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Career Growth

You Can Do it Too: UPS Was Founded by Two Teenagers in a Basement with a $100 Loan
Career Growth

You Can Do it Too: UPS Was Founded by Two Teenagers in a Basement with a $100 Loan

If you're the proud owner of a mailbox (cutting-edge technology), I'm sure you're heard of UPS.You know, the company that brings your life-saving Amazon Prime deliveries to your door? I can't be the only one who needs a salad spinner rushed on OVERNIGHT delivery, right? I can't be expected to hand-wash lettuce all day. What am I, The Ford Assembly Line?But have you ever heard the origin story of how a small parcel delivery service start-up, went on to become a billion-dollar company, surviving some of the greatest economic disasters of all time?[World War I, The Great Depression, World War II, The Crash of '08, The Covid-19 Pandemic (I think we all remember that one), and 11 recessions later, UPS is still standing].And not just standing. It's raking it in. Reports say UPS has an annual revenue of over $100 Billion Dollars.Damn, a company like that must have some titanium infrastructure.That is if you consider two teenage boys from small-town Seattle, $100, and a desk in their mom's basement as "titanium infrastructure."UPS Seattle Space NeedleSeattle Skyline and Mt. Rainier / Adam RomanowiczWhether James Casey and Claude Ryan were boy genius' or just got lucky is up for you to decide!How UPS Delivery Service Got Its StartYou just know it's a good story when it starts in someone's mom's basement with zero capital and a big dream! In 1907 Teenagers James Casey and Claude Ryan borrow $100 bucks to start what will become the most successful shipping company in the world...UPS!UPS Started With $100To be the "world's most successful" of anything is a huge feat. To be the world's most successful moonwalker (obviously it's Michael Jackson vs Neil Armstrong and it's actually not a competition) while useless, is still pretty cool. In 1907, Claude Ryan and Jim Casey took out a $100 dollar loan. Little did they know that loan would be the seed money for a billion-dollar corporation and the most successful package delivery company in the world.Don't worry, I know we're all thinking the same thing and I already ran the numbers...$100 in today's equivalent would be approximately $3,227.27.If that sounds like a lot for context: Jeff Bezos started Amazon in 1994 with $300,000 (about $614,095.14 in today's equivalent), which makes UPS' story even more impressive!So How Did UPS Do It?In Seattle, starting with $100 in debt which according to Mark Cuban is "for morons," Ryan and Casey laid the groundwork for their "American Messenger Company" which would later become UPS.In the early years, the founders kept costs down by having most of their deliveries either carried out on foot or on bicycles.And even though they could only afford one bicycle that year, they made it through with a rigorous schedule that could rival a chore chart divided between two roommates who secretly hate each other. How They Advertised Their Start-Up Let's not forget when UPS was getting its start, telephones weren't common.So Casey and Ryan made message delivery their focus (genius). The teenagers spread the word of their start-up by tacking posters up at hotels, bars, restaurants, and any other location that had public telephones to attract new customers.They Cast A Wide NetCasey and Ryan didn't limit their company's services. Instead, they cast a wide net, appealing to as many markets as possible. The company's philosophy was that if it could be carried it could be "delivered". #bendandsnap / "UPS Guy" Legally Blonde / MGM StudiosEarly reports claim that the start-up would deliver anything from dinner to people’s houses or even miniature kegs of beer! (Gotta love the early 1900s)The company set itself apart from the competition, in a surprising way...They Were HonestInstead of lying about the delivery logistics, Casey and Ryan implemented an "honesty is the best policy" policy. According to a UPS historian (a profession I didn't know existed until 12 minutes ago), “They didn’t say ‘right away. If it was going to take a couple of minutes, they would let you know.”But There Was A Problem...As telephones became more popular and the messenger business began to dwindle, UPS had a problem. The "message delivery" service that was their core initiative was antiquated, and fast. If they didn't find a way to pivot, they were at risk to lose everything they had worked so hard for.The Art of Pivoting: How UPS Found A New StrategyThe UPS founders give us a masterclass in working smarter, not harder! Instead of doubling down on a moot business model, the founders decided to pivot. Even though the company was successful city-wide, the paper route wasn't gonna pay the bills and keep the lights on. If UPS wanted to stick around they'd need to find a big client!So they asked themselves the most important question: who sends and receives packages and how can we integrate ourselves into an already existing model?Can you guess the answer?*Let's Play A Game Called: Guess the Billion Dollar Client*Let's pretend you are the UPS founders!a). You have a solid business delivering packages to individuals here and there but you don't have a "big fish".b). In other words: you are operating with what entrepreneurs call a "B2C Business Model" (Business-to-Consumer Model) c). It's the 1919 and technology is changing..Q: WHO DO YOU GO TO IN ORDER TO TAKE YOUR COMPANY TO THE NEXT LEVEL?A: Department Stores.By 1920, UPS Had A Deal With All The Major Department Stores in SeattleUPS would run packages back and forth from these independent retail giants of their time to the U.S. Post Office. Keep in mind: at this point in history, department stores had a monopoly on retail making them a reliable client, while its centralized location allowed for "big drops" all in one place (time/cost-effective).According to Kevin Hussey, Entrepreneur (and my pro-bono business consultant for this article) UPS' strategy involved them adding a new business model to their company!In catching their "big fish", with the department stores, UPS effectively transitioned to B2B Business Model (Business-to-Business Model).This pivot catapulted UPS to a whole new stratosphere. Within a year they expanded from Washington State into California (and later, the rest of the world but they didn't know it just yet).By the time the Great Depression hit around a decade later (1929), UPS had already had a decade of cementing itself as a reliable provider of delivery services. If you ask me, their B2B Business Model saved them. If UPS was reliant on a B2C Model, they would have had a big problem in 1929.UPS Great DepressionGetty ImagesWhen The Great Depression struck, Americans stopped spending money on luxury items like miniature beer kegs, meaning UPS probably wouldn't survive like so many other companies.UPS: A Case Study On Staying SavvyIf I got into the details of how UPS expanded into all 50 states and then eventually North America, South American, The Middle East, China, Europe, and the world--we'd be here all day. The cliff notes version is: They were savvy from the start. They did things like budgeting: buying one bike when that's all they could afford and using that one bike wisely. They didn't spend their modest revenue on fancy office digs and Saint Laurent suits.^This is a biased dig at the problem I have with toxic and misappropriated "grind culture" today. It's the core tenant of a long-winded social critique I'll spare you from--but I have thoughts about "entrepreneurs" who post about "making their moves in silence". I wonder if you could have spared your enemies the bad news, and just made your moves in silence, silently.So You Have $100 and a Dream...How Do You Set Yourself Apart? By now we all know a "good idea" isn't enough.Being an entrepreneur is not novel for our generation. I know sometimes it feels that way because social media has given us a direct line to everyone's (cringe) inner monologue. I can't open my phone without being assaulted by 1,000-word Instagram captions about someone's hopes and dreams under a really questionable "photo dump." But I believe, we've always thought this way, we just weren't as vocal about it before! Dreaming is part of our human nature and I think hope is the catalyst.I can't offer you a roadmap to becoming a billionaire but I can share with you an observation I've made:When I observe Western Society, I hear so much talk, but I don't see a lot of action. We have a cultural sickness. Where it originates from, I can't say for certain, but I observe so many people talking about all the things they'll do, and taking no steps (big or small) to do them. I often say it's like we're all trying to "simulate" the experience of growth or success, without having to actually do the painful, laborious, leg work after the party and the pats on the back are over.“You can’t think your way into right action, but you can act your way into right thinking.”-Dr. WilsonIt's like getting a law degree to prove that you can, with no intention of practicing law. It's like going to therapy to tell people you're "working on yourself", but you can never change your behavior, you just set more "boundaries". We can blame the world for our failures, in fact, it's really easy to...What's hard is making new choices that pivot your life, because homeostasis wants us to keep the status quo.Sometimes that's the right move, but in the case study of UPS, had they stayed the course, and not dared to change their business model, they probably would have been in the start-up graveyard with hundreds of thousands of other "good ideas" that didn't make it through economic crises.I'm not saying events like The Great Depression and The Stockmarket Crash aren't devastating. I am just saying the future is never certain, and ultimately we're all trying to survive trial by fire, and maybe 'pivoting' has a part to play.What's Luck Got To Do With It?While the UPS Founders definitely had all the ingredients for success: a compelling idea, dynamic market opportunity, competitive edge, shared vision, clear investment structure, and whatever else they tell ya in business school--in my opinion, there are always other mystical forces at play.I do believe in luck. Maybe not in the traditional sense...because I think the whole universe we live in has a rhyme and reason. (Like Drake, I'm a big God's Plan guy.)My 2 Cents On A Billion Dollar Company:UPS HandsWhatever you wanna call it, "luck", "God", or "the universe", the operating principles are the same. Though we lack the ability to control the universe and the opportunities it presents to us, we still have the ability to prepare for those opportunities when they come.Roman Philosopher Seneca, put it best when he said "luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity".All you can really do is prepare. Whatever that looks like to you.:)and if you need a little more guidance than that, UPS has a handy flowchart: "The Entrepreneurial Journey of a Start Up", you can check out!

Here's Why Workplace Gratitude Enhances Performance and Reduces Stress
Career Growth

Here's Why Workplace Gratitude Enhances Performance and Reduces Stress

Practicing gratitude has many health benefits, from improved mental health to better relationships and a stronger immune system. As it turns out, showing gratitude to your coworkers benefits your work performance and stress levels. According to a new study from the University of California San Diego's Rady School of Management, the simple act of thanking a team member before completing a stressful work task can increase concentration and enhance workplace performance.RELATED: Why Gordon Ramsay’s Children Will Not Inherit His MoneySound too good to be true? Here's why workplace gratitude is key for better performance and lower stress among team members. What does it mean to practice gratitude at work?If you're wondering how a simple "thank you" to a team member could translate into improved workplace performance, you'll first need to understand how the practice of gratitude works. Practicing gratitude in the workplace is less about saying thank you and more about recognizing the contributions, skills and experience that the people you work with bring to the table. Recognizing all the positive things your team members bring to the table – and being recognized for your contributions – helps improve relationships with coworkers by promoting workplace satisfaction. Why Teams That Show Gratitude Work More Efficiently(Photo by TheStandingDesk on Unsplash)In the study devised by the University of California San Diego, 200 students were tasked with participating in a rigorous competition that asked two teams to come up with a winning business idea. To motivate participants and add elements of stress that would stimulate a biological stress response, teams were given only six minutes to pitch the product and offered a prize of $200. During the experiment, students wore technology that measured their blood pressure to see how their bodies responded to their stress. RELATED: How to Save Money: 7 Tips to Start Saving NowWhen analyzing the results, the team that was instructed to express gratitude to their team members had a more effective stress response – meaning they could better regulate their body's response to a perceived threat when receiving gratitude from other team members. This helped the team who showed gratitude manage stress better than the opposing team and resulted in a better ability to concentrate.The Benefits of Practicing Gratitude at Work(Photo by TheStandingDesk on Unsplash)Two benefits of regularly practicing workplace gratitude are improved stress response and better concentration. Here are a few other ways workplace gratitude helps boost work performance. Gratitude mitigates workplace entitlement. Have you ever worked with someone who felt they were owed more than others? Typically, feelings of entitlement arise when a workplace environment does not recognize the contributions of its employees, leaving them feeling angry and even disengaged at work. The constant, daily practice of gratitude toward employees and team members helps keep this resentment at bay, resulting in less entitled employees across teams and the workplace. RELATED: Side Hustle Ideas To Make Money Or Start A Passion ProjectGratitude improves sleep. Nearly one-third of Americans don't get enough sleep. Along with issues like a compromised immune system and a higher risk of depression, lack of adequate sleep directly impacts job performance and job satisfaction. Without enough sleep, our executive function worsens, and our ability to think outside the box decreases. The practice of gratitude has been linked to better sleep, possibly due to the influx of positive thoughts before bedtime that occur from regularly practiced appreciation. Gratitude increases participation. Being recognized at work and feeling gratitude for those you work with makes us more willing to participate. This goes beyond raising your hand and volunteering in a meeting but taking a "good Samaritan" approach elsewhere in the office – whether cleaning up the kitchen after someone forgot or offering to coordinate a birthday celebration for a teammate. How to Increase Workplace Gratitude(Photo by May Gauthier on Unsplash)Depending on where you are in your company's organizational structure, it may feel like taking small steps toward workplace gratitude won't make much of a difference. While it's true that cultivating a culture of gratitude at work starts at the top, there are still small acts everyone can employ to reap the benefits of gratitude in the workplace. Here are a few tips on how to start showing workplace gratitude. Focus on genuine gratitude. When you consciously start showing gratitude in the workplace, it's easy to get carried away with constant "thank yous.” Instead of constantly thanking everyone you encounter, make it a point to be more mindful of the gratitude you show toward coworkers. For example, instead of a simple thank you when a coworker quickly pulls a report for you, tell them you admire their efficiency and ability to always come through in such a timely manner. Gratitude that recognizes the skills and abilities your coworkers individually bring to the table will go a long way. RELATED: 5 Cognitive Biases That Affect Your Money ManagementThank those who don't get recognized. Focus on promoting gratitude beyond your immediate team. Make it a point to thank those whose efforts often go unnoticed. Maybe it's the administrative assistant who files timesheets or the janitor who comes in earlier than everyone to keep your workplace clean. Expressing gratitude to those who don't often receive it or don't think their contributions are as integral as others can go a long way. Make gratitude a habit in times of high stress. Daily gratitude can go a long way to improve office morale and productivity. But it's easy to lose sight of what to be grateful for when working under an incredibly tight deadline or suffering a workplace setback. In times of failure, it's important to reflect gratitude on what has been gained and learned. Being grateful for the learning experience after a failure can be hard to do – but worthwhile to master.Summary(Photo by Adam Winger on Unsplash)Practicing gratitude regularly has benefits for all areas of our lives. Regarding gratitude in the workplace, expressing gratitude to team members helps mitigate our stress response and makes us more resilient to future workplace stressors. To improve performance, team camaraderie and overall job satisfaction, make it a point to find things to be grateful for at work each day and express genuine gratitude to those who make a difference in your day-to-day work life. KEEP READING:Train Your Brain to Shed Distracting Habits and Concentrate Better

Can't Make Decisions? Try This Technique Used by the World's Biggest Businesses
Career Growth

Can't Make Decisions? Try This Technique Used by the World's Biggest Businesses

Making sound decisions isn’t just something that happens by chance. Strong decision-making skills are honed over time with practice and experience. These skills often work in tandem with the use of specific tools that make selecting the right path more of a logical process, taking the guesswork out of making the best possible choice.One of the most used tools for decision making is the SWOT analysis (also known as the SWOT matrix). If you’re looking for a tried and true method for making solid decisions, read on to learn what exactly the SWOT analysis is and how you can use it to your advantage. What Is a SWOT Analysis?(Photo by GR Stocks on Unsplash)A SWOT analysis, sometimes called situational analysis or situational assessment, is a strategic planning technique to identify four main aspects of a business—Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.This framework was developed by four Harvard University professors in the 1960s. The idea behind these four categories is that writing them out as lists can help with decision-making by giving people the chance to visualize the current situation or environment within the company. The SWOT analysis helps identify the internal and external factors that could hinder or help the any next steps you’re considering taking or even spark structural or directional changes. Doing a thorough SWOT analysis can be critical for efficient decision-making. Here’s a look at the four aspects that make up the acronym more in depth:StrengthsA strength is anything that a company or organization does well, makes it stand out (in a good way) from the competition or that it is known for in a positive light. Strengths are not the same as necessities—they need to be clear advantages you have over other companies or ways in which you unequivocally excel. WeaknessesA weakness is anything that you can improve upon—something that you’re not doing well but could definitely be doing better at in terms of staff, procedures, culture or output. Creating this part of your SWOT analysis requires brutal honesty and a sharp eye. OpportunitiesAn opportunity is a chance for positive growth. Typically an opportunity is an external force like an event, a law, a timely news story, a new technology or anything on the horizon that could benefit your organization. It could be an opening for more exposure, an accolade or recognition, an ability to capitalize on more of the market share—anything that will make your business soar. RELATED: What Is Groupthink? How To Avoid This Common BiasOpportunities can be large and company changing or small wins that barely move the needle but do so in a net positive direction. ThreatsA threat is an external force that negatively impacts your business. It could be a lack of job applicants, supply-chain issues, a plunging stock market, a product recall—anything that can bring down your organization or cause major pain points for employees, customers or your overall process. Writing them down helps with anticipating threats and being prepared when you do encounter them. Using a SWOT Analysis for Decision Making(Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash)Before taking a business in a new direction, an organization’s leaders might perform a SWOT analysis to take stock of their company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. By understanding clearly where the company is at, leaders can know which direction they should take the business in and devise a plan that takes advantage of opportunities on the horizon while also being mindful of potential threats. Here’s how you can use a SWOT analysis to make a key business decision: Draw up a SWOT Analysis matrixFind a SWOT analysis template you can use to create your matrix: a two-by-two grid of four squares, with one square representing each of the four SWOT categories. Doing this creates a visual representation of your company and allows all team members involved in decision making to stay on the same page. When you identify a strength, weakness, opportunity or threat, put it in its corresponding place in the grid. You can even consider having multiple teams create their own grids that you can compare and contrast to find overlap or contradictions, making your discussion of the grid more nuanced. Keep your lists conciseTry to shoot for five points in each of your four lists for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. This helps paint a more succinct picture of your company and it avoids putting lesser or not as critical information on the grid. As a group, you can determine which points are most important, which can help further your decision making discussion. Make your points specificAvoid generalities so that your lists of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats are targeted to your business. The more you can pay attention to language to say what you truly mean to say, the more you’ll get out of this exercise from a decision making standpoint. Be honest about your weaknessesIt can be difficult in a business setting to quote-unquote badmouth your own company without fearing repercussions. Especially if your workplace is not big on feedback or constructive criticism, sharing weaknesses can be a tough task. RELATED: Open-Mindedness: 5 Practical Steps To Open Your MindTo help with this, you can suggest allowing for anonymous input for this category or asking for customer feedback to ensure that the responses are honest and thorough. Being truthful is of paramount importance in order for this exercise to truly work. Ground your lists in current reality—but also think aheadWhen it comes to external factors—opportunities and threats—try to stay realistic with what could actually happen. You want to be positive and assume the best that can come out of various situations and circumstances, but you also don’t want to overshoot when it comes to your trajectory for success. Likewise, you don’t want to fall into a rabbit hole of negativity when it comes to future threats but you also want to be mindful of what could indeed negatively affect the business. Come at these categories from a grounded place. Let your analysis inform future choicesOnce you’ve completed a thorough SWOT analysis, take a look at your results and allow them to inform your decision making process. You might be able to connect one of your company's strengths to an opportunity, allowing you to truly seize the day and take your business to new heights. You might notice a weakness that could hold you back from an opportunity or, worse, become an even bigger issue in the face of a looming potential threat. Seeing all of this mapped out allows you to better conceptualize your company’s direction, organization or future project goals. Making Informed Decisions(Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash)While the SWOT analysis is used primarily in business, it can also be applied to making decisions related to personal development or even to a romantic relationship. Being able to identify the internal and external factors that work well, and the ones that need work or have the potential to hurt you, is important in virtually any scenario. KEEP READING:Train Your Brain to Shed Distracting Habits and Concentrate Better

How to Navigate Your Quarter-Life Crisis in 5 Easy Steps
Career Growth

How to Navigate Your Quarter-Life Crisis in 5 Easy Steps

The transition from teenager to adult is a big one—and it doesn't happen all at once. Even though you’re technically considered an “adult” on your 18th birthday, you may not truly feel grown up until you hit your 30s, and maybe not even then. Even though you’ll have adult responsibilities and even live on your own and have a job as you head into your 20s, the post-teen years can be a time of questioning and anxiety about living up to expectations—yours, society’s, your parents’—and trying to figure out your path in life. RELATED: How to (Actually) Finish A Creative ProjectTypically referred to as a quarter-life crisis, this time of change can be tough to navigate. Luckily we’ve got you covered with a five-step plan for getting through this fraught period so you can come out the other side not just surviving your 20s but truly thriving. What Exactly Is a Quarter-Life Crisis?(Photo by Kinga Cichewicz on Unsplash)A quarter-life crisis is defined as “a period of uncertainty and questioning that typically occurs when people feel trapped, uninspired and disillusioned during their mid-20s to early 30s.”During this time, you may have thoughts of not knowing what you really want out of life, feeling like you “should” be doing something else or be farther along in your career or your relationships. You might even still feel like a teenager and not quite like an adult. (A little secret people rarely talk about: Most of us never actually feel like adults.)RELATED: How to Travel the World Stress-FreePeople going through quarter-life crises often feel anxious, confused, self-conscious or like they are missing something. It’s no wonder that this can be a hard time, given that it comes after immense change: graduating from college and the familiarity of a school setting surrounded by friends, moving into your own place, getting your first “real” job and taking on more adult responsibilities, maybe for the first time. Steps for Getting Through a Quarter-Life Crisis(Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash)A quarter-life crisis typically hits when you realize that there’s no clear direction for you to go in, like there was when you were in school full time. Now, your future is what you make of it and that idea can be pretty terrifying. Here are five steps for finding yourself in this stressful time and blazing your own trail. 1. Realize that what you’re going through is normal.First and foremost, know that many people your age are going through the exact same thing. It makes sense, doesn’t it? For most of your life you have been on a clear path: Preschool, elementary school, junior high, high school and then college or trade school. Your days were scheduled, determined by your school and your parents. Even though you chose your college major or concentration and had to pick classes, there were clear rules and expectations for you to meet. You might feel untethered now simply because there is no tether—you get to choose where you live, where you work and how you fill your time, plus you’re responsible for making enough money to fund your life. It’s a lot to contend with all at once. 2. Don’t compare your life path to other people’s.Remember: To compare is to despair. It’s all too easy in our over-connected world to be able to see what everyone you went to high school and college with is doing right now. Everyone’s highlight reels are available for display and commentary on social media. RELATED: 3 Game-Changing Workplace Stressors You Can Cut Right NowYou might see people getting married and wonder why your partner hasn’t proposed. You could see someone getting your dream job and wonder why you’re not working at X company or in a particular field. Seeing what other people are doing will only compound your stress so take a break from your feeds until you get your footing. 3. Get in touch with who you are—and what you want.Try to crowd out the “shoulds” in your head by getting in touch with what your actual priorities are. Ask yourself: What are you good at? What do you love to do? What activities make you happy? How can you help others? Zero in on what really matters to you, like, do you want to bury yourself in work in order to climb the ranks as fast as you can or do you want to have more of a balanced lifestyle? Is work a bigger priority than your romantic relationships or friendships right now? Be honest with yourself. 4. Create a list of goals to inform your life road map.Once you get in touch with what you want out of life, work to map out a list of goals. Divide your goals into small, achievable benchmarks and bigger life goals that you’ll meet over the course of the next 20 or so years. RELATED: What Does It Mean to Be In a Romantic Friendship?Just having these down on paper can help you feel more secure about your life’s direction. It’s also okay if you change these goals along the way. 5. Take concrete steps to start “adulting” better.Sometimes, acting like an adult can help you feel more grown up. You don’t have to go crazy and swear off ever having fun again. Simply make small changes in your day to day to feel more mature and capable. For instance, you could make a plan for paying off your school loans by setting aside a small part of your paycheck each month, or get off your parents’ phone plan to take on more responsibility. You could learn basic domestic skills like how to properly clean the bathroom, do your own laundry or use kitchen appliances. You could work on better communicating your needs and boundaries with loved ones. All of these things will make you feel more secure in your life. Getting Out of Crisis Mode(Photo by Pablo Heimplatz on Unsplash)Feeling uncertain about your path in life or unsure of who you are is part of being human. No one really has it all figured out all of the time. Instead of fighting against your anxiety or discomfort about the unknown, try to stay grounded and breathe through those moments where life feels super tough.Over time, as you build upon your skills, get more mature and have a few more years of the so-called “real world” under your belt, you’ll feel more secure about your place in life. But know that worries about where your life is headed come and go—as you continue to grow up you’ll just get better at dealing with these moments and have the confidence to know that everything really will be okay.KEEP READING:You’re Making Friends Wrong – Here’s How to Do It Right

10 Crucial Skills to Include on Your Resume
Career Growth

10 Crucial Skills to Include on Your Resume

Writing your resume can feel like a monumental task. Selling yourself and your abilities in a single document is a lot of pressure. Finding just the right words to describe yourself and your career experience takes time.In order to create a resume that will impress hiring managers, you should highlight the skills you have that they are most likely to be looking for. This ensures that you stand out from the pack when they’re reviewing who to call in for interviews. To help you narrow down what’s most important to include, we’ve rounded up the ten crucial skills to include on your resume that really matter most. Which ones do you have?Understanding Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills(Photo by Burst on Unsplash)Job-related skills fall into two categories: hard skills and soft skills. In any job description, you will likely see qualities from both of these skill categories listed as prerequisites. So, on your resume, you definitely want to highlight a combination of these two types of skills.RELATED: Open-Mindedness: 5 Practical Steps To Open Your MindFirst, you want to show that you are capable of the job you’re applying for by listing your hard skills, or the skills that are specific to the industry or the position. Hard skills are the ones you learned in school, through previous job experience and in training courses. These are the must-have qualities in order to do the actual job in question. Soft skills, also known as people skills or social skills are the qualities you’ve learned over time from your experience in working with others and becoming more proficient at being in an office setting. These are the skills that managers look for to ensure that you will fit in with the office culture and be an asset to the team. Considering these two types of skills, here are the 10 specific ones you should be sure to highlight on your resume: 1. Languages you’re fluent inDefinitely mention any additional languages you know, from foreign languages or programming languages, especially if the job requires you to know particular ones. Even if the job doesn’t require additional languages, you can include your knowledge to show that you have completed additional training or to set you apart from other candidates. Learning another language shows perseverance and dedication, which are also important skills. 2. Operating certain equipment or machineryIf you are applying for a hands-on job—for instance in carpentry or occupational positions—you want to show your knowledge of being able to operate any necessary equipment. RELATED: Regular Workouts Keep Improving Your Memory and Brain Function — Here’s HowIf you have completed additional safety training or other related courses, be sure to mention those, too. Also, if you have trained others or lead teams, those are important details to include to show your expert knowledge of the machinery. 3. Knowledge of specific programs or web toolsIf the job you’re applying for is web-based, you may need to use certain programs or tools daily in order to succeed in the position. Be sure to include any of these programs or tools that you are proficient in, including the Adobe suite, content management systems, social media, Wordpress and photo editing software. It should go without saying but be careful with listing out programs or tools that you aren’t very familiar with in order to pad your resume. It’s better to list a few that you are very skilled in than trying to impress hiring managers with sub-optimal knowledge, especially if they ask you to show off these skills during an interview. 4. Certifications you’ve completedBe sure to list and explain any relevant certifications, courses and trainings on your resume to show not only your knowledge but also your dedication to your continued education. Hiring managers like to see that you are passionate enough about your career to keep learning new skills and bettering yourself by spending your free time expanding your knowledge. If you have taught courses, this would also be a good skill to include to show that you are also dedicated to helping the next generation of workers in your industry. 5. Problem solving skills(Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash)No matter the job, you’re bound to encounter hiccups and roadblocks in the workplace. Being able to strategize on how to solve inevitable issues is important to hiring managers. They want to know that when problems come up you can handle them efficiently and proactively in order to get back on course. 6. Teamwork If your industry is collaborative—like a sales team, for instance—you want to highlight your ability to come together with other people to work toward a common goal. Being a team player means knowing how to actively listen, how to respond to feedback and how to give other people a chance to shine without micromanaging or overshadowing. Even if your job function is primarily working solo, it’s important for managers to know that you can work with others when the occasion calls for it. 7. Written communication Given that many people’s jobs rely on email communication as a primary form of connecting with others, it’s essential that you’re able to clearly convey your messages to other people. You can show this skill by listing it on your resume but you can also highlight this skill by being extra certain that the document is free of errors and grammatically correct. (This goes for your cover letter as well.) Ask a trusted friend or colleague to read over both your resume and your cover letter before sending you to ensure that you’ve communicated exactly what you’ve meant to. This allows you to really put your best foot forward. 8. Leadership Even if you’re not applying for a leadership position, hiring managers want to know if you’re able to lead a team or at least possess the skills necessary to do so. You may be entry level today but you might be considered for a leadership position in the next two years. RELATED: 5 Daily Habits to Steal from Google Co-Founder Larry Page Including His Controversial Leadership StyleTypically, companies would prefer to hire from within instead of having to widen their net to find new talent. If you have the skill of guiding other people, whether through serving as a mentor or teacher or even leading a small team at a previous job, it’s smart to mention that. 9. Time managementTime is money, as the saying goes. Showcasing your ability to work smarter by managing your tasks efficiently is a necessary skill. Managers want to see that you can get the job done, and well, by meeting deliverables and deadlines. Having a proven track record of this shows that you will continue to succeed in your next position. 10. CreativityFinally, you should highlight your creative abilities on your resume, particularly if you work in a field that requires this skill. However, even if your job function doesn’t necessarily require creativity, this quality isn’t just about having artistic skills or an eye for the aesthetic. Creativity can also be connected to problem solving and team building when you’re able to think of new ideas for getting around roadblocks or bringing people together in unexpected ways. Coming to the table with fresh ideas and free thinking is an asset in any workplace. Identifying your Skills(Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash)Now you know what skills you should highlight. But how do you know if you even have all of these ten crucial skills? If you’re feeling stumped, you can talk to a mentor, friend or colleague to help you identify and highlight the skills you have. Getting outside input is a great way to kickstart writing (or revising) your resume so you can show off your best self when you apply for a new job.KEEP READING:Train Your Brain to Shed Distracting Habits and Concentrate Better

Transactional Relationships: Toxic or a Necessary Evil?
Career Growth

Transactional Relationships: Toxic or a Necessary Evil?

There are all types of relationships and, typically, we accept that most of these bonds are unique and sustainable in their own way. (And, especially when it comes to other people’s relationships, who are we to judge, right?)However, not all relationships are totally healthy. While the bonds we have with others can change and evolve over time, certain patterns of behavior shouldn’t continue over the long term—especially if we want those relationships to thrive. (Or at least survive.)One of these tricky relationship types is the transactional relationship. While it may be necessary to enter into these kinds of relationships with other people for certain periods of time, overall they aren’t great for your wellbeing, or the health of your relationships.Here’s what you should know about transactional relationships—particularly if you’re currently in one. What Is a Transactional Relationship?(Getty)First, let’s define what a transactional relationship actually is: Transactional relationships are built on the idea of reciprocation. Both people in the relationship are focused on what they are getting out of it and they expect the other person to hold up their end of the bargain. Basically, these relationships revolve around the idea of if you get this, then I get that. The expectation of someone in a transactional bond is that the relationship needs to be worth the effort they are putting in. Each person’s focus is on how they will benefit. There needs to be a return on their investments, to borrow a phrase from the business world. These relationships can, naturally, turn toxic. When one or both people in a relationship start keeping score and then focus on ways a relationship is unbalanced or inconsistent this prevents them from being collaborative and eventually pits them against each other. Even when just one person is overly concerned about things being “fair” and continually focuses on what they will get out of the relationship or from the other person, this can really damage a relationship over time. Types of Transactional RelationshipsTransactional relationships are everywhere. They can be part of any bond—romantic, platonic, professional and so on. To better understand how these relationships manifest in the real world, here’s brief overview of the way transactional bonds can crop up in various situations: Romantic relationshipsTransactional relationships can take different forms when it comes to romantic bonds. There are marriages of convenience scenarios or even agreements where one person agrees to take care of the kids while the other works, which can be healthy as long as tit-for-tat and score-keeping is kept out of the equation.More commonly, however, transactional elements can appear in romantic relationships when partners continually bring up how much they do for the other person and how little they feel they get in return. The focus is on making things “equal” or “fair,” with the assumption that both people need to put in the same amount of effort and get exactly what they put in in return. Naturally, this expectation is unrealistic and impossible. Workplace relationships(Getty)In the workplace, transactional relationships happen when you or your colleagues focus solely on what you can get out of (or from) other people. How do you know if you’re being transactional at work? When you reach out to others about working together, you typically have an ulterior motive of what you’ll get in return for your own benefit. A boss-employee relationship can also be transactional when someone in a position of power tries to use quid pro quo to get what they want. FriendshipsFriendships can also be transactional. Surely you’ve heard of scenarios where people try to befriend others in an effort to gain status, popularity or other perks. Score keeping can also happen in friendships when you log a mental tally of how many times you’ve picked up the tab for coffee or done favors for your friends. Of course, there are friendship scenarios when you might be taken advantage of if you’re always putting in more money, emotional labor and time and you might need to address those situations. But when you generally focus on what you’ve done for your friends versus what they have done for you, this makes the relationship transactional. Familial relationshipsIn family relationships, transactional elements can come into play, too. Typically you’d see this between parents and children when parents bring up the idea of how much they've done for their kids and voice an expectation of what they believe they should receive in return. (Love, affection, respect, more phone calls or visits and so on.)Are Transactional Relationships Healthy?By and large, transactional relationships are not the best kind of bonds to have. Having a mental tally about what someone else has done (or not done) for you typically leads to resentment and anger. Keeping score in any relationship puts people on opposite sides and discourages working together. In the workplace, transactional relationships can damage rapport. When colleagues only collaborate so that they can get something in return, they become self-serving and less able to work as a team. In transactional friendships, people aren’t able to truly bond and trust each other because they are more concerned with what the relationship can do for them. And in romantic relationships, couples may spend more time arguing about how things aren’t “fair” and miss the opportunity to truly unite on meeting each other's needs. When transactional relationships are necessary(Getty)Sometimes, relationships need to be transactional. In the business world, for instance, people in sales and those whose jobs revolve around making deals typically work with others in a transactional way. This isn’t problematic. When you’re purchasing something from a store, for instance, you don’t need to have a deep bond with the person selling you the item in question. There’s no emotion involved, just strictly business.While typically we don’t want our relationships with people we know and love to be transactional, there may be times when transactional dealings with loved ones are a necessary evil. For instance, when new parents are in the throes of caring for an infant, their relationship may turn more transactional in order to survive. For instance, one person cares for the baby for two hours while the other person takes a nap. Or one person takes on kitchen chores while the other handles laundry. Dividing up household and caregiving labor this way can help couples make it through this challenging time.The Bottom Line on Transactional RelationshipsWhat it all comes down to in transactional relationships is intention. In the new parents scenario, for example, both people need to be clear that the intention for having a temporarily transactional relationship is to help each other out and be able to attend to their needs, and their baby’s needs. In the workplace, colleagues might intentionally team up to help each other out with favors so that they can both benefit and reach their career goals.When these transactional-seeming relationships are collaborative instead of competitive, and mutually beneficial instead of self-serving, they cease to be purely result-oriented and toxic. As partners, colleagues and loved ones work together in a healthier way they can achieve common goals and strengthen their bond, rather than strain their relationship.

Strategies for Success in Everyday Life
Career Growth

Strategies for Success in Everyday Life

What are Success Strategies?Success strategies are plans that guide your personal growth in achieving what you want. They are designed to achieve what you’re aiming for, are hoping to change in your everyday life, or what you hope to accomplish in the future. Self-assessment is critical when choosing the strategies that will be most effective. Remember, you’re the author of your own story and can choose at any moment to flip the page, end the chapter, or even start the next book in your series!So how do you go about getting started? You might start by listing one to three items you want to change in your life. In other words, picture a vision for your future, and try to describe it. If you don’t have an immediate answer, that’s fine. This is now your starting point. Perhaps to get inspired, you can read some famous quotes on success to get those brain juices flowing!The Definition of SuccessSo, what exactly is the definition of success? What does it mean to succeed? Simply desiring to be successful is not enough. It’s not what you want, necessarily, but what concrete steps you take in order to get where you’re going. Strategies are hard to make unless you know what the word means to you. You need to know what you’re aiming for! You need to be crystal clear about what you want from your life, and you need to focus to get started.Now think about what you need to do in the next ten years, five years, two years, one year, six months, today, and right now to achieve that successful life.Academic success strategies at schoolPublic and private schools do a service for their students by teaching them simple lessons they can retain and replicate later in life. They may seem pointless to the students at the time, but the learning process offers value that can pay dividends later on. Punctuality is important(Westend61 / Getty)For example, being punctual in school is preparing you to join others and show up in your everyday life, whether in a personal or professional context. When you arrive on time, you show respect for everyone else in the group. You might not have known it while you were in school, but your future job will expect this of you. What if you end up working for yourself? You’ll also need to commit to your work week in your own way - after all, no one will be looking over your shoulder, giving you a performance review or expecting you to punch in. Whether or not punctuality looks like a regular 9-to-5 or something all your own, creating a successful future depends on an internal motivation. Little steps lead to great progressSchool is where a person learns the value of deadlines and putting in work to achieve a larger goal. Getting behind on your course work in school can lead to a certain level of procrastination that ends up popping up over and over. Lessons in life tend to build on each other over time. For example, you must learn the alphabet before you can make sense of words before you could ever be expected to read and understand sentences. Submitting assignments that build on each other allows us to learn complex concepts and apply big ideas to our lives. Meeting work-in-progress deadlines requires us to plan ahead regarding how we are going to meet some final goal. In these cases, it doesn’t matter what the topic or task is, it’s the exercise of completing it and following your teacher or supervisor’s direction that matters most. Additional ways of achieving academic successTake handwritten notes for a stronger memory(Getty)There are so many options for taking notes today that handwriting has nearly become a lost art. While you can take notes by recording a lecture, transcribing voice-to-text or relying on someone else’s slides as notes, these shortcuts are cutting you short!Proper note-taking, whether writing notes by hand or on your laptop, helps your brain process the information and you learn more than if you type notes on your laptop.Ripple effect of waking up earlierA well-rounded strategy for a more productive life may include waking up earlier. It can be one of the best services you can do for yourself. Many people feel that this is the quickest way to find more productive time to add to your day. Waking up earlier to prepare your body and mind has a ripple effect on the rest of your day. For example, doing a 45 minute early morning yoga class can fuel energy and positive mental health benefits that last much longer than the session. Stretch it outYou don’t have to do yoga to succeed, but even stretching or taking in a short 10-20 minute walk or jog can make a difference to your energy, attitude, and attention span. Stretching also gets your appetite started in the best way possible, and with the added energy, you’ll be more likely to actually eat a healthier breakfast. With added nutrition comes both mental and physical health benefits, including supporting brain, heart, and gut health. You know what they say: healthy body, healthy mind!Prioritizing a healthy sleep schedule(Getty)Just because you’re waking up earlier doesn’t mean you need to skimp on your sleep health and wellness. Your sleep health sets the tone for the rest of your life. What’s more, important and complex brain processes that are basically like your brain digesting information occur as you sleep. Quality academic prowess requires quality sleep. Reminder: Set a consistent bedtime reminder on your smartphone (make it the same each day, even on weekends)Remove screens: When it tells you to get ready for bed, put the screens awayRoutine: Connect with a bedtime routine that includes brushing your teeth, washing your face, and changing clothes to prepare your body and mind for sleepFinding the right success strategy for your situationTo focus on what you want, it can come down to asking yourself a few important questions:What will you look back on one day and say, “I should have done that.”What do you keep telling people you are going to do?If anything was possible, what would you do next? What’s stopping you from achieving your goals?Are you ready to work hard and stay focused? Who can help support you?Many of these prompts are based on the SMART goals method. Example situationsSaving money Saving money isn’t something that happens overnight. Strategies to achieve your money-saving goals can include:Making small but frequent deposits over a long amount of time so you barely notice the difference. If you can set up automatic withdrawal and deposit after each payday, that is ideal. Remembering no amount is too small because of compound interest. Every dollar counts when it comes to compounding, meaning the more money you deposit, the more profit you make. Keeping this money somewhere that will continue to make money. Spend the time to talk to a financial advisor who’s really just a teacher who teaches about making money.Improving communication with your spouse(Getty)If you’re constantly fighting or arguing or just disagreeing with your spouse or live-in partner, you may have heard you need to work on your communication skills. The best strategy for success utilizes the mentality that you will get better with practice. Better communication is achieved through practice, and practice may not be perfect but it will lead to perfection. Practice taking a full breath before answering a question.Practice listening without thinking about your response or rebuttal.Practice speaking with a clear message which includes more “I” statements and feeling words.Think about any support you want before asking for help. Provide examples.Getting a dream jobTo find a better job, you must be willing to stay focused and do the hard work! Here are the best strategies for success in getting your dream job:Start small and stay focusedMost achievements will not occur overnight. Think back to those strategies you learned in school. Little lessons and tasks can lead to big accomplishments! For example, if you want to do a job that requires physical activity, don’t wait until you apply for the job, hoping you’ll increase your fitness levels after. Be ready for what life brings. If you want to be a writer one day, start a blog, start writing for local outlets, start following your favorite writers, reading more books, etc. Every situation will have ways for you to prepare. General ways to prepare for that dream job:Keep your resume updatedRewrite a new cover letter for each positionPractice the skills of the job Know how to dress the part or look the part of someone who already works thereKnow who works at the company Understand why this job is your dream and what’s at stake if you cannot get it or keep itAdopt the schedule of the dream jobTalk to people in that industry Network on social media with people in the industry and recruitersTake free or low-cost courses to enhance your competitive advantagePractice patience for when the job comes (you may need to hold out)Keep a job or use savings to fund your time before dream job opens upUse discipline because motivation fadesCommunicate your goals to friends and familyFinal thoughtsSuccess is defined by what you want out of life. Someone else’s goals do not need to be your goals. Whatever you want and whatever looks like success to you, go for it with everything you’ve got.

7 Habits of Successful People You Need to Know
Career Growth

7 Habits of Successful People You Need to Know

People do not decide their futures, they decide their habits, and their habits decide their futures.F.M. AlexanderUsually, successful people tend to implement positive habits in their day to day lives. The value of these habits can’t be understated. Like compound interest in a savings account, the small choices and behaviors you make in your personal life builds up over time, shaping your future.Habits can support success, or they can limit it. Habits can be unskilful and restrictive, or they can be deliberately crafted to lift you up and make sure you’re moving in the right direction. Whether we’re talking about a daily to-do list, positive self-talk, morning habits or others, you should ask yourself: what habits do you cultivate, and what habits should you let go of?One way is to explore what most successful people have in common. By understanding the habits of successful people, you can apply similar approaches to your own life. While it isn’t as easy as copying highly successful people and expecting identical results, applying the right habits, in the right way, will boost your chances of success.A good habit can be the foundation of self-improvement, and a building block for a successful existence. If you’re looking for the best habits that have a huge impact on your well being, we’ve got you covered. Of course, without application, knowing the right habits won’t have much of an effect. So we’ll also explore the best ways to apply new habits to your life.What is a habit?(Jamie Grill / Getty)The Merriam-Webster definition of habit is “an acquired mode of behavior that has become nearly or completely involuntary” or “a settled tendency or usual manner of behavior.” Habits are so powerful and influential because they are acted out in ways that are instinctive. They’re behaviors or thinking patterns are so ingrained, that you don’t have to spend too much time thinking about them — it’s as if they take care of themselves.Almost half our habits are habitualThere’s a lot of scientific evidence behind the role of habits in behavior. Psychologist Wendy Wood, Ph.D., from the University of Southern California (USC), is one of the world’s leading researchers on the topic. Her work has discovered that around 43 percent of daily behaviors are habitual, taking place when our minds are occupied with other things.Throughout decades of research, Wood discovered that for many people, their attitude, values, and desires don’t match their behavior. That’s because people tend to underestimate the power of habits, and even though they get a clear idea of how they’d like to change, their habits aren’t supporting that change. Another leading thinker in the field is James Clear, who wrote the bestselling book, Atomic Habits. For Clear, habits are the elixir of growth and successful living. “When you learn to transform your habits,” he writes, “you can transform your life.”There’s a lot of truth to this statement. Without habitual behavior, you wouldn’t be able to stick to a routine (think of all those New Year's resolutions that disappear by February). A success habit integrated into your daily routine is one of the most effective ways to set yourself up for success, and habits are the building blocks. In the other direction, negative people tend to have negative habits, and so it’s important to choose your habits wisely. But before continuing, let’s take a second to pause and reflect on success for some better mental clarity on the general subject.What is a successful life?It’s easy to get caught up in the desire to model the habits of a successful person, without taking the time to clarify what success means for you. In our culture, many habits of successful people are related to those who demonstrate high levels of productivity, wealth, acclaim, or resilience.Generally speaking, we think of successful people as those who are able to achieve their most important goals (see our article on SMART goals for more info on the subject). They’re the people who overcome procrastination, fear, and the hurdles life throws in the way, in order to pursue their dreams. Habits, in many ways, are the bridge between a vision and making that vision a reality, which successful people excel at.But there is an issue with the primary culture image of success; a lot of the time, it depends on results and outcomes. For example, millions of people view Jeff Bezos as a success due to his business success and wealth. Yet such is the nature of business and life, a million people could copy Bezos, by the book, without reaching his level of income or exposure.As as a verbI view success as a verb, not a noun. Every moment is an opportunity to do something successfully. That’s because success is a matter of perspective. If you write a book that doesn’t sell many copies, does it mean it wasn’t successful? Isn’t the ability to write a book — to bridge the vision and make that vision a reality — a successful process? (Morsa Images / Getty)All the habits required to write the book, from setting consistent time to write (perhaps up to eight hours a day), to making sure you stay focused, are successful habits. They serve to support you in reaching your goal.Define your own successSo, start by being clear on what success looks like for you. It might be starting your own business, getting in physical shape, raising a child. Success can be intrinsic, too, such as living a life that is aligned to your values or being authentic in the way you communicate. However this looks for you will inform what habits are necessary to make this successful life a reality.How do you apply daily habits to your life?Seeing habits as a bridge allows you to get a clearer idea of what behaviors move you closer to your goals, and what behaviors move you away from your goals. Using the example of physical fitness, the habit of late-night snacking is one that’ll move you away from your goals. While the habit of running or going to the gym multiple times each week will serve your goals. (Ron Levine / Getty)Before these behaviors become habit, there’s a period of strain in making deep-rooted, often subconscious changes.It’s not as straightforward as stopping the habit with awareness alone. Wood’s research discovered that context is key — habits are usually triggered by different cues, and one way to break habits is to control those cues. James Clear’s work explores similar approaches. He identifies the “Three Rs” of habit change: ReminderRoutineRewardThe reminder is the trigger, the routine is the go-to behavior in response to the trigger, and the reward is the benefit you get from the behavior. For example, if you walk past a bakery, you might smell freshly baked doughnuts (the reminder). The routine would be to buy one to satisfy the craving, with the reward being the satisfaction of the craving.Replace bad with goodClear recommends replacing a bad habit with a good one. Satisfying the craving for unhealthy food can be replaced by a mindful practice of noticing craving without acting upon it. If work-related stress causes you to drink alcohol or smoke to relieve tension, the trigger of stress can be transformed into a cue to take a walk outside or practice deep breathing exercises.(DjelicS / Getty)Combined with removing triggers and being aware of your environment, it becomes much easier to transform bad habits into good habits. With that in mind, what are the good habits that successful people follow? What habits can you introduce to support you in skillful ways?7 habits of successful peopleGood habits set you up for a life of success and wellness all across the board. Whether it’s building confidence in your ability to execute your goals, overcoming unhelpful behaviors, experiencing more energy through exercise more and a well-balanced diet, habits don’t only pay off in the long run, they directly benefit your daily routine. While good habits don’t guarantee the same results as successful people, you can guarantee successful people have good habits. With that in mind, the following 7 habits act as the foundation of the majority of people who are able to excel, in one way or another. They’re tried and tested, have shown results for multiple people, and have as much influence on who you are, as well as who you will one day become. 1. Having a positive attitude(Westend61 / Getty)“For a habit to stay changed, people must believe change is possible,” Charles Duhigg writes in The Power of Habit. The belief that change is possible begins with a positive attitude, or, in other terms, a growth mindset. Successful people know they’re not the victims of bad habits, they know they can overcome them. This belief comes before any action is taken.Part of having a positive attitude is being patient and forgiving towards yourself through the process of making new behaviors habitual. Some forms of therapy operate on this principle. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), for example, changes thinking habits by reframing them. You will have setbacks, and that’s fine. How you handle them makes all the difference. 2. Getting plenty of rest(fStop Images - Winnie Au / Getty)With the culture of hyper-productivity and 70-hour workweeks, it’s easy to forget just how important sleep is for success. You could force yourself to function on little sleep, keep your body saturated with coffee, and power through. But in the long-run, successful people know that getting enough sleep will lead to more energy, and more energy means more chance of achieving your goals.What constitutes “enough” depends on you, but be honest and tuned in with how your body feels and go to bed early when you need to. Albert Einstein famously slept for 10 hours every night and napped during the day. That’s likely too much for you, but studies show that people who sleep for 5 hours each night are almost a third less productive than those who sleep for 7 or 8 hours.3. Looking after the body and mindThere is a romanticized idea of the tortured artist, or The Wolf of Wall Street style party-lover, who is able to live hard, work harder. That’s all well and good, yet research in this area shows that people are more likely to be successful if they treat their body and mind well. That includes plenty of sleep, but also means eating the right foods, exercising regularly, and practicing meditation and mindfulness to handle stress.(Drazen_ / Getty)Something to keep in mind is that, for many people, success means taking responsibility. The business leader hires more employees, the writer lands a seven-figure book deal, the psychologist suddenly has millions of YouTube followers applying their wisdom to their lives. It requires a certain disposition to handle the increased demands that come from success and knowing how to nourish mind and body is key to remaining balanced.4. Learning to control impulses(SolStock / Getty)The classic Stanford experiment, the Marshmallow Test, demonstrates the link between delayed gratification and success. Children in the study were given the option of eating a marshmallow immediately or waiting for an extra marshmallow. The study was followed up 40 years later, and the children who waited patiently were more successful in a range of areas, including grades, stress tolerance, and other life measures.Anyone who lives a successful life understands this principle, from elite athletes sacrificing many of life’s pleasures to be in peak physical shape, to entrepreneurs who dedicate their lives to products that the rest of the world might not initially value. That means as a habit, successful people are able to control impulses and keep their future success in mind. 5. Setting worthwhile goalsPhilosopher Arthur Schopenhauer once said: “Talent hits a target no one else can hit; genius hits a target no one else can see.” People who are exceptional in their field have a lot of mental clarity about what direction they wish to move in. They set goals that are connected to meaning, which allows them to pursue them despite all setbacks. As a habit, successful people always assess, set intentions, and know their target.6. Knowing what steps to take to achieve those goalsEven then, successful people are able to move closer to the target, in a way that sets them apart from the masses. That’s because they’ll do all they can to work out what the path to their success is. They know that good habits are the foundation of the path. For example, people who become wealthy spend a lot of time learning new skills they can apply to their finances. Or people who become exceptional communicators learn what makes a public speaker compelling.7. Knowing how to set up a supportive environment(Hinterhaus Productions / Getty)The full Charles Duhigg’s quote from above provides a wider perspective on what makes good habits more likely. He writes: “We know that a habit cannot be eradicated—it must, instead, be replaced. And we know that habits are most malleable when the Golden Rule of habit change is applied: If we keep the same cue and the same reward, a new routine can be inserted. But that’s not enough. For a habit to stay changed, people must believe change is possible. And most often, that belief only emerges with the help of a group.”Successful people know the group of people they spend their time with has a great influence on how likely they are to achieve their goals. If you’re surrounded by people who are supporting you and holding you accountable, you’re much more likely to succeed than spending your time with people who have different values and less motivation.Studies have shown that social circles can influence opinions, behaviors, attitudes, and even levels of health and wellbeing. That’s in part due to the habits of others being contagious in their own way. It’s much easier to pick up a new habit of regular exercise if you have a close friend who is already established in a regular routine.In conclusionChange your habits, transform your life. This isn’t an easy process, but the habits of successful people demonstrate that to live a successful life, you have to master your routine, and your routine is supported by your daily habits. To make the most of this wisdom, consider what success looks like for you, identify bad habits, establish new habits, and have a clear vision that will allow you to stick to the behaviors that lead you to your goals.One step at a time is cliched advice, but it's true. The path to fulfilling your goals and living the life of your dreams depends on the small choices you make. The good news is, by fostering good habits, many of those choices will become part of your nature; you won’t have to consciously choose them, and your subconscious mind will become the biggest champion of your success.(RUNSTUDIO / Getty)Once you’ve reached that point, and momentum builds, your habits will choose the future your hard work and commitment deserves.

John Wooden's Pyramid of Success: How to Use It
Career Growth

John Wooden's Pyramid of Success: How to Use It

Success can be defined as an achievement, but moreso, it is a mindset. Successful people are those who embody this mindset each and every day. They set themselves realistic goals, only to exceed them. They demand more of themselves, while understanding setbacks are part of the process. They adopt a growth mindset, where there is no such thing as failure, but constant opportunities to learn, grow, and evolve.If you were to distill the qualities of successful people, you’d find common traits. They demonstrate habits that prime them for success. They’re clear on their purpose. They’re aligned with their values. Although there is an element of mystery involved, anyone can learn to live a successful life. And fortunately, one man has done the groundwork in pulling together these qualities and presenting them in a clear way.Coach Wooden: Success StoryThat man is legendary college basketball coach John Wooden. Not only did he earn himself a place in the basketball hall of fame, he was also something of a philosopher. Coach Wooden created the pyramid of success, a framework that combines many different qualities that contribute to a successful mindset. For those who enjoy structure, or are analytically minded, Coach Wooden’s pyramid provides a valuable breakdown of values, behaviors, and approaches that will supercharge your path to becoming a better person.In this article, we’ll break down Coach John Wooden’s pyramid of success in detail, before showing you exactly how you can apply its wisdom to your life.Who is John Wooden?(Bettmann / Contributor / Getty)John Wooden was one of the most successful basketball coaches in living history, aptly earning the nickname the "Wizard of Westwood." Across a 12-year period in the 60s and 70s, he won ten National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championships with the UCLA Bruins. That spell of success included a record-breaking 88-game winning streak.Across a 40-year career, Wooden became known for his wisdom and outstanding leadership skills. John Wooden’s own method, the pyramid of success, is his most well-known contribution. This contribution benefitted not only to the sporting world, but was applicable to all aspects of success. He wrote a number of books explaining his philosophy. Coach Wooden died in 2010, aged 99, with his legacy firmly etched in history.How does the pyramid of success work?The pyramid of success is Wooden’s way of capturing the ingredients of success he’d identified across his extraordinary career and life. Wooden’s pyramid of success contains 15 building blocks across five layers. Similar to Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, each layer builds upon the other. Of course, success doesn’t depend exclusively on following a strict order. Instead, the pyramid of success contains a cross-section of the values and behaviors that moves beyond building a more effective offense or cohesive team spirit, helping those that use it build a fruitful life.The diagram consists of 15 inner blocks and ten “mortar,” totaling 25 building blocks, which John Wooden calls the 25 Proven Behaviors That Produce True Success. It’s effectiveness comes from considering how, as an individual, you’re integrating these qualities into your life.Wooden saw these successful behaviors as fundamental to the successes he taught and witnessed in others. As we explore the building blocks below, keep in mind how you can integrate these into your life. The more blocks, the better.The Building Blocks of the Pyramid of SuccessSo, what are these magic ingredients the Wizard of Westwood identified? Join John Wooden and learn more about his pyramid, starting with the 15 inner blocks, layer by layer.The Base LayerThese are the foundations success is built upon. It’s almost impossible to become successful without balance in these areas.IndustriousnessThis is hard work, plain and simple. If you want something in life, you have to work for it, be it financial wealth, climbing the career ladder, raising a family, or overcoming limitations.FriendshipWithout friends, success becomes a lonely journey. Both the highs and lows of any worthwhile pursuit are best shared with loved ones.LoyaltyThis works both ways, in trusting people around you, and being loyal to others to build trust. Coach Wooden believed it was sometimes necessary to sacrifice personal glory for the team. CooperationNo person is an island. Working with others from a place of generosity — sharing wisdom, sharing ideas, sharing inspiration. Enthusiasm Success requires commitment over long periods of time, commitment with enthusiasm and an eagerness and passion towards pursuing your goals. Level 2Once building upon solid foundations, these building blocks are the cornerstone of developing momentum towards a successful life:Self-controlYou have to be able to avoid temptations that lure you away from your path, have the self-discipline to become a better person, and remain committed to taking action.AlertnessThis is the opposite of tunnel vision, it’s the ability to remain tuned-in to your environment, and respond with good judgment. Successful people don’t isolate themselves, but are observing constantly.Initiative Success isn’t handed to anyone. Sure, you will get help and support along the way, but you must be willing to take matters into your own hands, through discernment and careful planning.Intentness Keep going when times are tough. Having intent means to be persistent when things are working against you.Level 3These building blocks are at the heart of Wooden’s philosophy, bridging the foundation and the higher levels.Condition This is made of three components — mental, moral and physical condition. Considering Wooden’s background as a basketball coach, this holistic approach is common sense. You have to have your mind, body, and heart aligned and looked after.Skill What are your gifts? What can you learn to improve? Skill is the process of mastering different abilities, and knowing what your strengths and weaknesses are.Team spirit This goes one step further than cooperation. This is the willingness to sacrifice personal interests in order to benefit a greater cause — be it someone else, a team, or even a transcendent form of service.Level 4These two building blocks are near the peak of the pyramid:Poise This is the ability to stay true to your values and your commitment, when faced with challenging circumstances. It can also be described as self-respect, confidence or composure.Confidence This is the point of becoming certain of your abilities from relentless study, application, and development. This is a stage of excellence where true, abiding confidence becomes a natural byproduct. The PeakFinally, the building block sitting at the top of the pyramid of success, is…Competitive greatnessAnother building block indicative of coach Wooden’s immersion in sports that has much wider implications. This form of greatness doesn’t only apply to beating opponents in the arena, but being willing to take your place on the stage, and challenge yourself to become the greatest version of yourself — even if your competition is the past version of yourself.The Pyramid of Success MortarNo structure is built without individual blocks being firmly held in place. When looking at the diagram of the pyramid of success, you’ll notice that there are additional 10 blocks by the sides of each layer. These are what coach John Wooden calls “the mortar” of the pyramid. These are inner values that contribute to a successful person — the left side is “The Force of the Human Spirit,” and the right side is “The Strength of Human Character.” At the top is what is known as “The Pinnacle”.The Force of Human SpiritAmbition (for noble goals): successful people know which goals are truly meaningful, and pursue them intently.Adaptability (to any situation): being flexible to challenges is a crucial principle of success.Resourcefulness (proper judgment): how do you make the most out of your time, energy, and talent?Fight (determined effort): nothing worthwhile in life is achieved without effort. Many successful people sacrifice their personal interests to pursue their dreams.The Strength of Human CharacterSincerity (keep friends): this block talks to the value of making sure you remain grounded in relationships to other people.Honesty (in thoughts and actions): good leadership requires leaders who act with honesty and humility, not those who look to compete and “win” through dishonest means.Reliability (creates respect): people look towards those they know they can rely on. This includes reliability of character, and people who are clear in what they will do, and stick to it.Integrity (purity of intention): coach Wooden identified integrity as “purity” of heart.The PinnacleFaith (through prayer): Coach Wooden saw the value in having a spiritual practice to support success, another key to not only winning, but living a successful life.Patience (good things take time): It takes roughly a decade to become an overnight success. Any outstanding achievement takes time, and those who make it are those who continue to believe in their ability.How to apply the pyramid of successA signed print of the pyramid of success appears on an office wall in Ted Lasso, the Emmy-award winning comedy about an American Football coach hired to manage a British football team. Star and producer Jason Sudeikis was influenced by Wooden’s pyramid after a basketball coach introduced him to it at college. He later used the pyramid while teaching improv comedy: “I would bring in laminated copies like a freaking PE teacher and diagram on them with a dry erase marker,” he told the Futbol Podcast.(Axelle/Bauer-Griffin / Contributor / Getty)As Sudeikis demonstrates, the pyramid of success can be applied in a number of ways. Like John Wooden himself, not only can they be used as a point of reference for your own path of success, they offer a structure to teach others. If you’re in a leadership position, consider taking your team through the pyramid of success and encouraging people to reflect on how much they are embodying each of the behaviors.Personally, I’ve taken time to reflect on the building blocks, and how well integrated these qualities are. It’s an illuminating and inspiring exercise. Start with the base, work through each quality, and consider: how well am I embodying this building block? What can I do more of? For example, you might realize you’re ranking high in your work rate, but could do with additional support by collaborating with others.Wooden’s life philosophy has offered a gift to those looking to structure success into their lives. No single framework is a magic ingredient. But as one of the most successful sports coaches in history, Wooden understood success more than most. Combined, these building blocks put success into its proper perspective.So, build upon what you’ve integrated, take a shot at the successful life you dream of, and develop a winning mentality that’ll support your journey, no matter how that looks to you.

How Do You Measure Success: Metrics & Examples
Career Growth

How Do You Measure Success: Metrics & Examples

What does success mean to you? We all want to feel successful in our personal and professional lives. But understanding how to define success and measure it is the key to achieving it.Success is a popular idea for a reason. It feels good to feel successful – whether that's being recognized through a raise at work, more visibility within your company or having your partner or child tell you how loved and valued you make them feel. But despite the small successes we all experience each and every day, sometimes it can feel like it's not enough. What's more, our measure of success is likely to shift at different turning points in our lives. For example, seeing your friends achieve certain milestones sooner than you have, or watching coworkers be promoted and elevated while you've been passed over.Success is a moving target – but identifying how to measure true success can help keep you on track and motivated towards your desired outcome. In this article, we'll discuss what defines success, explore how to measure it in your personal and professional life, talk about what metrics can be used for this measurement, and finally lead to how you can prioritize success, using effective strategies to get there. How do you measure success? (Marko Geber / Getty)There are many different metrics for success. Professional success, for example, can be measured based on growth in the company or through a measure of customer satisfaction. It can be measured in dollar value, either through the achievement of a larger compensation package at work or through positive year-end performance reviews. When running a business, employee satisfaction, business goals and achieving key performance indicators set for the company can measure success. Discover your core valuesIf you're unsure of how to find a true measure of success, getting in touch with your core values can be a powerful starting place. It's hard to know what will make you feel successful without tapping into the areas of your life that are most important to you. Here are a few steps to take in order to identify your core goals.Make a list of what you value most – in order of importance(Getty)Making lots of money at a job where you're working long hours is meaningless if the thing you prioritize most is time with family and friends. List out the things you value most and order them with the top of the list containing what's most important to you. It's not impossible to measure success across various goals, but achieving success starts with prioritization and goal setting, so you can better identify both our professional goals and the important tasks needed to get where you’re going.Set a goal that measures successWhat do true measures of success look like to you when it comes to quality time with family? A lucrative career? Get specific about what your goal looks like and how you'll measure success along the way. One way to do this is to use the SMART goal framework. Setting specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-based goals makes measuring success much easier and more tangible. Track your progressCompare yourself to last month –- have you stayed on track with the goals you've set? What has been different, and what could have gone better? When measuring your progress, the key is to continue measuring it using metrics that make sense for what you're working towards.Don't compare yourself to othersTheodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States, once said, "Comparison is the thief of joy." (Topical Press Agency / Stringer / Getty)This advice is wise and important to keep in mind when measuring success. A common but flawed method for measuring success is looking at others and evaluating whether or not you're doing better or worse by comparison.What's the problem with measuring success that way, you ask? There will always be someone who's doing "better" than you – or who seems to be on the outside. The reality is we never truly know what other people are going through. They may live in a beautiful house with a nice lawn and fancy car – but at what expense? Maybe being able to afford that lifestyle has cost them time with family or has made them feel burnt out and depressed. Achieving success comes from within. Success is personal to each and every one of us, and it means different things to different people. Instead of looking at others and feeling you're not successful because you don't measure up, measure success on your own terms. You'll feel happier and more satisfied by doing so. Metrics of successIf you're still having trouble determining how to measure success, here are a few key areas to evaluate and measure moving forward.Living a well-balanced lifeLiving a well-balanced life can be easier said than done. Job demands, family obligations and the tasks that come with keeping a household clean and running can all easily pile up if we let them. The long-term effects of living an unbalanced life can be tremendous and costly -- a failed marriage, strained relationships with your children and even health complications due to constantly working in a stressful environment are all real potential consequences. To measure success in your life balance, evaluate what areas of life you wish you had more time to prioritize, then determine what next steps need to happen in order to achieve success. Sharing success with othersOne measure of success that can be a powerful indicator is the ability to give back in some way. Whether that's by means of making a monetary donation to a cause you care about, volunteering your free time to help others or acting as a teacher or mentor to young professionals in your field, having the ability to give back in a meaningful capacity is another way to measure success. Maintaining good health(Getty)As the old saying goes, health is wealth. Measure success in this area not just by how you feel each day, but by the necessary steps you take and habits you implement to ensure you'll continue to live in good health. Eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, drinking enough water, establishing a healthy sleep pattern and meditating are all things that can support and lead to personal success when it comes to health and happiness.Building and acquiring wealthMoney and material possessions are a common measure of success. But structuring this goal in a way that leads to success in the long-term, rather than in the moment, is key. For example, a measure of success can be whether or not you're on track with retirement savings, purchasing a home you can pass down to your children, saving enough money to provide your kids with a college education, and others. Conducting yourself with dignity and honorRespect is earned, not given. Whether it be in your place of work, within your family or amongst your peers, if you're someone who's respected for their perspective and often asked for your thoughts and opinion on subjects that matter, you've achieved success. How to measure your personal successMeasuring success doesn't always have to be tangible. For some areas of life, measuring success equates to a certain amount of dollars in an account, a large purchase, a job offer or promotion. But what if your goal is to simply be happy?Happiness looks different for everyone, of course. But if you're wondering how to measure success for goals that don't feel as measurable as some others on this list, here are a few signs you've achieved success.You're proud of yourself. There's still work to be done, but there's an overall satisfaction you feel in all or most areas of your life. At the end of each day, you feel you've accomplished what was important and feel optimistic about what the next day, week and month will bring.You're part of something bigger than yourself. When measuring success, it's easy to get caught up in your personal goals and responsibilities. But success is often recognizing that you're just one component of the meaningful things you're part of. The relationships you have with others. The work that you do. How you spend your free time. You have people in your life who care about you. What good is success if you don't have people in your corner who will cheer you on and celebrate your wins? Having people in your life who love and support you is a key component of happiness – and an impactful way to measure success. (Getty)You feel that you're making progress. It's hard to feel successful when every day feels the same. Seeing progression in areas of your life, such as your job, relationships or even monetary savings, can be used as a success metric. Overall, you're happy. You feel that you have a greater purpose – whether that's in your professional or personal life. Happiness is truly the greatest measure of success – one that's worth constantly striving for. Sure, you may have certain areas of your life where you see room for improvement. But as a whole, your life feels more or less complete. Strategies to measure your workplace successWhile measuring success for personal goals like happiness can feel less structured, success at work comes with more easily identifiable key performance indicators. If you're unsure of how to measure success at work, here are a few suggestions that can help inform your progress.Compare your progress each dayDuring particularly busy work weeks, it can be hard to take a look back and evaluate what went well and what could've gone better. But establishing a daily check-in with yourself can be a useful tool for measuring success at work. Identify what went better today than yesterday. If today felt like you made less progress than the day before, determine why that is and how tomorrow can be different.Spend time on three annual tasksIn any job, daily deliverables must be prioritized. But losing track of the annual goals and achievements that need to be worked on as well can be detrimental to achieving success in the workplace. In order to stay on track, speak with your manager about the annual targets that he or she wants to see you hit, then allocate a specific amount of time each day to work toward these overall goals and achievements. Spend time on communicationWhat makes for a successful conversation at work? Measuring success at work is not just about whether or not you've made your point in a meeting – it's what you took away from what others said as well. Measure the success of your workplace interactions not only by the outcome but of the way your coworkers received and processed the information – and what happened next. Build workplace relationships(Morsa Images / Getty)Building rapport with your team at work is essential to your professional success. In order to measure the success of the conversations you have with team members, take a look at how and when they approach you when you don't initiate conversation. For example, do your team members come to you for help when they have an issue? Do they expect you to do the work for them, or are they coming to you for guidance? Do they rarely interact with you unless you initiate? Keep track of your interactions at work and make it a priority to position yourself as someone who's there to help. Set meetings with your managerYou likely have time scheduled weekly with your manager to discuss the work that's on your plate. But setting goals with your manager that pertain to your overall performance and career trajectory within the company is also important to do. If you find that months have gone by without an opportunity to check in and discuss your progress, take the initiative to put time on your boss's calendar to do so. Utilize peer reviews(Getty)If you manage a team, allowing your direct reports to have a voice in the team processes, overall dynamic, and your management style is something to consider. Your team members may not feel comfortable coming to you directly with feedback or thoughts about what can be done better or differently. However, giving them the option to convey this anonymously, such as through a survey, can help measure the success of the current processes and procedures implemented on your team and help improve your team dynamic for the better. Summary How do you measure success? We all define success differently. Whether you're hoping to achieve personal success, overall life satisfaction, happiness or professional success, finding the motivation to do so starts with identifying what's truly important to you. When thinking about how to measure success, envision the kind of life that would bring you the most happiness. Set goals for how you'll get there and track your progress along the way. The only person who can define how you measure success is yourself. Run your own race, don't compare your success to others and keep your eye on the prize.