"There are those of us who are always about to live. We are waiting until things change, until there is more time, until we are less tired, until we get a promotion, until we settle down - until, until, until. It always seems as if there is some major event that must occur in our lives before we begin living."
- George Sheehan
Games like World of Warcraft give players the means to save worlds, and incentive to learn the habits of heroes. What if we could harness this gamer power to solve real-world problems? Jane McGonigal says we can, and explains how.
http://bit.ly/Pcm9Xj
Dr Seuss can provide so many Red Geranium moments - making us feel better about ourselves!
I've decided to share a Suess-ism every so often on the Reg Geranium blog. --- Enjoy!
Today you are you
That is truer than true
There is no one alive
Who is You-er than you
Dr Seuss can provide so many Red Geranium moments - making us feel better about ourselves!
I've decided to share a Suess-ism every so often on the Reg Geranium blog. --- Enjoy!
Today you are you
That is truer than true
There is no one alive
Who is You-er than you
"Children, you must remember something. A man without ambition is dead. A man with ambition but no love is dead. A man with ambition and love for his blessings here on earth is ever so alive."
Pearl Mae Bailey
Did you know that more people fear giving a public speech than dying? And for many of those who are uneasy about speaking in front of an audience, the impromptu speech is the scariest type of speech. The lack of preparation time can exponentially increase how much anxiety you feel before and during the talk. However, by following these tips you can be better prepared to give your next impromptu speech-which itself allows for virtually no preparation:
1. Don't rush.
Just because your preparation time is short, doesn't mean that you need to (or should) rush in giving the speech. Your audience will likely understand the situation, so go ahead and tell them when you haven't had time to prepare for the speech, and when you need some time to gather your thoughts.
2. Keep the speech short and to the point.
Since you've had minimal or no time to prepare for speech, the speech isn't expected to be as long as a "War and Peace" audio book. Instead, mention the main points you want to cover, without going into a lengthy explanations. Typically, an impromptu speech should only last a few minutes or so. Don't spend time talking about what you're going to say, or reviewing what you've said-just get to it!
3. Stick to the facts.
As many celebrities will tell you, impromptu speeches can be embarrassing. In particular, make sure that everything you include in your impromptu speech is factual. If you're uncertain whether information is factual, then don't include it in your speech. Also, if you share personal experiences, then qualify them as such.
4. Talk about what you know.
This will help to avoid any possible missteps when giving your impromptu speech. Avoid addressing issues that you're unfamiliar with, as the results could potentially be devastating.
5. Choose a general direction.
While you'll have to do this on-the-fly, this step will help to shape your impromptu speech. For instance, do you want the tone of the talk to be formal or informal? Do you want to add humor to your talk (and just as important--would it be appropriate?)? Address these questions as you walk up to a podium or wait for the audience to settle down.
6. Create a rapport with the audience.
You could include a humorous story or discuss information that the whole audience can relate to. The key is to capture the audience's attention, and then hold it until you utter your last word. One of the most effective methods is to establish the talk's tone early.
7. Create a skeleton outline whenever possible.
Sometimes you'll have some time to do some preparation for your speech. When you're in that situation, take a few minutes to create a skeleton outline. That will help to cover the main points you want to discuss, and to keep the impromptu speech as organized as possible.
While many of us are petrified about giving impromptu speeches, taking these steps can make you confident about giving them. In mere minutes you can create a lasting impression.
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Author: Graeme Renwall has been writing articles for nearly 3 years. He enjoys keeping fit and music but his current passion is parenting. Take a look at his selection of educational toys including Little Tikes Swings and the Little Tikes Jungle Gym, both of which stimulate the mind and help to keep children active.
SINGING A PERSONS SONG TO THEM
(photo and story shared by the inspired Aaron Paquette and I found it on a facebook page)
When a woman of the Ubuntu African tribe knows she is pregnant, she goes to the jungle with other women, and together they pray and meditate until you get to The Song of the Child. When a child is born, the community gets together and they sing the child’s song.
When the child begins his education, people get
Finally, when their soul is going from this world, family and friends are approaching and, like his birth, sing their song to accompany it in the journey.
In the Ubuntu tribe, there is another occasion when men sing the song.
If at some point the person commits a crime or aberrant social act, they take him to the center of town and the people of the community form a circle around her.
Then they sing your song.
The tribe recognizes that the correction for antisocial behavior is not punishment, but is the love and memory of his true identity. When we recognize our own song, we have no desire or need to hurt anyone.
Your friends know your song. And sing when you forget it.
Those who love you can not be fooled by mistakes you have committed, or dark images you show to others. They remember your beauty as you feel ugly, your total when you’re broke, your innocence when you feel guilty and your purpose when you’re confused.
-Tolba Phanem, African poet
Last week I spoke at the conference of a very busy multi-brand Marketing Department on how to manage their office environment and overload of paper and information. Since their Manager had read 'Getting a Grip on the Paper War - Managing information in the modern office' last year she'd been trying to convert her staff, but decided when the book got lost on someone's desk that she'd better get me in to help reinforce the message!
I asked: 'Who regards themselves as tidy and organised....' (before I'd finished the question, most hands went up) ... with their desks?'
A laugh went round the room, most hands went down, and some folk looked embarrassed.
That's a typical response. Most professionals, especially highly educated ones, haven't been taught simple methods to keep the desk tamed, and so that wonderful stress-reducer - a clear desk - is missed.
Seems to me it's so obvious that it's slipped under the radar.
Here, to help you get through the mass of 'stuff' waiting for your quick action, is one very simple desk-management technique, excerpted from the book.
Chunk your 'put-away' tasks
A very powerful desk-management behaviour to develop is a 'Put it away as you go' habit, but don't be ruled by it. Chunk it.
What do I mean by that? Imagine yourself working at the desk. You finish with a file, or a paper out of a file. You know it's a good habit to put away as you go, so you jump up, walk over to the filing cabinet, and replace it. Or you've borrowed scissors from the receptionist. She's threatened you with early death if you don't return them, so the minute you're finished you do as you were told. Then, (if you're lucky and don't get distracted), back you go to your desk to start on the next activity.
Two possible things can happen here.
1. You spend many minutes per day jumping up and down, interrupting the momentum you'd created at your desk.
2. Because you've completed something and not yet begun the next task there isn't as strong a subliminal pull back to your desk. You're therefore more liable to be distracted by some interesting little by-way, a file that catches your eye, or someone else walking past.
To overcome that scenario, try this one instead. You finish a task and put the completed materials either on the furthest away point of your desk out of your immediate visual range, or even better (as long as it doesn't cause a traffic jam!) put them on the floor beside or behind your chair. The next time you stand up, instead of stepping over the seeming clutter on the floor you ALWAYS bend down, pick it up, and put it away.
I learned this technique as a mother, trying to stay sane raising six children. (Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that one day I'd share it with business people!).
Whilst the children were little, (and anyone who's lived with children knows they have a profound disregard for tidiness) I found that, in a drive to keep the house looking a few notches above a war zone, I seemed to spend all day putting things away! Eventually I learnt to make piles 'to be put away in another room' by the door of any room I was working in. Then, as I walked out the door I'd pick up the pile, quickly zip around the house by the shortest possible route (implementing my own time and motion exercise) and put everything away. It was vastly more efficient than running around the house with each separate item.Apply the same technique in your office, no matter how large or small, and you'll gain great time-savings. It may seem a slightly untidy way of working but in fact it's very efficient.
Even though there is a slight delay, you are still putting things away as you go - whilst they're fresh in your mind. It's rarely longer than 30 minutes before you put away your current crop of 'stuff'. You never end up with an intimidating pile of filing (and I've seen some mountains!). Over a year many hours are saved - you don't walk around unnecessarily. If it's filing, you don't need to spend time re-familiarising yourself with the item or paper in hand, but it hasn't interrupted your flow of activity.
Bottom line - it saves you spending 'the rest of your natural life' majoring in minor things.
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Author: Robyn Pearce You can contact Robyn at robyn@gettingagrip.com and her website is http://www.gettingagrip.com You can check ou the back issues of these Top Time Tips or the Discussion Board.
Great speakers seem to stay on track effortlessly. Their presentations are tight and focused. Do you find yourself, on the other hand, sometimes, with too much information, or getting off the point of your story or presentation?
One simple trick to tighten and focus your presentation is to define the message; the central message of your presentation - what one thing do you want the audience to take away?
This message can be called a thesis statement or a theme. It can be given a number of names, but you need to be able to state it in one sentence. One sentence. That way you will stay focused on the outcome when you are planning.
Keep the sentence in front of you as you are preparing your content. Whenever you find a useful piece of information, ask yourself if it contributes to your one-sentence message and how well. When you are choosing the parts of your story, or the supports for your points, ask if they contribute to your one-sentence message and how well. When you are interacting with your audience in Q&A or an ad lib session, ask yourself that same question. Am I contributing to that one-sentence message and how well is what I am saying supporting it?
One sentence - one of the secrets to tightening and focusing your presentations.
Washington DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007.
He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes.
During that time approx 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.
After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.
4 minutes later: the violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the till and, without stopping, continued to walk.
6 minutes:A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.
10 minutes: A 3 year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly, as the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced them to move on.
45 minutes: The musician played. Only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32.
1 hour: He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.
No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.
Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.
This is a real story.
Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities.
The questions raised: in a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?
Do we stop to appreciate it?
Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?
One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments .... How many other things are we missing???
