, be it a raise, another job or an investment.

Set your goals in concrete, but make your path in sand.

Look to the Future, Not the Past!

2007-09-25T21:41:00.001+09:30

Why are people concentrating so much on history? Especially in presentations.

Change is imminent, have the ability to learn from the past and quickly move on to adapt for the future.

Being in the military I am all too familiar with its obsession with history, namely in presentations and briefs. Almost ¼ of the time spent in most corporate presentations is where they have been and who is involved. This is outdated 'ego feeding' and is in need of a change.

Having said this history is somewhat important, we learn from mistakes and are becoming increasingly efficient at it. The time has come to learn quickly and incorporate the changes, not to dwell on them. If your company's history delivers a point for change, use it in the body of the presentation, not the introduction. Example.

In 2006 shipping had a major problem with [loyalty/timings/marketing etc]. We identified this and are employing the following process for combating it.

If delivering a presentation to clients, perhaps you need to include proof of what your company has done. If this is the case, keep it sharp and focused on how you delivered the solution.

Joes Car Yard needed [xyz] to operate more efficiently. We allowed them to thrive by [abc].

This delivers a sharp, concise point which includes the history.

Carefully think about your target audience, how much attention would you give to a presenter's whole speech if he or she droned on about his or her accomplishments for the first 15 minutes?

5 tips to advertise your desired position more effectively

2007-09-20T16:49:00.000+09:30

Baby Boomers are looking towards retirement, Generation X are taking time off for family commitments and Generation Y are interested in self-employment. Soon there will be more jobs available than there are people to fill it. Great for employees, bad for employers.

Generation Y are becoming the majority demographic in the workforce today. Y have different requirements and expectations than other employees. They expect recognition and rewards for their achievements and if given so they will perform exceedingly. They are creative, motivated and embrace change willingly - which is becoming a big requirement in today's workforce. What turns them away is micro management, chastity and lack of respect for their abilities.

When an employer is writing a job ad, they need to consider the following for the younger generation:

Be as honest as you can be. Because more positions are becoming available, job seekers have the freedom to seriously apply for multiple jobs. Therefore if they find something that may not appeal or that seems suspicious in an advertisement they will pass it on in favour of another.

Put the salary up front. This ties in with the previous point. Most generation Y'ers are hesitant to ask the salary rate up front. Thus are not as likely to go to an interview if the salary is not given to them in their comfort zone.
Think long and hard about what skills you require in the position. All positions will have a requirement of skills, that's why you're advertising the job in the first place isn't it? Simply, like any negotiation, both parties have to benefit from the deal. Money is important, however, development is just as important, applicants will want to know what further education and development they can get out of your advertised job. This may sound dangerous to an employer – spending money on training only to have your employee leave for another company is a bad investment (Gen Y are more likely to do this). This could be solved by introducing retention benefits, and on the extreme a contract or signed document stating that the company will get its money's worth from the employee.
Educational Requirements? How about Emotional Requirements. Of course most positions will require a degree or educational qualification, but have you thought of their emotional qualifications? The ability to work well with other people, teamwork and leadership qualities are becoming more of an asset than a framed piece of card with your name on it. In most cases these emotional qualifications aren't learned in University (however they are being seen more regularly) so these qualities would have to be investigated in the interview (perhaps include a phone call phase before your face to face).
Your employees are not gods. So why advertise for one? Yes you want to get the best of what is out there, but refer to the first paragraph – more positions, less position fillers. If the job seeker finds one positions easier to jump into its obvious what they will do. Look at a star performer in your work place (and/or review evaluation reports), they are what you want in the position right? I bet that there are some qualifications/experience that you are advertising for the position that that person can't logically fill. Include the skills/personality that that person possesses, maybe you need to hire someone that can complement your current team and/or add a personality that will not cause (or will eliminate) conflict.

The workforce is changing ever more rapidly, its the ability to predict what, when and who will change your company and the resources to implement that change that will put you in front of the pack.

The Meaning Of Life

2007-07-26T19:57:00.000+09:30

The Aim of Life is:

Continual...

Self Development
Self Mastery
Self Sufficiency

Thats it.... How simple. :)

Creativity

2007-07-23T14:23:00.000+09:30

I've read heaps about creativity, watched heaps about creativity, listened to heaps about creativity. Recently it's been really hitting home about how important this skill is. Creativity, true creativity allows who we really are to be transposed into the real world.

Creativity is completely random sometimes, because it's your spiritual self surfacing and flowing through your body. So naturally it's hard to control, but with practice it will happen more and more often. At this very moment I am doing three different things that spawned from this one idea of the word creativity, it's damn hard to keep track of!

Originally, (and i'm sure that many of you think the same way) I thought that creativity was confined to writing, painting or drawing, however creativity is one of the building blocks of succesful businesses, creativity promotes problem solving, which is the key to providing a service to your clients, no matter what the business. If you are stale and do everything by the book you will not succeed.

Live in the Moment!

2007-07-16T21:06:00.000+09:30

http://zenhabits.net/2007/07/5-inspirations-for-being-in-the-moment/

This is a great post from zenhabits.net. 5 Inspirations for Being in the Moment.

I read through this post and enjoyed it, the techniques in here were very helpful. How helpful I didn't realise until a few days later. You see I'm currently reading two motivational/spiritual/psychological books as well as my current blog list (below). I get and retain an incredible amount of information from all this information, which is incredibly exciting as I can see myself developing more with every page or post. I didn't realise where I read it, and for some reason it gave the idea/impression more standing.

The last few days i've been using the techniques described in the post, really getting myself in the moment and have been getting great results. When i'm in the moment of breathing and listening perhaps, I taste and smell each breath of air and imagine what this air allows me to do, I listen to each sound, why it is made and how it's transported to my brain. All this in itself is an excellent meditation technique and with it I feel gratitude for being alive; to breath in life giving oxygen and smell the sweet smells of the world around me; to hear, the sounds everywhere are music to my ears, and music itself is incredibly euphoric.

Use the techniques, do it!

LIVE IN THE MOMENT!

Story Pt 02

2007-07-09T23:02:00.000+09:30

In another wing of the complex a phone rang.

‘Yes?’ a voice answered from behind a cliché looking high backed chair.

‘I sent him up there an hour ago. No he wasn’t a large man.’ The voice paused, the air seemed to fill with tension.

‘Keep him at gunpoint, I’m sending someone up’ The voice ended the call.

The gunman put the phone down and put his other hand on the pistol, moving a bit closer to the fat man he said in an ‘official’ voice “Hands. Behind your head. Kneel down, cross your legs. If I repeat myself you’re getting one in the back of the head”.

The fat man stood still in a moment of defiance, and then as if he had given up he slowly kneeled down. The gunman felt a wave of relief and control wash over him.

Story Pt 01

2007-06-26T06:19:00.000+09:30

‘Stop’ he said as he slowly climbed down from the desk.

The owner of the gun had it pointed confidently towards a large man standing in the doorway, hand around the corner to a key cupboard. The man had the intention of taking the key to a vehicle. The gunman slowly walked towards the fat man, one foot overlapping the other in a smooth style that showed he had training, military, police, who knew.

‘What do you want this key for?’ he asked

‘I need to get to the next town, I have permission’ the fat man replied

‘Bullshit. From who?’

‘Your boss , who else. What, you think that you run this place?’

The gunman held the weapon steady, the fat man didn’t move a muscle. ‘Slowly move your arm away from the key, turn around and face the exit’ the gunman kept the weapon trained on the fat man, he seemed quite calm for a person who had a gun pointed at him. ‘This man has been through this before’ he thought. He reached down to a nearby telephone and hit a sequence of numbers.

On Writing

2007-06-25T19:36:00.000+09:30

I know I haven't posted on here in a while, perhaps it was forgetfulness, or fear, but mainly it was content. I read plenty of other blogs about productivity, positivity and all those other 'ivity's'. They all seem to say the same thing about running your own blog, half the time it doesn't matter what you write about, as long as you keep writing. Eventually it will just flow.

Ever since a visit to a clairvoyant (Anna) i've been writing as i've been told, the instructions were to put on some music that you LOVE, relax with a notepad and pen and write! Don't look at what you are writing, just relax and write, write your problems, your successes, your relationships, your work, your social life, your positives, your negatives ANYTHING.

The idea behind it is that while you are not looking at the page your subconcious or your heart is doing the writing, it may seem a bit weird, but after doing it a few times is very beneficial. Try it! :)

This blog is now not only dedicated to my career, but to my life, my mental and my physical advances. Expect many aspects of my life to be posted up here, don't expect any negatives, there are no negatives. Everything in life is moving forward, even when it might not look so.

CV - Long Version

2007-04-27T17:28:00.000+09:30

The CV link below is not my full one, what i'll be using that one for is canvassing with fax/email/post.

Click for my full version :)

Something?

2007-04-17T21:09:00.000+09:30

It's big, really big. It's coming.

And I know what it is.......

CVs and Cover Letters

2007-04-15T08:48:00.000+09:30

My CV is now officially complete and can be viewed here

I haven't had a resume for the past 5 years, frankly because I didn't need one, a good thing about the RAAF is job security (in fact it's quite hard to get out). However a CV is critical to keep updated in any job, regardless of how long you are staying there. There is always something better out there and you should always be looking. Carpe Diem!

Next is my cover letter, my primary job seeking goal is to cold canvas companies and get my name out there, to do this I need a structured cover letter that needs minimal changes depending on my targeted employer. Currently I'm writing a very generalised one, after learning on the go I'll make changes accordingly.

*Edit. Cover letter can be viewed here

Career Transition Seminar - Day Three

2007-04-13T15:18:00.000+09:30

A day late with this one.

The third day didn't have as much content relevant to me as I would have expected, for a something with great potential it unfortunately fell short.

Franchising although not really something I would want to jump into straight away was probably the most informative session. The lecturer covered the basics of franchising, how it is started, how much work is involved (not as simple as paying the cash and installing a manager and staff, a considerable amount of work has to be done by you), how to identify a good franchise to start with, what to look out for (quite a lot of dodgy people in the franchise world) and when to cut your losses. Franchising is not for me.

Small business, now here's what I was excited about all week, here is where I would hear about what I could be doing in the future. Wrong. The lecturer basically told us how to contact his office for all questions about small business. A genuine let down.

Apologies for the negative post, but as I look back upon this day I could have been doing something more constructive with my time.

In conclusion however the 3 day seminar was brilliant, incredibly informative and motivational. So much so it even provoked me into starting this blog! I have already signed up for the same course later on in the year. :)

"Most of our obstacles would melt away if, instead of cowering before them, we should make up our minds to walk boldly through them." - Orison Swett Marden

Career Transition Seminar - Day Two

2007-04-11T16:40:00.000+09:30

Day two. Finances.

As much as budgeting and financial planning is an important part of any career this subject just didn't have the excitement and motivation that yesterday's lessons did.

I've never been a good financial planner, budgeter or saver. In fact I have only recently started an automatic savings deposit every pay, this is one of my weaknesses and something that I'll have to pay quite a bit of attention to (even though it bores the pants off me).

Regardless of my distaste for the day I did get a lot out of it, mainly in regards to investing. Read the following:

Time in is better than timing

Don't try to time the investment market. If you have some money saved over and want some sort of return go buy some shares, you dont have to have thousands of dollars to invest, even if you insert a small amount of money every payday it will add up at the end of the year to something that you can earn from.

Short and long term investments are something to look at as well, don't just look at the distant future when you're retired sitting in the Greek Isles you need to give concentration to the short term future as well, something that will work as a stepping stone and help you now.

4 Investment options:

Cash
Fixed Interest
Property
Shares

Cash and Fixed Interest are a high defensive (safe) option, however they create less return and are pretty much just a savings account. If you really don't feel comfortable throwing your money out there then perhaps this is a good option until you muster up the courage to be adventurous.

The second two options, Property and Shares are something that you have to put in a bit more time and effort to ensure that you are getting something that you will profit with. Ensure that you spend at least a month doing heavy research for either option, after this if you decide not to do it you have learned a great deal anyway. These options provide a much better return than fixed interest accounts.

The best way to learn about these things is experience, get in there and do it, ask lots of questions, try lots of things. Just make sure that it's something that you can afford to lose.

Remember that objects in life are only to be used as tools to experience life, never get attached to them.

Career Transition Seminar - Day One

2007-04-10T20:37:00.000+09:30

Today was the start of a 3 day seminar devoted to helping military members who are interested in discharge transition smoothly to civilian life.

The three days are broken up into

Day 1. Resume creation, job seeking and interview techniques
Day 2. Finance and superannuation benefits
Day 3. Investing and small businesses

The majority of the subject mater discussed in day one I had already researched until I could research no more, however quite a lot of the information I found helpful and motivational. In particular a personal transition experience from an ex-Army officer turned motivational speaker. I didn't get the opportunity to take many notes, however the energy that this guy was giving out to the audience was amazing, this wasn't the obvious 'jumping-around-grinning' energy but more a mental one. Highlight of the day (hopefully more on this speaker in the future).

I did jot down some important tips and information on resume and interview techniques, but some of the most important quotes i'll share with you now:

Failing and learning from failures is evolution

Q: How tall does a tree grow?
A: As tall as it's environment allows

I'll further on this bit, potentially if you dont feel as if you're growing, change your environment, get out of your comfort zone and experience the change, never be afraid of it. You will always benefit from it.

Isn't it nice when you make everything in your life work to your benefit?

Change!

2007-04-10T19:27:00.001+09:30

Change is as good as a holiday so 'they' say.

In my case, change is the start of a new life, a new career and new happiness. The last few months I have had an awakening (or ephiphany, mainly because I like the word) and have many decisions on the next path that my career will take.

Setting up the beginning of the perfect life is no easy task, but I now have the knowledge, resources and work ethic to do it.

This blog will help me set my goals and aspirations as well as improve my writing abilities.

This is the start of something big!