Why Empathy is the Most Important Part of Emotional Intelligence

Have you ever seen a 3-year-old child laughing hard at another crying with distress or pain?  If you haven’t, can you visualize a scene like that? How about two grown-ups in a similar scene, a grown-up laughing at another grown-up in pain or sorrow, at least do you remember any movie scenes?

As I became privileged to be a father to my son, I started experiencing life differently with his existence and company. Thanks to him, I am convinced that we come into this world well equipped with empathetic skills, but do we tend to lose these skills as we grow up?

This realization was an intriguing one for me as I kept coming across with empathy and emotional intelligence topics being presented and talked about as one of the important traits to be a successful and inspirational leader. I wanted to better understand what they are and why they are so important for today’s leaders who aspire to be inspirational ones.

Definition of Empathy

There are various definitions of empathy. The simplest and the most effective one for me was feeling with people as Brené Brown put it and this is how it is different than sympathy, which can be considered as feeling for people. 

Feeling with people (empathy) requires you to see and feel the situation from my perspective by putting yourself into my shoes, while feeling for people (sympathy) is acknowledging my situation.

When you experience bad news such as the loss of a loved one, a co-worker can be sympathetic and say; “I am sorry for your loss, it sucks.” Regarding empathy, a co-worker can say “I am sorry for your loss, I know it feels terrible, what are the things that I can help you with?”

For simplicity, empathy drives connectedness with others, while sympathy does not necessarily.

“Empathy is the ability to step outside of your own bubble and into the bubbles of other people.” – C. Joybell

Types of Empathy

There are a few types of empathy mentioned, including, but not limited to, cognitive (taking the perspective of another) and emotional (feeling the emotions of another). 

While there is some research indicating that the human brain responds differently when cognitive and emotional empathy are activated, I like to consider them as not separate. Both types of empathy resonate with me as a whole; taking others’ perspectives in order to feel the emotions as they feel so that we can act accordingly.

Psychologist Daniel Goleman, indicates empathy as a component of emotional intelligence, actually one of the 12 emotional intelligence competencies. Why is emotional intelligence and/or one of its core competencies, empathy important for leaders? I tend to believe, we mostly follow leaders who we connect with, through emotions and feelings, rather than logic.

Just like we mostly make our decisions based on our feelings and then we force fit them to reason. The leader mentioned here is not necessarily the organizationally hierarchical manager, but they could be anyone who takes care of others and drives them towards a compelling vision.

Emotional intelligence, thus empathy, comes into the picture not only when there is sadness, but also when there is happiness. A leader with strong emotional intelligence acknowledges that recognizing and appreciating the successful performance of two individuals with different personality factors better not be the same. Jackie is a self-driven, result oriented, and fact-based go-getter while Jack is driven by collaboration, team effort and has a high need for affiliation.

An effective way to recognize Jackie’s efforts might be to demonstrate how her results fit within the broader organization’s overall performance, thus her positive and significant impact by numbers. While Jack will appreciate being recognized for his efforts’ resulting in enhancing the team’s spirit and taking everyone to the next level in collaboration. By doing so, both Jackie and Jack will potentially feel more fulfilled, motivated and engaged while appreciating their leader for recognizing and feeling their perspective.

“Emotional intelligence is your ability to recognize and understand emotions in yourself and others, and your ability to use this awareness to manage your behavior and relationships.” – Travis Bradberry

The first time my 3-year-old-son saw a cartoon character get hurt on TV, he said, “he hurt himself, he is in pain” and started crying as if he was hurt himself. A baby will probably start crying if she hears another one crying and will smile back upon receiving that smile with the warmth generated from her mom’s unconditional love.

So, I don’t know if growing up kills empathy, but I feel like it isn’t promoted as we typically start establishing personal barriers and biases as part of the growing up process, which makes it difficult to understand and feel with others. I want to believe that we don’t lose it completely but inhibit and we can learn it back from our kids. They will do this free of charge and as good as corporate training instructors, executive and personal coaches, as long as we have the willingness. 

Therefore, the first step to take is just to recognize that empathy is not something to learn as a new skill but to bring back from our childhood, which we all surely had once.

Can you think of a time where empathy played a huge role in your life? Share your stories with us below!

from
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/why-empathy-is-the-most-important-part-of-emotional-intelligence/

3 Reasons Your Kids Need to Listen to Inspirational Content in the Morning

What is the very first thing you reach for in the morning? Be honest. It’s your smartphone. We all do it. It takes a very disciplined person to not reach for your phone. This is a very dangerous habit for a variety of reasons, but most importantly, it sets the tone for your day.

If the first thing you do is look at the news, which is almost never positive, you are feeding your mind mental potato chips. Having a bag of chips every once in a while probably won’t do any long term damage to your body, but eating these deep fried snacks every day, or worse yet, multiple times a day, will most definitely start to take its toll on your body, your health, and your mental well being. Ditto on checking email or social media. These should not be the first images your mind sees.

When you wake up, your brain is in what is referred to as alpha stage. It is in this stage that your subconscious mind is susceptible to whatever messages you send it. Send it negative messages about doom, despair, and problems at the office, and your brain will respond back with dreadful thoughts and runaway fantasies about just that. It can and will do this on autopilot, the same way you can drive to work multitasking not even remembering the route you took to get there. It’s scary how the brain can play these negative novelas in our heads without us even trying.

I have good news for you. If the first thing you do is listen to something inspirational, you are feeding your mind mental protein. All human beings need protein in the literal sense. In the figurative sense, your brain needs mental protein. I’ll speak for myself, but my brain needs it hourly. If I am not careful, my brain has no problem spielberg-ing one of those negative novelas I alluded to earlier.

Several years ago I decided that I would apply the same practice with my children. Every morning in the car I play motivational speeches by Oprah, Ellen DeGeneres, Les Brown, Joel Osteen, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and many more, as I drove them to school. That 15-20 minute ride is our time. I won’t respond to phone calls or emails and I’ll have them put their phones away. They have to listen to whatever message I’m playing for them that morning.

Then came Alexa. We have multiple Alexa speakers throughout the house so I stream the speeches on all the devices in the home the minute I wake them up at 7:00 AM. I make sure that the very first thing they hear is something motivational and something to inspire them. 

I’ll also start the day with the song “Eye of The Tiger” by Survivor and then transition into the talks. Most of the stuff I play for them has to be set to some type of music or I tend to lose them. I have it playing as they get dressed, as they eat cereal, and as they brush their teeth, and groom themselves. I don’t turn Alexa off until we are out the door. Once we are in the car it resumes again.

“Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” – Les Brown

Below are three reasons your kids need to listen to inspirational content in the morning:

1. Not Everything is on Prime Now

The Prime Now generation is used to instant gratification. Everything they could ever want is at their fingertips instantly. Food? Order from Grubhub or Doordash. Movie? Stream it or buy it. Video game? Download it. Underwear? On it’s way. You don’t even have to leave your home if you don’t want to. This is an amazing luxury when you are a consumer and you have money to spend.

You and I both know that the real world doesn’t operate this way. Dear child, you want to master the piano? Prime Now can’t help you. My son, you didn’t make the football team? Binging on the entire catalog of football movies on Netflix isn’t going to help you. Our children think reaching a goal is easy. Why shouldn’t they? They’ve grown up thinking everything is instant.

Many, if not most of these talks tackle the topic of failure, persistence, and grit. Children need to hear these messages of resiliency more than ever so that when they do hit their first wall of rejection or failure, and we know they will, they are prepared to handle it and understand that it is just part of the journey.

2. The “F” Word

Most of us were raised in a household where we were taught that to be “the best” you had to make the fewest mistakes. This was then reinforced in school and sometimes even in church. Children are taught at a young age to avoid failure. They are led to believe that coloring outside the lines, risk taking, and making mistakes are not rewarded.

Failure is my favorite “F” word. If there is anything that these motivational speeches have taught me and my children, it is that failure is not the end of the world. 

Our kids know about Thomas Edison’s 1000 failed attempts at creating the lightbulb. They know about David Goggins having to complete 60,000+ pullups just to be able to break the record of 4030. Our five children know that JK Rowling was rejected by 12 publishers before publishing her first Harry Potter novel. Our kids have a friendly relationship with failure. To them, failure is just a part of the process. 

“It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all, in which case you have failed by default.” – J. K. Rowling

3. Celebs Carry More Weight

I’m just Dad. I’m the guy who asks my kids to take out the garbage or put the dishes away. I’m sure this doesn’t happen to you, but sometimes, my messages fall on deaf ears at home. When my children hear Dwayne Johnson talk about hard work and waking up at 4:30 AM in the morning to go to the gym, it impresses them because, well, look at him. My wife and I wake up at 4:30 AM in the morning to hit the gym too, but I don’t look like him. It sounds intense coming from him. It doesn’t sound awesome coming from me.

The same thing goes for influencers. I love it when I hear influencers share their journey about how long it took to become successful at whatever it is that they are doing. 

My kids love watching multi-millionaire professional gamer Ninja. I loved watching the video on his rise to fame and his dedication to his craft. Same thing with Ryan’s family from Ryan’s Toy Review. That family had to put out one piece of content every day for a long time before they saw success. One piece of video content every day is not easy, especially when you are not making money to do it.

I hope you enjoyed this piece and look forward to hearing about your results from having your children listen to inspirational messages in the morning!

from
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/3-reasons-your-kids-need-to-listen-to-inspirational-content-in-the-morning/

4 Strategies to Keep You Ahead of the Game in 2020

If the last 20 years has taught us anything it is that we have no idea what the next 20 will hold. That being said, we can focus on the road ahead of us, and make a plan and execute it on a higher level than last year. As we close out this decade and move into what is without a doubt one of the most exciting times for technology, entertainment and entrepreneurs, we need to keep a few things in mind to crush it in 2020.

Here are 4 strategies to keep you ahead of the game in the new year:

1. Stop being a CEO

This is not a delegate better, or be the best leader suggestion. Literally, stop calling yourself a CEO. This last decade has shown that anyone can call themselves an expert, and prove it with some good videos and amazing posts. Endless amounts of people had an idea this last decade and called themselves a CEO right out of the gate, and really never did anything worthy of the title. Tim Ferriss talks about this in the 4-hour work week.

Dictionary.com defines a CEO as a chief executive officer, the highest-ranking person in a company or other institution, ultimately responsible for making managerial decisions. You really want to stand out? Identify yourself by your true role in your company. The title of CEO is something that should be earned, even if it’s your own company.

If you are looking to start off 2020 as a new entrepreneur, don’t make this mistake. Go with Vice President and set a goal to earn your own promotion. If you have been doing this for a while and it works for you great, keep it up. If not, you may want to consider a demotion in the new year and set a goal to achieve the title so you can show real growth.

I do not think that there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance. It overcomes almost everything, even nature.” – John D. Rockefeller

2. Podcasts will be the new professional network

LinkedIn has proven to be an amazing way to grow your professional social network, and this past year it showed it’s also a great place to generate business. That being said the word is out and the space is getting crowded. The new professional network and social proof in 2020 will be your podcast, and who’s podcast have you been a guest on.

More and more you can see people who seemed untouchable not sitting down and doing some big TV network interview to get traction, they are guesting on a bunch of podcasts. The more podcasts you can be a guest on, the more you will establish yourself as an expert in your industry. In addition, a podcast is a great way to reach up and down the corporate and social ladder to make that next level connection you are looking for.

Thanks to today’s technology, the barrier to entry to start a podcast is not that difficult. Many applications out there can get you on all the major platforms at no cost. Also, if time is an issue, many people are offering this as a service and it can really enhance your social media presence. As Gary Vaynerchuk has been saying for the better part of 2 years, “voice is the next big thing”.

3. Write an article every week on LinkedIn

Yes, we just talked about LinkedIn getting crowded, but another way to stand out is publishing an article on LinkedIn. Consider your next 3 paragraph post you are going to put on LinkedIn and publish it as an article. It shows up on your feed as a published article, and it looks different than all the other post people are putting out there.

It can be more specific about your product or service too because it is an article and that is what people expect from articles. You are also putting yourself in the space with many influencers on LinkedIn who are doing the same.

Not sure what to write? Go with hot topics in your industry or information about your product or service that could be helpful to someone who wants to learn more. If you’re still hitting a wall, see what is trending on LinkedIn and join in the conversation. Combine this with your podcast and your voice just got clearer and louder on social media.

“Whatever you are, be a good one.” – Abraham Lincoln

4. Be you

This sounds simple, but it is something many people take for granted. Social media is no longer new, it has traction. People can now see your past and present, if the two don’t match up that is going to raise major read flags. The old saying has not changed over the last 20 years, and it is still true, people do business with people they know, like and trust.

The bot that generates leads is not going to help you make the connection with your next big customer. If you are going to cold message someone, take some time to explore their website, social media and podcast. That human connection can save you more time than any automated system can.

As we will automate the simple things in our life in the new decade, banking, food shopping and other things we don’t need to leave the house for anymore, people will have more time to make connections and establish authentic relationships. This is your chance to get out from behind the keyboard and get in front of people who can help you achieve your goals.

from
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/4-strategies-to-keep-you-ahead-of-the-game-in-2020/

Boost Your Self-Confidence to New Levels With the Practice of These 6 Yoga Poses

There comes a time in everyone’s life where they feel knocked down and their self-confidence disappears. It becomes difficult to go through your daily routine and it often affects both your personal and professional life. It does not stop here but low self-confidence can lead to stress which will in turn lead to other physical and mental issues.

You can easily differentiate between a confident and a under confident person by the way they speak, their body posture and energy levels. Confident people give a warm and high energy that makes other people feel comfortable in their presence. Being confident is when you trust your decisions, believe in your abilities, and are aware of your limitations.

Yoga is the answer to improving your self-confidence. Practicing yoga, can increase your self-esteem and self-confidence. It sends a positive message to your heart and mind which means you care about yourself. By building the physical strength and moving up to more challenging poses, you feel stronger on the inside.

The following yoga poses are helpful in boosting self-confidence:

1. Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana)

This pose helps in stretching your spine and tones your back and core muscles. It also helps in toning your buttocks, upper and inner thighs. Apart from these benefits, it also helps in improving digestion and relieves stress. Ardha Chandrasana teaches about the importance of the journey about self-awareness and self-acceptance rather than achieving the perfect pose.

Steps to perform the asana:

• Stand on the mat and bring your feet together. 
• Raise your hands above your head and try to extend the stretch. 
• Exhale and bend sideways from your hips by keeping your hands together.
• Keep your elbows straight and do not bend forward. 
• Hold this pose for a few seconds, inhale and come back to the standing position.
• Repeat this pose with the other side. 

2. Standing Forward Bend Pose (Uttanasana)

Uttanasana is an important yoga pose that has many therapeutic advantages. It helps in the flow of fresh oxygen-rich blood to your brain.

Steps to perform the asana:

• Your feet should be together while standing. Bend your knees slightly. Now, fold the torso over your legs, moving from the hips, not the lower back.
• Your hands should be next to your feet or on the ground in front of you.
• Inhale and extend your chest to stretch your spine. 
• Exhale and gently press both legs. Keep your legs straight. 
• When you exhale, extend your torso down without rounding your back. Draw your shoulders down your back.

A flexible body reduces the chances of physical injuries by developing strength so that you are able to take more stress on your body without harming it. Stretching releases stiffness and tension which build up in your joints and make your body more flexible.

3. Cobra Pose Bhujangasana

Bhujangasana has many benefits like strengthening the lower back, increasing its flexibility, massage of the digestive organs and relief in menstrual pain. It is helpful in relieving stiffness from your neck and shoulders.

Steps to perform the asana:

• You have to lie down on your belly and your chin should touch the ground. 
• Keep your hands close, your palms should touch the ground and your legs should be kept straight. 
• Inhale followed by straightening your arms and lifting your chest and upper back. 
• Hold this position for some time and release.

4. Chair Pose (Utkatasana)

Utkatasana is also called the ‘Chair pose’. Every part of the body is involved in this asana which makes it very powerful.

Steps to perform the asana:

• Stand straight and keep your arms at your side.
• Keep some distance between your feet.
• Stretch your hands forward so that they are parallel to the ground. 
• Bend your knees and bring your pelvis down like you sit on a chair.
• Bring your thighs parallel to the ground.
• Hold this position for one minute and keep breathing normally. 
• Now release your pose and repeat it for 3-4 times.

5. Tree Pose (Vrksasana)

Vrksasana is also called the ‘Tree pose’. It strengthens the spine and improves poise and balance. It will help in your neuromuscular coordination and aligns the body. With practice, your flexibility and immunity are improved. It strengthens the spine and improves the balance of your body. It also tones your leg muscles and makes your knees stronger and hip joints are flexed.

Steps to perform the asana:

• Stand straight and make sure you keep some distance between your feet.
• While you exhale, bend the right leg and bring the foot on the inside of the left thigh.
• Inhale and extend the arms upwards and join your palms. 
• Continue deep breathing in this position.
• Stay in this position as long as you can focus. 
• Slowly exhale and bring your arms down and bring the right foot down.
• Repeat the same with the other foot.

6. Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

This asana is the base for various asanas, therefore, it is important to get the pose right. It works on your muscles by correcting your posture and makes your body more flexible. It helps in aligning your skeleton and improves your nervous, digestive and respiratory systems by strengthening your immunity.

Steps to perform the asana:

• Keep some distance between your feet while you stand straight.
• While you inhale deeply, raise your arms upwards and interlock your fingers.
• Raise your heels and stand on your toes. You will feel the stretch in your body. 
• Hold this position and breathe for a few seconds.
• While you exhale, release your pose to come to the starting position.
• Repeat the same for 10 times.

from
https://addicted2success.com/life/boost-your-self-confidence-to-new-levels-with-the-practice-of-these-6-yoga-poses/

9 Ways to Encourage Leadership From a Young Age

Being an adult is a tough job indeed. Getting a job, paying the bills, getting married, having a kid, retirement- the list never ends. However, with age, a lot of things become clearer. 

Parenthood, for instance, is one of the most taxing yet rewarding experiences of life. Every parent has the same goal- to raise children who grow up to be successful and kind. However, there is no yardstick to proper parenting.

The world is in shambles, with the ecosystem crumbling, income disparity widening and people becoming more intolerant. It is the next generation that holds the power to change things. Teach your kids to build a better world, be better people, and fix the damage that we have propagated.

There are no set formulas to raise the perfect child. Give the child the space to make their own decisions. The most you can do is motivate, educate, and support them. A good leader is not just assertive, but also sensitive, helpful, intelligent, reliable, and willful.

Here are some tips to instill these qualities in your child:

1. Develop their Cognitive Abilities 

Cognitive abilities are not limited to academic success. It refers to the natural intelligence of the child. How well can your young one understand concepts? How are their analytical abilities? How do they fare when faced with a problem? These are some of the things that you need to instill in your child.

Schoolwork does play an important part of this. However, there are other ways of boosting the cognitive skills of an individual. Introduce them to different perspectives and alternatives and then encourage them to make an independent decision.    

2. Nurture Empathy 

Being emotional or sensitive is not a sign of weakness. Empathy is when an individual makes a conscious attempt to truly understand what the other person is going through. Encourage them to be kind, generous and helpful to those around them. 

A good leader is not just someone who has access to all the resources. They are someone who knows how to use the said resources in a manner which benefits everyone. Also, instill self-reliance and an independent streak in kids. This can help them overcome the negativity around them. 

“No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” – Theodore Roosevelt

3. Technical Expertise 

Technology has usurped almost every aspect of our life. It has changed the way we commute, communicate, and conduct business. In such a scenario, it would be foolish to keep your child away from social media and gadgets. You should definitely censor their exposure and check their online activity. However, give them the space to explore the virtual space and experiment with the various tools out there. Help your child understand how the internet works.

4. Encourage Curiosity and Questioning 

Kids are inherently very curious about their surroundings. You might often notice young children questioning the notions and concepts that we otherwise take for granted. It is this creativity and innovation that makes them truly creative and unorthodox. 

Don’t let the questioning spirit of your young one wither away. Instead, encourage them to ask more questions, but in a more rational and structured way. Over time, most kids are conditioned to think and act in a certain way. Don’t force your opinions on your kid, and encourage them to develop their own views over time. 

5. Build Communication Abilities 

Great oratory skills and a strong command of language is another virtue that most great leaders possess. Motivate your child to read as much as they can. This helps develop their vocabulary from an early age. The treasure trove of words and the knowledge of their correct application can go a long way. 

Language is a great manipulative tool that can be used to move the masses. Great leaders are known for addressing large groups and putting forth their points confidently and assertively. 

6. Practice Team Building

A good leader is never born in isolation. He always has the support of the masses. One of the most important skills for a leader is teamwork and diplomacy. Encourage your child to be active in group activities in school. Also, enroll them in several extracurricular activities and debates for that extra confidence boost. 

Leadership is not about forcing other people or dominating other people. It is about representing their perspectives, opinions and working for the common good of all. 

“Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.” – Jack Welch

7. Motivate Them to Negotiate  

Children who grow up with a diverse set of friends from different ethnicities and communities are often tolerant and accepting. By introducing them to different cultures and groups you are normalizing the differences that otherwise divide people. 

This same concept also helps develop their communication abilities and interpersonal skills. Your child is better equipped to negotiate with different groups and crack deals that are mutually beneficial. Bargaining is a life skill that everyone should be equipped with. In a consumerist society, it is a survival hack that would take your kids a long way. 

8. Set a Good Example 

Children learn more by imitating the actions of their guardians than by sermons. If you want to inculcate good habits in your child, you have to lead by example. 

Show them how to be good orators. Be good, kind, generous people. Be more tolerant and accepting. Be strong, assertive, active and willful in your everyday dealings with people. Also, learn to take initiative, be active in raising your voice when needed. Treat everyone with basic respect, equality and credibility. Kids are more likely to learn by imitating their elders than by listening to what they say. 

9. Encourage Perseverance 

Perseverance is another quality that kids should develop from a young age. Encourage the never-give-up attitude in children. Let them fail and then learn from their failures.

Life is not always a bed of roses, and there will be times when things won’t work out the way you would want them to. It is when times are trying that you are truly tested. Encourage your child to break free from their comfort zone. Motivate them to take risks, experiment, try new things and be brave in the face of adversity.

Good leaders are neither completely logical nor overtly sensitive. It is a combination of these two qualities that make for a likeable personality. Leaders are not to be feared, but respected for their work. Children are especially influential and malleable. Ensure that you inculcate these skills and qualities from an early age to help them become successful leaders of the future. 

What do you think is the most important trait to encourage in younger individuals? Share your ideas below!

from
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/9-ways-to-encourage-leadership-from-a-young-age/

4 Things Entrepreneurs Need to Do Daily to Care for Themselves

Most people who want to become entrepreneurs, choose this career because they think it’s easy and that they won’t have to work under someone. What these people don’t know is that being an entrepreneur is one of the most challenging things to do. Yes, you do enjoy flexibility in it. Yes, you do get to be your own boss but at the same time, if the business falls apart and if something goes wrong, you wouldn’t have anyone else to blame for it but yourself.

The biggest and the only issue with entrepreneurship is that it involves risk. Everyday you wake up, there’s this room for uncertainty and there’s this constant battle that you have to fight. In a nutshell, where there are several pros to being an entrepreneur, there are some cons too and the biggest con is “stress”.

If you want to be a successful entrepreneur, you’ll have to pay some serious attention to your health. And here by “health” we are referring to both, your “physical” and “mental” condition. This is because in entrepreneurship, “you” are your business and if you want to achieve goals and become successful at a skyrocketing pace, you’ll have to fuel yourself up first.

Speaking of which, today we are here with some of the most important things that you need to do daily to take care of yourself and of course your business:

1. Get Enough Sleep

One of the most important things to do is to get enough sleep and this rule applies to every single person in the world. People don’t realize that their sleep affects literally every single thing. From their energy levels to their productivity and creativity at work, it all gets affected when you don’t get the proper amount of sleep. Especially as an entrepreneur, your top priority should be to sleep for at least 6 to 8 hours everyday because that’s when your brain will function at its best.

Most entrepreneurs that we know, work even at midnight which is absolutely wrong unless you have something extremely important. The point that we are trying to emphasize here is that “don’t ever sacrifice your sleep for your work” no matter what!

“There is virtue in work and there is virtue in rest. Use both and overlook neither.” – Alan Cohen

2. You Deserve A Break

You are running a business all on your own and even if you’ve hired employees, you still can’t go on and on without a break. Humans are programmed this way and their brain and their body gives up at a time when there’s too much stress and pressure around. Now, whenever you think you’ve reached the point where you are about to give up, try taking a break. Believe it or not, this can do wonders for you.

It’s not necessary for you to go to a whole month vacation, in fact, even a one day break every week is more than enough. Because if you think working 7 days a week will bring you closer to your goal then you are wrong. Act and work like you are designed to and don’t exceed your body’s capacity to handle stress.

3. Exercise 

In entrepreneurship, you mostly have to sit in front of your laptop/PC and work constantly. In simpler words, there’s little to no physical activity involved in most businesses which is why taking some time out to exercise is extremely important. It’s not just about being physically fit, in fact, when you workout, your body releases some wonderful chemicals and endorphins that increase your energy levels and improve your mood. We aren’t asking you to workout for 3 to 4 hours everyday, in fact, even if you walk for 40 minutes everyday, that’ll be more than enough!

“Take care of your body, it’s the only place you have to live.” – Jim Rohn

4. Appreciate Yourself 

Celebrate your achievements, even if they are small. Sometimes self-appreciation can motivate you in ways that nothing else can so patting yourself a little on the shoulder and treating yourself is important. In fact, if you’ve got a team working with you, make sure to create a positive work environment and practice corporate gifting. Appreciate those employees that really work hard and gift them something as a token that yes, you do acknowledge their efforts and struggles.

As said earlier, in entrepreneurship, you are your business and if you want your business to grow, you’ll have to take care of yourself first. Prioritize your health, give yourself a break and laugh. Once you start focusing on all of this, we assure you that all of the positivity will start reflecting in your business because that’s where the magic lies.

from
https://addicted2success.com/entrepreneur-profile/4-things-entrepreneurs-need-to-do-daily-to-care-for-themselves/

Doing it the Bill Gates Way: 7 Habits Every Leader Should Follow

If you conduct a mini survey in your office and ask people to name the three most influential people in the world, Bill Gates would probably feature in all their answers. Such a noticeable impact in the field of technology was unheard of.

As of 2019, Bill Gates is worth $110 Billion. People are even scared of dreaming of reaching Bill Gates’ height of success let alone do something about it. But contrary to his success, his ideologies and habits are deceptively simple (though extremely useful). He is often seen giving advice for budding (also established industry leaders) entrepreneurs in his interviews.

Let’s look at a few of his most effective habits and ideologies that will help you be an empowering leader:

1. The Early Bird Takes the Worm

Bill Gates highly regards the quality of starting the day early. Every day Bill starts his day with a moderate amount of cardio in the morning. He spends about an hour on the treadmill before starting his day. The benefits of starting the day with a reasonable amount of exercise are unparalleled.

For starters, it kickstarts your metabolism and makes you feel active throughout the day. Break an early sweat, and your body rewards you with endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin which elevates your mood, helps you become more active and removes stress. And of course, daily exercise is proven to provide a good night’s sleep.

Early morning exercise benefits are sworn by not just Bill Gates but also Richard Branson, Mark Zuckerberg, Katherine Power among others.

“Don’t compare yourself with anyone in this world. If you do so, you are insulting yourself.” – Bill Gates

2. Being A Life-Long Learner

It might not come as a surprise that Bill Gates has been a life long learner, right from his childhood. Bill is well known as a devourer of books, consuming books at rates as high as one per week. That amounts to 52 books a year! Back in his college days, Bill often used to attend classes he didn’t sign up for. This way, he used to get double education. Every year Bill recommends his favorite books and his goals for the next year as well on his personal blog. Even startup legends like Zuckerberg have picked up on Bill’s habit and have started a similar ritual of recommending his favourite books of the year.

3. Give Credit

One thing most leaders are known for is hogging the credit. Bill Gates definitely serves as an exception. Although he is one of the world’s richest people and a genius entrepreneur, he has a clear policy of giving credit where it is due. He is especially fond of and appreciative of his co-founder Paul Allen. Even Allen has a habit of speaking highly of his employees and partners. This attitude transforms a manager to a leader and promotes engagement and motivation at work. And yes, it works wonder for your brand too. Bill and Allen believe that complimenting brilliant talent over the years have not only contributed to their success but also made the whole process fun.

4. Getting Plenty of Sleep

Yes, you read that right. Getting enough sleep is as crucial for leaders like any other factor. You might have read stories about how some global leader manages to function effectively with just 4 hours of sleep, but most of them are just blatant exaggeration. Chronic lack of sleep increases the chances of heart attack, obesity, diabetes, and stroke.

Also, lack of sleep increases the secretion of the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol helps in breaking collagen, which keeps the skin smooth. Bill doesn’t look like a 64-year-old guy. That’s because he sleeps a lot. Bill ensures that he gets 7 hours of sleep daily. That’s a habit, not just leaders but everyone should follow.

5. Frugality

One of the highest qualities of a leader is that of frugality. Bill Gates is a shining example of frugality (which is surprisingly common among billionaires). With $90+ billion in net worth, Bill can literally buy anything that can be purchased. This doesn’t motivate the billionaire to blow out cash like there’s no tomorrow. In 2016 on a Reddit Q&A, Bill said he doesn’t like to spend a lot of money on clothes and jewelry. Not just personal usage, Bill doesn’t like to go overboard with the company spending too. For a long time, Bill used to fly economy for all official purposes. Being frugal doesn’t necessarily mean being cheap. Frugal means being smart, resourceful and finding the best value for investment.

6. Learning from Setbacks

According to Bill Gates, success is a lousy teacher. It makes people believe that they cannot lose. The underlining fact is that if you want to take significant risks, you will more often have to settle for failures. Bill believes that Microsoft’s success is in part due to his team’s ability to recognize and work on shortcomings. He wasn’t hesitant to change course when a mistake was identified. For some people, it takes more than a few mistakes to identify the problem. Learning from setbacks not only improves your problem-solving skills but also establishes an atmosphere in the workplace where employees don’t hesitate to take risks.

“To win big, you sometimes have to take big risks.” – Bill Gates

7. Having Faith in Your Judgement

Sometimes leaders have to be a bit stubborn in their decision making. When Bill Gates came up with the idea of Microsoft in the 1970s, it was as outrageous as flying cars. His ideas were often criticized by investors as impractical and outrageous. Bill decided to have faith in the clarity of his vision despite the lack of trust of most people. In these situations, it’s vital to have an idea of the bigger picture in mind and let go of minor short term setbacks. But its also equally important to keep in mind that passionate stubbornness does not transform into arrogance.

Emerging leaders need to study the behavioral habits of people who made it large. But yes, being a leader like Bill Gates is no small task. You should have an air of confidence in the decision you take while being receptive to the criticism when faced with a setback. But in the end, patience is the key ingredient in the making of a great leader.

from
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/doing-it-the-bill-gates-way-7-habits-every-leader-should-follow/