Don't Forget to Enjoy the Day!

It's almost summer!

I love talking about leadership, success, and self development. We all want to be better people, pursue our dreams, and become a success. However, in our pursuit it's easy to forget to enjoy ourselves.

Check out this quick video on the importance of enjoying the day!

Remember, take time to smell the roses!

- Video by James Greenway (@NerdCred on Twitter)

Don't forget to like us on Facebook!

Make sure to view these other great articles at iHuman Development!

• Three Questions You Should Ask Yourself Everyday
• Journals: 5 Reasons You Should Start One Today
• I Want to Hijack Growth Hacking: or How Relearning to Tie My Shoes Changed My Life
• 8 Ways Your Brain Sabotages Your Life
• Meet Maslow: Master of Motivation

Read more ...

Don't Forget to Be Human

Be a human.

You're not a robot. You're not an automaton. You're not superman.

You are a human.

We forget this simple fact everyday. We strive for perfection. Fight tooth and nail to be the absolute best, to succeed, to not let others down, to not fail. We redouble our efforts whenever we fill the threat of failure looming.

We're constantly juggling plates, ensuring they spin in perfect rhythm. Well, not perfect but we make sure they're spinning in unison. Well, not really. At this point we just want them to spin. Actually, we don't care if they're spinning. Just a long as they stay up.

You're stressed, but you keep pushing forward because you're strong. You double up your effort and keep pushing. Everything is going smoothly, it just take a bit more effort. Then it gets harder, failure is looming. You keep pushing forward because you're strong. You double up your effort again and you keep pushing. You're back on track, until you're walking the edge once more.

But you're strong. You double up your effort for a third time. Suddenly, you're using double, triple, or even quadruple the effort just to keep your life moving. You're no longer growing, you're no longer moving forward, you're just a hamster spinning your wheels.

You need a break. You need help. But you won't admit it because you're strong. You've finally fallen into a trap.

You've forgotten you were human.

I'm going to let you in on a secret.

You're allowed to ask for help. You're allowed to spread the work around.

We don't have to be Superman or Wonder Woman. We're not robots. Yet time and time again we act like we are. This is how depression strikes. This is how we become beat down and learn to hate life. 

Life is for enjoyment. Life is about happiness, connections, and building something. 

Remember to be human. 

- Article by James Greenway (@NerdCred on Twitter)

Don't forget to like us on Facebook!

Make sure to view these other great articles at iHuman Development!

• Three Questions You Should Ask Yourself Everyday
• I Want to Hijack Growth Hacking: or How Relearning to Tie My Shoes Changed My Life
• 8 Ways Your Brain Sabotages Your Life
• Meet Maslow: Master of Motivation
• Old Man Traits and Why Relationships Matter

Read more ...

Journals: 5 Reasons Why You Should Start One Today

Here's the deal. We all want to improve ourselves We all want to achieve something. We all want to grow. I've said it time and time again, the only way we're going to improve, achieve, or grow is by learning.

Photo by Ray Dumas Posted under Creative commons

Life is full of lessons. Nearly everyday there is a moment that teaches us something new. Whether its about how the world works, how people work, how we work, or that mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell, there is always something new to digest. 

I'm 28. That's 10,448 days I've been alive. Over ten thousand lessons potentially learned. But there's a problem. The human mind is fallible. We forget things all the time. Even walking through a door makes us forget. How do we slow this process and ensure we're learning and internalizing as much as we can?

We start a journal.

Journals are a fundamental part of the learning process.  They are logs of how we've felt, what we experienced, questions that plague us. They help us internalize and realize who we are. If this isn't enough for you here are 5 more reasons YOU should start journalling. 

1. To capture your brilliant ideas. 

How often have you had an amazing idea only to forget it the next day? I know I've had countless ideas lost to the empty void of forgetfulness. Even though our brilliance may turn out to be bunk by later accounts, writing them down helps us remember and examine them. Why waste time trying to remember your ideas when you have a useful reference to grab at anytime?

2. It release your mental clutter and improves mental clarity. 

Journal writing is extremely well placed to unclutter your mind. Whenever you're dealing with a problem, emotional or otherwise, writing it down frees your precious brain from storing the problem. It's stored in a convenient journal, freeing your mind to work on solving your problem. Not merely looking at it day to day. 

3. It allows us to track our growth. 

Last week, I wrote about three questions you should ask yourself everyday. Three questions that when asked can help your self reflection and track if you're on the correct path. By writing out your answers, you have a clear record of how you've lived every day. This way you can either hold yourself accountable or give yourself the credit you deserve. 

4. It improves your health. 

Studies have shown that writing helps us deal with stressful or traumatic experiences. Not only mentally, but also physically. It's literally taking a giant weight off of our shoulders. In today's age we tend to bottle up a lot of what's bothering us, especially men. We don't want to burden others with our woes however, we can burden our piece of paper and free our minds for a little while. 

5. It leaves a legacy. 

One day when you're old and forgetful, your children and your grandchildren will want to know how you lived your life. Through out life and as we age, we forget thousands of details. Of course we remember the big events, but to our loved ones the little things matter. They'll want to know about the dreams, fears, and problems of people living in 2015. They'll want to know what questions you were asking at their age.

And who knows, maybe you'll become famous and millions will want to learn your wisdom and how you dealt with your life. 

How do I start?

We know how hard it is to start a journal. Especially when you're staring at a blank page wondering what to write. The key is to literally start writing. Anything, just let the words flow out however random they may seem. You'll be able to refine your method as you grow in journal writing. 

If you don't feel comfortable writing this way and need some guidance, we've created a nice journal template. The template includes the three daily questions, a mood tracker, and a place for you to write questions, ideas, and thoughts. It is a simple and easy way to get your mental ball rolling. 

You can download the word .doc here or a .pdf version here. 

Homework

I will leave you with this challenge. Start writing a journal today and keep one for at least a week. I guarantee you this will be all the time you'll need to realize it's benefits. 

- Article by James Greenway (@NerdCred on Twitter)

Don't forget to like us on Facebook!

Make sure to view these other great articles at iHuman Development!

• Three Questions You Should Ask Yourself Everyday
• I Want to Hijack Growth Hacking: or How Relearning to Tie My Shoes Changed My Life
• 8 Ways Your Brain Sabotages Your Life
• Meet Maslow: Master of Motivation
• Old Man Traits and Why Relationships Matter

Read more ...

Are You Harnessing Your Creativity or is it Destroying You?

You are creative. Whether you believe it or not.

We are separated from our animal brethren by our ability to create, to build, to find grand solutions. All of us have a spark inside us allowing our minds to see possibilities and worlds that don't exist. You are capable of vision.

Our minds are always working. Even when we stare off into the void and our eyes go blank, our minds are tinkering with ideas. This is the stuff of creativity. Of course, some of us are better at it than others, but we all have this magic inside our brains.

Many associate creativity with painting, music, writing, and other arts. However, we all use creativity every single day. Problem solving is a huge creative exercise and requires our imagination to assemble the random pieces into a working solution. Think of the last time your team and yourself solved some puzzle of a project. You were being creative.

Of course, some of people are better at the imagination than others. Some are born with an extra bit of the spark and a few have worked tirelessly to expand their creative awareness. You too can develop this muscle.

However, we need to talk about something extremely important first. The wild, flailing arms of the creative mind have to be harnessed. There's no secret that the most creative of our tribes are troubled with deep seated mental ailments. They tend to “go off the rails.” They can become loners tormented by their own thoughts and inner demons. This is because, while beautiful, the imagination is dangerous.

When we give our minds and our creativity form, guidance, and structure, we give our minds something productive to strive for. Our problem-solving imaginations grapple with problems and develop solutions. We find new ways to piece together our world. When our creativity is given a project it taps into the divine.

When we give our minds and our creativity nothing, it looks inward. With out form and control our creativity blazes a wildfire through our head creating whatever it wants. Often, for the worse. Our worse fears, our ruminations, our anxieties are our creative minds run a muck. With out direction our imaginations grab small fluttering thoughts and insecurities combining them into bigger, deeper destructive thoughts.

Left to it's own devices our creativity can become an unstoppable force of self destruction. This is why we can't ignore our creativity. This is why we have to feed it, grow it, and give it something positive to work on. It is a powerful force.

Use it to capture your success, not feed your failure.

- Article by James Greenway (@NerdCred on Twitter)

Don't forget to like us on Facebook!

Make sure to view these other great articles at iHuman Development!

• Three Questions You Should Ask Yourself Everyday
• I Want to Hijack Growth Hacking: or How Relearning to Tie My Shoes Changed My Life
• 8 Ways Your Brain Sabotages Your Life
• Meet Maslow: Master of Motivation
• Old Man Traits and Why Relationships Matter

Read more ...

Three Questions You Should Ask Yourself Everyday

Those of you that know me know that I love questions. I've said it many times: “Most people are looking for the right answers. I'm still looking for the right question.”

Photo by Karen Elliot

In my search for better questions, I've found three important ones to ask ourselves every day. These three questions can help us growth hack our lives. 

What have I learned today?

Not all learners are leaders, but all leaders are learners.

Our minds are our most precious resource. What we learn and how we use those new tools enables our success. Take time each day to ask yourself, “what have I learned today?” Reach out and make a true effort to expand your knowledge. You never know when that new information will come in handy. Remember, if we aren't learning we aren't growing.

Have I added value to the people around me?

We are elevators. we can either lift up the people around us or we can put them down. We should actively seek to build up our teams, our neighbors, our communities. None of us are going to change the world tomorrow. Change on this scale takes a dedicated effort every day to add to the lives of those around us.

Ask yourself at the end of the day, “Have I added value to those around me?” Don't be a leaner, be a lifter.

What were my successes?

We are our own worst saboteur. Self doubt, mind reading, and self hate work to prevent us from reaching our best selves. This train is extremely easy to ride with out even realizing unless we actively stop from stepping on. We tend to focus on our failures. The ways we could have done something better. This thinking is toxic.

Reminding ourselves what we got right is the best antidote. Reflect each evening by asking yourself this question. “What were my successes”. Remember to give yourself the credit you deserve. Even if it is just celebrating that you brushed your teeth today.

Three a day helps us get better every day

These three questions don't seem like much. However, ensuring we ask them every day helps us live our lives a little better than yesterday. Self defeat is our biggest enemy and we can combat it by self-reflection. Reminding ourselves what we've learned, how we've added to the people around us, and how we've succeed brings us just a little closer to the best version of ourselves. 

- Article by James Greenway (@NerdCred on Twitter)

Don't forget to like us on Facebook!

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I Want to Hijack Growth Hacking or: How Relearning to Tie My Shoes Changed My Life

Relearning to tie my shoes changed my life.

The premise sounds ludicrous I know, but it happened. Unbeknownst to myself, I had been improperly tying my shoes wrong for 28 years. 28 years I spent my life living a lie. I guarantee most of you have been doing the same. Terry Moore sates your curiosity here, demonstrating the correct shoe tying method.

This was my first growth hack. From this simple change of habit, my life was launched in an entire new direction. I learned habits could be changed. I reconquered shoe tying. Therefore I could reconquer my existence.

What followed was a whirlwind of small habit changes. I learned a better way to brush my teeth. I learned a better way to shower. I learned a better way to communicate. I learned to be more connected with my work. I learned that learning was still possible and each change I made left me happier, more fulfilled, and living a better life. All thanks to relearning to tie my shoes.

I growth hacked my life.

Photo by Chief Photographer; Defence Imagery

What is growth hacking?

The newest buzzword on the block, growth hacking deals with increasing website traffic, consumers, and sales. It distances itself from traditional marketing by focusing on speed and quality.

I want to hijack the term.

I want marketing dropped from growth hacking's definition. I want growth hacking to be about self growth. I want business dropped from our mind. Our hacking should be focused on us.

Life hackers lament

Life hacking focuses on novelty. Tricks, shortcuts, or skills that increase efficiency. The majority of the life hacks out there today are almost silly little improvements to every day challenges. Life hackers don't focus on improving the self.

Computer hackers exist, Life hackers exist, what about self hackers? Those that look at human growth and want to make it easier, faster, and more efficient. Self development takes work and a lot of it. Changing habits takes weeks, months, sometimes years of constant reinforcement with the risk of failure rearing is ugly head at the most inopportune times. We struggle against the odds and for our effort we are rewarded with a surge of success and fulfillment.

There has to be a better way

I'm not advocating abandonment of sound principles on self growth. I'm advocating a way to “hack” our way to our better self. Growth hacks based on small changes and benefits that eventually will affect our entire lives.

Please join with me in taking growth hacking in a new direction. Let's stop Growth hacking business. Let's start Growth hacking ourselves.

- Article by James Greenway (@NerdCred on Twitter)

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You're Probably Not A Genius, and That's OK

Let's face it. There are people in this world light years ahead of everyone in the realm of mental gymnastics. There exist lightning quick logicians that can, in a moment's notice, calculate numbers on the grandest scale inside their head. These masters of the mind were born with large brains, exquisite neural pathways, and a knack for cognition.

Photograph by Oren Jack Turner, Princeton, N.J.

Chances are you're not one of them. Chances are you're mentally average. No more gifted than the cashier at the local super market or the teacher at your local school.

"Ok," you might say, "I'm average. Thanks for the motivation....."

We may not be super-geniuses, but we don't have to be an intellectual master to succeed. We just need to be smart enough. Smart enough to get started and learn the ropes. Smart enough to pursue learning even when it's hard. The rest is gained through hard work, dedication, and the pursuit of passion.

As a self-proclaimed nerd, I've gotten to meet a lot of people with high I.Q.s. Most of these intellectual people work, unhappily, in dead end jobs; even though they're leagues ahead of their co-works in mental capacity. In complete contradiction, most of the P.H.Ds I know weren't the smartest kid in class. In fact, a few were even "C" students in high school.

For those of us that found school easy, laziness became our sanctuary. Why work hard when you already know everything? However, the reality of the situation was that we didn't know everything. So, when the going got tough, we stopped trying. Failing at something and losing the title of "smart kid" was infinitely worse than not attempting at all. And thus, one by one, the "smartest kids" tended to drift off into obscurity.

These average students become doctors however, had to work for every point on the grade scale. They earned every scratch on their notepad.  When others were taking school easy and still getting by, they struggled through hours of homework just to keep up. Every hour they spent working, learning, and studying got these students one step up the latter. Then finally, after sweating, stressing, and climbing they got to walk on stage as a student and leave the stage as a doctor. Hard work, determination, and dedication had brought them their dreams.

This is the difference between success and obscurity. Intelligence doesn't matter as much as people would have you believe. You don't have to be a genius for success to come your way. The quality that matters most is the willingness to pursue your passion, to work hard, and dedicate yourself to your goal. Struggle, grow, and learn with every single step. If you can do this, you can succeed at anything.

You're not born talented, you earn it.

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8 Ways Your Brain Sabotages Your Life

“My boss hates me,” “I've studied, but I KNOW I’ll fail that exam,” “I shouldn't feel this way, I CAN’T feel this way. Not right now,” “She’s so successful.  Next to her, I’m a failure.” – Sound familiar?

A myriad of automatic thoughts fill our heads on a daily basis. They’re called negative thoughts, distorted reasoning, and thinking errors; all different names for the sabotage happening in our own minds.  These errors plague our day to day routines but if we begin to recognize them, we can conquer them.

See if any jump out:

Mind Reading:  “My boss thinks I’m lazy.” You assume knowledge of people’s thoughts without any observable evidence.  

Catastrophizing: “My life is ruined if I don’t pass this evaluation.” You believe the worst possible outcome has happened or will happen. Something so terrible it’s unbearable.

Emotional Reasoning: “I’m so depressed; my marriage just isn’t going to work out because of it.” Your feelings dictate how you see the world instead of using reality based observations.

Personalizing: “We didn’t make the sales quota because I couldn’t close the deal with a customer.” Any failures of the group you attribute solely, or disproportionately, on yourself.

Blaming:  “It’s my team’s fault for not picking up the slack. I did everything completely right.” The opposite of the personalizing error.  Blame falls on everyone else, without taking your share of responsibility.

Fortune telling: “I’ll fail tomorrow’s exam. I’m sure of it.” You predict the future. The worst possible outcome will happen or someone is going to sabotage you.

Dichotomous Thinking: . “I failed to get the job, I’m a failure.” The all or nothing approach

Regret Orientation:  “I could’ve gotten that job if I hadn't said that”, “I would've closed that sale if I had tried harder.” Could’ve, should’ve, and would've. Your focus is on past failures instead of the challenges facing you right now.

There are more thinking errors in existence; these are a few of the most common. The key to our success is being able to identify and challenge these errors of thought. Naming the error is critical. It gives the distortion a label and helps zero in on them as they pop into our heads.

Which errors do you identify with? The next time you catch yourself with a distortion, write it down and identify it. Recognizing our cognitive distortions is the first step in challenging, and then eliminating, them.




As always, you can follow James on Twitter via @NerdCred

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