Communication is a constantly evolving piece of society. Just look at how far we've come in the last few decades. From written correspondence and phone conversations to social media and texting. These changes certainly make communication more convenient. But does that also mean that it's as effective?
Communication style and means will continue to evolve, but one thing will always remain the same: personal, face to face conversation is the highest form of communication, and is what gets the best and most rewarding results. With all the new and upcoming ways to "check in", chat and communicate without ever uttering a word out loud, the art form of face to face communication is slowly getting pushed to the background. Yet, this type of communication, if harnessed, practiced and perfected, will always yield the best results. We are still in a relationship based society, and face to face communication automatically puts you in the higher category of those you interact with on a daily basis. Why? Because it's becoming more and more rare to actually take the time to sit down with someone in person. When someone takes the time to actually meet in person and focus on and show genuine interest in them, it can almost come as a shock. By the way, talking to them while constantly checking your phone does not count as personal, one on one communication. If you are distracted, you might as well not even be there. But focused, personal time with someone can build the relationships, whether business or personal, that last and create mutual benefit.
Don't take this the wrong way. I'm not saying there is no place for social media, texting or the like. I certainly use these tools on a regular basis. But they're just that; they're tools. They're not meant as a replacement for personal communication. The point is that you can't let those things replace personal contact and building relationships the "old fashioned" way. As technology becomes even more ingrained in our culture, "face time" will become even more important. If you master the art of personal communication, it will be increasingly easier to set yourself apart from everyone else. In my opinion, taking this personal approach as it becomes more and more "obsolete" in the eyes of the tech world is actually the greatest opportunity of our day and of the upcoming years ahead of us. No matter what other new forms of communication keep coming out, embrace the personal, in-person approach and you will be embracing the key to unlock greater potential in your business, your personal relationships and your own personal fulfillment.
-BJN
"The problem with communication is the illusion that is has occurred." -George Bernard Shaw
Using Fear as Motivation
Fear. We all experience it. When something new, unknown or unexpected comes into our lives, often times we have a sense of fear involved. Our mind goes through all kinds of "what if" scenarios, most of which don't have even the slightest possibility of coming to pass. But that doesn't seem to keep us from sometimes letting those thoughts get the best of us, preventing us from moving forward. The key to overcoming this is to put fear in a new perspective.
First, take a step back and look at what the fear is. Is it the fear of failure, or the fear of rejection? Maybe it's the fear of not knowing what next steps to take once you take that first big one to get the ball rolling. Whatever it is, ask yourself this: If I don't try, even though I'm afraid, will I regret not having given it a shot? Ah, the fear of regret. It can certainly be a great motivating tool. I'm not saying it should be your only source of motivation; not by any means. However, if you find yourself frozen and unable to move forward, stop and picture a couple things. First picture yourself having moved forward, and having succeeded in doing so. What have you accomplished by moving forward with success? What goals are you closer to now? What does your life look like having taken that step in spite of the fear that may have stopped you? Now picture what it would look like if you didn't move forward on it. What would your life look like this time? Here's the big question: Looking back, will you regret not having at least tried?
I come back to Theodore Roosevelt's quote a lot, but it's so applicable to this that I need to bring it up again. Roosevelt said, "The credit belongs to the man who's actually in the arena...who at worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be among cold timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat". Those are some powerful words. If you never take risk, sure you'll never know defeat; but you'll also never know victory. Worst of all, you could find yourself at the end of your life, never knowing what you could have done, or what kind of an impact you could have made. You'll only know what you could have tried but didn't, and wonder what your life would have been if only you had. Don't let yourself get to the end of your life, with the haunting question running through your mind - "what if I had...". Instead, step out, move forward, face your fears, and one day you can look back and say "I did".
--"We must all suffer one of two things: The pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment." -Jim Rohn--
First, take a step back and look at what the fear is. Is it the fear of failure, or the fear of rejection? Maybe it's the fear of not knowing what next steps to take once you take that first big one to get the ball rolling. Whatever it is, ask yourself this: If I don't try, even though I'm afraid, will I regret not having given it a shot? Ah, the fear of regret. It can certainly be a great motivating tool. I'm not saying it should be your only source of motivation; not by any means. However, if you find yourself frozen and unable to move forward, stop and picture a couple things. First picture yourself having moved forward, and having succeeded in doing so. What have you accomplished by moving forward with success? What goals are you closer to now? What does your life look like having taken that step in spite of the fear that may have stopped you? Now picture what it would look like if you didn't move forward on it. What would your life look like this time? Here's the big question: Looking back, will you regret not having at least tried?
I come back to Theodore Roosevelt's quote a lot, but it's so applicable to this that I need to bring it up again. Roosevelt said, "The credit belongs to the man who's actually in the arena...who at worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be among cold timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat". Those are some powerful words. If you never take risk, sure you'll never know defeat; but you'll also never know victory. Worst of all, you could find yourself at the end of your life, never knowing what you could have done, or what kind of an impact you could have made. You'll only know what you could have tried but didn't, and wonder what your life would have been if only you had. Don't let yourself get to the end of your life, with the haunting question running through your mind - "what if I had...". Instead, step out, move forward, face your fears, and one day you can look back and say "I did".
--"We must all suffer one of two things: The pain of discipline or the pain of regret or disappointment." -Jim Rohn--
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