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Year 2023 : Secrets of Keeping & Failing your New Year Resolutions.

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January 12, 2023
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A habit takes 66 days to form on average, but we give up our resolutions way before that. Here’s how to ace your 2023 ‘promises to the self’

January 16th is important date coz Most New year resolution will start falling flat from this Day onwards or some way before that .

Here’s Why ?

Enjoyment is an Important Factor :-

Both enjoyment and importance were important in terms of how successful one would be in sticking to their resolution in the future.

Contrary to popular belief, enjoyment predicted long-term persistence. In other words, we make a fundamental psychological error when we assume that we will stick to the plan to achieve the goal simply because it is clearly important to do so.

What really matters is how much we enjoy our initial efforts to begin a new habit, such as a fitness regimen or a diet change. That’s why Quick wins & accountability Partner or mentor is so important . They keep you going in those odd days & make sure you have those rewards / or quick wins in between.

Read on..

Why New Year Resolutions are necessary in the first place or why we are so bad at sticking to fitness resolutions and health goals :-

According to Professor Seppo Iso-Ahola, changing our lifestyle to improve our chances of living a long and healthy life is surprisingly simple at one level. He emphasizes that a healthy lifestyle consists of only four key health behaviors: regular exercise, no smoking, a healthy diet, and moderate alcohol consumption. According to this study, if people followed only these simple strategies for the rest of their lives, they would live seven years longer.

His study, ‘Conscious-Nonconscious Processing” Explains Why Some People Exercise But Most Don’t,’ delves into understanding why we don’t exercise when we should boils down to understanding what happens when we have to think about the decision to exercise.

How much of this decision is conscious wrestling with yourself over what you should do versus what you really want to do will predict how likely you are to stick to your fitness resolution.

Once you get started and establish a set of health routines, they begin to operate below conscious awareness, so you don’t have to think about them too much. The benefits of exercise then become a positive feedback loop; physical activity improves our self-esteem and directly improves our mental health, well-being, and brain function.

Learning or taking up a new sport, increases brain grey matter. Physical activity increases the size of the hippocampus, the part of the brain dedicated to memory, which improves recall and may even delay or prevent dementia, the report says.

when people get home from work, it is the first time during the day when they feel “it is my time to do whatever I want,” and thus they do not want to be told what to do (i.e., you have to go for a run). This is the last time they want to have to make difficult decisions.

Choosing to exercise at this precise moment is mentally taxing and undermines their sense of freedom for occasional exercisers and non-exercisers, whereas other common leisure activities (e.g., TV watching) do not. As a result, the “law of least effort” is followed while satisfying the fundamental need for autonomy, making couch-potato a formidable psychological barrier for would-be exercisers.

The psychological trick here is for exercise to become a forced “choice”.

Professor Seppo Iso-Ahola refers to this as the systematic construction of a ‘exercise infrastructure’.

This could include, for example, changing your environment to encourage you to exercise. It could mean leaving your gym clothes out on your couch as a nasty reminder of what you should be doing instead of watching TV, or choosing a time of day when there is less competition from other activities you enjoy doing – perhaps first thing in the morning or at lunchtime. Or enlist the help of others to go running with you, so that the knock on the door makes it more difficult to stay in and watch TV.

After a sufficient number of repetitions, exercisers can progress to the point where they make a permanent decision to exercise regardless of daily circumstances.

According to Professor Seppo Iso-Ahola, once a high level of habituality has been attained, it is difficult to break the habit.

Five ways to have Successful Resolutions :-

A habit takes 66 days to form on average, and education is ineffective at changing behaviour. A review of 47 studies discovered that changing a person’s goals and intentions is relatively easy, but changing their behaviour is much more difficult . Strong habits are frequently activated unconsciously in response to social or environmental cues.

Here are the five tips to help one stick to their New Year’s resolutions:

  1. Determine your priorities: Willpower is a limited supply. Resisting temptation depletes our willpower, leaving us open to influences that reinforce our impulsive behaviour. We often make the mistake of being overly ambitious with our new year’s resolutions. It is best to prioritise goals and concentrate on one behaviour. Small, incremental changes that replace the habit with a behaviour that provides a similar reward are the best approach. Diets that are too strict, for example, demand a lot of willpower to stick to, the report explains.
  2. Modify your routines: Routines are where habits are formed. Routine disruption can thus prompt us to adopt new habits. Major life events, such as changing jobs, moving, or having a baby, all promote new habits because we are forced to adapt to new circumstances. Routines can increase productivity and add stability to our social lives, but they should be chosen with caution. People who live alone have stronger routines, so if you do, using a dice to randomise your decision making could help you break your habits.
  3. Keep track of your actions: “Vigilant monitoring” appears to be the most effective approach to breaking bad habits. This is the stage at which people actively monitor their goals and regulate their behaviour in response to various situations. A meta-analysis of 100 studies found that self-monitoring was the most effective of 26 different strategies for promoting healthy eating and physical activity, the report said.
  4. Visualize yourself in the future: To make better decisions, we must overcome our tendency to prefer rewards now rather than later – a phenomenon known as “present bias” by psychologists. One way to combat this bias is to plan for the future. Our future self is virtuous and pursues long-term goals. Our current self, on the other hand, frequently pursues short-term, situational goals.
  5. Establish objectives and deadlines: Setting self-imposed deadlines or goals assists us in changing our behaviour and developing new habits. Assume you intend to save a certain amount of money each month. Deadlines are especially effective when they are linked to self-imposed rewards and penalties for good behaviour.

To know more & be part of  for Life changing community that works on “Kaizen” , Register atEWN Growth Multiplier program conducted online every Friday at 8 PM that Covers four pillars of Human aspects (Healthset / Wealthset / Mindset / Careerset ) for your professional &personal growth & success.

Register here at https://zfrmz.in/fv47zYixWmbenKBmBVyV to get a call back from our Team.

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How Successful People Stay Calm !

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March 26, 2020
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The ability to manage your emotions and remain calm under pressure has a direct link to your performance. 90% of top performers are skilled at managing their emotions in times of stress in order to remain calm and in control.

The tricky thing about stress (and the anxiety that comes with it) is that it’s an absolutely necessary emotion. Our brains are wired such that it’s difficult to take action until we feel at least some level of this emotional state. In fact, performance peaks under the heightened activation that comes with moderate levels of stress. As long as the stress isn’t prolonged, it’s harmless.

Researcher reinforces how important it is to keep stress under control. A study, found that the onset of stress entices the brain into growing new cells responsible for improved memory. However, this effect is only seen when stress is intermittent. As soon as the stress continues beyond a few moments into a prolonged state, it suppresses the brain’s ability to develop new cells.

As the human brain evolved and increased in complexity, we’ve developed the ability to worry and perseverate on events, which creates frequent experiences of prolonged stress.

Besides increasing your risk of heart disease, depression, and obesity, stress decreases your cognitive performance. Fortunately, though, unless a lion is chasing you, the bulk of your stress is subjective and under your control. Top performers have well-honed coping strategies that they employ under stressful circumstances. This lowers their stress levels regardless of what’s happening in their environment, ensuring that the stress they experience is intermittent and not prolonged.

Sharing 10 best effective strategies that successful people employ when faced with stress, Some of these strategies may seem obvious, but the real challenge lies in recognizing when you need to use them and having the wherewithal to actually do so in spite of your stress.

They Appreciate What They Have

Taking time to contemplate what you’re grateful for isn’t merely the “right” thing to do. It also improves your mood, because it reduces the stress hormone cortisol by 23%. Research conducted at the University of California, Davis found that people who worked daily to cultivate an attitude of gratitude experienced improved mood, energy, and physical well-being. It’s likely that lower levels of cortisol played a major role in this.

They Avoid Asking “What If?”

“What if?” statements throw fuel on the fire of stress and worry. Things can go in a million different directions, and the more time you spend worrying about the possibilities, the less time you’ll spend focusing on taking action that will calm you down and keep your stress under control. Calm people know that asking “what if? will only take them to a place they don’t want—or need—to go.

They Stay Positive

Positive thoughts help make stress intermittent by focusing your brain’s attention onto something that is completely stress-free. You have to give your wandering brain a little help by consciously selecting something positive to think about. Any positive thought will do to refocus your attention. When things are going well, and your mood is good, this is relatively easy. When things are going poorly, and your mind is flooded with negative thoughts, this can be a challenge. In these moments, think about your day and identify one positive thing that happened, no matter how small. If you can’t think of something from the current day, reflect on the previous day or even the previous week. Or perhaps you’re looking forward to an exciting event that you can focus your attention on. The point here is that you must have something positive that you’re ready to shift your attention to when your thoughts turn negative.

They Disconnect

Given the importance of keeping stress intermittent, it’s easy to see how taking regular time off the grid can help keep your stress under control. When you make yourself available to your work 24/7, you expose yourself to a constant barrage of stressors. Forcing yourself offline and even—gulp!—turning off your phone gives your body a break from a constant source of stress. Studies have shown that something as simple as an email break can lower stress levels.

Technology enables constant communication and the expectation that you should be available 24/7. It is extremely difficult to enjoy a stress-free moment outside of work when an email that will change your train of thought and get you thinking (read: stressing) about work can drop onto your phone at any moment. If detaching yourself from work-related communication on weekday evenings is too big a challenge, then how about the weekend? Choose blocks of time where you cut the cord and go offline. You’ll be amazed at how refreshing these breaks are and how they reduce stress by putting a mental recharge into your weekly schedule. If you’re worried about the negative repercussions of taking this step, first try doing it at times when you’re unlikely to be contacted—maybe Sunday morning. As you grow more comfortable with it, and as your coworkers begin to accept the time you spend offline, gradually expand the amount of time you spend away from technology.

They Limit Their Caffeine Intake

Drinking caffeine triggers the release of adrenaline. Adrenaline is the source of the “fight-or-flight” response, a survival mechanism that forces you to stand up and fight or run for the hills when faced with a threat. The fight-or-flight mechanism sidesteps rational thinking in favor of a faster response. This is great when a bear is chasing you, but not so great when you’re responding to a curt email. When caffeine puts your brain and body into this hyperaroused state of stress, your emotions overrun your behavior. The stress that caffeine creates is far from intermittent, as its long half-life ensures that it takes its sweet time working its way out of your body.

They Sleep

I’ve beaten this one to death over the years and can’t say enough about the importance of sleep to increasing your emotional intelligence and managing your stress levels. When you sleep, your brain literally recharges, shuffling through the day’s memories and storing or discarding them (which causes dreams), so that you wake up alert and clear-headed. Your self-control, attention, and memory are all reduced when you don’t get enough—or the right kind—of sleep. Sleep deprivation raises stress hormone levels on its own, even without a stressor present. Stressful projects often make you feel as if you have no time to sleep, but taking the time to get a decent night’s sleep is often the one thing keeping you from getting things under control.

They Squash Negative Self-Talk

A big step in managing stress involves stopping negative self-talk in its tracks. The more you ruminate on negative thoughts, the more power you give them. Most of our negative thoughts are just that—thoughts, not facts. When you find yourself believing the negative and pessimistic things your inner voice says, it’s time to stop and write them down. Literally stop what you’re doing and write down what you’re thinking. Once you’ve taken a moment to slow down the negative momentum of your thoughts, you will be more rational and clear-headed in evaluating their veracity.

You can bet that your statements aren’t true any time you use words like “never,” “worst,” “ever,” etc. If your statements still look like facts once they’re on paper, take them to a friend or colleague you trust and see if he or she agrees with you. Then the truth will surely come out. When it feels like something always or never happens, this is just your brain’s natural threat tendency inflating the perceived frequency or severity of an event. Identifying and labeling your thoughts as thoughts by separating them from the facts will help you escape the cycle of negativity and move toward a positive new outlook.

They Reframe Their Perspective

Stress and worry are fueled by our own skewed perception of events. It’s easy to think that unrealistic deadlines, unforgiving bosses, and out-of-control traffic are the reasons we’re so stressed all the time. You can’t control your circumstances, but you can control how you respond to them. So before you spend too much time dwelling on something, take a minute to put the situation in perspective. If you aren’t sure when you need to do this, try looking for clues that your anxiety may not be proportional to the stressor. If you’re thinking in broad, sweeping statements such as “Everything is going wrong” or “Nothing will work out,” then you need to reframe the situation. A great way to correct this unproductive thought pattern is to list the specific things that actually are going wrong or not working out. Most likely you will come up with just some things—not everything—and the scope of these stressors will look much more limited than it initially appeared.

They Breathe

The easiest way to make stress intermittent lies in something that you have to do everyday anyway: breathing. The practice of being in the moment with your breathing will begin to train your brain to focus solely on the task at hand and get the stress monkey off your back. When you’re feeling stressed, take a couple of minutes to focus on your breathing. Close the door, put away all other distractions, and just sit in a chair and breathe. The goal is to spend the entire time focused only on your breathing, which will prevent your mind from wandering. Think about how it feels to breathe in and out. This sounds simple, but it’s hard to do for more than a minute or two. It’s all right if you get sidetracked by another thought; this is sure to happen at the beginning, and you just need to bring your focus back to your breathing. If staying focused on your breathing proves to be a real struggle, try counting each breath in and out until you get to 20, and then start again from 1. Don’t worry if you lose count; you can always just start over.

This task may seem too easy or even a little silly, but you’ll be surprised by how calm you feel afterward and how much easier it is to let go of distracting thoughts that otherwise seem to have lodged permanently inside your brain.

They Use Their Support System

It’s tempting, yet entirely ineffective, to attempt tackling everything by yourself. To be calm and productive, you need to recognize your weaknesses and ask for help when you need it. This means tapping into your support system when a situation is challenging enough for you to feel overwhelmed. Everyone has someone at work and/or outside work who is on their team, rooting for them, and ready to help them get the best from a difficult situation. Identify these individuals in your life and make an effort to seek their insight and assistance when you need it. Something as simple as talking about your worries will provide an outlet for your anxiety and stress and supply you with a new perspective on the situation. Most of the time, other people can see a solution that you can’t because they are not as emotionally invested in the situation. Asking for help will mitigate your stress and strengthen your relationships with those you rely upon.

Please share your thoughts in the comments section below, as I learn just as much from you as you do from me.

Blog, Entrepreneur

6 Easy Tricks That Will Make You Way More Productive

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January 4, 2020
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When it comes to productivity, we all face the same challenge — there are only 24 hours in a day. Since even the best ideas are worthless until they’re executed, how efficiently you use your time is as important as anything else in business.

I’ve become fascinated by productivity secrets because some people seem to have twice the time, and there’s no better way to reach your goals than by finding ways to do more with the precious time you’ve been given.

It feels incredible when you leave the office after an ultra-productive day. It’s a workplace high that’s hard to beat. In my experience you don’t need to work longer or push yourself harder — you just need to work smarter.

“Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.” —William Penn

I’ve learned to rely on productivity hacks that make me far more efficient. I try to squeeze every drop out of every hour without expending any extra effort.

And my favourite hack also happens to be the easiest one to implement. It’s so easy and useful you can begin using it now.

  • Never touch things twice. That’s it. Never put anything in a holding pattern, because touching things  twice is a huge time-waster. Don’t  save an email or a phone call to deal with later. As soon as something gets your attention you should act on it,   delegate it, or delete it.
  • To pull this off you’re going to have to eat some frogs.“Eating a frog” is doing the least appetizing, most dreaded item on your to-do list. If you let your frogs sit, you waste your day dreading them. If you eat them right away, then you’re freed up to tackle the stuff that excites and inspires you.
  • You’ll also need to master the tyranny of the urgent.The tyranny of the urgent refers to the tendency of little things that have to be done right now to get in the way of what really matters. This creates a huge problem as urgent actions often have little impact. The key here is to delete or delegate. Otherwise, you can find yourself going days, or even weeks, without touching the important stuff. You’ll need to get good at spotting when putting out fires is getting in the way of your performance, and you’ll need to delete or delegate the things that hinder real forward momentum.
  • No is a powerful word that you’re going to have to use.When it’s time to say no, avoid phrases such as I don’t think I can or I’m not certain. Saying no to a new commitment honors your existing commitments and gives you the opportunity to successfully and efficiently fulfill them. Research conducted at the University of California in San Francisco shows that the more difficulty that you have saying no, the more likely you are to experience stress, burnout, and even depression. Learn to use no, and it will lift your mood, as well as your productivity.
  • You should check e-mail / social media on a schedule & not random as you are doing now If you aren’t going to touch things twice, you can’t allow e-mail / social media to be a constant interruption. Take advantage of features that prioritize messages by sender. Set alerts for your most important vendors and best customers, and save the rest until the scheduled time. You could even set up an autoresponder or bot that lets senders know when you’ll be checking your e-mail again.
  • Avoid multitasking.It’s a real productivity killer. Research conducted at Stanford University confirms that multitasking is less productive than doing a single thing at a time. The researchers found that people who are regularly bombarded with several streams of electronic information cannot pay attention, recall information or switch from one job to another as well as those who complete one task at a time.

Multitasking reduces your efficiency and performance because your brain can only focus on one thing at a time. When you try to do two things at once, your brain lacks the capacity to perform both tasks successfully. Never touching things twice means only touching one thing at a time.

Bringing It All Together

We’re all searching for ways to be more efficient and productive. I hope my productivity hack helps you to find that extra edge.

Please share your thoughts in the comments section below, as I learn just as much from you as you do from me.

 

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15 Best Home Based Business Ideas for Housewives & Moms

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December 4, 2019
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Home based business is blessing for the housewives and moms. Home based business ideas can be started with low or Nil Investment and require very less time. Nowadays many housewives and moms are looking for home based business. They are keen to earn more money by doing part time business in the spare time. In order to assist them, Earn With Nayak features 15 Best Home Based Business Ideas. These ideas are somewhat flexible in nature as being a housewife you need to give sufficient time to your family and children. So, let’s take a look at best home based business ideas that can make you financially independent.

Cooking based business Ideas for Housewives & Moms

1)    Chocolate Making

Chocolate making is evergreen home based low investment business idea. As per us, it is a perfect business for the housewife. In this business, you need to make chocolates and sell. You will need a help from someone as you need to wrap the chocolates to make it attractive. In order to sell the chocolate, you can tie up with shopping malls or local grocery shops or sell online or in exhibition. In online there is various option available to get bulk order or scale up your business or increase your visibility. (drop us a message to learn more)

Capital required for chocolate making – Rs 5000 – Rs 10000

Expected profit margin – 20%

2)    Cake Making

The second home based business idea is cake making. Cake making doesn’t require many resources, tools or equipment. You just need skill and training for cake making. You should be extremely good in making a cake in order to withstand in the market. Selling of cake can be done from home. In addition to that, you can tie up with local bakeries to increase the sell or sell online. (drop us a message to learn more)

Capital required for cake making – Rs 5000 – Rs 10000

Expected profit margin – 20 – 30%

3)    Cooking class

The third business idea for the housewives and mom is a cooking class. It is pure ladies based business idea. In order to start cooking class, you should be very good at a culinary skill. You also need small space at home along with multiple cooking facilities to start this business. You can sell at your locality or online or start cooking coaching classes online or create membership platform. (drop us a message to learn more)

Capital required for cooking class- Rs 20000 – Rs 25000

Expected profit margin – 30%

Skill & Product based business Ideas for Housewives & Moms

4)    Candle Making

The next home based business idea for housewives is candle making. Candles are widely used nowadays not only for religious purpose but also as a decorative item. To start this business you need to learn a technique of making a candle from wax. You can refer a book or attend a training program for the same. There are lot of avenues where you can sell your Candle both online & offline . (drop us a message to learn more)

Capital required for candle making – Rs 10000 – Rs 15000

Expected profit margin – 15-30%

5)    Greeting Card Making

Greeting card making is small home based business. Demands of greeting cards are increasing and greeting cards are required on almost every occasion. So, starting a greeting card making business could be very good bet. This business requires less capital and more creativity. There are lot of avenues where you can sell your Card both online & offline . (drop us a message to learn more)
Capital required for greeting card making – Rs 500 – Rs 2500
Expected profit margin – 40%

 6)    Customize Cloth making

The next home based business for housewives is cloth designing. This business requires more money as you need to procure multiple types of equipment and you also need manpower for making customize clothes. You can create a facebook page or WhatsApp group in order to sell these clothes or showcase in exhibition or sell online at marketplace. There are lot of avenues where you can sell your Candle both online & offline . (drop us a message to learn more)
Capital required for Customize cloth making – 1 Lac or depend.
Expected profit margin – 30%

7)    Blogging

Blogging is most popular home based business for everyone including housewives. In order to become a successful blogger, you need to be very good in term of content creation and knowledge. Today blogging is a primary source of income for many.
Capital required for Blogging – Rs.5000
Expected revenue – Variable

8)    Silver Jewellery Business

Jewellery is one of the most favourite topics of ladies. If you love jewellery and ready make a small investment you can start your own silver based jewellery business from home. It is a profitable business. However, it requires time to establish yourself in this business.

(drop us a message to learn more)
Capital required for Blogging – 1 Lac
Expected profit margin – 40%

 Service based business Ideas for Housewives & Moms

9)    Match Making

Matchmaking is a simple business that can be started from home. You just need biodatas of unmarried male and female candidate to start this business. You need to give very less time to this business. You can create your online portal to market your service. (drop us a message to learn more)
Capital required for Match Making – NIL
Expected Revenue – Variable
10)     Account Keeping

If you are a commerce graduate with expertise in accounting you can start home-based accounting business. Many small companies are looking for people who can effectively manage account and prepare a balance sheet for them. It is an evergreen business without any investment.
Capital required for Account Keeping – NIL
Expected Revenue – Variable
11)     Form Filling or Data Entry

Computer savvy super moms and housewives can go for form filling or data entry operation business. Many websites offer job-related to form filling and data entry. You will be paid once you complete the data entry job.
Capital required for Data Entry – NIL
Expected Revenue – Variable

12)     Beauty Parlour

The beauty parlour is best part time home based business idea for housewives and moms. You need to take training before starting a beauty parlour. It requires a time to establish yourself as a good beautician.
Capital required for Beauty parlour – Rs.25000
Expected Revenue – Variable

Other business Ideas for Housewives & Moms

13)    Tuition Class

Tuition class is next small business ideas that can be started from home. Teaching and learning skill is a must in order to start this business. Initially, you can start with few students, with growing demand you can plan to convert your small tuition to big coaching class.
Capital required for Tuition Class – Rs.5000
Expected Revenue – Variable

14)     PTC Jobs

If you are good at operating computer you can plan to take up PTC Jobs offered by various websites. PTC job means pay to click job. This type of job will pay you money for clicking and viewing an advertisement.
Capital required for PTC Jobs – NIL
Expected Revenue – Variable

15)     Play Group

The demand of play group is increasing in many cities in India. If you have a suitable place and money for investment this business is for you. In order to start this business, you need to decide play school course and take appropriate permission. After doing that you need to buy all kind of play school equipment like furniture, toys, educations aids etc. Once it is done you need to recruit staff for the play group. (drop us a message to learn more)

Capital required for Play Group – depend on location
Expected Revenue – Variable

Over to You,
Apart from above you can create your own home based business depending on your skill area/interest/hobbies.
Earn With Nayak will be glad to assist you in your business. We have Start-up Guide Program where you will be given Business counselling & Guidance for business setup process, Helping you in digitalization of your business & assisting you in designing important key aspects for sustaining your business.

No one can stop you but you…Go for it.

 

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Apple & Strawberry Story

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November 26, 2019
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A teacher teaching Maths to seven-year-old Arnav asked him, “If I give you one apple and one apple and one apple, how many apples will you have?” Within a few seconds, Arnav replied confidently, “Four!”

The dismayed teacher was expecting an effortless correct answer (three). She was disappointed. “Maybe the child did not listen properly”, she thought. She repeated, “Arnav, listen carefully. If I give you one apple and one apple and one apple, how many apples will you have?”

Arnav had seen the disappointment on his teacher’s face. He calculated again on his fingers. But within him, he was also searching for the answer that will make the teacher happy. His search for the answer was not for the correct one, but the one that will make his teacher happy. This time hesitatingly he replied, “Four…”

The disappointment stayed on the teacher’s face. She remembered that Arnav liked strawberries. She thought maybe he doesn’t like apples and that is making him lose focus. This time with an exaggerated excitement and twinkling in her eyes she asked, “If I give you one strawberry and one strawberry and one strawberry, then how many you will have?” Seeing the teacher happy, young Arnav calculated on his fingers again. There was no pressure on him, but a little on the teacher… She wanted her new approach to succeed. With a hesitating smile, young Arnav enquired, “Three?”

The teacher now had a victorious smile. Her approach had succeeded. She wanted to congratulate herself. But one last thing remained. Once again she asked him, “Now if I give you one apple and one apple and one more apple how many will you have?” Promptly Arnav answered, “Four!”

The teacher was aghast. “How Arnav, how?” she demanded in a little stern and irritated voice. In a voice that was low and hesitating, young Arnav replied, “Because I already have one apple in my bag.”

In our lives as entrepreneurs too, many times we ask questions or engage in conversations with our employees, partners, vendors, customers or even family members. However, when they give us an answer that is different from what we expect we immediately get agitated and judge them to be wrong, dumb or stupid.

This should not be the case, there may be an angle, a point of view or idea that we may not have understood, seen or imagined at all behind their responses. Therefore, it is important that we listen and understand what is being said, carefully rather than having preconceived notions and judgments. We must develop the habit of understanding the entire perspective before we react to a situation or person. Creating an environment where people are unafraid to speak up, share their ideas and responses even if they are contradictory to our thoughts, is essential for us to broaden our horizons. A robust two-way communication plays a key role if we want to evolve to the next level and become a good human being. Needless to say, adopting an open approach towards people and their ideas is one of the most essential key to make a difference as an Entrepreneurs, a Boss, a Vendor, a Supplier, a spouse or any other role that we play every day.

Blog, business, Entrepreneur

9 ‘Mindsets’ You Need to Switch From Employee to Entrepreneur

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November 11, 2019
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Mindset is probably the major determinant of success in pretty much every walk of life. In other words, the thinking patterns you habitually adopt largely govern the results you achieve.
But different circumstances and situations require different mindsets, something that anyone looking to leave paid employment and strike out on their own, must be aware of. Unfortunately, not all would-be entrepreneurs understand the dramatic mindset shifts required, without which business success is unlikely.
So how, as a one-time employee, will you have to think differently to succeed ?

1. You’re responsible for all decisions – good and bad.

Entrepreneurs have an incredible opportunity to create something from nothing, in a way that’s not possible working for someone else. But this means making big decisions about what must be done, when and how. You can’t wait for things to happen, or for someone to tell you what to do, you must make them happen. Successful entrepreneurs also understand that opportunities may be short-lived, and so develop a sense of urgency that helps them achieve their goals.

2. You need to hold both short and long-term visions simultaneously.

Work for others and you are mainly responsible for ensuring that what needs to be done now, is done. As an entrepreneur, you have to project your mind forward, thinking about the potential pitfalls and opportunities that lie around the corner, and making decisions based on uncertainty. This requires you to come to terms with the fact that what you do, or don’t do, today, will have an impact on your business three months, even five years down the line.

3. Feeling uncomfortable is your new ‘comfort zone.’

As an employee, you’re used to thinking ‘inside the box’ rather than outside it. As an entrepreneur, there is no box. You see what others don’t, test new ideas, seize new territory, take risks. This requires courage, a thick skin and the ability to keep going despite rejection and skepticism.

4. Learning is a continuous journey.

As an employee, you have a job description, requiring a specific skill-set. Being an entrepreneur involves learning many new skills, unless you have the funds to outsource what you’re not good at or don’t want to do. That could be learning to set up a spreadsheet, getting investors on board, marketing your ideas, crafting your perfect pitch, or using unfamiliar technology. What needs to be done, has to be done – there is no room for excuses.

5. Numbers don’t lie.

Where numbers are concerned, it’s enough for most employees to know what’s coming in and what’s going out. As an entrepreneur, you’d better learn to love numbers fast, because your cash flow is what will keep you in – or out of – business. Ultimately, it’s your sales, costs, profit and loss that will either give you sleepless nights or an enviable lifestyle. But without the guiding light of numbers, your business will be continually heading for the rocks.
Your earnings will vary largely w.r.t your predictions & there will be no set pattern of revenue numbers as comparable to fixed salary.

6. Love your business, but be objective.

As an employee, you can go on doing something you dislike just for the salary. As an entrepreneur, you will need to love your business because of the effort and long hours required. But you mustn’t fall into the trap of thinking and acting like an employee in your own company, working ‘in’ rather than ‘on’ the business, a ‘technician’ rather than the person who steers it forward.

7. Enjoy breaking rules.

As an employee, breaking the rules could mean dismissal. Entrepreneurs on the other hand, aren’t interested in the status quo – they’re always looking for ways to do things differently. That means acquiring a new perspective, always peering over the horizon, or at least towards it, to where the next big thing is waiting.

8. Time isn’t linear.

As an employee, you have a timetable to work to. As an entrepreneur, while you might not be tied to a desk or computer 24/7, you will always be thinking about your business, what it’s doing well and what it could be doing better. There will be no respite – you will live and breathe it.

9. Start now.

Most people under-estimate the time it takes to make the transition to entrepreneur, so it’s sensible to start shifting your mindset while you’re still employed, perhaps even setting up a business to run alongside. This could give you the opportunity to develop skills and build experience while still enjoying the safety-net of a salary, something that at some point you will almost certainly need to give up if you want to grow your business.
So, employee or entrepreneur? Is it time to switch? The choice is yours.Mindset is probably the major determinant of success in pretty much every walk of life. In other words, the thinking patterns you habitually adopt largely govern the results you achieve.
But different circumstances and situations require different mindsets, something that anyone looking to leave paid employment and strike out on their own, must be aware of. Unfortunately, not all would-be entrepreneurs understand the dramatic mindset shifts required, without which business success is unlikely.
So how, as a one-time employee, will you have to think differently to succeed ?

 

Blog, business, Entrepreneur

6 Best Practices for Working from Home

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November 8, 2019
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More and more entrepreneurs are working remotely. Working from Home – full-time / part-time or in co-working space or even at nearby coffeeshop has its own advantages yet challenges.

When I started my business , after working for a large company, I had grown accustomed to being surrounded by people each day.
Working from home provided peace and solitude, yet I was lonely. I had no one to interact . No humans were around for sharing ideas. I worked long hours, many in my pajamas.

No one was there to hold me accountable for my work and I had to force myself to rise at a reasonable hour each morning and develop self-discipline. But after a while, I set up a regular routine, and adopted some best practices.

Here are some tips to keep in mind to stay focused on your work throughout the day if you are working from Home :-

1. Set and keep regular office hours.

Most people who work from home find they work too much rather than too little. Other remote workers struggle to keep a regular schedule — working a few hours one day and pulling an all-nighter the next. Some interruptions can’t be avoided. Client deadlines may unexpectedly require extra hours. Family obligations can interfere as well, especially if children are home during the day.
Do your best to set work hours and stick to them. Then try your best to leave work in that time and turn your phone on silent and enjoy the rest of your day. Give yourself some time to recharge so you can be as productive as possible.

2. Plan and structure your workday.

Structure your workday to maximize efficiency. Take advantage of your body’s natural rhythms and plan your work around your most productive hours.
If you know you focus best in the morning, resist the temptation to check email until 10 a.m. or later.
Make a list of your most important tasks before you move on to less urgent business.
If possible, shut your office door (if you have one) to signal to others that you’re working and don’t wish to be disturbed.

3. Dress to impress (even if it’s just for your wooden furniture).

As enticing as it is to stay in pajamas all day, this is not the best work habit. The way you dress affects you psychologically.
Taking the time to shower, have breakfast, brush the teeth and dress can make someone feel more confident.

4. Set aside a designated work area.

Consistency is an important aspect to working from home. Try to work at the same spot every day.
It could be a spare bedroom that you’ve turned into a home office, a desk located in the corner of the living room or even the dining room table.
Surround yourself with things that inspire you and make you happy including flowers, music and pictures.
Make your home workspace a place you enjoy going to each day, an area where you can focus and do your best work.

5. Take breaks.

Schedule time for frequent breaks throughout the day. Rise from your desk, stretch or walk around the house or down the street.
Take a lunch break and enjoy a midday meal. If you need a little socializing, go out to lunch with friends or clients.
A major advantage to working from home is having flexibility.
If fitness is important to you, a quick trip to the gym can reinvigorate you and make for a productive afternoon.

6. Avoid distractions.

One challenge of working from home is accountability. With no colleagues or partners nearby, it’s easy to become distracted.
There are always some work at home to do. Do your best to put off household tasks, like laundry and dishes, until you’ve gone “home” mentally for the evening just like if you are employee.

Don’t waste time or money on meetings or activities that are counterproductive to your success.

 

Blog, Entrepreneur, homepage_blog

How Your Friends Influence Your Success

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August 28, 2019
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You can tell a lot about a person by the company that they keep. There’s a saying that goes something like: You become the average of the six people that you spend the most time with.

If you look at your professional company — the other co-workers, colleagues, business owners and industry professionals that you most often interact with — who are they, what do they stand for and what do they say about you?

How is your circle influencing you?

Where do you stand among your professional peers? Are you always the leader of the pack or are you making sure to surround yourself with people who will push you to be your best?

When you play football, the best way to improve your own game is to play with someone superior to you. This allows you to rise to the challenge of bringing your play up to the other player’s level, rather than holding back. Even if you are evenly matched with a competitor, it can be hard for you to improve.

When I learn a new skill or enter a new arena, I seek out the people at the highest level. Sometimes, this means paying for that privilege. When I trained with the NLP, I had a few options. I could have started with the beginner class, but that would have made me work at the pace of the slowest learner, as the group can only go that quickly. Instead, I opted for a more efficient, albeit effective, option. I chose a custom program where I was the only student and my counterparts were the professional troupe members. This meant that I was the slowest one in the room and I had to jump in the deep end and swim with all of my might to keep up with them.

Getting to the next level

Can the people around you provide you with the opportunities you are looking for and get you to the next level? If you are only networking, masterminding and interacting with those at your level who have the same types of contacts, they may not be able to push you to step up to the next level, and they will unlikely be able to refer you to those next level opportunities that you seek.
I see it as a challenge, particularly for women who stick to women’s-only networking groups. While these groups have value, sometimes the women are missing the opportunity to connect with those individuals (which include men in higher positions) who can help recommend them for new opportunities.

Paying it forward

You can’t always be the student, so when you can, remember that there are others than can benefit from your guidance. As you improve your football skills, let a novice play with you from time to time to get exposure. Pay it forward, as there will always be more to learn and more to give.

Blog, business, Entrepreneur, homepage_blog

5 ways Dreamers can Become Doers

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August 28, 2019
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You like to dream…..we all like to dream…for it doesn’t cost much…Maybe you’ve been called a dreamer your whole life—by others and by yourself.
Remember that being a doer isn’t necessarily better than being a dreamer. You need both to succeed.
If you’re really off kilter and have a lot more dreamer tendencies, it’s time to take action. Here are some of the easiest, quickest ways to embrace your inner doer so your dreamer can take a little break.
Remember, without a comprehensive, balanced approach you’ll just keep going in circles:

1. Write down goals and give them a deadline.

So, you say you want to write a novel and have it ready to submit to literary agent or publishing house. That’s awesome – but how far along are you? What do you define as “submission ready”? How long can you write per day, and is it scheduled into your routine just like work or going to the gym?
Depending on where you are with your draft, choose a deadline for being submission ready (less than two years out), or schedule mini-deadlines, such as two chapters written by month’s end. This approach works for any goal, not just a novel manuscript.

2. Balance wants and needs.

Every time you decide you want to do something, follow that up with a list of steps you need to take to make it happen. This might mean saving a certain amount of money for a special event like your wedding. If you want to save 10,00,000 in one year, look at your budget and figure out what you need to cut to make that happen. You might also need to pick up more hours at work, a second job or practice more frugal living.

3. Surround yourself with doers.

Birds of a feather certainly flock together, but you probably have more doer acquaintances and friends than you realize. Who are your five best friends? Dreamers feed off of each other, but if you’re around doers they will inspire you. The staunchest ones aren’t quick to indulge your dreamer tendencies and will want to know what your plan is. Remember: you are in charge of your support network.

4. Stop doing what doesn’t work.

You know Einstein’s definition of insanity, so why do you get stuck in that rut? If you’ve been dreaming about something but your attempts haven’t led to positive results, it is time to stop, reassess, figure out what’s wrong and try a fresh approach. You’ll never get anywhere making the same mistakes over and over again.

5. Assume everything will take longer and cost more.

One of the downsides of being a dreamer is that it is easy to think of everything as, well, easy during the dreaming stage. However, things have a tendency to take more money and time than you imagine. When writing down your action plan, increase time and money by ten percent and give yourself a buffer. The worst case scenario is you’ll succeed with time and money left over.
Don’t let your drive to be a doer brush your dreaming tendencies totally under the rug. It’s your source of inspiration, creativity. and means of reaching for the stars.