Effective attention span is foundational to many aspects of life,
from academic achievement and professional success to personal
well-being and relationship building.
Conversation between A and B about attention-span. A: Attention
spans are at an all-time low. B: Goldfish are outperforming us.
By flinkliv.com
Overconfidence vs underconfidence
Underconfidence is a severe issue that can hinder you
professionally and socially.
Learn to know signs
such as self-pity, procrastination, etc., then fight back by
listing your skills, success, etc.
Conversation between A and B about overconfidence and
underconfidence. A: I am not good enough. B: Don’t beat yourself
up. B: Avoid self-pity, list your skills, improve. C: I can do
anything, I am the best. B: Oh, boy! By flinkliv.com
Secret to happiness
The secret to happiness lies in managing your expectations. By not
setting our hopes too high, we can avoid disappointment and find
joy in the simple, everyday moments.
Conversation between A and B about the secret to happiness. A:
What’s the secret to happiness? B: Lower your expectations. By
flinkliv.com
Feedback
Effective feedback assists people in understanding what they did
well and what they could improve. Feedback is a crucial means for
improving both individual and team performance.
Conversation between A and B about feedback. A: Thanks for your
feedback; it helped me a lot. Btw, feedback should be common to
help each other grow. B: I agree. Many people want to receive
either positive or negative feedback, but a few are willing to
give feedback. By flinkliv.com
Focus on the process, not the outcome
Systems work better than goals because goals or outcomes are only
good for setting a direction, where systems and processes help us
achieve the goals.
Conversation between A and B about focusing on the process. A: I
don’t know how to succeed. B: Focus on the process, not the
outcome. A: What do you mean? B: Make a list of tasks to reach
your goal. Then focus and commit to executing the tasks. A: Oh!
Do you have an example? B: Well, athletes regularly work on
specific tasks to improve their chances to win a competition. A:
Ok. B: The bottom line, focus on the steps, and you will reach
your goal. A: Thx. By flinkliv.com
Feedback and advice
Asking for feedback, advice, and help is not a sign of weakness,
insecurity, or incompetence; but rather crucial to anyone's
growth. Just be sure to ask the right person, and be precise in
the advice or feedback you are seeking.
Conversation between A and B about feedback and advice. A: Great
presentation. B: Let me know if I have to improve anything in
the future. A: About that. Please, stop asking for feedback and
advice. B: Why? A: Because it reveals incompetence, insecurity,
and weakness. B: Asking for feedback and advice is essential;
that's how we see our blind spots, how we learn and grow. A:
Sadly, not many people see it that way. So act like you have
answers. B: Thx for the advice. By flinkliv.com
Respect employees
Respecting employees encompasses various aspects, including
ensuring a healthy work-life balance, actively involving them in
Decision-Making
processes, and fostering a culture of appreciation and mutual
respect. However, providing a fair and competitive salary remains
one of the most significant ways to demonstrate respect.
Conversation between A and B about how to respect employees. A:
To respect employees, give them… B: Just pay 'em well, period.
By flinkliv.com
Toxic Self-deprecation
It is awesome to be down-to-earth and humble; however, avoid toxic
self-deprecation at all costs, as it can negatively impact your
self-esteem, health, and career.
Conversation between A and B about toxic self-deprecation. B:
Nice presentation; very creative. A: Thx. Anyone can do that. B:
Why do you always downplay yourself? A: What? B: This is
self-deprecation. A: I am down-to-earth and humble. B: You are
sabotaging yourself; your managers and colleagues might see you
as weak and don’t respect you. A: Thx for the advice. B: So,
stop beating yourself down. A: Agreed, sorry for that. B: Oh
boy! By flinkliv.com
Foster learning
Fostering exploration, experimentation, and
learning in a business
context is essential. However, you have also to acknowledge the
difficulty of implementing these values due to the pressure from
investors and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that prioritize
profits over exploration. Despite this, promoting exploration is
also in the interest of investors.
Conversation between A and B about fostering learning. B: We
need to foster exploration, experimentation, and learning. A:
Sounds good, doesn’t work. A: Say that to investors and KPIs
sniffer. B: They just want their damn profits. A: But it is in
their interest as well. By flinkliv.com
Digital amnesia or Google effect
Google effect is our tendency to forget information available via
search engines. In contrast, digital amnesia is our tendency to
forget information stored digitally.
Conversation between A and B about digital amnesia or Google
effect. A: I keep forgetting and Googling the same thing. B:
Digital amnesia or Google effect. B: Forgetting information that
is available digitally. A: Digital what? I will google it later.
A: Now, I forget what I forget. By flinkliv.com
The Circle of influence
Sadly, many people are focused too much on areas they have neither
the energy nor the will to change. Let's start with what we can
control; we gain experience and confidence, expanding our circle
to tackle more significant challenges.
Conversation between A and B about the circle of influence. B:
What's up? A: Life is hard, global warming, stocks are down,
pandemics, my job sucks. B: Don’t mix all issues; separate them
into three circles: control, influence, and concern. B: And
spend your energy on the control circle. A: You are terrible at
drawing. By flinkliv.com
Processed sugar is the addictive killer
Sugar that has been refined and processed (as opposed to natural
sugars found in fruits and vegetables) is harmful and can lead to
addiction. Processed sugar can have negative health effects
similar to those caused by substances that are traditionally
considered dangerous or addictive.
Conversation between A and B about processed sugar being an
addictive killer. B: Watch out! Sugar's the addictive killer. A:
How? When every store is like a candy dealer? B: Swap it out
with honey and fruits. B: Nature's candy. By flinkliv.com
SCQA
SCQA stands for Situation, Complication, Question, and Answer.
SCQA is an effective method to structure information simply and
clearly. Use it to organize your message during a meeting
presentation, in a report, in an email, etc.
Conversation between A and B about SCQA. A: I get confused
during meetings or when I explain issues. B: Why? A: I don’t
know how or where to start. B: You can use SCQA. A: What is
that? B: SCQA is a framework for structuring information. B:
SCQA stands for Situation, Complication, Question, and Answer.
A: How does it work? B: Well, you start with just explaining the
situation. Then you talk about complications or issues related
to the situation. B: Ask a question about how to overcome the
issues. B: Then offer some options to answer the questions and
to solve the issues. A: Waw, thx. By flinkliv.com
How to succeed
Success is not just about hard work; you have to build a solid
network, get a sprinkle of luck, and, oh yeah, work your ass off
too.
Conversation between A and B about how to succeed. A: I’ll work
hard to succeed. B: Well, it’s more complicated than that. By
flinkliv.com
Procrastination
There are many ways to fight procrastination; start by identifying
where you procrastinate, address your emotions, get rid of
distractions, and look for the optimum place or time to do the
task.
Overcoming procrastination is key to unlocking your full
potential. Check out my
Procrastination page
for advice you can put into practice today.
Conversation between A and B about procrastination. B: How is
the report going? A: Not even started. B: This is
procrastination. B: Procrastination is all about emotions.
Procrastinators try to avoid negative emotions, frustration, or
fear. A: In my case, all three together. By flinkliv.com
Motivation vs Consistency
Motivation gets you started, but consistency keeps you going to
reach your goal.
Conversation between A and B about Motivation vs Consistency. A:
My projects are failing despite my motivation. B: Motivation is
not enough. B: You need consistency. By flinkliv.com
Organize yourself
Organization skills are the most healthy abilities that allow us
to use resources efficiently and effectively.
Conversation between A and B about organizing yourself, or
someone else will do it. A: I don't know how to organize myself;
it might be my personality. B: It is not a personality trait; it
is a skill that you lack. B: Btw, if you don't organize your
work or life, someone else might step in and do it, and you
might not like it. A: What do you mean? B: Well, they might be
bossy or mean to you. B: You really need to develop
organizational skills. By flinkliv.com
Surrounded by idiots
Try to understand people before you judge. People are different;
some like to work in groups, others don't, some are extroverts,
and others are introverts.
Conversation between A and B about being surrounded by idiots.
A: At work, I am surrounded by idiots. B: Wait. What? Why? A:
The way they work and think. Oh! It makes me sick. B: What if
they are just different from you? A: What do you mean? B: Some
people like to work in groups, others don’t, some are
extroverts, others are introverts, some think out loud, others
need to reflect in silence, some like order, others thrive in
chaos. B: Don’t judge, but try to understand. By flinkliv.com
Keeping a job
You need skills to find a job, but also skills to keep it. Take
the time to learn how
to keep a job.
Conversation between A and B about keeping a job. A: I’ve got my
dream job. B: Congratulations. B: Now, try to keep it. A: What
do you mean? B: Well, be on time, be a team player, don’t
complain but offer solutions, add valuable contributions, always
sharpen your skills, and above all, stay positive. By
flinkliv.com
VUCA
VUCA stands for volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and
ambiguity. VUCA is a set of measures used to evaluate the
world around us.
Conversation between A and B about VUCA. A: Chaos is everywhere.
Jobs are uncertain, stocks are highly volatile, and things are
getting complex. B: We live in a VUCA world. A: What? B: VUCA
stands for Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous. B:
Volatile. The world is constantly evolving and becoming more
unstable and unexpected. B: Uncertain. The world is not easily
predictable. B: Complex. Things are becoming more interconnected
and abstract. B: Ambiguous. Many things seem unclear and
unknown. B: But don’t worry, there are ways to overcome this
VUCA world. A: Nice. By flinkliv.com
Trust
Trust is the belief people have in your skills, integrity,
kindness, etc.
Conversation between A and B about trust. A: No one trusts me at
work. B: What does trust mean to you? A: I am not sure. B: Trust
is the belief people have in your skills, integrity, kindness,
etc. B: If you are competent, they will trust your skills. B: If
you are honest and credible, you will be a person of integrity.
B: If you care about them, they will trust you by feeling safe
around you. By flinkliv.com
Social skills
Social skills help us in building personal relationships. Social
skills include communication, empathy, cooperation,
responsibility, etc.
Conversation between A and B about social skills. A: Why is
everyone mean to me? B: Some people are mean, but come on, not
everyone. B: It is all about the right social skills. A: Oh! B:
The way you communicate and behave impacts how people interact
with you. B: Make an honest list of what, how, and when you
interact with people, then analyze it. By flinkliv.com
Career update
Being a specialist in one area offers many professional
advantages, such as a higher salary, job stability, etc.
Nevertheless, keep your curiosity sharp to see the biggest picture
by being a generalist in other areas.
Conversation between A and B about updating career. A: How do I
keep my career up to date? B: Well, try to be a specialist in
one area and… Get a good idea of the surrounding areas. A: Do I
need to be lucky? B: Yes, luck plays a role. By flinkliv.com
Control your life
Keep your life under control as much as you can by tracking your
goals and tasks, avoiding distractions, and reducing stress.
Conversation between A and B about how to control your life. A:
I feel like I am not in control of my life... I am not sure what
I am doing or where I am going. B: There is no magic or
straightforward solution; just focus on a process. Write a list
of your goals and the tasks that lead you towards them. Then
focus on the execution. Also, write a list of things that keep
you away from your goals and avoid them or reduce their impacts.
By flinkliv.com
Feeling angry
No one can make you feel angry; you are the only one responsible
for your emotions.
Conversation between A and B about controlling your feelings. A:
She makes me feel angry. B: Why? A: She never appreciates my
efforts. B: No one can make you feel what you feel. But you are
responsible for how you choose to react. A: How do I solve this
issue? B: Work on yourself; how do you know she doesn’t
appreciate your efforts? Why do you need this appreciation? How
important is it? What does she think about all that? By
flinkliv.com
Self-confidence
Self-confidence is the belief in your ability to accomplish a
task. Self-confidence is a skill that can be mastered.
Conversation between A and B about self-confidence. A:
Sometimes, I lack self-confidence. B: It is ok; everyone lacks
confidence occasionally. B: Just to be sure, what is
self-confidence for you? A: I dunno, a feeling, I guess. B:
Self-confidence is the belief in your capability to perform a
task. B: We can not be self-confident everywhere. Btw,
self-confidence is a skill that can be learned. By flinkliv.com
Data Science
Data scientists spend more time in getting and cleaning the data
than analyzing the data.
Conversation between A and B about data science. A: I want to be
a data scientist to analyze data. B: Oh Boy, you know what…
Well, check these charts. Expectations 25% data cleaning and 75%
data analysis. Reality 90% data cleaning and 10% data analysis.
By flinkliv.com
The 1% Growth theory
Over time, minor improvements make a tremendous difference. So be
consistent and never give up.
Conversation between A and B about the 1% Growth theory. A: I
have a hard time improving myself. B: Try frequent tiny gains.
B: Seek 1 to 2% improvement every day. By flinkliv.com
Data science automatization
Automatization is great to relieve developers and data scientists
from some repetitive and tedious tasks, but it comes at the cost
of maintenance.
Conversation between A and B about data science automation. A: I
will write a code to automate all our tests, then chill. B: Are
you sure about that? A: Totally. By flinkliv.com
Vanity metrics
In digital marketing, vanity metrics, such as likes, make your
content look great on the surface but don't necessarily translate
to any significant business results. Too many likes alone could be
interpreted as an echo zone; too many comments alone is a war
zone. Try to get quality comments with a far number of likes.
Conversation between A and B about vanity metrics. A: Nice, my
posts are getting many likes. B: Likes alone are vanity metrics.
That means the Echo Zone. B: Too many comments with few likes is
the war zone. Look for a balance between likes and quality
comments. By flinkliv.com
Accept your limitations
You have to acknowledge and accept your limitations. However, this
doesn't mean to give up and struggle with negative emotions. You
have to look for solutions such as finding ways to improve
yourself, reaching for help, etc.
Conversation between A and B about accepting your limitations.
A: No matter how hard I try, it feels like I am limited. B: It
is ok. A: Why is that ok? B: Look, we all have to acknowledge
that we have limitations. But this doesn't mean you have to give
up, beat yourself up, or ruin your days with negative thoughts.
Accept your limitations, find ways to improve yourself, or reach
for help and support. By flinkliv.com
Workout
Workout is the best way to prevent excess weight gain, improve
mood, fight depression, reduce anxiety, boost energy, promote
better sleep, and enhance cognitive functions.
Conversation between A and B about the benefits of workout. A:
Where are you going? B: I am going to improve my mental health
and cognitive function. Reduce anxiety, depression, and negative
mood. A: What kind of therapy is that? B: Workout. By
flinkliv.com
Impostor syndrome
Imposter syndrome is the tendency to doubt your own skills and
achievements, despite your success. You have to
learn to list and
embrace your success.
Conversation between A and B about impostor syndrome. A: My
success at work is just luck, not my talent. A: Many people are
better than me. B: This is impostor syndrome. B: You feel
incompetent despite apparent success. B: Learn to list and
embrace your success. By flinkliv.com
Efficiency vs productivity
Efficiency is quality, and productivity is quantity. Nevertheless,
if you plan to use productivity score software, think about the
pros and cons.
Conversation between A and B about efficiency vs productivity.
Tapping on keyboards. Click Click Click Click. A: Why don't you
work? B: I am thinking. B: I focus on efficiency instead of
productivity. A: Uh-huh. A: Tell that to the productivity score
software. By flinkliv.com
Reasons employees fall short
Efficiency is quality, and productivity is quantity. Nevertheless,
if you plan to use productivity score software, think about the
pros and cons.
Conversation between A and B about reasons talented employees
don't succeed. B: Employees fall short because: B: They're in
the wrong damn job, caught up in office politics, or just bad
luck. By flinkliv.com
Don’t give up
Don’t give up, as it is better to look back and say I did that than
look back with regret. Be patient, make a plan, and execute.
Conversation between A and B about not giving up. A: I give up. B:
It is better to look back and say I did that than look back with
regret. A: I don't waste my time gazing into the past. By
flinkliv.com
