ARTICLE OF THE MONTH: "Your Imagination Isn't a Waste of Time —
It's a Secret Weapon" by Ricky Derisz
Mental visualization is an understated habit of the successful. According to Albert Einstein, "Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."
Sadly, many of us place restrictions on our boundless imagination. Limiting beliefs, such as I'm not good enough or I'll never be successful, cause us to downplay the goals we set and feel blocked from our true potential.
But what if we want to break free from constraints? What if we imagine freely, and work towards making dreams become reality?
A vivid imagination isn't a randomly bestowed gift a select few are born with. Instead, skillful visualization is actively developed.
The following techniques offer a starting point to unlock the gateway to setting and achieving goals worthy of your fullest potential.
"Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us" by Daniel H. Pink -Book Reviewed by TLP Cohort #6 Member
In Drive, Pink explores and gathers various professionals' research on the evolution of motivation in what he dubs Motivation 1.0 (first Drive), Motivation 2.0 (second Drive) and Motivation 3.0 (third Drive). By utilizing the X.X format, he likens the progression of human motivation to an operating system, which he claims is in dire need of an upgrade from 2.0 to 3.0.
According to Pink, when modern humans developed, motivation was biological in nature—hunger, thirst and sex—
the first Drive. As time went on and humans began to form multifaceted societies, a second Drive surfaced—
to seek reward and avoid punishment. Pink notes that Motivation 2.0 has endured through time and embedded itself into almost every facet of our lives. Under this system, business directors, managers, team leaders and even parents have functioned under the assumption that “the way to improve performance, increase productivity, and encourage excellence is to reward the good and punish the bad." Pink then spends a considerable amount of time presenting scientific research findings in support of his claim that, in most cases, the age-old “carrot and stick approach”—
the use of a combination of reward and punishment to induce a desired behavior—
has a negative effect on productivity. He summarizes the findings of Sam Glucksberg, a Princeton University psychology professor, in which he offered a group of participants a monetary reward for whoever completed Karl Duncker’s candle problem the quickest. Glucksberg compared his results to another group presented with the same candle problem, but without any reward and who were merely told they were being observed, to establish baseline averages for time to complete the problem. Contrary to what most would expect, the group given the incentive took longer to solve the problem. Pink says this is due, in part, to a theory that the thought of being rewarded narrows a person’s focus.
I would recommend this book to everyone, especially to those who oversee a team or department and may be dealing with lowered morale or difficulty motivating others. It provides valuable insight into what drives people to be successful and happy at work. The research provides backing to the claim that encouraging intrinsic motivation has a better effect on productivity and attitude toward work than the use of tangible rewards or punishments.
"5 Things You Can Do Right Now to Get Ready to Shine in 2020" by Lindsay Tigar
Do you know what date it is? Or rather, what month? The midway mark of 2019 has already come and gone — and we're getting closer and closer to 2020.
Though it's important to live in the moment in most situations, when it comes to your career, thinking ahead is beneficial. In fact, leadership development and career expert Elizabeth Whittaker-Walker says many professionals feel a variety of emotions as they start down the second half of the year.
“Most people find themselves shocked that so much of the year has gone by,” says Whittaker-Walker. “For some, the thought of the coming seasons and new opportunities on the horizon are exciting. Others are met with anxiety, as it may feel like there’s not enough time to get all of the things done that have not yet been accomplished.”
The good news? There is still plenty of time to set yourself for success in the coming year by rolling up your sleeves and getting started ASAP.