Posts Tagged ‘personal development’

Which way does the girl spin? - By Kara Wirt

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

Take a look at this article, the direction in which you see the girl spinning is supposed to predict the side of the brain that is most dominant. Some people can see both, and some can only see one way no matter how hard they try. I can only see anti-clockwise!anti-psych-tests

So… what can you extrapolate from your results? Well… some would say that this may guide you on some of your career choices, similar to psychometric testing which finds character traits you possess and tries to match that to a potential career. However, at MyTalentPlace we think that approach to careers advice sucks. If I took the advice when I was younger that I was right brain dominant and thus more creative and followed a career based on that, I would have missed out on some fantastic opportunities to study statistics and sciences which have developed my analytical skills and I would not have missed for the world. Or, if I had taken the results of my school psychometric assessment and become a zookeeper! - I may never have fulfilled my ambitions.

Whilst psychometric profiling is probably the most widely adopted form of Careers Guidence in UK schools, we have to question just how much you can tell from a multi-choice questionnaire? In our careers advice services we adopt the approach that the qualities and motivations of an individual have to be explored from all angles - in the business world this is known as 360 degree profiling. The process involves feedback from parents, teachers and peers and most importantly explores the motivations and aspirations of the student. The result? - students not only have an idea of the career they want and the ways to go about achieving success on that career path, but also helps develop their self-insight and understanding of what is important to them. See this video testimonial from Lottie who has been through the process.

Sure it’s fun to take these tests - it may give you some ideas and make you think about your characteristics (whether you agree with the results or not!) - but when its something as important as your career you want substantial foundations that you can build your success on!

Thoughts on how to get - and stay - motivated! by Kara Wirt

Monday, February 1st, 2010

There are lots of different ways that you can improve motivation in all aspects of your life. I would suggest that perhaps the most effective and measurable way is to set goals for both long-term and short term achievement. It is also important that you have a support network around you to help you and encourage you to achieve these goals (they must have some understanding of what you are trying to achieve in order to do this effectively).

An example of this is that I train for rowing every morning and evening, before and after work and all morning at the weekends. It can get pretty tough especially in winter when everything is freezing and you are always training in the dark. People often ask me – what keeps you motivated? (I often ask myself the question too!). So here is a quick list of what I think are the most important factors:

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University trial eights racing on the tideway

  1. I love the sport – If you don’t enjoy it then what is the point! Ok - when it’s dark and miserable in the winter or when we have endless gym sessions and experience a hell of a lot of pain or when you lose a race you should have won - then it is far from enjoyable. However, I love all my teammates and coaches, I love racing and the sense of achievement when you race well after a lot of preparation, I like having a constant goal and I love winning.

    Me (front-right) and some of my team representing England last summer.

    Me (front-right) and some of my team representing England last summer.

  2. I have a massive support network – coaches and teammates with common goals. It is also really nice when family and friends are supportive of what you are trying to achieve.
  3. I want to win – this is where it starts to get interesting as firstly you want to beat your crewmates into the best boat. And then you want to make sure that as a crew you win against other teams.
  4. There are continuous goals/aims. You have to set realistic goals about all aspects of your training e.g. if you are lifting 50kg on weights then in the next couple of weeks you may aim to lift 52.5kg, but you may aim that by next year you can lift 60kg. It’s the same on the water, you may be ranked 10th and want to beat the person ranked 9th in the next race, however you may aim to be ranked in the top 4 by the end of the season. You don’t want to miss any sessions as this would hinder you progression toward these goals and this is what keeps you going day after day. Take a look at this Canadian rowing motivational video for inspiration.

I hope this has given some insight as to how you can motivate yourself towards achieving the best you can in whatever aspect of your life. Setting goals, enjoying what you do, being competitive and letting other people support you and help you.

Make your resolution last! - By Kara Wirt

Monday, January 4th, 2010

tortoise_hare2If you haven’t had time to make a New Year’s resolution yet – it’s not too late! It is important it is achievable so you stick with it – think tortoise rather than hare. If you think them through, then resolutions should be life changes that last longer than a year (rather than fizzling out at the end of January!). Here are some ideas to help you achieve 5 popular resolutions:

  1. Make yourself attractive to employers – whether looking for a job or wanting a career change, make sure you get up-to-date advice on your career. Use our career resources database – free videos, downloads and podcasts!resolutions
  2. Get yourself in shape! – join a sports club, sign up for classes or make your own club. It is a lot easier to exercise with other people, as if you commit to other people you are less likely to let them down. Do not simply join a gym on your own, as often you will have to commit for a year – and it’s a hefty fee if you get bored.
  3. Ditch your scales. If you want to make a resolution to lose weight – first of all change the way you think about yourself – think in terms of shape rather than weight. Muscle weighs 3x more than fat, therefore to get more toned you may actually get heavier on the scales.
  4. Make some savings or investments. You never know what life is going to throw at you - so see where you can cut back, and put aside the money you have saved. Simple ideas include – taking lunch to work and not buying take away coffee. You could try cycling to work and save a fortune on travel.
  5. Ask for help. This may sound easy but it can make your life a lot easier. Try to analyse a problem or situation and if there is someone who may be able to help it can save you a lot of time and hassle. If you need help in your career take a positive step and get a career advisor now to improve your success rate.

It is important that you see the changes as improving your lifestyle, decide on a small change and stick to it! If you can make it part of your daily routine and it will soon become habit.

Good luck for prosperous 2010!

“It’s not what you said… it’s the way you said it!” - By Kara Wirt

Monday, December 14th, 2009

couple-arguing1

In a stereotypical argument this is what a girl will say to her boyfriend and he will then complain that he meant what he said and the way it was said is irrelevant. Whatever your stance on this scenario… have a think about what you can learn from the title quote if you think about how you can apply it to the first impression people get of you!?

Often it is true… that the content of what is said is far less relevant than the way one comes across. Whether this means posture, neat appearance or correct use or grammar, the first few seconds of a first meeting undoubtedly have a profound effect on opinions.

Now… think how this relates to a job interview? Often the way you act and say things will matter more than the content of what you say. Obviously someone isn’t going to employ you if you have absolutely nothing to bring to a company, but a good impression will definitely differentiate between similar candidates.

There are many ways that you can improve your first impression. Making sure you are well presented is key, as is your friendliness to everyone you meet in the company. Eye contact, smiling and trying to introduce some rapport with the interviewer can also enhance your chances of getting that job. Notice the details of people that are important figures in the company or that impress and try to mirror them. Remember to sell yourself in all aspects of your character. If you want further advice and to get more confidence get an experienced interview coach.

Working backwards to your career choices - By Kara Wirt

Monday, November 30th, 2009

How do you know what you want from your life? Ask yourself this… what would you do if you won the lottery tomorrow? This can help you think about what you enjoy doing and what’s important to you. Would you travel, spend it on family, splash out on an expensive car, or save/invest to gain security from it?

Whilst we may not all have the luxury that this sort of money brings, the closer you can get to your ideal the happier you’ll be. There will be many people that wouldn’t do anything distinctly differently with the extra cash as they are happy in their lifestyle as it is.

One way to try to try and achieve this is to think about the ideal lifestyle that you would like, the details of what your day to day life would be like, and work backwards from that. There are some questions you might want to consider when imagining your ideal lifestyle:working-backwards-to

• What sort of days/hours do I want to work?
• What’s the prestige/importance of what I do?
• What type of work do I want to do?
• Where do I want to live?
• What about work life balance?
• What about family?

You can use these types of questions to guide you in constructing an image in your mind about your ideal future. Note that specific jobs don’t need to enter the equation. If you start to feel positive or excited thinking about a certain lifestyle than this is a good sign. Once established you can start thinking about the types of career choices that would match your lifestyle. For example, if you want to have a big family, live in the country, work outside and work flexible hours, then you might want to train as a farm worker, a vet or a sports coach. If however, you want to treat yourself to expensive clothes, nice restaurants, live in an apartment in a big city, and have a job with lots of prestige, then you consider law or a banking.

As with everything in life, there will be compromises, and you may not find the perfect match. Yet it is defiantly something worth considering before setting out on a career path, to make sure that it meets your personal and lifestyle preferences.

8 Lessons they should have taught at School! - by Kara Wirt

Friday, November 20th, 2009

Why do they always miss out on teaching you the good stuff at school? These are 8 lessons that I have gathered throughout my life that I wish I had learned when I was younger!

1. The power of an open mind… many opportunities can be bypassed by too quickly by assuming stereotypes.

2. The importance of setting goals. How do you know if you are on track if you haven’t set out any targets?

3. Pareto Principle. This is also known as the 80:20 rule… the first 20% of your activity/effort gives 80% of the value. This is especially useful in situations such as exams where it is better to make an effort on all the questions rather than to perfect one.

4. Batching… if you group activities then you can get things done faster.

5. If you are proactive, you will do things faster… if you complete a task immediately you won’t waste your time thinking about it.

Ok - some fears are founded!

Ok - some fears are founded!

6. Do not waste time being scared. I bet that more than 90% of your fears won’t become a reality. Just imagine what you would do if there was no risk of failure.

7. Mistakes are good! There are opportunities! In every experience, good or bad, there is an opportunity to learn.

8. Success is not an absolute measure. It depends upon what success means to you!

Whilst these are lessons to aid you in an uber productive and successful lifestyle, one thing that you cannot let go of is downtime. This is the time spent is the time you spend being useless and doing nothing. Everyone needs a little downtime in the week and this time ‘wasted’ may in fact be the most productive time spent, to relax and recuperate you and prepare you for more of life’s challenges!

lessons-mind-is-a-parachute

This moment is your life… - by Kara Wirt

Thursday, November 12th, 2009

one-year-grid
This grid represents one year. Funny how short a year looks when you can see all the days of the year at once! It makes you realise that you have to make the most of every day or they will pass you by. The older you get the faster time seems to go by and the less you live each day for itself.

So…. How can you make sure that every day counts?

1. Let yourself be happy and don’t dwell on negatives, accept that you have to make mistakes in order to learn - so don’t let the past steal your present.

2. Similarly, don’t think too much or worry about the future, instead savor the present.

3. Reflect on the positives in each day – not only can this can help you through any rough patches you have but it can help you appreciate what you have.

4. Don’t fear failure … which is worse failing or never trying? Imagine what you would attempt if you knew you could not fail!

5. Follow your dreams! One way of doing this is making sure that you are in a career that is suitable for you and that you enjoy.

6. If you have an opportunity then you have to take charge and make sure you get it!

Remember, ultimately how we spend your days is how we spend our lives!

john-lennon-quote3