How to gamify your life to quickly accomplish big goals

How to gamify your life to quickly accomplish big goalsHow to gamify your life to quickly accomplish big goalsIs your life a video game, filled with challenging quests and new adventures?Or has your life become somewhat stale?Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreAs fruchtwein people get older, they lose their childhood sense of wonderment and openness. Most people stop growing and settle for reality as they see it.But life doesnt have to suck. Growth doesnt have to be slow.Your life can become like a game where you pursue greater obstacles, learn new skills, and have thrilling experiences.This article details a few strategies you can use to gamify your life. If you apply behauptung strategies, you will quickly ascend to higher and higher levels. Youll continually become better and enjoy more of life.Compete with Those Way Ahead ofYouIt is the fruchtwein closely-allied forms, varietie s of the same species, and species of the same genus or of related genera, which, from having nearly the same structure, constitution, and habits, generally come into the severest competition with each other. Charles DarwinWhat Darwin is explaining is that all forms of life compete with those fruchtwein closely related. In other words, you compete with those most similar to you.It would make little sense for a painter to compete with a rock-climber. Rather, a rock-climber advances her skills by competing with other rock-climbers, generally of a similar skill level.In business terms, you compete with those in the same industry. And within that industry, the little guys (and gals) generally compete with the other little guys, while the big guys compete with the other big guys.Although this is the mostobviousand wide-spread form of competition, it is misplaced for those seeking rapid growth for two reasons1. Competing with those at your same level yields slow and minimal improvementsYo ure better off competing with people far advanced than your current level. In his book,The Art of Learning An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance,Josh Waitzkin shares how he applied this principle to become world-class at Tai Chi.When given unsupervised practice time, Waizkin observed that most others in his Tai Chi class would naturally practice with those at their same skill-levelor slightly worse. This was done in many ways out of ego, because who wants to lose? Its more fun to beat someone when given the opportunity.Waitzkin took the opposite approach, and applied a principle he termed, investing in failure. He would purposefully practice with people far more skilled than he was. In so doing, he would get the crap kicked-out of him, over and over. However, this process compressed and quickened Waitzkins skill development. He could experience first-hand the abilities of those often years ahead of him. The mirror neurons in his brain allowed him to quickly mimic, match, and count er his superior competitors. Thus, he progressed much faster than others in his class.This is the essence of baseball players swinging multiple bats before going at-bat. When just one bat is in their hand, it feels much lighter. Similarly, endurance athletes train in higher elevations and harder terrains than the actual race, so that when the actual race occurs, theyreover-prepared.Take awayRather than competing, with people at your perceived skill-level, compete with those who arewhere you want to be.Herein lies a fundamental decision-making difference between those who become successful and those who dont. Unsuccessful people make decisions based on current circumstances while successful people make decisions based on where they desire to be.2. The Best Only Compete with ThemselvesIn the book,Tribal Leadership Leveraging Natural Groups to Build a Thriving Organization,Dave Logan and his co-authors explain that most organizational cultures have highwithincompetition.Put simply, in most organizations, the people within those organizations arecompeting with each other.There is back-stabbing, sucking-up, etc. to ascend the organizations ladder. In these organizations, each person is out for themselves. They are more focused on their own goals than the organizations goals. Logan calls these Stage 3 organizational cultures.Far fewer organizations evolve beyond this ego-mania and develop a culture of collaboration within and competitionwithout.Put simply, members within these organizations are fiercely committed to their organization and have made the organizations goals their own goals. Logan calls these Stage 4 organizational cultures.Within these organizations, there is beautiful synergy. Rather than competing with their teammates, they are competing with other organizations. According to Logans research, organizations with Stage 4 cultures generally dominate organizations with Stage 3 cultures.Very rarely, an organization will transcend competition altogether, reflecting what Logan calls Stage 5 organizational culture. These are groups of people who are doing thingsno one else is doing.In many ways, theyve created their own genre or niche. Their only competition is themselves, and wherever their imagination takes them.Take awayCollaboration will yield far greater results than competition. Said bestselling author Jeff Goins,Its not who you know. Its who you help.Eventually, get to the point where you move beyond competition with others in order to create your most innovative and unique work.Get Multiple Mentors and Engage in Time-Based ChallengesMentorship is essential to growth and development. You should have several different beraters to help you in your various needs/goals.A quality mentor will give you experiential learning experiences and assignments. For example, I have a writing-coach who helps me target my Achilles heals and to improve upon them. He does this in the form of time-based challenges. The popular term for these challen ges isdeliberate practice.Most recently, he gave me four hours to complete a challenging assignment. I had to respond to various questions he had for me. Also, within the challenge, hed focus on my weaknesses by telling me I must avoid certain things I often do, like repeat the same word over and over.Within a challenge, there are purposeful constraints. These constraints create conditions that force you into a flow-state. The primary constraint is the time-limit. The other constraints are dependent on your particular goals/needs.These challenges can have whatever time-range you want. For example, with one of my mentors, my challenge was to develop a highly professional book proposal. The duration of this challenge was three months, and during those three months I was able to jump on the phone with my mentor three times to get feedback. Id never written a book proposal. My mentor had written several, and within the challenges he gave me, I learned in three months much of what took h im years to learn.In her book,SuperBetter The Power of Living Gamefully,Jane McGonigal PhD explains the importance of targeting a single, difficult goal. Accordingly, within these challenges, there should only be one primary objective.According to self-determination theory, by focusing on and improving one thing, the other areas of your life will naturally improve as well. From a systems approach, when you improve one area of a system, you simultaneously improve the whole.You can alsogive yourselfchallenges, and for whatever you want to improve. For example, if you want to become a better parent, you could give yourself a 30-day challenge to give your kids thoughtful compliments daily. Track your progress. Note, these challenges work best if you actually report your progress to someone besides yourself.Get Paid to Learn by Teaching Others What YouKnowWhile we teach, we learn. SenecaIn Orson Scott Cards novel,Enders Game, the character Ender is a young boy who is being trained to bec ome a military leader. To improve and quicken his learning, Ender takes what he learns fromhis leadersand immediately teaches those below him.According to a pair of articles published in 2007 in the journalsScienceandIntelligence,students who teach what they learn to younger studentswork harder to understand the material, recall it more accurately, and apply it more effectively. This method has been dubbed the protg effect, and the research is clear student teachers score higher on tests than students who are learning only for their own sake.Teaching is the best way to learn. Whats more, you can actuallyget paidto teach others what you know. I remember when I abfluged consulting startup founders and high-level management. At first, I wondered what the heck I was doing.Why would people pay me for this information?But more and more people wanted the services I offered. Thus, I was getting paid to teach people (most of which were far more successful than I am). Although Im sure my serv ices were helpful, I was always the primary beneficiary, and Im not talking about financially. Rather, because I was teaching startup founders how to be more productive and strategic, I was also learning these things both in my preparation and in adapting my learning to each of my clients unique situations/needs.In public/conventional education, you pay to learn. A more effective education-system is where the student becomes the teacher, and gets paid to learn as they teach.Take awayIf you want to learn faster, immediately teach others what youre learning. This will force you to tweak and adapt your learning for unique contexts. Thus, your knowledge will be more flexible and well-rounded. Also, it doesnt hurt to simultaneously make money.Make Big Changes Every FewYearsEvery next level of your life will demand a different you. Leonardo DicaprioIn video games, it would be boring if each successive level was the same as those previous. Which is why there are totally different worlds yo ur character can go to as they advance.Similarly, making big changes is the best way to re-invent yourself, which doesnt mean you become an entirely new person. Rather, it means you consciously decide who you want to be and change accordingly. Also, an over-attachment to your past and to your previous-self will halt your evolution.If you dont make big changes every once in a while, your life will get static and sterile. Youll over-adapt to your current circumstances and stop growing. Youll get too comfortable.Taking on big change shatters the system of your life. I once talked to a lady with 17 kids. After having eight of her own, her husband and she adopted a sibling group of five Four years after that, they adopted a sibling group of fourShe told me that every time they introduced a change to their family system, the previous system shattered. When you bring four or five new people into your family (even one), every person within the family develops a new identity. It generally ta kes 23 years for homeostasis to occur within a system after a big shock.These kinds of systematic shocks to your life may seem freaky, or even unwanted. But they keep you growing. And eventually, youll adapt to the changes you introduce into your life, no matter how extreme. If you want to keep leveling up and growing, youll want to introduce change when you start getting comfortable.This is how you consciously grow. Indeed, change is inevitable. Most people slowly and unconsciously change over time. For the most part, these changes arent improvements. Unlike change, which you cant avoid, growth is optional and is often avoided. However, the research is clearwe are happiest when we are improving.When my wife and I became foster parents of a sibling group of three, the change was extremely difficult. Sometimes, it was too much to handle. But its been two years now, and for the most part, weve reached a state of homeostasis. Looks like its time to make another big changeConclusionYour life can become a game where growth is fun.A game without challenge would be boring. Similarly, your life will be boring and stale if youre not taking on greater and greater challenges. These challenges should be time-bound, and should expose your weaknesses and facilitate your strengths. Moreover, these challenges should clearly lead to your goals, which should progressively be getting bigger and better.Lastly, a game would be lame if it wasnt fun and exciting. Thus, there should be large portions of your life spent exploring and experimenting. Trying new things. Taking new risks. Having your worldview expanded. Meeting new people. Ever-evolving.Enjoy this game of life. Take yourself to the next level. The further you go, the more magical, difficult, and satisfying your life will be.Ready toUpgrade?Ive created a cheat sheet for putting yourself into a PEAK-STATE, immediately. You follow this daily, your life will change very quickly.Get the cheat sheet hereYou might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

5 Ways to Build Your Network if You Work Remotely - The Muse

5 Ways to Build Your Network if You Work Remotely - The Muse5 Ways to Build Your Network if You Work RemotelyWorking from home can be awesome you have mora freedom and flexibility, you dont have to commute, and lets be real- an occasional conference call in your PJs certainly isnt terrible. Ive been working from home for the past three years- and for the most part, I love it. But when youre doing the bulk of your work from an at-home office, your day-to-day routine isnt exactly ripe with opportunities for meeting new people. And no matter who you are- introvert or extrovert, geschftliches miteinander owner or corporate worker, in the peak of your career or just starting out- thats crucial for your career (and your sanity). If youre a freelancer or remote team member who wants to connect with new people, you have to create those opportunities for yourself. So what, exactly, could you be doing to build your network- and skyrocket your career in the process?1. Look for Opportunities to Offer ValuePeople like people who help them. So if you establish yourself as a person who adds real value, you automatically endear yourself to people. And the best part? You can do all that value-adding from the comfort of your own home.Look for ways to help, to support, or to make valuable connections for people in your network. Notice people on your LinkedIn or industry Facebook group struggling to get design work done for their business? Shoot over a list of your favorite DIY design tools. Know someone whos having trouble hiring a new assistant? Send over a helpful article on how to hire a virtual team. Have two clients you think would work well together? Put them in touch. People like people who help them. So if you establish yourself as a person who adds real value, you automatically endear yourself to people.The key to success with this tip? Be genuine Dont just look to help people in the hopes theyll help you down the line. If you come from a self-serving place, people will pick up on that- and wont want to connect with you. Instead, make a list of people you want to help and, if the opportunity presents itself, jump on it.If you want to take the whole adding value thing to the next level (and reap the rewards), try hosting a lunch and learn at a local co-working spot (which- bonus- is probably full of other people who work remotely). Whether youre a virtual assistant who helps organize peoples businesses, a marketing manager who works remotely for a larger company, or a freelance writer (like me), you have a unique set of skills, talents, and experience that others can benefit from. Lunch and learns give you a chance to help while also showcasing your expertise- which can help turn some of those new connections into new business opportunities.2. Use the Media to Establish Yourself as an Expert (and Drive Connections)Getting your name, company, or project mentioned in the media is a great way to establish yourself as a thought leader in your space and drive relevant connections that can not only increase your social network but also give your career a healthy boost. These days, you can usually contribute your expertise from wherever you are (like your home office)- and use it to develop contacts around the world.Sign up as a source on Help A Reporter Out (HARO) and be on the lookout for opportunities that might be a fit (for example, if youre an expert in a specific field or youve had a particular experience you can speak to). Just make koranvers to only reach out when you can speak from a place of authority for example, if a writer is putting together a piece on digital nomads building sustainable businesses while traveling the world but you do the bulk of your work from your home office? Probably not a great match.Every time I get mentioned in the media, my LinkedIn gets flooded by people looking to network with me. Its pretty cool, relatively simple, and offers a lot of juice for the squeeze.Kari DePhillipsKari DePhillips, own er of The Content Factory and host of the Workationing podcast, has used HARO to get quoted or featured in Fast Company, NBC News, and Thrive, and found that its done wonders for building her network. Every time I get mentioned in the media, my LinkedIn gets flooded by people looking to network with me, she says. Its pretty cool, relatively simple, and offers a lot of juice for the squeeze. Bottom line? The mora you get your name out there, the more people will see it- and the more your network will grow.3. Get Your Slack OnSure, you can leverage traditional networking groups to connect with people. But if you work remotely, one of the best networking tools in your arsenal is one youre probably already using- Slack.Slack is one of the best ways for teams- whether thats an in-house team, a remote team, or a freelancer and client- to communicate and collaborate. But its also a great way for people who work remotely to build their networks, find new and exciting projects, and connect w ith potential new colleagues, clients, and friends. Slack has been a great tool for me to meet people in my field and network with them, says Sireesha Narumanchi, blogger and founder of Crowdworknews.com. Having a dedicated channel like mycity in Slack and having meetups with people in the saatkorn field can create many future career growth opportunities and collaborations. Having a dedicated channel like mycity in Slack and having meetups with people in the saatkorn field can create many future career growth opportunities and collaborations.Sireesha NarumanchiSearch for Slack communities that cater to the kind of people you want to add to your network, such as industry- and location-specific groups (for example, the Portland chapter of AIGA, The Professional Association For Design, has a Slack channel for Portland-based designers where they can chat and share local design-related events). Want to build your network with other people who understand the blessing/curse that is being a freelancer? Request to join popular freelance Slack communities, like Workfrom or freelance. The point is, theres a Slack community for everything and everyone (seriously, just do a Google search)- and for those who work remotely, its the perfect way to build a network of like-minded people. And who knows? Those Slack conversations could turn into IRL connections or lead to your next big break.4. Start a PodcastPodcasts are having a serious moment. And theyre good for more than entertaining you during a long drive or a workout- they can be a great way to connect with people in your industry. Ive been able to build an incredible network through my Sales Success Stories Podcast where I interview active, quota carrying, individual contributor sales professionals who are either 1- or at least in the top 1%- of performers at their companies, says Scott Ingram, who, in addition to the podcast, works from home in an outside sales role.Hosting someone on a podcast also sets the stage for a deeper, more personal connection than youd find at, say, a networking event. Some of these people I might have been able to connect with at an industry event, but in that scenario, Id be lucky to get more than a few minutes with them, says Ingram. The podcast allows me to be proactive and have deep conversations that are often over an hour that just wouldnt have been possible otherwise.The podcast allows me to be proactive and have deep conversations that are often over an hour that just wouldnt have been possible otherwise.Scott IngramNow, granted- starting a podcast is definitely a lot more labor intensive than sending someone a helpful article or joining a Slack community. But if podcasting is something youre genuinely interested in- and if youre willing to put in the work to develop and market your show (because lets be real, who wants to be on a podcast no one listens to?)- it can be an incredibly valuable networking tool. A podcast can give you the opportunity to interview in teresting people and get your name out there in your industry- which can lead to more opportunities down the road. And because you dont have to be in the same place (or even the same time zone) as your guest, you can manage the entire process from your home office.Interested in exploring podcasting? Read this article about starting a podcast on top of a full-time job and check out this list of podcasting resources and tools to get an idea of what youll need to get started.5. Pursue the Hobbies You LoveThe best networks are built organically- so if you spend time pursuing your hobbies (whether theyre work-related or not), they can help you build the strongest (and most authentic) connections. I play intramural sports throughout the season which allows me to meet new friends not only personally but professionally as well, says India Lott, founder of the web development company Gray Sole Media. It is a great, non-structured way of getting to know people that also happen to have profess ional careers. I play intramural sports throughout the season which allows me to meet new friends not only personally but professionally as well. It is a great, non-structured way of getting to know people that also happen to have professional careers.India LottFor me, making my passions and hobbies a priority has made the experience of working from home less lonely (I can only talk to my dog for so long), and its been a complete gamechanger when it comes to making new connections- many of which have led to new opportunities. For example, one of my serious passions? Meditation. And while I never planned to use meditation as a way to find clients, I ended up meeting someone at a meditation group who works in an industry I write about- and she referred a ton of new business my way. The point is, when you spend time doing what you love, it puts you in touch with other people who love what you love, too- and building a network of like-minded people is not only essential from a social pe rspective, but it can also boost your career. Its a win-winWorking remotely certainly presents some challenges in terms of connecting with new people. But with a little creativity and effort (and a willingness to think outside of the box), you can build just as strong of a network as you could in a more traditional office setting- or maybe even stronger You can do it (mostly) from the comfort of your own home and yes, on some days, even in your pajamas.

Top Internship Interviewing Tips

Top Internship einstellungsgesprching TipsTop Internship Interviewing TipsYouve already sent out your resume and cover letter and the employer has recently contacted you about scheduling an interview. Below are some tips to help ensure a successful interview, which is the next step in the internship process. By following these ten interviewing tips, you will be well on your way to having a successful interview and ultimately an internship offer. 01Be PreparedYou can prepare yourself for the interview by selecting appropriate interview attire beforehand (suits for business), researching the company, and preparing a list of questions you have for the interviewer. Bring a copy of your resume with you to the interview in case the interviewer does not have one on hand. Last but not least, practice answering sample interview questions to prepare yourself and gain confidence before the interview.02Make a Good First ImpressionThe interview is your opportunity to market yourself, and it is th e reason you prepared and sent out all of those resumes and cover letters. Once you get the interview, it is your job to create an excellent first impression by being prompt, being yourself, attending to your nonverbal behavior(such as a firm handshake and maintaining eye contact throughout the interview), and by taking the first few minutes to develop a rapport with your interviewer. You will want to appear poised, yet comfortable and relaxed during the interview. A good first impression will set the stage for a successful interview.03Emphasize Your Skills and AccomplishmentsFocus on your skills and accomplishments, including high school/college coursework, volunteer and co-curricular activities, and your computer and language skills. Previous internships or work experiences are important as well as describing your transferable skills communication, interpersonal, organization, strong analytical and problem solving, and more.04Provide the Interviewer With Examples of Your SkillsOne form of interviewing that is popular is called behavioral interviewing. The interviewer will provide you with a scenario and ask how you would handle a specific situation. Preparing for these types of questions before the interview will provide a quick reference to previous relevant experiences. (For example, describe a situation where you were able to think on your feet and come to an immediate decision to get a project completed on time.) In this case, the interviewer is interested in your thought process and problem-solving capabilities.05Understand the Question Before AnsweringWhen the interviewer asks a question, It is OK to ask the interviewer for clarification or to repeat the question. You want to know what the interviewer is looking for before you go ahead and assume that you have the right answer.06Follow the Interviewers LeadDont spend too much time on any one question but make sure you have answered the entire question before going on to the next one. You might want to check with the interviewer to see if you answered theirquestionor if he/she would like additional information.07Emphasize the PositiveYou may be asked during the interview to give a list of your strengths and weaknesses. Remember in these types of questions to focus on the positive. When referring to weaknesses, recognize those things you feel you need to work on and quickly shift to actions you have taken to improve in this area. Specific examples can be helpful to illustrate your progress.08Bring Samples of Your WorkIf you are in a field such asgraphic design, photography, studio art, education, or communications (where a sample of your work would be helpful), bring samples with you to the interview.09Close the Interview With ConfidenceThe beginning and end of the interview can be the most crucial aspects of the interview. End your interview with confidence. Thank the interviewer for his/her time and ask when you may expect to hear back from the employer.10Follow Up the Interview With a Thank You NoteTake this opportunity to clarify a topic discussed in the interview and to reaffirm your interest in the organization and the internship. Send a thank you note to everyone you interviewed with on the day of your interview.