Group Discussion or popularly known as GD, is a very important round in any selection process, be it for an MBA course, campus recruitment or for any graduate/post graduate degree. Group discussion allows you to exchange information and ideas and gives you the experience of working in a team. Group discussion is an important dimension of the selection process.

Group Discussion, as the most popular, reliable and dominant medium, heads the list among the battery of personality tests used today for selection of candidates and executives for managerial appointments, MBA Admission ,training, award of scholarships, admission to post graduate or specialized managrement courses, etc. Group discussions occur in many different formats – from very informal ones between friends to highly structured and challenging discussions included as part of a selection process. Group discussion practice and skill development is therefore useful for all students.

A Group Discussion at a B-School can be defined as a formal discussion involving ten to 12 participants in a group. GDs are generally a 20 to 30 minute process whose larger objective is to select those candidates who have the ability to perform in a team. Group Discussion basically means searching your team player, leadership, communication capability.

To excel in GDs, you should have a complete grasp of the subject knowledge and be adept in the art of positive argument and also be a persuasive communicator. There are a number of things you can do to help your group become successful. In group discussions, it is important to avoid conflict as much as possible. If you don’t agree with the statement, instead of saying “that doesn’t make any sense,” it would be better to say “I don’t know if I agree. Could you elaborate?” When you use this statement, it will not be as offensive as the other statement. Merely making a meaningful contribution and helping the group arrive at a consensus is not enough. You must ensure that the group hears you.

Are you a leader ? You can demonstrate leadership by - introducing yourself and the members of the group stating the purpose of the discussion inviting quiet group members to speak being objective summarizing the discussion. When chairing a discussion group you must communicate in a positive way to assist the speakers in accomplishing their objective.

There can be various ways of assessing an individual’s personality but group discussions and personal interviews are accepted tools to select a student because in a limited time they can give a fair idea of whether a candidate can become a manager or not.

Don’t be disheartened if you did not do well in your First Group Discussion.

Here are a few tips from one of the Toppers for GDs

● Read newspapers. Keep yourself updated about your sector (if you have work experience).

● Discuss various topics with friends. Pick any topic from the day’s newspaper and talk about it. For example, Obama has become the US President. So, a GD topic can be, ‘Will that help India?’ This helps increase your knowledge as one will study for pre-determined topics before-hand. More often, you also learn from and retain what your friends said in the discussion.

● Discuss abstract as well. For example, God, blue, Cos. Be open-minded about GD topics. Know certain data like India’s GDP. Read a year-book for this.

● Learn to express yourself. You should have a command over the language

● During the actual GD, be calm and composed. A GD requires a certain mindset – that you are ready to go for it! think of it as a selection panel, not a rejection panel.

● Even if you don’t know much about a given topic but can present it will in lucid, clear and logical manner, you are through. Many coaching institutes say that one who starts speaking first in a GD, makes it. That’s not so. The point of a GD is to test, can you work in a group and convey your point in a clear-cut manner. Don’t be in a rush to start. However, if nobody is taking the lead because the topic is hard, you should start.

● It’s necessary to speak every two minutes. What matters is, quality, not quantity. Look at all members while speaking.

● Never make derogatory or personal comments against anybody in your group.

● Be careful about your body language, specially hand gestures. Don’t lean back or forward while sitting. Don’t cross your legs. While practicing, ask friends how you look while talking. If not sure, join a coaching institute.

● Don’t fiddle with a pen etc, during the GD.

● Listen when others talk. Wait till the other person finishes.

● Don’t interject just for the sake of interjecting.

● Don’t shout and create an atmosphere reminiscent of a fish market. The idea is to have a constructive discussion.

● Give due respect to a lady in the group.

● Be careful of how you enter or exit the room?

All the best for your GD - May God be with you

Of all the attributes that get you hired for a job, your job interview strengths are some of the few that you can directly improve in a short time frame. Your experience, your training, your qualifications, your characteristics are all pretty much set by the time that you go to your interview. However, the way that you effectively and convincingly package all these things together for the interviewer is something that you can get a lot better at in a hurry. Doing so, however, requires that you do quite a bit of work. The process requires that you do a minimum of four steps; research the position, predict the questions, develop the answers, practice the answers. Of these four, the research is the most important. Your ability to perform well in the interview depends largely on the information you put together up front.

Your job interview strengths are going to come from your detailed knowledge of what the company is looking for in the job interview. That knowledge, in turn, is going to come from your research of the target job and company. Some of that research will be of published material, other information will come from people in your network. All of it will be focused on what the job does, what results the job is expected to produce, what environment the employee produces these results in, and what characteristics the target organization prizes most in employees. Putting all this information together gives you a clear picture of the ideal employee. Once you have that picture, you are able to create both a list of predicted questions and a target for what impression your answers should create.

More Job Interview Strengths Strategy

Your job interview strengths will come from your ability to turn your existing experience, qualifications and attributes into proof that you match the ideal profile of the job. This won't be achievable simply by stating that you possess the necessary experience and attributes though. Rather, you should prove your fitness by a series of stories, narratives, anecdotes and examples of how you have exhibited those characteristics and achieved the desired results in your job and personal history. For this reason, a great deal of the preparation that you will undertake will be creating a stash of stories and anecdotes which convincingly answer the potential questions which you have predicted based on your research.

The last step of developing your job interview strengths is to practice these answers until they seem natural. Get together with a friend or job search partner and work on these questions during a mock interview. If possible, videotape or tape-record this interview session and evaluate your responses later. The ability to take questions and turn them into chances to showcase your fitness for the position is the job interview strength that this process will make unbeatable.

There is no one in the world who is going to trust you as much as you do on yourself. Believe in your abilities, and pursue your dreams. This world is not a bed of roses, and you cannot expect everybody to praise you, but you have have to develop a very thick shield all around you, when people criticize you. Let their criticism not weaken your spirits. Let the foolish continue to blabber whatever they want to. Those who bring others down are not the visionaries, they are themselves the scapegoat of their ill thoughts, and cannot tolerate over ambitious people.

A word about those big bad people, and how to protect yourself from them. This includes not only the so called bad people, but also the pessimist in you. The pessimists will always try to deter your from thinking forward - mainly because either they have a gloomy outlook to life or else they cannot see the larger picture themselves. Cover yourself from these people. Dont you think that it is running away from struggles of life. It is like throwing stones at the mud. If you struggle with the mud, it is defnitely going to bite you, and even dirt you with their dirty thoughts. So protect your spirit from these people. Let them carve their own ideas and propositions about you. Let their perspective not deter your hopes in life. After all it is your life, and you are the master of it.

You have to decide the way your life needs to go. You are your own destiny creator. You define your life. The day you become slaveto the situation, you are no more a human; you are then just a prisoner ofsituations, a prisoner who has no freedom, a prisoner who cannot think beyond the walls of the jail. So let not your spirit be binded by limited thoughts. Allow your spirit to grow, let your spirit free - allow it reach for the sky and it will no doubt attain the limitless freedom which everyone craves for.
It is true life is not a bed of roses, but it is also not a bed of thorns. It is all in the thoughts. If the mind is perturbed my disturbing thoughts, then even in the best of scenic places, it wont find respite. Its all in the mind and your spirits. Let the higher and positive spirits govern your mind and thoughts.

Preparation and Planning will enable and enpower you to take right decisions, without fear and shall remove the state of uncertainty . A well prepared student can understand the options and choices available and how to turn the odds in his/ her favor.

• Well prepared is well armed to plan for and face the future.
  
  
• This is an exciting phase in your life and do not be apprehensive about it.
  
  
• All the great people and high achievers started somewhere. You are therefore not alone.
  
  
• In today’s competitive world full of new options and opportunities, you have the power of choices.
  
  
• You can well exercise them by putting yourself in a stronger position through preparation and planning.
  

How to go about it in a systematic manner?

1. Analyse and understand yourself.

• Note all the facts starting from the physical data.
  
  
• The subjects you are interested in and find easy to understand.
  
  
• The subjects in which you have been scoring well.
  
  
• The sports you are interested in and good at.
  
  
• Interests and hobbies. (Interested vs. good at)
  
  
• Personality type-introvert or extrovert etc.
  

2. This list is for your own self and therefore you should be honest and frank.

3. Also note that every individual is different and no single personality type is better than the other.

4. Prepare your own S.W.O.T (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis in writing.

• You may be shy, good in science subjects, may be a good chess player, but may find it difficult to express yourself due to lack of confidence or command over language.
  
  
• You may want to do a course, where admission may be difficult and it may also be very expensive.
  
  
• If you have outstanding achievements in some fields, like being a top ranker, college captain of the basketball team, a very good guitarist, a talented artist etc., mark them separately.
  
  
• Also list separately the things you are passionate about- e.g. music, sculpture, studies, public speaking.
• Would you like to take them up as your profession?
  
  
• Are you prepared to invest the required time and energy?
  

CONCLUSION

Career planning starts with a clear understanding of yourself. The process suggested is simple and interesting. It provides a good starting point and as the saying goes ‘well begun is half done’

Arun Vedhera
An Engineer,M.B.A with 34 yrs. of Managment Experience in the Industry. As a Top Management Professional,well versed with all the functional areas and the human dynamics. Passionate about management education and a satisfied customer of Life.

A GREAT MOTIVATION

Take a small seed in your hand and look at it. It appears so lifeless, tiny and almost insignificant. But with some soil, water, sun heat, air and the fusion of cosmic spark - that little seed transforms into something thousands of times bigger than itself.

Note the scale and see that there is a large tree hidden in that small seed. Quite similarly, in your almost invisible, quasi-forgotten soul - lies a huge universe that is hidden and inherent like tree in the seed.

You are capable to do almost anything you can dream of; you carry the whole universal energy in and around you. Many of the low times in life, we think ourselves worthless, incapacitated, virtually enslaved and at times surprised 'man what am I doing here? what is our mission on this earth etc'.

I inform you - You do have an important mission and you are already contributing to the visible world - through your talent, hard work and pool of energy. Never under-estimate yourself nor feel lonely. Your world is created by your work and creativity. You only have to act - the BEST you can, the real DOER is the creator - who like a prompter of theatre delivers you the script.
Something that holds your growth? IS IT FEAR?

When you get up in the morning - make a point that you get up like a lion - sure of yourself, bold and fearless. Before that you may have to work on the fear.

Fear starts from 1st day of life, out of insecurities or of feelings of losing what you have. Fear is NEVER of unknown but the known and what you 'possess'.

You fear, of what you already KNOW quite well. Fear resides in deep pockets of mind like a bug - hidden but lively. Fear can be one of the basic reasons of failures of life.

Fear creates walls around us, forces us to take incorrect decisions, on the other hand, fearlessness will give you boldness, peace, preserve energy.

BUT NEVER run from fear - running from it IS real fear. Stop, think, and follow the track of fear back in your mind's archives. Find it, fac9+9 deal with it now.

You must REMOVE it by surgery of deep meditation, by ceasing all knowledge stored in mind. I Repeat that fear resides in knowledge not in the unknown. Your life will be on the super fast track after this silent process.

- ANKUR RAWAT
ankurrawat@live.com

It is commonly believed myth that personality testing instruments can measure your personality and predict your future behaviors. The pre-employment testing mechanism has been following this creed without any solid evidence. The testing industry claims all out validity. The educational institutions and employer organizations use them for screening purposes. Their transparency and equity has even convinced the courts of law.

But it is still an unresolved riddle; what do they test?

Do they test personality? What is personality then? What is its nature? How does it come into existence? Is it outcome of evolution? Does matter has capability to generate a personality? Why animals don’t have a personality? Does it remain the same during whole of your life? And many more questions.

It is like peeling off an onion. Every strip leads to many more. Finally you get a heap of onion strips. Where is the onion?

But personality is not an onion…

Allport has recorded hundreds of different definitions. Most of the psychologists equate it to your style, behaviors and reactions. They have devised instruments to measure these main areas. The collected data about your behaviors and temperaments help them to decide your career. You may organize your behaviors in future but you may never be able to go for a career of your passion.

Why?

Experts like to predict. They predict weather. They predict political situations. They predict economic conditions. They predict your future with signs, numbers, cards or palms. And they predict your future performance with the help of personality testing instruments.

What’s Your Personality?

It is well recognized fact that every human being has a personality. It is not merely your physical body. It is not merely your consciousness. It is not merely your ego. It is not merely your behaviors. It is not merely your physical expression. It is not merely your style. It is not merely your temperament.

But they all and many other characteristics are expressions of your personality.

I don’t find it wise to define personality. Admittedly it is an abstract reality. You get it with your birth. You can either develop it or disintegrate. Your style, behaviors and reactions are expressions of your developed, undeveloped or under-developed personality.

How do you look? How do you react? How do you talk? How do you live? How do you think? They all are expressions of your personality. The psychometrics measures these expressions and not your personality.

The abstract nature of personality can neither be measured nor be analyzed with any scientific or non-scientific tool. It can only be visualized. It can be developed. It can be disintegrated. Your thinking and doing makes all out the difference. A developed personality gives better style, behaviors and reactions than an undeveloped one.

Why Psychometrics are Getting Popular?

The very first reason is that every one wants to know who he is.

But bigger reason of their massive use is just a desire of the employers to avoid bad-hire. They get hundreds of applications for a single situation. They are the only available tools to avoid idiosyncrasies.

They don’t have alternatives for psychometrics.

Tests are going to stay. Whether you are trying to be admitted for a specific discipline or looking for your dream job, you are going to encounter psychometrics at one stage or the others. You need to prepare before encountering them.

How to Prepare for Personality Testing Sessions?

Keep in mind…

Personality is an amazing entity. You can think. You can visualize. You can discover. You can express. You can plan. You can create. You have unlimited hidden potentials. But your selected options on paper are going to decide your future.

You should practice offline and online personality tests before encountering a real session. Your practice shall not only make them familiar to you but also generate a list of your strengths and weaknesses. You can improve them with your conscious effort.

However, it is much more important to learn how different personality and aptitude tests measure expressions of your personality. What theories are working behind them? How do they relate different jobs with different types? This knowledge shall make it a lot easier to encounter psychometrics.

AUTHOR & RESEARCH BY : Saqib Ali Ateel

Life is filled with stress. Any disappointment or family dispute may generate stress or a mild degree of anxiety that results in muscle tension, body aches, insomnia and poor concentration. Routinely everyone has to endure worries and stress.

Changes in one’s life are mostly not threatening and they don’t affect the quality of life. Once stress starts it persists as the person is unable to get rid of it completely. Things can easily go wrong when people are under stress. Thus learning to relax will help them to deal with stress more confidently.

Mild degrees of stress may emerge in various situations of our daily life that may include a job interview, performing on stage or a critical test. These are only a few examples of the challenging situations when most people feel a little anxious which is considered normal if it does not result in any harm.

Stress generally responds well to both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment. The majority of people who receive treatment experience significant relief from their symptoms. But many people with stress disorders do not seek treatment because they do not recognize their symptoms as a sign of illness or they fear the reactions of co-workers, family members, or friends. Only a few people who are upset by stress learn to manage it through self-help while the majority of sufferers remain upset with the painful emotions.

People under stress are advised to relax. Most of them ask how they should relax. Relaxation is a state of doing absolutely nothing and being at ease and peace. Relaxation exercises are very simple and do not need expensive equipment or a special place. They may take time so people should not feel disheartened if they do not notice favourable changes.

When a person is relaxing, physical, mental and emotional changes take place. Physically body muscles let go of tension, breathing becomes more regular, blood pressure drops, and the heart beats more slowly. Other organs slow down their activity so a person feels at ease.

Mental relaxation results in the return of the ability to concentrate, decision making becomes easier and thinking becomes clearer. Emotionally one feels quieter, calmer and more confident, and able to take life as it comes without overreacting. After relaxation many people find that they can get things back into perspective and the difficulties which they had perceived as huge appear much smaller.

Simple relaxation

There is one rule in relaxation and that is to find the appropriate time and place. Find only a few minutes, preferably two or three times a day, when you can sit down in a comfortable chair where no one will disturb you. Settle your body into the chair, rest your head on the back of the chair, and put your arms and hands where they are comfortable. Place your feet, a little apart, on the floor.

Now tell your muscles to relax. Either start from the head and go downwards to the toes or upwards from the toes to the head. Concentrate on those areas of the body where you feel tension. Say loudly: “Relax, I am in control.” It is important to spend no longer than a few minutes to do this exercise, and when it is complete sit quietly for few moments and enjoy being still and at ease. Then you can get up and carry on with your routine work.

It is best if you choose particular times for this exercise. Do not worry if you do not achieve much at first, relaxation has to be learned slowly, only a small step at a time. Be gentle to yourself and never put extra burden on yourself that might result in stress. After this try to relax for a few minutes daily at various times, for instance, while having tea in the evening, or as you sit in the car, or are at the library or before going to bed.

Breathing exercise

Breathing is something that you tend to take very much for granted. From time to time concentrate on your breathing. Just feel it as air enters and leaves your body. Notice the gentle rhythm that comes easily and effortlessly with the action. Now try to slow your breath by taking three or four slow breaths in and out through your nose (or take the breath in from your nose and out from your mouth). Try to breathe in for the same amount of time as you breathe out. As you breathe out let go of the tension, particularly in your jaw, neck, shoulders and abdomen. This is calming and can be combined with walking.

Another exercise that you can do is to breathe in and out and then hold your breath for as long as you can. Notice the space between that breath and the next. Let no strain enter the body, just breathe in again when you feel the need. This will help you control and slow down your breathing for a couple of minutes, and this will also keep all your worries away from you.

Now close your eyes and spend a minute or two noticing your breath entering your body and then leaving it. As you breathe out tell yourself to let go. Do this a number of times, saying to yourself: “Relax, let go”, each time you breathe out. In the same way that you notice your breathing, also begin to notice your feelings and thoughts, but try not to become involved with them.

If you find your attention wandering to some other thing then firmly bring your concentration back to the exercise. Check that your body has not tightened up because of these intrusive thoughts. Never try to judge how well you are relaxing, just enjoy it. No effort is required from your side. If you let go, all your stresses, worries, anxieties and tension will leave your body and mind.

The beauty of the breathing exercise is that you can perform it anywhere, at any time and in any posture. Slowly and gradually as you get better in breathing exercises you will be able to extend them and start using your abdominal muscles to help you control your breathing. Practice this exercise when you feel relaxed and stress free, so that when you feel stressed, with the help of this exercise you will be able to restore peace and calmness almost automatically with minimal effort in only a few moments.

Deep muscle therapy

If you want to learn to relax more deeply then you will need some more time. You should try to practice these exercises twice or thrice a week, but even practising just once a week will also be beneficial. Ideally, you should spend at least 15 minutes with the aim to reach a point when your body feels as though it is hardly a part of you and your mind feels relaxed.

First make sure you are comfortable and that you are not going to be disturbed. The place chosen should be peaceful. Lie down or sit in a relaxing way. If you find background music helpful, play music at a low volume. Relax the muscles in each part of your body working from the head to your toes, or from your toes to your head, paying particular attention to the tense areas.

If you have been practising the simple relaxation exercise you will be able to do this quite naturally. If you feel any muscle to be extra tense then gently stretch them and let them move back into a comfortable position. This will help you to relax even more deeply. With continued practice you will be able to bring on a state of deep muscle relaxation at will.

It should be kept in mind that relaxation is an exercise that needs to be practiced regularly. No one is able to become an expert in relaxation overnight. If you can learn to use only the muscles and energy that is necessary to sit, or to walk, or in any other activity, the rest of your body can relax so that you can preserve more energy.

Breaking the circle

Now be relaxed and think carefully. Do you still find yourself sometimes going round in circles despite all your efforts to calm down and stay cheerful? If you feel everything requires much more effort to cope with. Maybe you are worrying about something or someone that uses up a lot of your energy that results in tiredness, disturbed sleep and decreased appetite.

If you can recognize that this is happening to you then you have made the first important step towards preventing this circle. Now all you need to do is to break the circle and replace it with a good relaxing one. Try the following:

1) First relax your body musculature, start from your shoulders and jaw.

2) Next take a few slow, even, quiet but deep breaths.

3) Feel that you are taking control of the situation, speak loudly, “I am going to control this situation easily and as quickly as possible.”

4) At this moment start feeling yourself become calm, this will result in your increased ability to cope with matters that make you tense.

5) After regaining confidence, you will find that you can do everything to make you more relaxed.

Imagination

For more deep relaxation you can use your powers of imagination that are a wonderful tool to help you to create feelings of well being. You are probably already pretty good at imagining the worst that can happen, now use the same ability positively to imagine the best possible scenario.

Start by imagining yourself in the most beautiful place where you feel completely calm and totally at ease, this may be your favourite spot, park, garden, zoo, restaurant or somewhere you have visited on your honeymoon or on your holiday.

Try to make the scene as complete as possible, so pay full attention to all the details of colours, shapes, sounds, smells and tastes. Maybe you are sitting near by some water, imagine dipping your hand in it and feeling how cool, hot or fresh it is. Maybe you are on a beach, and you can hear the waves and feel them gently lapping over your feet, and feel the sand between your toes. Maybe you are in a garden, and the smell and sight of flowers is overwhelming.

Work on imagination several times so that it becomes clearer and you become more familiar. Add more details as you get better at using your imagination. Learn to link the images with feelings of calm, comfort, happiness, strength, security, harmony and well being.

Gradually without any effort on your part, your body and mind will relax, and you will feel peace in yourself and with the surrounding environment. With practice the images will come more easily and quickly so that eventually you will be able to transport yourself to this wonderful place instantly and feel yourself relaxing immediately. You will then be able to recreate the feelings that you have in this special place at other times during your daily routine. When you find yourself becoming unnecessarily tense, worried, angry or frustrated you will be able to bring your special place to your thinking and the unhappy feelings will fade away. It really does work. So it is time to start your journey, and let go.

Body, thought, and emotion are intimately blended through complex nerve networks, and function in concert to shape our awareness. Emotions interpret, arrange, direct, and summarize information received through the five senses. They color our perception of the world and we often unconsciously react to them. They are primary and universal survival tools that permit us to experience joy, surprise, sadness, fear, disgust, or threat. Since emotions are linked to survival, they receive neurological message priority. This article will provide insight into just how our feelings and emotions impact the quality of our learning.

Are emotions and feelings the same thing? The difference is that feelings are not linked to survival. Furthermore, they are context-specific responses shaped by the environment, culture, and society. Emotions can be measured through variations in blood pressure, heart rate variability, brain-imaging techniques, and electro-dermal response. Feelings are difficult to measure. Some examples of feelings are frustration, anticipation, jealousy, cynicism, worry, and optimism. In the present context, I have reason for being particular about this distinction, though most people lump these together for convenience.

Traumatic events and enduring stress can take a toll on a person's physical and psychological health. The memory and accompanying negative emotions of a stressful incident or condition, at any point in life, can lay dormant for years. When triggered by some later stressful event, they can evoke negative beliefs, desires, fantasies, compulsions, obsessions, addictions, or dissociation. This toxic brew can inhibit learning and memory, and generally fracture human wholeness. Unless the person feels emotionally secure, it is almost impossible for the "thinking" parts of the brain (neo-cortex and frontal lobes) to function effectively.

All living things are created with built-in defense mechanisms. The human version is a fight-or-flight reaction to perceived threats. Stressors, whether sudden and unexpected or consistent and ongoing, trigger this natural effect. Most people are unaware of the common causes and the long-term effects of stress.

Stress is cumulative, and the effects of substantial stress are dissipated only after a period of twelve to eighteen months. Low-level consistent stress keeps the body in a constant fight-or-flight stance. This means that the mind-body is not able to operate at maximum performance. In order to maintain this steady defense mode, energy is diverted away from both the immune system and the brain. Stress and constant fear, at any age, create a chemical imbalance, which can confuse the brain's normal circuits.

A person's physical and emotional well-being is closely linked to the ability to effectively act, think, and learn. Long-term exposure to threat, conflict, or humiliation will damage self-esteem and may result in a condition known as learned helplessness. This chronic defensive posture is characterized by a vortex of negative emotions, self-limiting beliefs, apathy, anxiety, fear, mistrust, immature coping behaviors, and a diminished interest and ability to process information. This state is context-specific and can be triggered over and over by contact with a certain teacher, peer, subject, building, or memory.

An unusual physiological effect occurs during emotionally-stressful conditions. As a reflex response to a threat, the eyes move peripherally so that they can monitor a greater field of vision. This makes it virtually impossible for the eyes to track across a page of writing. Enduring stress will strengthen the muscles of the outer eye, making central focus and tracking a permanent problem. A condition of traumatized children is called "wall-eye" where both eyes are locked in a sustained distrustful peripheral focus. This condition can be overcome through whole-brain integration exercises.

There are many theories on emotions. According to Leslie Cameron-Bandler, author of Emotional Hostage: Rescuing Your Emotional Life, it is possible to experience 421 emotions, from rage to peace of mind. Emotion is literally energy in motion. Emotions and external behavior influence one another. Behavior, whether desirable or not, is often a manifestation of our emotions. And since the mind-body is one system, the reverse is true; emotion affects physiology.

Emotions influence perception and learning. In her book, Molecules of Emotions, Dr. Candace Pert wrote: "The brain filters our perceptions to create our 'reality'. The decisions about what we perceive, remember, and learn are regulated by emotion; the interaction of peptides and receptors in the brain. At the same time, emotions are a response to this filtered reality, memories, and learning." Certain positive emotions and feelings act as catalysts to learning. Curiosity, appreciation, and calmness enable receptivity and inhibit resistance. High self-esteem and self-confidence boost the learning process. Our innate personality types can indicate how we are apt to deal with the range of situations that life offers, and in which environments we are most comfortable.

Imagine being able to get what you want simply by knowing how to communicate effectively.

If you learn hypnosis and apply it correctly, you can have people hanging on your every word. You can have power over their decisions. You can gain your employees' cooperation. You can help your friends overcome bad habits.

And parents... you can get your kids to obey you without arguments or resistance.

Do you want to get people to listen to you and do your bidding? Do you want people to agree with you? The answer is to learn hypnosis to turn this into reality. Hypnosis is real and powerful, but it's not what most people think it is.

Hypnosis doesn't require any magic, hocus pocus or special powers. Hypnosis is actually a natural state that everyone has experienced at some time. It occurs when you become so highly focused on a specific thing that everything else around you seems to disappear. It's not unlike having a daydream.

Do you need a self-esteem makeover?
Here are the essentials you will need to do it!

1. Do not use your weight to measure your self-worth
What does weight have to do with self-worth? Your self-worth is the sum of everything that makes you special and unique - not just your thigh and waist measurements! Add up your assets, talents, how you treat others, how you treat yourself, the contributions you make to your family, friends and community. Now you have self-worth.

2. Count your blessings.
You have a lot of things to be thankful for a home, a loving family, friends you enjoy, a job, a sunny day, the knowledge you've acquired - even things like shoes, a coat. Many people don't have these things. A mind that counts blessings has no room for self-pity. So you don't wear a size 2? Neither

3. Are you continually playing negative tapes in your mind?
Eject them and insert new tapes! You may have to make a conscious effort. When the critical tape starts playing, picture yourself hitting the "stop" button and insert a new, positive tape.

4. Don't use "all or nothing" thinking.
No one is a "total" failure. Most things you do right. Just because you sometimes make a mistake or take a wrong path does not make you a "total" failure. It makes you human. Besides, the president of CBS was recently asked for his secret to success. His answer: failures - because how else would we learn?

5. No one starts from zero.
You probably eat pretty well a lot of the time. We can always make improvements, but consider the glass half full, not half-empty!

The job interview "tell me about yourself question" is the question that the interviewer asks when he or she doesn't know anything else to say. For instance, he or she might ask this question if he or she hasn't gotten a chance to look over your resume yet. While you tell him or her about yourself, he or she can cast an eye over it and learn enough about you to ask more substantive questions later. Alternatively, this question might come from an interviewer who is simply too disinterested, distracted or inexperienced to ask a more directed and useful question. As a candidate, you should recognize this question for what it is. It isn't a sincere, honest, interested way to learn more about you. it is a stalling device to allow the interviewer to get you talking immediately.

As a result, if you are asked the job interview tell me about yourself question, you should be ready to answer it in a way that immediately snaps the interviewer into attention to yourself. The simple, most effective way to do that is to answer it in a way that immediately makes it clear that you are the most qualified and perfect candidate for the job. Obviously, to do this you must first know what the target organization is looking for, and what the ideal candidate would look like. To create this profile, you must do the necessary research to discover what the duties of the job are, the results that the target job is expected to produce and the attributes or characteristics that the target organization values most. When you have those, you will in essence have created a profile of the perfect candidate.

Answering the Job Interview Tell Me About Yourself Question

When you hear the job interview tell me about yourself question, your answer should more or less be a summary of the ideal candidate profile. Additionally, you should be ready to back up all of your claims to the possession of the ideal characteristics through use of examples, narratives, stories and achievements. Chances are, once you begin telling the interviewer about yourself, and all the things you say are more or less what he or she is hoping to hear, he or she will start paying close attention. At that point, the questioning will get a bit more focused and specific. Instead of just asking to hear more about yourself in general, the interviewer will probably begin asking about specific experience and characteristics.

When he or she moves beyond the job interview tell me about yourself question and starts asking about specific results and achievements, your research will begin to truly pay off. Because you will know what the interviewer is looking for, you will be able to shape your answers in a way that provides the image of yourself as that kind of candidate. To make your presentation even more appealing, shape and form the situation, actions and results of the stories that you tell to match the realities of the job that your research uncovered. Doing so will allow the interviewer to envision your success on the target job while you tell your story. That vision is worth any amount of information that you might otherwise give in a less memorable and striking manner.

The toughest part about learning how to interview better is that job seekers frequently take a job interview test but rarely receive a job interview lesson. As a matter of fact, job seekers don't even get a job interview report card. Instead candidates are simply told that they did not get the job offer, that the position has been already filed or simply never hear from the target company again. As a result, it's tough to get a sense of what a job seeker is doing right or doing wrong, and even tougher to get guidance on what to do differently going forward. A job interview lesson would ideally contain all the steps that a candidate should take to make sure that they perform as well as possible on the job interview. This process should cover everything from preparation for the interview to what kind of job interview thank you note to send afterwards, and how often to follow up.

The first point of the job interview lesson is that nothing about interviewing is a natural, organic gift that a candidate either has or does not have. Sure, some people may have a more natural rapport with their interviewers, or be better thinking on their feet, but anyone can develop these skills if they work with the right focus and effort. The second point of the job interview lesson is that every action that the candidate makes should be based on sound information position. Just like you could not reasonably expect to hit a target that you cannot see, you cannot expect to be the ideal candidate if you don't know what that candidate looks like. Consequently, a significant portion of the job interview lesson would be on how to conduct research.

More Job Interview Lessons

A job interview lesson about research would include the importance of both published research which should find formal articles like the job description and informal research which will yield significant insights about the company's real environment. The research should at the very least uncover the duties of the job, the results the job is expected to achieve, and the attributes or characteristics that the target company most values. This information can be used to create a list that defines the perfect job candidate. This list provides a solid foundation for guessing the probable questions an interviewer will ask and for shaping the answers that the candidate should give.

A job interview lesson would teach the importance of backing up interview answers with examples and proof from personal and job experience, told in the form of stories, narratives and demonstrations. These questions should be practiced extensively before the job interview, preferably in front of a video camera or tape recorder. During the interview, the candidate should allow the interviewer to take the lead and respond to questions with these developed answers as much as possible. Afterwards, he or she should write a thank you note and wait for at least ten days before making another contact with the target company.

Have you had a really good conversation lately? A conversation requires skills in speaking and listening. Therefore, to have a good conversation, you must be both a good speaker and listener.

Listening is very simple especially if you are interested with the person you are conversing with. “An open ear is the only believable sign of an open heart," remarked David Augsburger. Do not assume that you know what someone else is thinking or feeling. Instead, turn your perceptions into questions. In this way, you can connect with the other with no risk of misunderstandings.

The real breakdown is not that two people disagree. Real breakdown occurs when you refuse to communicate. Here are some pointers in speaking:

1. Face your fears! Problems in speaking usually stem from fears.

Accept that you have those fears and find out more about your communication anxiety level when speaking. Then do something about it.

2. Be comfortable with yourself.

Do what is natural to you. Avoid phrases that make you seem arrogant or presumptuous.

3. Find the humor in life.

Keep a funny joke or anecdote handy. Aside from our need for love and loving, man needs frequent indulgences in laughter. Laughter is a mental and aerobic exercise important for our psycho-physiological well being. In our interactions where laughter reigned, we come out deeply relieved and happy.

4. Disagree without being disagreeable.

Face issues directly. Don’t tackle issues personally. Remember that conflict centers on an issue, not the person. Avoid criticizing or degrading the person; accept that he may have a valid perspective. Affirming the other’s position is not a sign of weakness.

5. Be sincere with your praise.

Nice haircut or shirt? Tell him that.

6. Take your cues from the other person.

If he speaks in shorter sentences, respond in kind. The best conversations consist of give-and-take sessions where the parties form a personal connection. This does not require you to talk too much or give seemingly endless answers. One way to know if you are talking too long is if the other interrupts you. Try to gauge how you are doing with such queries as "Is that what you wanted to know?" The best answers are direct answers that show that you have listened to the question.

7. Ask thoughtful questions

Ask thoughtful questions rather than questions that require “Yes” or “No” answers. Everyone loves to talk about themselves and their interests. Look for clues about the person and comment on them. If he is carrying a book, ask the person about it or the other books he has read.

8. Research.

Doing some research is wise in the sense that you know a few important points before the conversation. For example, if you learned that you and the person have something in common, such as a hobby or profession, try to work those things into the conversation.

9. Choose comfortable conversational topics.

Say something inoffensive and apolitical such as reading, exercise, travel, gardening, family activities, and others. Refrain from topics such as politics and religion.

10. Practice, practice, practice.

It is important to enhance your speaking skills so you can handle all the questions effectively. Prepare for your encounters by studying and practicing. Get someone to help you, by doing a "role play". You will reduce your anxiety, boost your confidence and perform much better if you "know your lines" in advance!

11. Use conventional gap fillers or hesitation noises.

These are the sounds that we make when we pause to think (such as "um" and "uh"). According to public speaking coaches, you must pause rather than utter these sounds. However, in everyday speech they serve a real purpose – they indicate that you are still speaking so that someone will not cut you off. There are other types of conversation filler such as phrases that people use to end thoughts, such as "Okay?" "All right," or "See what I'm saying?"

12. Use your body language.

Make eye contact to regulate the flow of communication and signal your interest in others. Moreover, eye contact conveys interest, concern, warmth and credibility. Smile is a powerful cue that transmits friendliness, warmth, and approachability. Use gestures such as head nods so that you will be lively and animated. Stand erect, but not rigid, and lean slightly forward. Furthermore, interpersonal closeness happens when you and your partner face each other.

Speaking with your back turned or looking at the floor or ceiling is a no-no. Cultural norms also dictate a comfortable distance for interaction.

13. Express that you want further contact.

Take the initiative by asking questions such as: “When should I expect to hear from you?” If all else fails, when you’ve tried everything to keep the conversation going but the other party still glances at his watch, the brave thing to do is cut him some slack. It’s not you, it’s him. Maybe he is heading to an important meeting after all.

You enter a room full of people with unknown faces. They seem to be concentrated with each other’s presence. They did not even notice that you are there. How will you start a conversation?

You admire a person from a distance. Popular and known, you find it intimidating just to be near that person. Suddenly, this person is in front of you, smiling. How will you start a conversation?

Starting a conversation is a fear experienced by many people. Once in a situation where a person must start a conversation, he feels like hiding or vanishing into thin air. Even though how prepared a person was, words don’t seem coherent enough to be uttered allowed. The chance is lost forever so never hesitate to start one.

When you start a conversation with strangers, think that they may be feeling apprehensive too. Being the first to start, you are the one breaking the ice. All they need to do is respond so start the conversation on a positive note. Observe your surroundings - the people around you, the outfit, food, weather, the place itself - and find a common topic. Be friendly. Give compliment sincerely. Do not be afraid to ask questions. Start with close-ended questions so it will be easier to solicit an answer. If a positive reaction is received then take it as a hint that the person is willing to converse with you.

If at first you get a negative response, do not be blunt about it. Act as if you did not notice it. Some people need time to get accustomed to your presence. They did to condition themselves that you are talking with them and not to the other people around. If the answer is too negative then let go of the topic but do not respond harshly or rudely. Show that you respect their decision. Give them time to think.

After receiving a positive answer, a few more close-ended questions will be fine. Be sensitive. Observe how the response is being delivered. Show genuine interest to the answers. Listen attentively and respond accordingly. If you feel that the response is positive, you can start asking open-ended questions. Do not start topics about religion or politics. These two subjects are very controversial and arguments may arise because of conflicting ideas and perceptions.

Talk about some personal information like your favorites but do not monopolize the time. Talking only about you might bore the other person. You should show that you are also interested in getting to know him better by asking relevant questions. A light and wholesome joke can lighten the mood but it must be delivered correctly as it may offend the other party.

Job and workplace are good subjects. You might find common friends in the process. Build trust and respect. Do not share office gossips as it may illicit a negative reaction.

Again, observe whether the other person is still interested in continuing the conversation. End the conversation with a positive note expressing your interest in having a future conversation again.

When in a group, involve the whole group. Do not isolate a single person but when a person is speaking, look at him and give soliciting response like a nod or a smile. If you have some distracting mannerisms, minimize or try not to show them. It can be irritating to other people that they may respond negatively.

Talk with confidence but do not overdo it. You might end up looking boastful. Do not whisper with the people beside you when someone is talking. If you are knowledgeable with the subject at hand then speak up. If you have questions, voice them out. These are the chances you should not pass to start a conversation.

Should we fear the thought of starting a conversation? Should we treat it as a scary experience? I say, there is no reason to fear starting a conversation. The feeling of being rejected leads to that fear. The more often you start a conversation, the lesser the fear. Practice good conversation skills with your family, friends and people in your community.

We are not born talkers. As we grow older, it is the constant practice that makes us good conversationalist. The more practice we have, the better our conversational skills will be.

Like every other human endeavor, the act of interviewing for a job has job interview guidelines that will result in a more successful job interview process than just trying to "play it by ear." These guidelines have been developed over the decades that candidates have gone into interviewer's offices and attempted to sell themselves for specific jobs. As a general rule, the guideline to all guidelines is that the candidate should be what the interviewer is looking for. Though that may seem self-explanatory, you would be surprised how many interview candidates either do not know this guideline, do not accept it or do not do all the things that it suggests are necessary follow it.
For instance if the job interview guideline is to be what the candidate is looking for, then the first step of every job interview preparation should be to learn what the interviewer is looking for. How many job searchers truly follow this guideline? Sure, some may look over the job description, may research the company and my talk about the position with people who they believe have some good inside information, but how many truly make it their business to learn what the target job does on a daily basis, what results the target job should produce for the company, and what characteristics the interviewer is looking for? Very few. The second piece of the guideline is equally ignored by many job seekers.

More Amazing Job Interview Guidelines

If the number one job interview guideline is to portray yourself as what the interviewer is looking for and the first step is to find out what that is, then the second step is to formulate a way to portray yourself as that. What that requires is a conscious and strategic method for taking the preferences of the job and matching them with a convincing argument that you meet those preferences. An effective way to do this is to compile some stories, examples and narratives that support your candidacy and to have them prepared and in your mind ready to tell when the element or attribute comes up in the job interview.

The last piece of the job interview guideline is to become extremely practiced and proficient in telling your story to the interviewer. When the question is asked in the interview, you can't spend time and energy putting your answer together in your head right then. That shows the interviewer that you are actively trying to portray yourself as something, and that you possibly are not that something at all. All your developed and effective answers need to come naturally and organically from you in the interview itself. The only way to make that happen is to become completely comfortable and at ease through practice and review. Get together with a friend or job search partner and conduct a mock interview or two until answering questions with strategically developed stories comes naturally to you. If you have access to a video camera, record it for evaluation afterwards.

Hemispheric Specialization of left brain and right brain

In the 1960's a doctor removed the corpus callosum for some patients who suffered from seizure. Dr. Roger Sperry studied these patients. He discovered that the left brain and the right brain specialized in different modes of thinking and perceiving. Dr. Sperry won a Nobel prize for this breakthrough research.

The left brain is the logical part. It controls speech, words, language. It is methodical and tends to think in step-by-step logical fashion.

The right brain is the creative part, it thinks in images and colors, and it can remember complex pictures and songs (music). It thinks in intuitive way rather than logical way.

Is it not surprising that we can recognize hundreds or thousands of songs? This fact proves that we all have excellent memory, but we just do not know how to use it for study and exams.
These two half brains do not work like separate departments, but in an interconnected and collaborating way. The left brain and the right brain exchange information through the corpus callosum.

The left brain controls the right part of the body and the right brain controls the left part of the body. The left brain is the manager, the critical thinker, the accountant, etc.

Children use both the left brain and the right brain. As a result of the emphasis on left brain activities in our schools, our ability to use the right brain is reduced.

Many of the techniques in this course teach you how to use both of your right brain and left brain together. And as a result of using my techniques, you will learn to use more of your brain power.

Using your whole brain:
Left brain and right brain working together

Usually the left brain and the right brain waves are independent. They reach peaks independent of each other. During meditation and deep relaxation as well as using mind technologies (such as special music or mind machines), the left brain waves and the right brain waves tend to move together. For both, the peaks are reached together. This is called synchronization. Scientists now believe that synchronization makes much greater mind power available. This is associated with learning large amounts of information very quickly as well as with creativity.

Many great things have started as an simple, creative idea. Consider donating some of your best ideas to help others. The more creative you are, the more ideas you will be able to create. You can be creative even if you don't think you are.

I have known many people that were scared to use a computer for the first few times. However, after diving into it they became more comfortable. They were willing to take a risk and make some mistakes. The result was an ability to learn and do things they would never be able to do without the use of a computer.

Being creative and thinking up world-changing ideas occurs in the same way. Everyone can be creative but they have to be willing to start. The creative process will then become more natural over time.

Try the following tips to help you on your journey to be more creative:

1. Record your ideas on whatever is comfortable and convenient at the moment.

What is important is that you record your ideas. In the past, I have forgotten ideas that I thought of when I was on a walk. Now I carry a digital recorder with me on those walks. At other times I use my computer, notepad or journal. Choose what will work best for you and make sure you have a way to record your ideas at all times. You never know when an important idea will surface.

2. Don't limit yourself to ideas that seem possible.

Capture all of your ideas. Even those that seem impossible to implement are important for a couple of reasons. First, what seems impossible to you may not be impossible sometime in the future or for someone else. Second, impossible ideas encourage further creative ideas that might be more likely to be implemented.

3. Change your scenery or location.

A change in scenery can stimulate the creativity inside you. A change might be as simple as looking out a window. You can also visit someplace new like a park, beach, or mall. The new environment can foster new ideas.

4. Read on many topics.

It is amazing how many things in a totally unrelated subject can prompt new ideas. By broadening your knowledge into more areas, you make your creativity potential grows.

5. Go for a walk.

Some of my best ideas have happened when I was on a walk. This applies to any form of moderate exercise. I have heard of others that have written articles and speeches while waalking or jogging.

6. Focus in 10-15 minute increments.

It does not take a significant amount of time to brainstorm some potential ideas. In fact, brainstorming works best when done for short periods of time. Concentrate for a few minutes on generate as many ideas to address a specific area or problem. Then capture anything that comes to mind throughout the rest of the day (see tip #1). You will have several ideas for consideration for little investment of time. One of those could become something tremendous for helping others.

7. Think big.

What question are you asking to prompt your ideas? The larger the question, the larger the impact those ideas may have on the world. You can start by addressing smaller problems but don't limit yourself to those. You have unique experiences, knowledge and talents that should be applied to helping others on a grand scale as well.

Follow these tips and you will be on your way to generating ideas that have the potential to change the world. Don't let your previous lack of creativity keep you from developing and donating your ideas. Get started today.

Your inner being - your soul or higher self - is not something that you have. It is what you are. Your complete consciousness is your inner being. All of the so-called parts of your mind - the conscious, the subconscious and the superconscious parts - are all facets of your one, complete consciousness, your inner being.

Your conscious mind is the result of your inner being focusing attention upon the outer world through your physical brain and senses. When, instead, you turn your attention from the outer world towards the inner world, you access the resources of your inner being.

Your inner being possesses all of the wisdom, understanding and strength that you will ever need. It is your ultimate, personal resource. Your inner being is also your link with the universe and with the consciousness behind all life, Infinite Being.

If you think of yourself as living your life like a performer on stage, then your inner being is like the backstage technician who makes sure that your performance has all the support that it needs to make everything happen on cue.

The amount of knowledge and wisdom available within you is unlimited. In order to access it, you only have to make an intention to go within and find it.

Your subconscious mind runs all of your biological systems without conscious effort on your part. In fact, if you think about it, the subconscious mind of an ant knows more about biology and chemistry than today's leading scientists.

Your inner being knows even more; in fact, everything about anything you want to know anything about. The trick is to ask the question and then silence your conscious mind enough to hear the answer.

When you become consciously aware of the true nature of your inner being and its resources of wisdom, understanding and strength, you begin to dissolve many of the former limitations to your growth.

The key to expressing your human potential is to know that all potential lies within you and you only have to open an external channel in order to allow that unlimited potential to flow out into the world. The power is within. To become empowered, you don't have to become something new. You only have to realize that you already have that power within, then allow that infinite inner potential to flow into your life.

introducechange@gmail.com

Don't ever stop dreaming your dreams;
they're a very essential part of you.

Do whatever you can to make them a
reality by the course you take,
the plans you make,
and all the things you do.

Don't dwell on past mistakes;
leave yesterday behind you ---
along with any of its problems,
worries, and doubts.

Do realize you can't change the past,
but just ahead is the future ---
and you can do something about that.

Don't try to accomplish everything at once;
life can be difficult enough ---
without adding frustration to the list.

Do travel one step at a time,
and reach for one goal at a time.
That's the way to find out
what real accomplishment is.

Don't be afraid to do the impossible,
even if others don't think you'll succeed.

Do remember that history is filled with
incredible accomplishments of those who
were foolish enough ..... to believe.

Don't forget that there are so many
things that are wonderful, rare,
and unique about you.

And do remember that if you can search
within and find a smile .....
That smile will always be a reflection
of the way people feel ..... about YOU!!

"Any man may commit a mistake, but none but a fool will continue in it."

Success? What is it? What is the way to it? What are the rewards? Do you have a right to succeed? The answers to these questions are in this brief article. It is about success. It is about you and how you can succeed and, in particular, in the profession of exercise physiology.

All too often we hear others saying, "Get in line and wait your turn." This idea is all too common. It isn't the road to success, but rather failure. It turns our hopes into forgotten dreams. So, we must be on the look out for such statements, particularly if they are designed to keep us from realizing success.

Yes, being successful can spoil some people. They begin to think everything revolves around them. They become egotistical and, unfortunately, believe only they have the right answers to every question. The dangers of success have been written about for years, but that is not the purpose of this article.

This article is about "What is success, the way to it, and your right to be successful?" It is about you and how you can become a success. In this article, I am especially concerned with the compelling vision and objectives of the American Society of Exercise Physiologists (ASEP). I take the view that success is just minutes away from fulfillment by joining the Society. I won't pretend that you can't succeed in other organizations -- of course anything is possible. The truth is that I want you to consider membership in the Society of exercise physiologists.

Through hard work and dedication to ASEP's vision, members of the Society are working hard to achieve the extraordinary. They are working together to design and secure the future for all exercise physiologists. But, before you read any further, stop and tell yourself:

* It is O.K. to want your own organization.
* It is O.K. to think as an exercise physiologist.
* It is O.K. to look out for yourself.
* It is O.K. to believe that sports medicine is not exercise physiology.
* It is O.K. to recognize the need to professionalize.
* It is O.K. to want to succeed as an exercise physiologist.

It is O.K. to be an exercise physiologist! You don't have to apologize to anyone. You don't have to feel guilty about what is logical. You have the right to your feelings even though others may tell you that success can't be realized outside of sports medicine.

Success begins, therefore, first with your instincts to follow logical thinking. Then, the best way to succeed is to begin with a reasonable plan for realizing your hopes and expectations. The process is a journey if not an adventure with surprises on every front. It begins with the first step, however small even if your goals should change along the way. At least, take the step and become part of history.

I do not personally think it is necessary to be mean or unethical to be successful. Certainly, many successful people are mean, closed-minded, and unethical. When their views are too one-sided, they set the stage for infighting along the way. The result is unfortunately a lost opportunity to build into existing organizations new ideas and possibilities. For the members who are determined to succeed, the lack of understanding from top down serves to bring them together with greater motivation and desire.

To be successful, to do something that will help others, and to keep a sound mind in the process, you must be motivated to succeed regardless of the consequences. You must be willing to work hard when you have to. Are you willing to take risks? Do you sincerely want the dream of professionalization to become reality? That is, as a member of the Society, have you got the guts to do what it takes to professionalize exercise physiology. I know that you know far more than is necessary to get the job done, but are you ready to concentrate on the professionalization of exercise physiology and put to use all of your insights, ideas, and energy to see it to reality?

If your answer Yes to these questions, then you are ASEP material. Don't ponder that you don't have what it takes. If you have the desire and determination to make a difference, then you have the qualities needed for success. You can stop conforming and fading into the woodwork of non-exercise physiology organizations that have hopelessly handicapped the growth of exercise physiology. In short, you don't have to keep on doing the same passive gestures towards helping exercise physiologists.

Take on the responsiblity, difficulties, and doubts of other people and take control of your future by joining the Society. It is easy to continue "what is...and has been" but successful exercise physiologists must be willing to accept personal responsibility for the success and actions of the people who work in exercise physiology. Dr. Robert A. Robergs of the University of New Mexico is a person who thrives on responsibility. He is ASEP's new President (1998-1999). Robergs is eager to accept responsibility; a natural leader who is in no way awed or frightened by people with egos. I feel certain he thinks as I do and that is, "You're always got to work on the assumption that you have a right to do anything you want to, and act on it."

Exercise physiologists should never ask, "Is it O.K. to start an exercise physiology organization?" because the chances are that somebody will say No! If you want an organization like the American Society of Exercise Physiologists, don't ask for one, go out and build it, then put it to the exercise physiologists worldwide. Every exercise physiologist must act and believe that she/he is something, in fact, that exercise physiologists are a special group of professionals with academic and/or hands-on abilities few other professionals possess. They are unique and have a right to their professional qualities.

Remember: Successful people want to take on professional responsibilities and enjoy making endless decisions to help others.

* They are not troubled by insecurities.
* They are convinced of their own worth and self-realization.
* They know that responsibility is the key to becoming autonomous.
* They expose themselves to risk.
* They are curious.
* They ask questions.
* They listen to other people's problems.
* They deliver what they promise.
* They are ready to seize the opportunity.
* They are ready to gamble on their hunch.
* They are able to concentrate on what is important.
* They have a passion for winning.

The problem is that too often even successful people make major mistakes. They ask for less than they could get! Despite the proliferation of benefits available to sports medicine professionals, exercise physiologists have been asking for less professional status than they could get. It would have been better (from the beginning) to have requested for far more than we thought we deserved, and surprisingly we would have gotten more (and, in particular, respect). It is just good common sense to prefer a professional who thinks highly of himself to someone who seems to lack confidence and position.

Also, despite the arguments that exercise physiologists should continue with sports medicine, it no longer means anything. The Society has now put exercise physiologists on the map. ASEP is a constant reafirmation of success. We have, all exercise physiologists have, the proof and leverage to continue surrounding ourselves with motivated professionals to improve the quality of life for all exercise physiology graduates. We owe it to them!

Success, stimulated and made possible through ASEP, has given exercise physiologists a new lease on time and energy used to reshape the profession. In a sense, success is a rebirth with significant in-roads into new responsibilities and possibilities. It is as if the Society is a single entrepreneur arising from obscurity to sudden recognition, self-esteem, and self-confidence to stimulate change. It may be the ultimate turn-around in the liberation of exercise physiologists from an otherwise relatively static and professionally painful existence.

We did it ourselves! How? By expending the energy, working the long hours, and draining "whatever" resources necessary to get the job done. It was about dreaming "what if" -- letting our minds go, freeing the imagination, and indulging fantasies. It was about setting out to doing something and then completing it."

The Society's new President, Dr. Robergs, is an important example of this type of determination. It is what he was willing to do that will help others stay on course. Robergs, himself, is a person that looks alive and alert. He moves fast with a purpose, engaged in both academics and research. He is a successful, published author with several popular college texts. He is the kind of person who would never walk away from failure, but instead study it carefully for its hidden points to cultivate yet another approach to succeed. When he is speaking, others will listen. He is a fast thinker, and his message is to the point with meaning.

Dr. Robergs would say, "Do not be afraid to fail." Failure provides increased opportunities for success. He might say as well, why not dare to try, to take a risk, and to grow with the only organization of exercise physiologists in the United States. The road to success, to grow, and to start being an autonomous professional lies within you. Do not lose courage thinking about what others think is the right thing for you to do, but instead decide for yourself. You too can be a success and, as a member of ASEP, you can help others become successful.

I can't remember who said the following, but it has an interesting ring of truth. "He who is waiting for something to turn up might start with his own shirt sleeves."

Please send your comments @
"introducechange@gmail.com"

1. Be curious and follow your curiosity.

Ask until you understand why your corporation takes certain actions. Discover why something is a particular shape. Find out why a process is designed as it is. Explore a natural phenomenon until you fully understand it.

2. Familiarize yourself with the lateral thinking techniques of Edward De Bono and practice them.

Edward De Bono developed many techniques to stimulate creative thought. A random selection is The Six Thinking Hats, Provocation and The Random Input and many more. This is an unsolicited endorsement and the author of this list has no connection with Edward De Bono.

3. Spend 20 minutes a day in a comfortable spot where you will be undisturbed and let your mind wander wherever it will.

Using lateral thinking techniques we can generate creative ideas on demand. There are other creative ideas which bubble to the surface given time and quietness of the mind; they are the ones which this point addresses.

4. Try a small measure of something which doesn't harm you in any way which your preconditioning suggests you won't like.

Our innate responses are sometimes adversely conditioned by the prejudices of others. Stretch yourself and discover whether your creativity has been constrained by some of these.

5. Work to music that inspires you.

Classical music is usually recommended as the most effective. If this goes against your grain, stretch yourself and see if it works (see point 4!). If not, experiment to determine what type of music is most effective for you.

6. Take a break during a high intensity task when you find yourself stuck.

Do something completely different, even monotonous, for 10 minutes, or if necessary commit it to your subconscious and sleep on it.

7. Actively seek different stimuli: At least once per month buy and read a magazine completely unrelated to your career or business or usual interests.

You will find parallels to problems in the most unexpected places, the areas of interest may be completely different but the challenge is nevertheless the same and guess what - it's already been solved.

8. Go somewhere you have never been before.

It does not have to be exotic, just different. It does not have to be a million miles away, it may be a facility in your city you've never previously visited. If you are a city girl, it may be a spot in the country and yes, for a country boy it may be the city heat and the asphalt. Don't let these ideas limit you, take the cruise anyway!

9. Do what your intuition suggests.

For many of us today our intuition represents a muscle which is rarely tested. Just like any other muscle, if you don't use it you'll lose it!

10. Carry a book or a mini tape recorder everywhere and capture ALL the ideas your subconscious feeds you.

Reinforce for your subconscious its own importance and it will work even harder for you.

Want a fast way to get creative? Stop thinking! Most of what we call "thinking" is simply labeling. We're repeating old tapes in our head. This type of thinking is not creative, and there's no way to access our true creativity from this mindset.

Like most adults, you probably lost the skill of dropping into a creative mindset at around eight years old. It's time to reclaim this skill. Here's how to access your innate creativity.

Daydream

When you want to become creative, your first step is slow down. Relax. Play some calming music, or simply close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and daydream for a few minutes.

Don't try to rush this initial slowing down. You're aiming to drop out of the world of your usual concerns. Fantasize. Imagine you're living on tropical island, where your every wish is catered for. Make this daydreaming scenario as real as you can. Hear the waves, let the sand sift through your fingers, and feel the warmth of the sun on your skin.

Control anxiety

While you're daydreaming, beware of ruminating about your everyday problems and concerns. If you find yourself worrying about your job, finances or relationships, switch back to fun-fantasy mode. Take a couple of deep breaths, close your eyes, and build up your tropical island (or other) fantasy in your mind once again.

If you feel guilty because you think you're wasting time when you take a few minutes to daydream, your own experience will show you that you're NOT wasting time when you daydream, you're increasing your productivity. Our rush-rush lifestyle chokes off creativity. Only relaxation will allow your creativity to bubble up and will get you into a true creative state. (Note: such a state is also called a "peak experience" or "flow state".)

Brainstorm

When you feel completely peaceful and relaxed, you can start working at your creative task. Do some brainstorming.

One of the cardinal rules of brainstorming is ---
ACCEPT ANYTHING, DON'T JUDGE.

This is because you can do things with your ideas once they're on paper or the computer screen. You can reverse them, combine them with three other ideas, and grow further ideas from the seed of one idea.

Unless you accept junk ideas, you can't make the creative leap which gives you a brilliant idea. So never discard anything when you brainstorm.

Try brainstorming in different locations to see whether it makes it easier to come up with ideas. I love my little Palm PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) because I can write anywhere --- in a computer checkout line, when I go for a walk, in the library.

Often, when you try to brainstorm in the place you associate with "serious" work, like your office, it's hard to stay in a creative mood.

So try brainstorming in bed, in the living room, in the mall --- anywhere you happen to be.

Create personal symbols, and manipulate them

One of the secrets of creativity is the use of symbols. This is because our right brain thinks in images. Our right brain isn't verbal, language is a function of our left brain. If you remember to use symbols while you're working at a creative task, you'll be using both sides of your brain.

How does this work?

Let's say that you have a ferocious inner editor. Whenever you try to work at a creative task, your editor pops up and tells you you're doing it wrong, your work isn't any good, you're wasting time, you don't know enough, and on and on.

Close your eyes for a moment and allow an image to form of your inner editor. Mine looks like a buzzing mosquito. Yours may look like your mother, a high school teacher, or a yapping small dog.

Whatever your inner editor looks like, it's time to shut it up. You can do this by locking your editor in a room or a box (throw away the key), asking it to pack its bags and leave, by spraying it with bug spray, or by whatever inventive scenario you develop. Unfortunately, you aren't destroying your editor for good. It will pop up again, and you'll need to go through the process again. However, it does get rid of the editor long enough for you to complete your creative task in freedom.

You can develop a symbol for anything. One of the most useful is for your current creative task. Let's say you're writing a book. Close your eyes, and allow a symbol to come to you. Maybe it's a paperback or hardback, with the title and your name as the author on the cover. Whatever symbol pops up, accept it, even if it makes no sense. For example, your symbol might be an ice cube, a fire engine, or a Disney character. You can work with whatever symbol comes to you.

You work with the symbol in whatever way you please. You can dialogue with the symbol, for example. Ask it questions, and write down the answers. If you've ever done any dream work, this is a similar process.

It's often enough to simply be aware of the symbol, to imagine it. The symbol is part of your creative right brain, and being aware of it triggers your right brain into action. You'll find that the symbol is especially useful if you're not in the mood to work on your creative task. Just play some music, bring your symbol to mind, and daydream. You'll find that your mood changes, and you begin to work without effort.

Think of your symbol as a key to your creative self.

Allow yourself to be creative

Finally, it's important to acknowledge to yourself that you can't force creativity. You can only allow it. Daydreaming, brainstorming, and the creation of symbols are all ways of giving yourself permission to be creative.

If you use affirmations, try this: "I allow myself to be creative". Relax, and allow your creativity to bubble up.

Try the above processes whenever you want to be creative. They're easy, and they work. Remember to switch off your thinking mind, and you'll be as effortlessly creative, and as happy, as a small child making mud pies or building sandcastles