Imagination And Willpower

Here are a few chunks of information that I’ve scraped from the book-‘A Bias For Action’ written by Sumantra Ghoshal and Heike Bruch. I took time to read the book and I just wanted to share the important things it taught me.

Think about this,

Have you ever spotted a chance to do something valuable-but for whatever reason, you did not pursue it? Perhaps you started and then gave up when you hit the first roadblock or maybe you just didn’t begin with it in the first place.

If this has happened to you, you are by no means an exception.

Sometimes, you push very hard but it doesn’t get you anywhere. This is because of the gap between knowledge and action.

Purposeful action ,that is, conscious consistent and energetic behavior.

What type of a leader are you?

The Frenzied: Highly energetic but unfocused and appear hasty and desperate.

The Procrastinators: Lack both energy and focus and often feel insecure, also fear failure.

The Detached: Disengaged from their goals and agenda and seem aloof, tense and apathetic.

The Purposeful: Highly focused and energetic and come across as reflective, calm amid chaos.

Are willpower and motivation the same thing?
No, willpower-the force behind energy and focus-goes a decisive step further than motivation.

SETTING OFF

1.First, find a clear, ambitious goal that you feel confident about achieving.

You cannot simply not have a goal, however; you must also personally believe that you can achieve it.Here are the guidelines to choose a goal perfect for you:

Choose a goal that is well defined and concrete
Choose a goal with which you can personally identify
Set a goal that feels personally challenging.

2. Actively manage your emotions relating to the tasks needed to achieve that goal

If you find yourself suffering from low energy, try refueling through regular sports or hobbies.

To Jump Start Your Energy:

What role model do I know who helps me understand what it takes to achieve my goal?
Who can give me feedback and help me evaluate whether I have the capabilities to achieve my goal?
What abilities do I have and what do I have to learn to become sure I will succeed?
Should I change my tasks so that my work is less stressful?
Do I understand my intention with head and heart? Does it feel right? Does it excite me?
Ask yourself, “How will I feel once I’ve met my goal?”

3. Maintain positive energy by managing painful emotions and finding ways to trigger them. Acknowledge painful emotions, such as doubt and frustration and talk about them rather than trying to avoid them. Process negative thoughts with trusted friends and colleagues. Inject humor around your fears. Use other people’s nay-saying to mobilize your pride and spur you toward your goal. Distance yourself from negatively charged situations to decrease their power.

Focus begins when you simplify your goal or intention into a vivid mental picture.

Hope you found this helpful!

Thanks

5 simple tips for effective notetaking

Prepare:
1. Read any background data
2. Arrive in good time
3. Be prepared with stationary
Listen
1. Listen and write simultaneously
2. Pick up phrases, accents, voice changes
3. Ask questions
Only write what’s needed
1. Main points, sub-points, illustrations
2. Explain them in own words
3. Less time? Leave a question to research later
Organize your notes
1. Highlight headings, subheadings
2. Bullet points, underline
3. Abbreviations and symbols
4. Diagrams, flow charts, mindmaps
Review
1. Cornell Method
2. Re-read your notes

source: https://www .emeraldgrouppublishing.com/archived/learning/study_skills/skills/note_taking.htm

!Light up!

Please understand this

Dear sad people,

I used to be just like you.

Until a few weeks ago, I couldn’t find any reason to be depressed. And now I simply don’t get it. I mean, the world’s beautiful; our lives are so action-packed. Where from is this sadness creeping upon us?

You might disagree with me and list out a bunch of reasons we should be gloomy about.

It hurts to see my friends like this. And this blog post is for people who feel the same.

I was one of you. And I been through a lot. It’s just that I don’t dwell upon those thoughts now. I’m looking for open doorways, and not regretting the ones I unintentionally closed.

I don’t know what or who brought this change in me but it definitely feels right.

I suffered from self-esteem issues, didn’t get along with people very well…

What I realized, is that self-esteem is a tenuous thing. People around us shape it. It’s like they are in control of ourselves. But, if you keep doing things their way, when will you do it your way. Listen to your inner voice. Only you are responsible for yourself. Only you. So don’t let people affect you in absolutely any way.

I bet most of haven’t discovered who we really are. We’re still in the process and that perfectly fine. Why be in a mad rush to grow up? Why not just live in the moment?

Some of you might not be able to get over people or things still hold you back or something. Forget your past, just accept it as experience. Be wise, know what to overlook. Let your past inspire you, teach you. Sometimes, criticism can be a favor in disguise. Or maybe just shift perspective. By doing this, problems seem less complex and you’ll feel better.

Here’s an amazing quote from Dr.Seuss:

Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't ...

Stay the way you are.

Thanks.

Writing Tips From Jeff Kinney

1.CARRY A NOTEBOOK AROUND WITH YOU TO WRITE WHATEVER FUNNY HAPPENS.

#1 Tip given by so many bestselling authors, ’cause it really makes a difference. If you think a teeny-tiny notebook takes up space in your purse or pocket, then consider typing your ideas in your phone. The main intention is to store that ides somewhere… at the instant it pops up in your head, before you get distracted.

2. MAKE CHARACTERS BY OBSERVING PEOPLE AROUND YOU.

No wonder, that weird kid in your neighborhood has actually got a special place in your story.

3.WRITE OUT YOUR CHILDHOOD MEMORIES.

Jeff Kinney, author of the bestselling ‘Wimpy Kid’ series admits that most of the incidents mentioned in the book were his childhood memories.(modified, I assume)

4 .OUTLINE THE STORY WITH THREE MAJOR POINTS AND THEN ~EXPAND~.

How can you construct a building without a clear architect plan?

5 . MAKE THE FIRST PAGES INTERESTING SO AS TO GRAB ATTENTION AND COMPEL THE READER WITH THIS FORMULA: SUITABLE SITUATION + SUITABLE CHARACTER.

What I mean is that don’t put fishes in the bath tub..

6 .MAKE CHARACTERS LIVE BY SHOWING THEIR TALENTS.

Fregley, make your belly button eat my sandwich!

campbell on Twitter: "Diary of a Wimpy Kid too wild… "

7 .ADD A CRISIS AND THEN WRAP THINGS UP LATER.

Which reminds me that you’ve reached the end of this blog post.

Hope ya’ll found this helpful. And feel free to share your favorite writing tips in the comments below.

Thanks 🙂

welcome to my basement

The door opens creakily. For a moment, our eyes meet. Even on a moonless night, eyes wouldn’t go speechless, would they? Very attention grabbing they are.

Come in, come in. You’ve finally made it here.

I step aside letting you and your suddenly vexed mind into the room.

Oh come on, don’t look so frightened. To most outsiders this place seems exceptional. But don’t worry, you’ll get used to it.

Let me give you a quick tour of this amazing place. And yeah I almost forgot…since you are our special customer, you get to sit in a roller coaster train! Isn’t that exciting?

We walk over to the first cart in sight(and perhaps the only one) and take our seats.

Buckle up my friend, none of us want to get our heads ripped off right? Uh, I’m just joking. Nonetheless, make yourself feel comfortable.

Wait…what? You wanna get off? You’ve got to be kidding me. This is going to be thrilling. Also, I designed this roller coaster myself.

I pull the lever alongside. Here we go!

The wheels screech against the tracks. At a instant it picks up speed. The ground around us which was once bare is now flooded with blood.

I notice you anxiously looking sideways. Oh dear, this is just the beginning, I say darkly.

The sound of gears clicking fills the tunnel and as it accelerates the wind pushes our tiny heads against the wooden seats.

You are doing nothing but screaming on top of your lungs. I somehow manage to make out a few meaningful words-Make it stop….We’re going too fast…we’re gonna crash. there’s no stepping back from here. Maybe you could distract yourself by looking around.

You realize that we aren’t alone.

We’re surrounded by human eaters or as the man calls them ‘Zombies’.

Not just a few but millions of them falling on each other and trying to get hold of the human seated beside me.

As those bloody, moaning bodies extend their arms towards you, you back up but -oops- too late. A zombie has already got its teeth sunken into your left arm. You frantically try shaking it off but it does no good.

Now your right arm’s bleeding too. But look ahead! You turn your head only to find a couple of nooses hanging from the top.

You duck just in time. If it wasn’t for my warning you’d be hanging from the ceiling the very next minute.

As we incline, you get rid of the zombies and they’re left behind giving you the we-will-be-back-soon look.

Wooden boards hang on the walls of the tunnel with plenty of blood splattered on them. And before you know it a 50-inch long axe comes for you and manages to chop off more than half of the hair standing on your head.

Headless women dressed in white from head-to-toe hang loosely in still air and they appear to be cleaning and trimming their nails with melees. Or rather cutting their nails from the nail-bed quite apathetically.

And as if the sight wasn’t intimidating enough, fireballs emerge from their hollow torsos, aimed right at us. You dodged them very cleverly but the extensive smoke got you all chocked up and coughing non-stop. You faint and fall back into your seat. Movement stops and you lie there, dead just like any other customer who pays me a visit. I walk away thinking of your beautiful head being stored in a glass jar on my favorite shelf. Mmm…perfect.

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Covid-19: A Blessing in disguise

“A change of perspective is all you need”, I told myself.

I was sick of everything. My parents, neighbors, relatives worrying, panicking, being super pessimistic .Everyone around me thought this virus to be a curse or something.

We still do not have much to say about it’s origin and scientists all around the world are trying to cure patients and find a vaccine so as to prevent infecting those who haven’t been hit by this deadly virus.

Social media is flooding with memes, fake news, and what not.

On the contrary, I see this as a new opportunity for socializing with people( don’t forget about social distancing). I feel like, God, the one who is looking over us observed something wrong and so wants to convey a message to us… I know it sounds crazy to the atheists out there but they might get convinced when I tell them about the opportunities it has opened up.

Working parents get to spend time with their kids and also their parents. Even though they have to work from home , their levels are comparatively lower. It’s giving everyone, in general, a break from their busy lives.

Animals too seem to be responding to this. The pollution- free environment is promoting the existence of creatures like dolphins.

I,myself, as a student needed a break. I changed schools a year ago and I had to deal with some very basic problems. Now that I’ve got time to retrospect, I feel much stronger and readier for the academic year ahead.

At the same time I’m also working on my skills and talents, perhaps with the help of trial and error method

It’s bringing us together. And I’m sure after this controversy ends, we’ll emerge as conscious, responsive humans who’ll give attention to all aspects of their lives.

And you know when I discerned all of this ?

Last night, while having ‘family dinner’ after years or so.

In short, Covid-19 is an open window of hope .

Thank you, folks!