I Hope This Helps Someone

Back about 20 months ago I started college and just struggled with everything, classes, friends, girls... I quickly became depressed, angry at myself for not being about to do better in school, in addition to lack of friends due to poor social and communication skills.

This went on for months, until my 19th birthday. My parents sent me a cake, it was a great cake, but I remember having this large cake, and absolutely no one to share it with. I ended up throwing out the cake after having 1 piece, with about 90% of it leftover. That night I was so depressed that I decided to say f**k it and go outside to the freezing temperatures of the winter (as my birthday resident in that period) and run. Put my earphones in, went outside, and ran/walked about 2 miles at 11pm on my birthday.

When I got back inside I was content, I was proud of what I was able to do. The next night I did the same, I wasn't quick or fit but you know what I went outside and did something. The running continued for about 2 months until I finally worked up the courage to go to the gym, where I started swimming again, as I used to in high school. A month went by and I started lifting weights and continually running.

Looking back I can see that exercise helped cure my depression but it didn't only do that, at the gym I met new friends, back at my dorm I grew confidence to go to the end of the hall seeing people playing super smash brothers and ask if I could join. I asked a girl out.

So go forward to present now and I exercise everyday and look forward to that hour and a half I get daily to do what I love with people who love it as well.
I hope this helps someone who may be or have been in a similar situation.

When Rolls Royce collected garbage and swept streets of India.(Management Lesson : Never judge book by its cover)

​Are we educated enough to predict the prospects ? Can we really certain who would be our potential customers ? Well the answer I would say is a big "NO". With the technologies invading our intellectual space its still a big challenge to answer this question. Since 1920's and till date we keep making mistakes to judge the book by its cover.

In 1920 King Jai Singh visited London and was walking without his royal appearance in Bond Street. The king saw a Rolls Royce showroom in the bond street and decided to enquire about the Rolls Royce car.

The showroom salesman judging him by his casual appearance insulted King Jai Singh thinking he is any ordinary man showing interest in the high end cars. King was shown the door by the discriminating salesman.

 After this insult, King Jai Singh returned to his Hotel room and asked his servants to call the showroom that tell them that King of Alwar city wants to purchase some Rolls Royce cars.

The red carpet was rolled out in the showroom and the all the salesmen in the showroom were lined up to honour the king’s visit. After a couple of hours the king visited the showroom with his royal manner and appearance. The king decided to purchase all the six cars which were present at that time and he paid in full including the delivery costs.

After all six Rolls Royce car reached India, the king ordered the Municipality to use all these six cars for the purpose of sweeping streets and collecting the garbage in the city. Then world number one car manufacturer Rolls Royce was baffled when the news of Indian king using their car as garbage van spread the world in matter of no time. Hence the reputation of Rolls Royce dropped rapidly all over the world and so did the revenue.

Finally, they sent a telegram to the Indian King Jai Singh apologising for their behaviour whilst he visited the showroom in London and also they offered him six more Rolls Royce for free of cost. The king accepted their apologies and stopped using the cars for garbage collection.

We still make mistakes in channelising our resources towards one segment and sometimes ignore the under dogs. Why not to have Eagle eyes ? By the way an eagle can scan the earth from a height of 10-15,000 feet looking for prey. And when they spot one, these birds can dive at over 100 mph and still keep their target in complete focus. So choose the prospect wisely and pounce with all the resources.

Reasons You Procrastinate and How to Overcome Them

DO YOU EVER PUT OFF A TASK ONLY TO FIND YOURSELF IN A MESS OF PANIC AND ANXIETY AS YOU SCRAMBLE TO FINISH IT BEFORE THE DUE DATE?

Have you ever asked yourself, “Why do I do this?”

It’s because it’s a habit. Go on, admit it and say it aloud, you are a procrastinator.

If it’s any comfort, you’re not the only one. Just about everyone procrastinates. Sometimes that’s good, but mostly it’s an insidious, chronic malaise that will cripple your future.

So why do you continue to procrastinate, despite knowing that the end result will only produce turmoil and subpar work?

There are four good reasons why you may be choosing to procrastinate right now, but with a little help you can overcome this nasty habit and take decisive action toward achieving your hopes and dreams.

Here are 4 reasons why you may be wasting time and how to stop procrastinating:

1. You procrastinate because you’re bored

It’s a fact of life. We all feel less than enthusiastic from time to time. Sometimes our work becomes routine and we end up just going through the motions.

But how do you combat this?

First, recognize that you’re bored. Be conscious of your feelings, your falling energy levels, and your lack of desire to finish your projects. Ask yourself a few questions and be totally honest with your answers. Am I bored with what I’m doing? Why am I bored? What would give me a lot more energy?

Successful people maintain their excitement by constantly going after new projects and bigger opportunities. They thrive on taking new risks and the possibility that they might hit a massive home run. And the uncertainty makes it even more appealing!

Keep raising your level of expectation and never become satisfied with routine business that requires no challenge or ingenuity.

2. You procrastinate because you’re overwhelmed 

Often people procrastinate because they let things pile up, instead of handling one task at a time and taking each task to completion.

This may start with one little thing that doesn’t get done because the time wasn’t right, or you just didn’t feel like doing it. Then something else comes along, and you postpone that, too. Now you have two things to do.

Individually, neither one seems too big to accomplish, but together they create resistance. And after a while, a growing list of a half dozen items has been put off and procrastination has reared its ugly head.

If you’re not careful, this can begin controlling you, and you will become overwhelmed and won’t know where to start.

To combat this, start each day by doing the list of tasks you least want to work on or the tasks that are the most challenging. Then, you won’t have to worry about them piling up and looming over your head.

3. You procrastinate because you’re doing work you don’t really enjoy 

There are two sides to this kind of dilemma. The first is that all of us are required to do certain things we don’t enjoy. That’s one of the rules of the game if you want to become more successful. You may not like it but that’s the way it is.

Successful people do the things that unsuccessful people don’t like to do. They don’t enjoy doing some of these things either, but they go ahead and do them anyway. This is a fundamental point, one that you need to fully understand.

The other side of the coin is that you may be stuck in a mediocre job or career that doesn’t allow you to use your greatest abilities. If that’s true, then look for an opportunity to expand your talents. Life is too short to be stuck in work you don’t enjoy. Most of the time, the type of work you do should stimulate you and give you energy.

Why stay in something that drains your energy and is not fulfilling?

If you’re not switching careers due to fear, remember that the biggest rewards in life are found outside your comfort zone. Being willing to feel the fear and take action anyway are prerequisites if you want to enjoy a life of success and adventure.

4. You procrastinate because you’re lazy

I’m going to be blunt for a moment. If you avoid taking action because you’d rather put your feet up every night and watch movie reruns on TV, there’s little chance you’ll be enjoying an abundant lifestyle anytime soon.

The bottom line?

Success takes effort and consistent, focused activity. Laziness is not part of the equation. @JackCanfield (Click to Tweet!)

Now it’s time for YOU to succeed and stop procrastinating

Keeping these four reasons in mind, I want to leave you with a few thoughts.

Write down a list of things that you may be putting off doing right now, then ask yourself WHY am I putting off doing these things? If you can’t think of a good reason why you can’t complete the task, then make a plan of action for how you’re going to complete it and by when.

To hold yourself accountable, leave a comment below with the list of tasks you’re going to complete and by when.

Remember, nothing will change for the better until you do.

Former pepper hawker earns PhD in Biomedical Engineering

A young Nigerian lady, Adeola Olubamiji, whose story is that of the proverbial grass-to-grace has not only done herself proud by earning a PhD in Biomedical Engineering, her story is an encouragement that where there is a will, there is a way.

Read her moving tribute on her graduation day:

“As the fifth child of five, I always had to wait for my turn. I was the last, a girl child and raised by a mother who is a farmer and a father who has little.

“I hawked pepper on the streets of Ibadan as early as age 10 to help my mum. Went to public primary and secondary schools in Ibadan. Attended OOU and studied Physics.

“Because I had a 2.1, it opened the door for me to proceed to Finland for a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Engineering. During this Master’s degree, I worked part-time as a cleaner and did this after my Master’s as well.

“Out of determination, I applied to over 100 schools for my PhD and finally got a full three-year scholarship (later extended to four years) at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, to pursue a PhD in Biomedical Engineering.

“While in that PhD programme, I worked part-time as a makeup artist, teaching assistant, braided hair and fixed weaves to make extra money.

“Today, I walked the stage as the first black person to bag a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada!

“I walked this stage for you Mama Africa and for my Motherland Nigeria! I walked the stage for all of you Black women disrespected and looked down on!

“I walked for all of you from my ghetto hood, Mokola, Ibadan. I walked for all OSU students and ex-students that got that look from people who think we are not brilliant!

“I walked for all of you Africans in Finland wondering what is next for you!!

“Specially, I walked for you my parents, siblings and extended family in fulfilment of your dreams!

“Specially, I walked the stage for you my late sister Omoleye Olubamiji; and my late mentor Ayodele Olatunbosun.

“Today, I walked for my future husband and my unborn children who patiently waited for me to fulfil my dreams so that he can have a wife he will be proud of and they can have a role model to look up to.

“I walked for all immigrants and all young adults who strived everyday chasing their dreams!

“I walked in celebration of the unfailing love of my first and one truly true love, Jesus Christ, (in you I walk, in you I live, and in you I have had and will continue to have my being)!

“Be bold, be innovative, be different, be you, be everything you want to be; but remember to put God first!

“Let no man, upbringing, money, circumstance, colourism, past mistakes, institution, company, partner, background, let nothing tell you ‘you can’t do it.’

“Go smart! Go hard!! Go for Gold!!! Go with God!!! Just Get Going!!!!! #Grad2017 #PhDConvocation #UofS”

Editor’s Note: This post has been edited.  Adeola Olubamiji is the first black to obtain a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada

Robert Greene Quotes & Top 10 Rules For Success

 Fearless Motivation  

Robert Greene is a well-known American author and public speaker, best known for his books The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, The 33 Strategies of War, The 50th Law and Mastery. His books have brought him international acclaim in the personal development arena. Here are 5 Robert Greene Quotes & Top 10 Rules For Success

5 of the best Robert Greene Quotes & Top 10 Rules For Success.

5 of the best Robert Greene Quotes.

1-“Keep your friends for friendship, but work with the skilled and competent.” Robert Greene Quotes

2- “Never waste valuable time, or mental peace of mind, on the affairs of others—that is too high a price to pay.” Robert Greene Quotes

3- “The future belongs to those who learn more skills and combine them in creative ways.” Robert Greene Quotes

4- “Never whine, never complain, never try to justify yourself.” Robert Greene Quotes

5- “The time that leads to mastery is dependent on the intensity of our focus.” Robert Greene Quotes

Robert Greene’s Top 10 Rules For Success.

1- Do what you really love.

Doing what you love is key to being successful in business, and in life. Follow your passion; focus on creating a life that includes those passions, and you cannot go wrong.

2- Think like an outsider.

If you follow the pack, you can’t possibly deliver anything new to the table. Thinking like an outsider means being creative, keeping an open perspective and remaining detached from the challenges you face in order to solve problems easier and more effectively.

3- Be curious.

Allow yourself to explore life. Don’t restrict your experience by sticking to what you know. Explore new places, speak to new people and try new things, you never know what you may learn or who you may meet.

4- Shut out the distractions.

Distractions destroy productivity. Almost every minute of every single day, we are being distracted by something. It could be our phones, the Internet or even advertising. If you are to become wildly successful at what you do, you need to be able to focus your mind on achieving one thing at a time.

5- Use active imagination.

Use your mind to generate possibility. If you limit your thinking to what you already know or understand, then you limit your creativity. Instead, allow yourself to tap into your imagination consciously to achieve practical solutions.

6- Become self-reliant.

You have to learn to take care of yourself in life. This skill is one of the most powerful things you can master on the journey to success. Once you become self reliant, you know you have the resources within you to get yourself out of any negative situation you may end up in.

7- Be patient with fools.

When you are striving for a better life, there will always be people who come up against you. They may be fools, but this does not mean you need to isolate yourself. Instead you can choose to learn from them, and perhaps understand who you are a little better.

8- Embrace the chaos.

Humans love to control things; it’s in our nature do so. But the thing is, life is random. There is no way to predict what will happen next. And if you spend your life clinging to certainty, you will only cause yourself suffering. Let go of needing to have all the answers, and embrace the unknown.

9- Transform yourself through your work.

Through your work, you have an opportunity to change yourself in a positive and lasting way. Our work does not have to be boring or banal. When we set about performing meaningful duties, we give ourselves purpose, and we become open and receptive to growth.

10- Be emotionally engaged.

Success does not come by accident. It is not a result of circumstances or luck. Success comes from motivation. If you are motivated and engaged with what you are doing, you learn faster, and you work harder. Don’t make excuses for why you aren’t where you want to be. Instead, choose to be motivated and inspired, and you WILL find the success you desire.

What are your favourite Robert Greene Quotes? Share them below.

What is the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development?

At the Sustainable Development Summit on 25 September, 2015, UN Member States adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which includes a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and tackle climate change by 2030.

The SDGs, otherwise known as the Global Goals, build on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), eight anti-poverty targets that the world committed to achieving by 2015. The MDGs, adopted in 2000, aimed at an array of issues that included slashing poverty, hunger, disease, gender inequality, and access to water and sanitation. Enormous progress has been made on the MDGs, showing the value of a unifying agenda underpinned by goals and targets. Despite this success, the indignity of poverty has not been ended for all.

The new Global Goals, and the broader sustainablity agenda, go much further than the MDGs, addressing the root causes of poverty and the universal need for development that works for all people.

UNDP Administrator Helen Clark noted: "This agreement marks an important milestone in putting our world on an inclusive and sustainable course. If we all work together, we have a chance of meeting citizens’ aspirations for peace, prosperity, and wellbeing, and to preserve our planet."

The Global Goals will now finish the job of the MDGs, and ensure that no one is left behind.

What are the proposed Global Goals?

All 17 SDGs are connected to UNDP’s Strategic Plan focus areas: sustainable development, democratic governance and peacebuilding, and climate and disaster resilience. Goals Number 1 on poverty, Number 10 on inequality and Number 16 on governance are particularly central to UNDP’s current work and long-term plans. 

Having an integrated approach to supporting progress across the multiple goals is crucial to achieving the SDGs, and UNDP is uniquely placed to support that process.

What is UNDP's role with the Global Goals?

UNDP can support, and is already supporting, countries in three different ways, through the MAPS approach: mainstreaming, acceleration and policy support.

This sees us:

Providing support to governments to reflect the new global agenda in national development plans and policies. This work is already underway in many countries at national request;Supporting countries to accelerate progress on SDG targets. In this, we will make use of our extensive experience over the past five years with the MDG Acceleration Framework; andMaking the UN’s policy expertise on sustainable development and governance available to governments at all stages of implementation.

Collectively, all partners can support communication of the new agenda, strengthening partnerships for implementation, and filling in the gaps in available data for monitoring and review. As Co-Chair of the UNDG Sustainable Development Working Group, UNDP will lead the preparation of Guidelines for National SDG Reports which are relevant and appropriate for the countries in which we work.

UNDP is deeply involved in all processes around the SDG roll out. The guidance and tools being developed will be shared as they become available. As well, we are bringing our extensive programming experience to bear in supporting countries to develop their national SDG efforts

Leadership Isn't About Being Great, Its About Enabling Others To Be Great

As I sipped on my tea at a mentoring session last week, a long term colleague and friend posed a question: "How Can I Be A Great Leader?!"

I gave the question some more thought - with seven words he had really got my mind racing! I finally responded: "Leadership isn't about being great. It's about enabling others to be great."

I've since had the opportunity to reflect on this. What did I mean? How do you enable people to be great, and create 'great teams'?

I've sought to break this down to what I believe are 6 key points, however one of my biggest learning's is that every day is a school day, and this will evolve over time. I continue to learn every single day!

People Make the Difference 

As Jose Mourinho replied when asked about building a successful team, " you can't make an omelette without eggs"

Great people are the true differentiator in any successful business or team. As a leader, it is key you keep your eyes wide open and enable everybody to be the best possible version of 'them'.

Get to know all of the people around you, understand what they want to achieve and help them self-realise what they need to do to 'win'. Then you will see that people become motivated, they have clarity and they have belief, both in you and themselves. Success will follow if you believe in the 'possibility' of people.

Success will follow if you believe in the 'possibility' of people.

 Environment

 Would you go and socialise somewhere that made you unhappy? 

 In fact, lets stretch this.. 

Would you socialise somewhere that didn't excite you, you don't find enjoyable, that you 'don't' want to go to?

Obviously the answer is no - yet many spend upwards of 8 hours a day in a workplace that they are at best ambivalent towards. As a leader, it is key we create an organic environment that it is enjoyable to be in, that fuels others passion to make a difference and gets people excited to come in to work and succeed.

Small acts regularly are always better than the occasional grand gesture. Breakfasts, lunches, walk and talks, sporting events, recognition. Even remembering to greet everyone every day and ask how they are, simple gestures that are often forgotten. Diverse teams will have diverse ideas around what's is enjoyable, so ensure everybody can be involved to foster ideas.

Furthermore, leaders set the tone. Each morning, we need to ensure we walk in and create magic for our teams.

Consistency

As Aristotle's quote tells us, 'excellence is not an act, but a habit, we are what we repeatedly do'.

Im a great believer that consistency is a key trait in great leaders. Those that change their position consistently confuses others and this damages morale.

We have to know what we stand for and be prepared to remember this in the face of challenges. Those that stand for everything, stand for nothing.

'excellence is not an act, but a habit, we are what we repeatedly do'.

Humility and Vulnerability

When things go wrong, weak leaders blame others - their predecessors, their team, their leaders. Everybody bar themselves. However if you're explaining, you're already behind.

Rather, we should be willing to show and share our vulnerability. 

We all make mistakes and sharing these simply displays that we are human! Subsequently we need to highlight our desire to learn from these. It is a sign of strength, not weakness in asking for guidance and support. This tells your team that asking for help is more than just OK. It's often the right step. 

The ability to display humility and our genuine vulnerability authenticates that we are after all 'human.' 

Finally, when the teams wins, victory should be about your people. I still live by the motto to #makeyourpeoplefamous.

"Finally, when the teams wins, victory should be about your people. I still live by the motto to #makeyourpeoplefamous."

Never Give Up

Some days will be be tough. Things will not go the way we expected. However we need to be relentless in moving forward. Resilience really is one of the greatest traits a leader can possess.

When things go wrong, understand why, yet don't dwell on it. Instead focus on how you will ensure you wont make the same mistakes, or how you can learn from this. Own it. Never accept failure, never give up, and do this with a positive mindset

Integrity is Everything

Finally, be guided by your morals. When making tough decisions, ensure they align with your moral compass.

When you have tough conversations, have them with integrity and honesty. Never ignore these as this is fastest route to failure. This is particularly relevant with behaviours.You can give second chances on numbers, but not on values.

If you can look yourself in the mirror each evening, knowing that you've given it your all and you've done the right thing, there really is nothing more you can do.  The time is always right to do what is right.

"The time is always right to do what is right."

Feel free to connect / follow me me on LinkedIn or Twitter @theleadersshipp or@rundmcqueen #theleadershipproject where I love to talk about all things Leadership.

Written by

David McQueenThought Leader in Customer Experience - Leadership - Cultural Transformation - EMBA - Speaker - Featured LinkedIn Author

Gifts To Give Someone Who’s Having A Hard Time

1. This glittering, golden, positive affirmation.

amazon.com

2. A plush worry monster that’s always there to commiserate when you can’t be.

etsy.com, etsy.com

3. A candle for someone missing the comforts of home.

homesickcandles.com

4. A little encouragement for their keyring.

variouskeytags.com, variouskeytags.com

5. Sticky notes to leave on their laptop or bathroom mirror that say things like “Hey, thanks for being you.”

amazon.com

6. And fill-in-the-blank personalizable books that help you spell out what makes them extraordinary.

knockknockstuff.com, knockknockstuff.com

7. “Revival Kit,” a subscription box full of beauty and wellness products geared toward relaxation, mindfulness, and self-care.

cratejoy.com

8. Wall art that may help change their mindset.

luluandgeorgia.com, luluandgeorgia.com

9. A set of potted faux succulents that’ll transform their space and bring them ~down to Earth~.

highfashionhome.com

10. Snail mail encouragement cards for an unexpected dose of hope.

etsy.com

11. “Hang in there” popcorn tubs and snack samplers that’ll get a friend through finals.

http://@_alex.aparicio / Via instagram.com, @conroysflowersbh / Via instagram.com

12. A workplace paperweight that speaks its mind so they don’t have to.

uncommongoods.com

13. A trove of customizable letters to Mom composed for specific moments of need or nostalgia.

papersource.com

14. A night spent together venting and moaning over Ben & Jerry’s in bed.

etsy.com, @benandjerrys / Via instagram.com

15. A mini-book and talking button for daily affirmations of badassery.

boxlunch.com

16. Jenny Lawson’s Furiously Happy, a book that employs humor to deal with the heaviness of depression, and Tiny Beautiful Things, a compilation of advice column Q&As by your discerning new best friend, Cheryl Strayed (aka “Sugar”).

amazon.com, amazon.com

17. A shoulder to cry on. But also, whiskey.

@jaydcary / Via instagram.com

All the ones you’ve heard of — plus the ones you haven’t — at Drizly.com.

18. F*ck That, a meditation book that “help[s] you find peace with the challenges that surround you. Because they are f*cking everywhere.”

fckshtshop.com

19. A Spafinder gift card for a much-needed massage, yoga sesh, makeover, or getaway.

@the_massage_suite / Via instagram.com

Get or gift them from Spafinder or Amazon.

20. Adorable plush organs for someone at war with their real ones.

@iheartguts / Via instagram.com, @iheartguts / Via instagram.com

21. Beautiful postcards that’ll be a welcomed break from bills.

amazon.com

22. Socks that keep their toes warm, with words that keep their head up.

joyofsocks.com / Via joyofsocks.com

23. And a Sherpa fleece blanket for those days they just can’t be bothered.

amazon.com

24. Home-cooked meals made with — or in the shape of — love.

amazon.com, amazon.com

25. A minimalist notebook that encourages the soothing effect of putting thoughts on paper.

etsy.com

26. A soft hemp unisex tee with a bold reminder of what they are.

@superegoworld / Via instagram.com, @superegoworld / Via instagram.com

27. And a delicate necklace adorned with the echo of those who pushed forward before us.

etsy.com