Sam Makhoul – Page 7

March 12, 2016

How To Compete with Kids

You Can’t.

Kids see the world through different eyes. Eyes that do not (or prefer not to) perceive limitation or fear. Kids tackle life with a sense of curiosity, imagination and fun.

Here are 7 pretty cool things you can learn from kids that will help you live outside the square and get noticed at work (in a good way):

7. Kids have no limits. They think BIG. Progress is only ever made when you challenge the limits. So go ahead and ask “What if we do this?” at the next meeting.

6. Kids are fearless. Get a bunch of kids in a group and ask them for ideas on anything and they will go nuts. Their eyes light up with enthusiasm and they get animated. Compare that with adults who sit there deliberating on everything they say for fear of sounding stupid.

5. Kids like to have fun, otherwise they start to yawn and get tired. Their energy does not go to waste. It is expended completely. Having fun does not mean frivolous fun at the expense of getting stuff done. Get creative about what you do. Ask yourself, “What can I do differently to grab people’s attention?”

4. Adults ask “why?” Kids ask “why not!” They don’t take no for an answer. If kids are enthusiastic about an idea, it’s hard to dissuade them.

3. Kids don’t hold back. If they don’t like something they will let you know. So speak truthfully at work. Say what’s on your mind. Do not agree with ideas just to be popular. Pull someone up who is doing the wrong thing.

2. Kids ‘get over it’ pretty quickly. They wake the next morning and don’t even remember what they did wrong or what upset them the previous day. They forgive quickly and don’t hold grudges. They are wired to say “Next!”

1. Kids love their imagination and use it to daydream. Adults learn to steer away from their imagination, as they grow ‘older’ because they start to use it to imagine the worst. So it scares them. It makes them feel uneasy. Cf. with kids who use it to think of the ‘bestest ideas ever!’

So here’s a BIG idea. Hire more kids at heart. And remember that there is a difference between being child-like and being childish. You want the former not the latter.

Every organisation that is serious about innovation and business transformation has to have enthusiastic and imaginative people in their talent pool. More importantly they have to nurture and promote such talent to positions of influence, and not just for transient amusement or the fake appearance of being a cool company.

January 20, 2016

Sleep More Get Smart

Whenever I suggest more sleep around motivated people on the go, I am often met with ‘are you insane?!’, followed by a ‘yawn’. Not only because the topic bores them but also because they are sleep deprived. Im guilty on both counts. But below you will find 3 great tips for the best sleep ever.

Sure we might go through periods where we sleep less and for good reason. For example when we travel to exciting destinations and constantly on the go. Or when we work on projects that stimulate us. But there comes a tipping point where the mind and body say, “hey, enough is enough, you need to chill”.

Benefits of sleep:

You will look more attractive (that’s why they call it ‘beauty sleep’)
You will improve your memory
You will lower your stress levels
You will be smarter. Albert Einstein needed 10 hours sleep a night.

And the best thing about sleep is that its free. It’s the best supplement that money can’t buy. It is a daily detox for the mind. Some people swear by meditation to relax BUT research show that sleep is far more effective.

Here are three tips that will definitely get you the best sleep:

Cardio exercise after work – at least 30 mins.
Get some sun around midday.
Have a laugh in the last hour before you go to bed. Hang out with fun people or watch your favourite comedy.

And remember that one hour sleep before midnight is worth 2 hours sleep after midnight. So get to bed early.

Yawn.

December 15, 2015

Distractions Everywhere

The world is moving fast and it’s only getting faster. So much technology. So much information. So much to understand, to think about, to react to.

BUT our success comes in avoiding the distractions and not in trying to absorb everything.

Distractions make us overwhelmed because we feel like we should be reading or watching everything and regurgitating it on social media for fear of being left behind. But the irony is that these same distractions make us numb, uninteresting, and uninspiring.

The future belongs to those who create content rather than regurgitate it. It is better to have one good idea of your own than a hundred that cross and cross, across your screen.

Switch off. Give yourself permission to. Dawdle. Doodle.

Sow the seed of one small idea. You never know what it grows into. Or whom youmight grow into.

November 11, 2015

Great People Make…

…. the right decisions at the right time.

The first step to being a great person is to recognise that you are making hundreds of decisions every waking day.

What you wear. What you eat. Who you associate with. What to say. How you say it. What to read. What to watch. When to sleep. When to wake, what you do on waking etc..

Under each one of these decisions is a branch network of smaller decisions of how’s, why’s, who’s, when’s, and where’s.

Every decision shapes your daily thoughts and feelings, which over time shapes your personality. Every decision counts.

DECIDE CONSCIOUSLY.

Spontaneity is overrated.

October 12, 2015

The Miracle of The Bamboo Tree

After the seed for this amazing tree is planted, you see nothing, absolutely nothing, for four years except for a tiny shoot. During those four years all the growth is underground in an intricate but massive root structure that spreads deep and wide getting to know the earth. But then in the fifth year the Chinese bamboo tree grows up to 80 feet!

The late great Steven Covey reminds us in his book “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” that many things in life are like the bamboo tree. You invest your time and energy into eating well, exercising, nurturing loving relationships, working hard, learning, and you do everything you can to live a great life, AND sometimes you don’t see anything for weeks, months, or even years.

But if you’re patient and you keep at it, that “fifth year” will come around and you will be astounded at the growth and change you see taking place.