“Turn your wounds into wisdom”. In life, we are inundated with lessons and opportunities to grow.  Sometimes they are more welcome or expected than others, but even so, every moment you experience plays an important role in your life.  I like the words in this quote, "picturing a wound creates a strong image that strengthens the negativity of the event".  When comparing that to wisdom, we understand that the pain was necessary to come upon a new realization that is no forever with you. Fittingly, wounds turn into scars, and you will have that remnant of what happened and a constant reminder of the progress you have made.

So, turn your wounds into wisdom, and know that certain things that happen in your life are meant to be there in order to help you grow.

Let’s talk about a childhood game that actually has some validity to it. Remember how we used to repeat back whatever was said to us just to be annoying?  Well, it  turns out that might not have been as effective as we thought, because the opposite is actually true. Mimicry helps build relationships.  

Okay, I know. It’s not supposed to be used in the same way we did as kids, but there is definitely a time and place for it.  By mimicking someone’s body posture, tone of voice, or even speed of speech, people are more responsive to your message. This is because people are more comfortable around you due to familiarity. We all have a tendency to prefer things that are familiar to us, because it means we are more confident it doesn’t present a threat.  

But there was an interesting study shared by social psychologist Jonah Berger, in his book, “Invisible Influence”.  He reported that waiters and waitresses who chose to mimic the behavior of their clients were 70% more likely to get a better tip at the end of the meal.  Why?  Because they were comfortable with, could relate to, and decided to reward their waiter.  

So, be extra cognizant of what others are doing, and try to match it, because it generates real results!

Let’s talk about technology. It has absolutely exploded in in the last decade and it’s scary to think that we each have access to more information in our pockets than many modern presidents did during their presidency. This comes with great opportunity, but also at a great detriment. Something that is starting to get the attention it deserves is the ramifications this technology is having on our social lives. A pioneer in the space, best-selling author,Dan Schawbel, has come upon some great conclusions, and he has shared those in his most recent book titled Back to Human. 

Technology is doing just as much harm as good. And some crazy statistics Dan shared is that we are on average tapping our devices 2600 times a day and looking at our phones once every 12 minutes. Pretty absurd.

What he articulates is that our mobile usage is in direct contradiction with our natural hierarchy of needs which creates superficial interactions that don’t leave a lasting impact on our well-being and psyche.  

But, technology definitely has its place in today’s society, and even in our social lives. So, use technology as a bridge to create opportunities for authentic social interaction. It really is irreplaceable.

It’s true that there is something unique and different inside each and every one of us. Between genetics, environment, and relationships, we all see and do things a little differently.  But this concept extends to our own capabilities, and is a bit misinformed. We think that we are better at something than we actually are because we overvalue our own uniqueness. This concept is demonstrated in the results of a driving study where the great majority of subjects rated their own driving in the 70th percentile. This provides some obvious insight into inflated perceptions we have of our own capabilities.

What does it take to truly be different, and to really be in the top of the top in life? Some would argue that it requires having a 2% mindset.

The key component to a 2% mindset is being able to overcome fear.  Most people prefer to stay in their comfort zone, which is perfectly acceptable, but limiting. It is the protection from failure and the comfortability of familiarity that reinforces this decision. Should you choose to be in the 2%, you need to be willing to take risks, act in spite of fear, embrace change, enjoy the unknown, and take chances.

It’s not for everybody. I would even hesitate to say that I have a 2% mindset. I prefer routine, organization, and security. Does that mean I can’t be outrageously successful? I don’t think so, but it does keep me from pursuing some of the opportunities that might lead to that big break.

Have self-awareness, know who you are, and live the life you want to live.

As you have probably noticed, every single day I talk about taking ownership of your personal development. But, what does that mean?

To take ownership is to take full responsibility for what happens. It means that no matter what result is achieved, it comes from your effort and your effort alone. It places all of the accountability on yourself so that you are intrinsically driven to perform when you can’t point the finger anywhere else but at yourself.  

Specifically within personal development, taking ownership is an absolute necessity. It’s called personal development because it is a very personal thing because you are doing it for yourself, by yourself, and having an ownership mentality makes the process that much more effective. Sure, it is still healthy to want to lose weight for your spouse, or to read more at night to be a better performer at work, but the intention to improve still exists within yourself. And that’s the important part here, because we get more done when that’s the case. 

We find more passion and motivation by work that reflects our capabilities as an individual. With nowhere to hide, we understand that the results we achieve are directly related to the actions we took to achieve them. And, as motivated as we are to succeed, we are way more motivated not to fail. Therefore, we go the extra mile and do whatever it takes to accomplish more. After all, we are all our own biggest fans!

So, take ownership of your personal development. Do it for yourself, and be unrelenting in your pursuit, because that is how you generate results. 

Approaching the New Year with optimism and an expectation that more good than harm will happen to you is a great approach in starting the New Year. There is an interesting way that life that tends to attract things similar to the energy we put off. Believing in good things will bring good things. This is the power of positivity in a nutshell.

This same approach can be attributed to your goals or resolutions for the new year. After defining them, it is important to believe that they will be realized. This manifests a similar energy that will help you make progress on those goals and have an accomplished 2019.

The role of the word “just” plays in today's quote is important to think about. Usually “just” is considered to be a bad word to use for affirmations because it weakens the assertiveness in your statement. However, in this case, I believe that it strengthens the quote because it demonstrates how easy the choice is to believe that good things are on the way. A positive mindset is a powerful tool, and it’s up to you to get it to work to your advantage.

Many of us are motivated by achieving success. Success is extremely variable and hard to define, but I’ll leave that for another time. Moving beyond that, success requires many factors to be optimized and working in tandem. One thing that many of us neglect to take care of is sleep. In our minds, less sleep means more time to work.  But there is most definitely a tradeoff between the quantity and quality of work, especially when it comes to our rest.

Let’s hear from the outrageously successful Ariana Huffington, co-founder of “The Huffington Post”, and how getting more sleep changed her life.

I hope that message helped shed some light on the concept. Don’t compromise your sleep, because that will compromise the rest of your day.

Happy New Year, and may 2019 be the best year yet for all of us. Let’s not rag too much on 2018, because a lot of very important things happened that have shaped the course of the rest of our lives.

So, instead of setting resolutions or goals, today let’s be appreciative of what 2018 did for us.  This approach has come to my attention from a few different angles recently.One is something I already talked about, which is end of year planning with YearCmpass, but after that a few powerful voices on LinkedIn independently introduced me to the concept of gratitude at the end of the year.  

First, is Kira Day, who encourages us to #ReflectAndShare. She has laid out a three step process of gratitude, focus, and motivation. Think about what you are most thankful for (gratitude), name a highlight from 2018 (focus on something positive), and state what you are most excited for in 2019 (motivation).  It’s the perfect trifecta.

Or, listen to what Brian Almeida and Scott Berty are doing. They started a gratitude campaign, (gratitude spelled GRATI2DE), at the end of the year to get people into the habit of practicing gratitude so that it is in full swing for when the New Year comes around. 

I highly suggest connecting with all three of these stars on LinkedIn (Kira Day, Brian Almeida, and Scott Berty) so you can be a part of everything they’re tackling in this New Year.

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When was the last time you tried something new? It could be as simple as going to a new restaurant, attending a new class, getting on a random phone call, or trying a different workout. A small disruption to your normal routine is highlighted in your mind as a focus point in your day and has the opportunity to radically shift your perception.

Try doing something new, just because. Last week, for no reason whatsoever, I decided to embark in a personal push-up challenge. Basically, this means I have found myself panting on the floor at work trying to knock a few out at random times throughout the day. What’s interesting is I’ve noticed that it has served as a little brain break from my work routine and refreshes my mind.  

A push-up challenge might not be for everyone, but there are a ton of ways to bring that small disruption to your routine. Also, the benefits of it are far-reaching. A Huffington Post article says that doing something new can stimulate creativity, help you overcome fears,and get to know yourself better.  

The easiest way to do something new is to say “yes” more often when people invite you to things. By accepting an offer you mentally commit to it, and your brain holds you to it because it prefers a state of consistency.  So, become a yes-person, put yourself out there, and do something new just because.