One of the most often underestimated and overlooked aspects of becoming a smarter and more creative persons is a simple exercise that is initiated by top executives regularly.
Many great business ideas have been generated by the simple stroke of a pen on a mountain or by a lake. What is essential is a notebook, or a journal that is with you at all times. It will capture your creative juices wherever they flow.
Many times a spark will come out of nowhere -- to make your personal or business life more efficient -- if you let it go, you might never recall it again.
So here we outline the three vital steps you need to being more creative -- whether for your job, your business, or your personal life...you'll find it to be a powerful spring of ideas to make your life easier, better and more productive:
STEP 1:
You need a journal...if you want to go for the fancy ones with leather and personalized with your initials thats fine -- but a simple one will work just as well too (you can always upgrade to the fancy one after your idea takes off!).
STEP 2:
Now, most people think thats the end of it, they will get ideas, write down the ones that make sense and move on. Wrong!
The correct methodology is to write down every single idea that comes to you, no matter how stupid it might seem. Write it down -- I cannot emphasize that enough. You can always sift through them later. But what if you discarded an idea that you thought was stupid and it really wasn't?
By having a reservoir of ideas, tips, and notes to draw on, you can always go back to them later and see what is feasible and what is not.
STEP 3:
Write in your journal everyday. Now you won't be contemplating on top of a mountain or in other such natural and pristine surroundings -- so just take a few minutes at the end of the day, sit down in complete quiteness, open your journal to a blank entry and let your mind wander.
Do not force yourself to come up with something, just let your brain do its job for a few minutes in a relaxed and calm manner. If after five minutes you have nothing thats fine -- close your journal. You have done the exercise.
Eventually as you develop a stronger connection, you will start getting more and more ideas: A better way to streamline your bill-paying routine, a more productive way to spend your commute time, an idea for a small part-time business, a smarter way to do your current job and so on.
12.29.2007
Do big words sound smart?
Yes, many big words will make you sound smart and intelligent, but you really want to know what you're saying. That kind of command of the English language only comes with knowing which situations the word is best suited for. So to increase your vocabular we have a cool tool to share with you.
Typically, when you want to increase your vocabulary you're faced with the prospect of thumbing through a dictionary or thesaurus and memorizing by rote the words you want to use. Now there is a much better way, that is interactive and much more effective.
By drawing a map of related words, Visual Thesaurus (click here to check it out) gives you an amazing insight into the English language guided by the intuitive relationships each word has with another.
Through this interactive and innovative method you will be able to develop a better vocabulary, use words precisely, master word usage and improve your grammar.
Typically, when you want to increase your vocabulary you're faced with the prospect of thumbing through a dictionary or thesaurus and memorizing by rote the words you want to use. Now there is a much better way, that is interactive and much more effective.
By drawing a map of related words, Visual Thesaurus (click here to check it out) gives you an amazing insight into the English language guided by the intuitive relationships each word has with another.
Through this interactive and innovative method you will be able to develop a better vocabulary, use words precisely, master word usage and improve your grammar.
12.14.2007
Which words sound smart? [indifferent]
Indifferent means having a lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern for something.
Example: He's indifferent to your suffering.
Example: She is indifferent to the poverty of her relatives.
Example: He's indifferent to your suffering.
Example: She is indifferent to the poverty of her relatives.
The Smart Crow never goes thirsty
What are the 5 must-have skills you need to be creative? Whether in your career or business, creativity is a major asset.
So if there was a creativity toolkit what would it have? According to author Moid Siddiqui of "The Smart Crown never goes thirsty":
1.) Divergent thinking (to move from the focused to the blurred, for obtaining a wider range and a broader perspective).
2.) Lateral thinking (by creating a forced relationship between remote objects, which seem to be unrelated, and thus forging a fusion).
3.) Intuitive thinking (through which you can know the truth, though not know how you know).
4.) Angel’s advocate (as opposed to playing the devil's advocate. That is to focus on the positive side of every idea).
5.) Dissection of ideas (the application aspect of creativity to get something done).
So if there was a creativity toolkit what would it have? According to author Moid Siddiqui of "The Smart Crown never goes thirsty":
1.) Divergent thinking (to move from the focused to the blurred, for obtaining a wider range and a broader perspective).
2.) Lateral thinking (by creating a forced relationship between remote objects, which seem to be unrelated, and thus forging a fusion).
3.) Intuitive thinking (through which you can know the truth, though not know how you know).
4.) Angel’s advocate (as opposed to playing the devil's advocate. That is to focus on the positive side of every idea).
5.) Dissection of ideas (the application aspect of creativity to get something done).
12.13.2007
From the folks at WikiHow: How to Be Smart
Here are ten great tips on How to Be Smart by the folks at WikiHow. The article really summarizes what you need to do to get started on the path to a better intelligence.
2008 Resolution: Spend Smarter
CNN Money has an article on resolving to save and spend smarter in 2008, with five tips to help you have smarter financial control in the coming year.
The most important of the five tips is #5: Getting the family involved. If the family is not involved then you will have runaway spending that is out of control, and that is not a smart thing. Inculcate the idea of sticking to a budget, and use debit cards instead of credit cards.
For further reading: Resolve to Save and Spend Smarter in 2008
The most important of the five tips is #5: Getting the family involved. If the family is not involved then you will have runaway spending that is out of control, and that is not a smart thing. Inculcate the idea of sticking to a budget, and use debit cards instead of credit cards.
For further reading: Resolve to Save and Spend Smarter in 2008
Wikipedia: The Concise Guide to Sounding Smart at Parties
With the holiday season here, Wikipedia has an entry about a book called The Concise Guide to Sounding Smart at Parties.
Here are some tips from the book:
*Don't Fake Knowledge. If you don't know, say "I don't know about that"
*Don't Lecture. Keep the conversation from becoming a monologue. Try to have a meaningful exchange that shows you are interested in what the other person has to say.
*Talk about topics you like.
*Don't seclude yourself like a hermit. Initiate conversation.
Here are some tips from the book:
*Don't Fake Knowledge. If you don't know, say "I don't know about that"
*Don't Lecture. Keep the conversation from becoming a monologue. Try to have a meaningful exchange that shows you are interested in what the other person has to say.
*Talk about topics you like.
*Don't seclude yourself like a hermit. Initiate conversation.
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