Welcome to "Creativity Builders"

Can you bounce back from trouble?

rehuxley — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 18:56:02 GMT

Bounce or be Bounced?

The most important thing in life is not the daily ups and downs we experience, but rather our reaction to those events. Our capacity to Bounce back from difficult situations determines our direction and destiny.
To be “Bounced” can also have another meaning. The term is also used to signify rejection or failure. At first glance, it appears the meanings of the word Bounce are incongruent. When we take a closer look we actually see they are very much in harmony.

Those who are most successful in life and achieve that which many only dream about are typically the people who effectively deal with rejection and failure. The more they are “Bounced”, the stronger they become. They recuperate and Bounce back from being “Bounced” because of a high degree of confidence and tremendous conviction in their abilities.

To be a better Bouncer there are several factors to take into account. Where we happen to be in our particular cycle is one of the most crucial to consider. Sometimes we are up and sometimes we are down. If we are at the bottom of a Bounce, our capacity to look at things in a positive light and come out fighting is more complicated.

If we are on top of the world and feeling wonderful, our capacity to Bounce back is enhanced.

One of the biggest misconceptions of motivation is that we can feel up and motivated all of the time. There are times when we feel down and there is nothing anyone or anything can do to make us Bounce back at that particular moment. Nor should we expect that we should never feel down. If we never know that feeling of misery and misfortune, we can never truly experience the exhilaration and excitement of life.

There is a time for everything and each and every instant has a reason for being. When we feel down and out instead of getting upset with ourselves or with those who want us to miraculously feel up and motivated, we can instead say:

“Don’t bug me, I am in a bottom of a Bounce, but I will be back!”

Being congruent and in harmony with our emotions is perhaps one of the most difficult things we can do. We are taught from a very young age that it isn’t always wise or desirable to show what we feel. Instead we often repress feelings which elicit extreme emotions in the positive and the negative.
When we are down, it’s ok to be down as long as we know we can and will Bounce back. When we are up and motivated, we should bathe in the beauty of the moment. At the same time, it is realistic to accept that there will be a time when the cycle changes and thus prepare to Bounce back when we feel we are in the bottom of a Bounce.

Those who Bounce best assure that the agony of defeat will time and again lead to the thrill of victory.

It's the Bounce that Counts!

Used with permission: http://www.inspire.com.ve/lunar/2004_11.htm

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Creativity Builders is now part of RonHuxley.com

rehuxley — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 15:10:51 GMT

Go to http://www.RonHuxley.com to get more muscle for your muse in 2009. Happy New Year!

Creative Stories: Finally Bald

rehuxley — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:28:12 GMT

Very old lady looked in the mirror one morning. She had three remaining strands of hair on her head, and being a positive soul, she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today." So she braided her three hair, and she had a great day.

Some days later, looking in the mirror one morning, preparing for her day, she saw that she had only two strands of hair remaining. "Hmm, two strands of hair... I fancy a center parting today." She duly parted it, and as ever, she had a great day.

A week or so later, she saw that she had just one hair left on her head. "One hair huh...," she mused, "I know a pony-tail will be perfect." And again she had a great day.

The next morning she looked in the mirror. She was completely bald.
"Finally bald huh," she said to herself, "How wonderful! I won't have to waste time doing my hair any more...”

Moral of the story-

We may face different kinds of incidences in life. It’s our insight whether we perceive it positively or negatively.

Life is your own battle of field. Your life today is the result of your approach, mind sets, and choices in the history while your life tomorrow will be the outcome of the attitudes and choices you make today! So it’s important for you think and behave positively. Try to find out both sides of the coins.

Source: http://www.oscarmurphy.com

Positive Attitude: Just Another Way Of Thinking?

rehuxley — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 13:17:07 GMT

Positive Attitude: Just Another Way Of Thinking?

Practical ways and suggestions to make things better, faster, more positive, by being optimistic, changing your outlook on life and motivate self and others to make the most of life, opportunity, embrace chance, change, process and outcome. Pro-actively, hands-on and first-hand opt to do something, everything a little differently from now on.

Imagine and think the impossible, what you really want, claim it into reality, believe that it will be so and it will most likely be and happen that way. That is the so-called law of attraction. It very much reminds us of a biblical quote and reference, ask and it shall be given unto you, seek and ye shall find… sound familiar, knock and the door shall be opened unto you.

Then ask and answer this question and musing for yourself. How to you see and think about yourself, a success, a failure, disappointment, achiever? How do others see you? Is there a discrepancy between these two perspectives and why? How can you change matters, starting now? Change your thought, patterns, habits and self-talk that is mainly negative, into more positive thoughts, no matter how hard that might be for your inner skeptic and critic to do! See yourself as succeeding and having anything and everything you hope and dream of and then will it into being.

Share your thoughts on this positive post by click the comment/speak link below...

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rehuxley — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 13:08:14 GMT

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The keys to building an innovation culture

rehuxley — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 14:25:33 GMT

Innovation Tools magazine wrote a fascinating article on how to create and manage a corporate culture of innovation. They brought a distinguished panel of experts together to look at the essential elements of an innovation culture. They all had the following common points in their talks:

Leading by example
Allowing room for experimenting
Having the right mix of people
Reinforcing the right behavior
Creating the stories

You will have to read the entire article at http://www.innovationtools.com/Community/PanelDetails.asp?a=338 to get all the detail. I love reading this stuff but doubt that this is practiced in a majority of the work places, large or small. Just ask a few friends how they like their jobs. Most don't. Is that due to the lack of freedom to be create and the pressure to conform and maintain the status quo?

The article goes on to talk a lot about who is rewarded for what types of behaviors. The bottom line is that most organizations do NOT reward the innovators. This is due to fear of failure.

Look at the points again. They are big tasks each and every one. Of course you have to have all the points, at some level, to be a true innovation culture. Some orgs are going to be better at one point than others. Personally, I am working on the last one: "creating stories" into my work. A simple way to implement this is to start your staff meetings off with giving "Kudos" or stories about who staff have noticed being innovative in the workplace. This has to refer to more than just doing what is in the job description. It should be outside that box. Who has gone beyond or above the call of duty to help someone solve a problem or give extra on a task. People are more apt to talk about others than themselves and so stimulates conversation. This also rewards folks in a nonmonetary way (what we assume is the only way to reward) that creates a "culture" of innovation. IT also teaches others how to be more innovative that doesn't cost thousand of dollars in outside creative consultants. You can imagine what the ROI on this type of conversation can have, can't you?

Share your thoughts on this post and ways in which you have helped to create innovation by clicking on the speak link below...

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Your Value?

rehuxley — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 13:36:30 GMT

A well known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a 500 dollars. In the room of 200, he asked, "Who would like to take these 500 dollars?"

Hands started going up.

He said, "I am going to give 500 dollars to one of you but first, let me do this." He proceeded to crumple the 500 dollars up.

He then asked, "Who still wants it?"

Still the hands were up in the air.

"Well," he replied, "What if I do this?" And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe.
He picked it up, now all crumpled and dirty. "Now who still wants it?" Still the hands went into the air.

"My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth 500 dollars. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way.

We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. You are special

Don't ever forget it!

Moral of the story - Try to understand your value. Try to find out your strengths. If you are not going to respect yourself no one is going to respect you.

Source: http://www.oscarmurphy.com

Creativity Builders Tools: FREE ASSOCIATE

rehuxley — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:07:25 GMT

Creativity Builders Tools: FREE ASSOCIATE

Take a list of words and free associate with them. Let the
definitions or thoughts they evoke be wild, irrational,
contradictory, and fun! Write the emotions you feel when you say
them/think about them. Create a song or poem using those words.

Here is a sample list to try:

Car

Clouds

Peace

Chicken

Dictionary

Suggestion

Teacher

Habits

Lover

Wonderment

Spiritual

Garbage

Garden Shed

Hey, these just randomly came to my mind (or did they?). Try making
your own list. Got a particular problem in your life or work? Write a
list of words associate with them and free associate to see what
transpires.

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Security or How to Sleep at Night...

rehuxley — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 13:29:12 GMT

Years ago, a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops. As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals.

Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. "Are you a good farm hand?" the farmer asked him. "Well, I can sleep when the wind blows," answered the little man.

Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, Hired him. The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man's work. Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand's sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, "Get up! A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!" The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, "No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows."

Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm. To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down.

Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew.

When you're prepared, spiritually, mentally, and physically, you have nothing to fear. Can you sleep when the wind blows through your life?

Source: http://www.oscarmurphy.com/npl.htm

Story about What You Want in Life

rehuxley — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:58:27 GMT

A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village. An American tourist complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked “How long it took him to catch them?”"Not very long," answered the Mexican.

"But then, why didn't you stay out longer and catch more?" asked the American. The Mexican explained that his small catch was sufficient to meet his needs and those of his family.

The American asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"

"I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take a siesta with my wife. In the evenings, I go into the village to see my friends, play the guitar, and sing a few songs... I have a full life."

The American interrupted, "I have an MBA from Harvard, and I can help you! You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat."

"And after that?" asked the Mexican. “With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant. You can then leave this little village and move to Mexico City, Los Angeles, or even New York City! From there you can direct your huge new enterprise." "How long would that take?" asked the Mexican.

"Twenty, perhaps twenty-five years," replied the American. "And after that?" Well, my friend, that's when it gets really interesting," answered the American, laughing. "When your business gets really big, you can cart Selling stocks and make millions!"

“Millions? Really? And after that?" said the Mexican. "After that you'll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a siesta with your wife and spend your evenings doing what you like and enjoying your friends."

"With all due respect sir, but that's exactly what I am doing now. So what’s the point wasting twenty-five years?" asked the Mexican.

And the moral is: Know where you're going in life...you may already be there.

What's the Culture Buzz

rehuxley — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 05:48:28 GMT

I came across a great site for new, creative buzz on culture and marketing. It is called Culture Buzz. The site is full of streaming videos with interviews on leaders in the viral field and the latest news and information of creative ideas from major companies. Give it a peek: Visit Culture Buzz

Helping Schools to Build Creativity in Children

rehuxley — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 16:46:17 GMT

Value of Arts Education

rehuxley — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 18:37:52 GMT

I was reading one of my favorite blogs (The Frontal Cortex) and a discussion/review of a book on the Value of Arts Education. Some researchers determined that kids in an art class learn "persistence in tackling problems, observational acuity, expressive clarity, reflective capacity to question and judge, ability to envision alternative possibilities and openness to exploration." For many of us that information cause us to say "DUH!" It is still validating to see research prove what any art teacher already knows, particularily as arts education gets cuts in many schools. You can read the book here if you want more information: Studio Thinking: The Real Benefits of Visual Arts Education

Start an Art Collectible Hobby and Beautify Your Home

rehuxley — Sat, 31 May 2008 14:37:50 GMT

Start an Art Collectible Hobby and Beautify Your Home

Collecting is a fun hobby, and one of the most interesting things to collect are art collectibles. Many different items can be painted with artwork and become an art collectible. Hobby enthusiasts collect such things as saw blades, and wooden eggs which have had artwork painted on. People even collect designer rugs as art. Another art collectible hobby is collecting limited edition plates, thimbles, Christmas ornaments, and figurines produced by such companies as Bradford Exchange. And of course, many people collect fine art paintings.

The person with an art collectible hobby will probably find his or her own favorite artists whose works they appreciate. They can choose to focus on one particular artist, either past or present, or they can choose from the works of many artists. On the other hand, they may collect art and art objects around a theme they enjoy, such as cigars, wild animals, or piano music.

One may think of an art collector as a rich person who has the money to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on an original Van Gogh. A person of more modest means can collect art too, however. Post cards are a good place to start. Most art museum gift shops offer high quality, glossy postcards printed with some of their more notable acquisitions. By buying those cards one really appreciates, anyone can have an art collection.

Ebay is a good source of art collectibles whatever type of art or collectible you fancy. In fact, if you are just starting out, the choices and options can be overwhelming! Just remember that you can sell your own belongings as well as buying those of others. This should make the impact on the budget a little less powerful. Other ideas for inexpensively collecting art collectibles are scouring flea markets, thrift shops, and garage sales. You never know what treasure someone else may be getting rid of.

One nice thing about art collectibles is that artists can be found in every part of the world. The art collector should scout the local art shows, museums, and artist's hangouts to find out just what sort of talent can be had less expensively and close to home. Because of the local flavor of some artwork, art collectibles make good travel souvenirs. For instance, the artist Linda Barnicott specializes in paintings of scenes, buildings, and landmarks found around Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Similarly, collectors can find local artist almost everywhere.

An art collectible hobby will keep you interested in life and give you a home filled with art masterpieces as well. If you enjoy pretty and interesting things around you, consider starting an art collectible hobby today.

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CREATIVE SPLASHES

rehuxley — Sun, 04 May 2008 01:18:28 GMT

CREATIVE SPLASHES

By artist Cheryl Smith Hissong

Before you jumpstart your creativity, give yourself some time to simply relax and unwind. Forget about your expectations while you drink your favorite beverage and listen to your favorite music. Then simply begin wherever your spirit takes you.

Who says you need a brush or rubber stamp? Paint with your fingers or use objects with interesting textures - leaves, pine cones, shells, corks, food grater, corrugated cardboard, forks, combs, coins, feathers.

To help break you out of the habit of producing the same art in the same way, pick up some chalk and create a masterpiece on the sidewalk or driveway.

Throw an art party for children, or patients in a nursing home. Open your mind to things you might otherwise miss, while sharing yourself with others.

For a variety of backgrounds and pages, use plastic shopping bags, cardboard, random paint swirls, abstract shapes, sheets of tin, fabric (old clothes are great for this!). Weave patterns from drinking straws, ribbon, twisted paper, twine or rope, yarn, photo negatives, or strips of tape from broken videos or cassette tapes.

Create your own illustrated novel or short story, using bits and pieces of text, pictures, drawings, paintings, etc.

Create an altered book in a non-traditional format. Create pages and hang them in a row along the wall, create a mini-book that nestles inside a niche of a larger book, use a flip-chart, use CD's or vinyl records, use (record) album covers, bind your pages with unusual materials, use playing cards or a 3-ring binder. If your walls are in need of a fresh and creative change, cover your walls with decorative altered pages.

Use creative materials - found objects, zippers, buttons with their companion button holes, snaps, pockets from jeans, corks, paperclips, telephone wire, food labels, bottle caps, pull tabs, aluminum foil, toys, wire from an old spiral bound notebook, old report cards or school pictures.

The world's newspapers are full of bad news. For a change of pace, create an altered book based on an old Anne Murray song, whose words include "We sure could use a little good news today." You can make up stories or include clippings from various newspapers or magazines, or print out good stories you find online.

When all else fails, be gentle with yourself. Even when you strive to create the best work possible, allow yourself to create for the sheer joy of creating. Realize that the true value in being creative is in the act itself, not just in the finished work.

Cheryl Smith Hissong is a writer and author currently held hostage by her Creative Muse (CM). Together, the two of them have explored many creative paths, and have taken the scenic route more than once. You may contact Cheryl (or her CM, depending on who grabs the computer first) at himpact@cei.net.

This column was reprinted with permission from the author.

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What Is Art - Funny Video!

rehuxley — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:42:18 GMT

10 Ways to be a Happy Person!

rehuxley — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:38:16 GMT

Have you come across a person who is so naturally friendly that when
you put him inside a room of strangers, he'll be friends with almost
everyone in no time?

This "people-person" appears to have some type of special gift at making friends and
influencing others (as Dale Carnagie liked to say). It may appear that this gift is
only given to a special few and is not available to anyone else. That is not true!
Here are 10 ways to be happier and more influencial in social situations:

1. Be genuine.

Hypocrisy will just bring you all the way down. Be genuinely nice and
interested to people. Once they perceive that you are Mr. Hypocrite
with selfish intentions, you might as well say goodbye to selfempowerment.

2. Be the greatest listener that you can be.

To earn the love and trust of the people, listen to their problems and
sympathize with them. Do not just hear them out, listen to them with
your heart. Make eye contact when the person talks to you. Listen as if every word matters, and it does. Brownie points when they find out
that there is a confidante in you.

3. Laugh out loud.

I do not mean that you force yourself to laugh for every joke cracked
by someone, albeit you do not find it funny at all.This means finding
humor in things and not being too darn serious. A person oozing with
an awesome sense of humor attracts crowds and eventually, attracts
success.

4. Don't forget yourself.

In the process of fluttering around like a social butterfly, you might
forget yourself, allowing everyone to push you over. Remember, love
and value yourself before anyone else. If you deem yourself
respectable and worthy of affection, people will flock to you and not
trample on you.

5. Do random acts of kindness.

You don't have to do a John Rockefeller and blow your savings to
charity. Little acts of kindness matters the most, and this can be as
simple as giving someone a surprise you-take-care card or helping an
elderly cross the street. When we were kindergarten students,
kindness was taught to us and greatly practiced. Now is the time to
revive the good deeds and this time, let them stay for good.

6. Contact your old friends.

Sad how some friendships are destined to goodbye, but thanks to
technology, you can do something about it. Relive the good old days
by flipping your yearbook and look for the great people whom you
want to communicate with again. Adding these old friends to your
roster of support peers will surely make you feel good all over.

7. Develop your personality.

Are you grouchy, grumpy and generally morose? Whoa, you can't go
through life with those. Get rid of the bad traits and habits that
perpetually hamper your growth. And really, who wants a grouchy
friend anyway?

8. Be confident.

Be able to stride to the other corner of the room and introduce
yourself to people with that winning smile of yours. Just remember: be
confident, not arrogant.

9. Practice control.

When angry, don't snap at anyone. Never throw a tantrum. Stay calm
and collected. Be adult enough to take control of situation and
transform your anger into something more productive and passive. As
soon as people think your anger goes to volcanic proportions easily,
they will find it hard to come to you.

10. Keep nurturing your relationships.

Your relationship with your family, friends and significant others is
too precious that you must not neglect it whatever happens. Go out
and have fun with them. Do things together. Happiness will never fly
from your side as long as the people who matter the most are close to
you.

In the end, using people for self-empowerment means becoming a
better and more lovable person. It's a win-win situation: the people
know they can turn to you anytime and vice versa.

Want to learn more about how to be happy in any situation at any time you choose? Want to be the one everyone else wants to be instead of the other way around? Ready to make a life change?

Get more info now at http://parentingtoolbox.com/HappyAsYouWantToBe/

Seeing red

rehuxley — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 13:59:07 GMT

With a little help from the animals, vegetables and minerals,
one of humanity's persistent habits is to colour ourselves with
pigments and coloured objects. There are five main functions:

To be seen or noticed
To give info of rank or status
To warn of danger
To remain unseen or to confuse
To be admired or desired

It seems that colour itself is loaded with potential power.
Interestingly, it's the colours black and white (dark and
light) that have the most differentiating variations in the
vocabularies of the world's languages. Also, for some reason,
women use colour as a verbal signifier almost twice as often as
men. Men tend to use size.

Next to black and white, red is the most popular colour. It's
also the last colour to go and the first to return in
near-death experiences. Associations with blood, soil and
sensual stimulation account for some of red's historic
popularity. Red roses arrive with Valentine's red heart.

Psychologist Nick Humphrey notes that in the case of "flame,"
both safety and danger are signified. It's the ambiguity that's
important. Red depends on context. Apparently, red asks us to
gather more information.

It's safe to say that with the advent of modern dyes and
pigments, there is more colour around these days. Bright
colours were formerly rare and had to be coaxed from sources
like bird feathers, cochineal beetles or cow's urine. Do we now
suffer from colour overkill? Is colour losing her winning ways?
Incredibly, the British Army was formerly tailored in red; the
appearance of power and threat having more value than ease of
shot. Of course, red still signifies danger (stop signs are
generally red) and is present on almost every national flag.

From a painter's point of view, a "red surprise" is most
effective for bringing focus and heightened interest to many
works. "Warm is better than cool," say some of the colour
pundits. Red will remain forever hot.

"Colour is a power which directly influences the soul."
(Wassily Kandinsky)

SOURCE: used with permission - http://www.painterskeys.com

Poetry Styles...while learning how to break up with someone!

rehuxley — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 06:00:24 GMT

WARNING: This video is humorous but contains a couple semi-bad-words and a bit of violence. But it is funny and creative!

Apply the 80/20 Rule to Everything

rehuxley — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 15:03:18 GMT

Apply the 80/20 Rule to Everything
By: Brian Tracy

The 80/20 Rule is one of the most helpful of all concepts of time and life management. It is also called the Pareto Principle after its founder, the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, who first wrote about it in 1895. Pareto noticed that people in his society seemed to divide naturally into what he called the "vital few," the top 20% in terms of money and influence, and the "trivial many," the bottom 80%.

The Great Discovery
He later discovered that virtually all economic activity was subject to this Pareto Principle as well.

For example, this rule says that 20% of your activities will account for 80% of your results. 20% of your customers will account for 80% of your sales. 20% of your products or services will account for 80% of your profits. 20% of your tasks will account for 80% of the value of what you do, and so on.

This means that if you have a list of ten items to do, two of those items will turn out to be worth as much or more than the other eight items put together.

The Greatest Payoff
Here is an interesting discovery. Each of these tasks may take the same amount of time to accomplish. But one or two of those tasks will contribute five or ten times the value as any of the others.

Often, one item on a list of ten things that you have to do can be worth more than all the other nine items put together. This task is invariably the one that you should do first.

The Most Valuable Tasks
The most valuable tasks you can do each day are often the hardest and most complex. But the payoff and rewards for completing these tasks efficiently can be tremendous. For this reason, you must adamantly refuse to work on tasks in the bottom 80% while you still have tasks in the top 20% left to be done.

Before you begin work, always ask yourself, "Is this task in the top 20% of my activities or in the bottom 80%?"

Getting Started
The hardest part of any important task is getting started on it in the first place. Once you actually begin work on a valuable task, you seem to be naturally motivated to continue. There is a part of your mind that loves to be busy working on significant tasks that can really make a difference. Your job is to feed this part of your mind continually.

Managing Your Life
Time management is really life management, personal management. It is really taking control over the sequence of events. Time management is control over what you do next. And you are always free to choose the task that you will do next. Your ability to choose between the important and the unimportant is the key determinant of your success in life and work.

Effective, productive people discipline themselves to start on the most important task that is before them. They force themselves to eat that frog, whatever it is. As a result, they accomplish vastly more than the average person and are much happier as a result. This should be your way of working as well.

Action Exercises
Make a list of all the key goals, activities, projects and responsibilities in your life today. Which of them are, or could be, in the top 10% or 20% of tasks that represent, or could represent, 80% or 90% of your results?

Resolve today that you are going to spend more and more of your time working in those few areas that can really make a difference in your life and career, and less and less time on lower value activities.

Compiled by
Shabbar Suterwala
Corporate Soft Skills Trainer

Contact Details:
Shabbar Suterwala's Leaders Workshop
B/303, Mandsaur CHS,
Kokani Pada, Kurar Village,
Malad (East), Mumbai 400 097

More on Metaphors...Science and Art!

rehuxley — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 17:58:56 GMT

As an addition to my post on Therapeutic Metaphors, I ran across an article from Seed Magazine on The Future of Science is Art. The article is long and complex and it would be best if you read it all yourself. One part really stood out to me regarding the use or need for metaphor, to understand science and ourselves:

"As a result, the history of physics is littered with metaphorical leaps. Einstein grasped relativity while thinking about moving trains. Arthur Eddington compared the expansion of the universe to an inflated balloon. James Clerk Maxwell thought of magnetic fields as little whirlpools in space, which he called vortices. The Big Bang was just a cosmic firecracker. Schrödinger's cat, trapped in a cosmic purgatory, helped illustrate the paradoxes of quantum mechanics. It's hard to imagine string theory without its garden hose.

These scientific similes might seem like quaint oversimplifications, but they actually perform a much more profound function. As the physicist and novelist Alan Lightman writes, "Metaphor in science serves not just as a pedagogical device, but also as an aid to scientific discovery. In doing science, even though words and equations are used with the intention of having precise meaning, it is almost impossible not to reason by physical analogy, not to form mental pictures, not to imagine balls bouncing and pendulums swinging." The power of a metaphor is that it allows scientists imagine the abstract concept in concrete terms, so that they can grasp the implications of their mathematical equations. The world of our ideas is framed by the only world we know."

The article goes on to say that while the use of metaphor may be necessary it can also be dangerous. We may think of the universe as a garden hose but it is not a garden hose! This paradox is not difficult for artists or creative people in general because we know that our creative projects are not perfect. That may worry us more knowing they aren't! Ever been blocked creatively? Betcha it was due to a little perfectionism issue...

Creative people also strive to perfect their projects/art/metaphors. We are ever searching for new words, techniques or ideas to be more creative.

Therapeutic Metaphors

rehuxley — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 16:39:38 GMT

Psychotherapists have used Therapeutic Metaphors to help people change that have trouble with conventional means of change. Wikipedia defines Therapeutic Metaphors as a "story or other parallel to an entire aspect of a situation, related by a psychotherapist to a patient. The purpose of this is to highlight to a person, in an effective way, some aspects and lessons that otherwise they might not be able to perceive as clearly in their current situation, or to suggest new outlooks on it. Thus a therapist, told about the untimely death of a loved one, might respond by describing two roses in a garden, one of which is dug up."

How does this help us with creativity? If you are stuck creatively, you can use metaphor to help you get unstuck. Are you tired of trying to bust your creative blocks? Try walking around it with metaphor. Complete this sentence: Creativity is like a ___________.

What word or words did you use to describe creativity? That is a metaphor that you can use to build creative energy. Use your particular expression of creativity (painting, dance, writing, etc.) to develop that metaphor.

Our blocks to creativity can also be explained as a mental filter, social conditioning or personal bias. You get these early in life but they can be put in place by any experience you have. A common problem with creative blocks is perfectionism. You may have a filter that says you have to do some perfectly or not all. Your sense of identity and self worth come from these filters/beliefs. To avoid pain, we don't do anything at all if it means we can't do it perfectly.

A common social conditioning is the idea that creative talent is purely genetic and not learned. People belief that someone is born an artist and therefore, one a select few, can really do it.

Another tool along the lines of therapeutic metaphor is guided imagry. Visualize what your creative block looks like. Is it a wall or mountain? Visualize busting that wall or climbing that mountain. Imagine what you would need to do it, who you might ask for assistance from or how you might alter the image by making it smaller, change color or be altered in some way. The mountian could sprout up flowers along a path to the top! What do you see at the top of this mountain? The more physical senses you employ in this visualization the more effective it will be.

Find a trained therapist to help you further develop these ideas if you have found them useful. If you have used therapeutic metaphors or images to increase your creativity and would be willing to share, please leave a comment by clicking the link below...

What do you really want?

rehuxley — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 14:53:53 GMT

What do you want in life?

Now, what do you really want?

Most people answer question number one with physical manifestations of money, cars, houses, etc.

Or, they want qualities that lead to tangible manifestations of stuff by saying they want wealth, health or happiness. Hey, I want all of the above too.

But, there is a greater truth below these outer manifestations. What does having money or a home give you?
Does it give you acceptance by your peers. More respect from your co-workers? Does it stem the loneliness or create inner peace? Alfred Adler, one of the early pioneers of psychotherapy, stated that the basis for human issues is the search for significance. What makes you feel as if you are significance.

Take the car example. A small compact is a car that meets your needs but a big, expensive car might make you feel more important.

So what if we just focused on what we really want vs what we feel makes us feel that way. Getting that car, new promotion or new home may leave you feeling even emptier than you do already.

Creativity Resolutions in 2008?

rehuxley — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 15:13:03 GMT

We all hate them but we all make them: New Years Resolutions! What Creativity Resolutions have you made for this new year? Are you going to work on your art every day? Decided to take a class you have been wanting to take for a while now? Looking at making a big change in your life to allow more creative energy to flow? Going to give something up? Share with us (if you dare) by clicking the comment link below...

Using Creativity to Combat Alzheimer's

rehuxley — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 16:12:36 GMT

Using Creativity to Combat Alzheimer's

Learn how the introduction of a new activity changed the lives of an
Alzheimer's patient and her caregiver.

Medically Reviewed On: June 15, 2007

This educational program is supported through an educational grant
from Pfizer Inc.

* Read, listen and view this resource at
http://parentingtoolbox.com/clinical.html

ANNOUNCER: Sarina was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 1999. As
the disease progressed, her husband John grew concerned about her
behavior.

JOHN: She would sit there, become far more agitated and get up and
walk around, and it was destructing in terms of my being able to do
what I have to do and take care of her at the same time.

ANNOUNCER: In response, in 2004, a physician suggested re-introducing
a once treasured activity, painting.

BARRY REISBERG, MD: She used to be a graphic designer. She had
artistic skills. The kind of art that she's doing now is different.
But she was able to take some of her prior skills and apply it to her
very new situation in life.

JOHN: I had two books actually, Cézanne and Matisse, and took
elements out of his still life paintings and enlarged them on a copy
machine and embellished on them. We have like seven different subject
matters that I put on larger boards. She'll be working on a painting
and then she'll lift it up to me and say -- and I say, "Wonderful,"
you know, and a little applause. And she gets a big smile on her face
and has a great -- grand time.

ANNOUNCER: Once Sarina starting painting again, her behavior changed
dramatically.

JOHN: So, you know, she's become far more social as a result of this
and it's all really helped. The sense of dignity, of self esteem has
come up tremendously.

ANNOUNCER: Sarina's treatment continues to include medications
indicated for advanced Alzheimer's, donepezil and memantine. And
continuing to utilize her artistic abilities may also contribute to
slowing the disease.

BARRY REISBERG, MD: The medications are helping to slow the
progression of her disease. I also believe that the care that's being
provided to her and the opportunities that she's creating for herself
in terms of her ability to take advantage of the care and to be
creative are helping also, I think, to in some ways slow the
progression of the disease.

JOHN: I mean this is the fascinating part. I mean what I've learned
from this actually is the fact, you know, that there is that part of
the brain that obviously has had tremendous training and is still
functioning, so she's able to you know, bring it back. There are
certain elements here, where even though it's a two-dimensional
drawing, she manages to still comprehend a three-dimensional object.
So the line drawing, you know, suddenly becomes three-dimensional,
rather than just a flat color. And this is the thing that always
amazes me because I keep watching to see, you know, is it going to go
away, but it doesn't.

ANNOUNCER: Sarina's Alzheimer's continues to progress, but exercising
her creativity has helped improve her overall quality of life.

JOHN: Now, you now, she's relaxed and she gets up, walks around,
comes back. Sometimes she takes a painting into the living room, you
know, and I find her in there doing it. But it's just helped you
know, tremendously for both of us. So I become the beneficiary
actually of what she's doing now.

* Read, listen and view this resource at
http://parentingtoolbox.com/clinical.html

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