Learning – Page 3 – Sam Makhoul

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.

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.

May 22, 2014

9 Tips to Work Rest and Play

WORK

1. Master the art of a perfect greeting/handshake. Its what people most remember about you. Hillary Clinton and Barrack Obama are your perfect examples.

2. Keep learning and attending seminars in your field of expertise. Stay relevant and avoid becoming a dinosaur.

3. Aspire to inspire others, not put them down. Business is a lot easier when you win people over. They will work hard with you and for you if you inspire them about the goals. By all means though avoid people that ‘just don’t get it’. Life is too short…

REST

1. Breath through your stomach not your chest. Do this consciously when you are driving, sitting idle and sleeping. This single exercise can change your life because it unlocks tension and releases your mojo.

2. Turn off all technology when you are driving, eating and sleeping. Technology trains our mind to be in distraction mode, reduces our attention span and teaches us to not live in the moment.

3. Sleep more.

PLAY

1. Don’t do exercise. Play a sport that caters to your competitive nature. e.g. Soccer, tennis, touch footy. Competitive sport is a lot easier on the motivation. You can do 60 minutes of touch footy and the time flies. It also tunes you for competitiveness in business.

2. Get intimate with your partner more often. Play in the bedroom is just as important as sport. Use it or lose it. As a side benefit for men: more intimacy = less risk of prostate cancer.

3. Reserve work for work. I don’t believe that play should occur at the office. Sure you can celebrate your wins at work, but keep it professional and save your silly side for your family. My wife and I often put pop music on for the kids in the family room and we all dance and party like it was 1999.

Life balance is simply a matter of maths. We have 24 hours in the day. If you reserve 8 hours each for rest, work and play you will never get stressed again in your life.