Mindconnection eNL, 2003-02-07
In this issue:
- Brainpower tip
- Career tip
- Security tip
- Finance tip
- Health tip
- Fitness tip
- Thought for the day
1. Brainpower tip
| In our last issue, we talked about the need to
nourish the brain and body if you want a fully-functioning brain. Here is another
product that does the job quite well. Check it out.
|
Discontinued, 2015 |
Remember, the brain is an organic biochemical computer. To avoid problems with it, you must get the right nutrients to the support system.
2. Time management tip
Here's an excerpt from our career success secrets course, on sale now.
|
Still waters run deep: know thyself Anne Murray did a remake of Bridge Over Troubled Water, which has to be one of my all-time favorite songs. It’s very metaphysical, and the lyrics carry enormous meaning. The song is basically one person’s promise to support another. In Murray’s remake, there’s special emphasis on the chorus, "Still waters run deep." You could write a book on what that means! Here’s one aspect of that: I used to be passionate about my job—no matter what the job was—but no more! Now, I am passionate about doing things that are important to me. If others are pleased, that’s wonderful. But pleasing others is not my first goal. Here’s a quote from one of the managers whose experiences underscore many of the concepts presented in this course: "My employer has many positive attributes, but management skill is not among them. I won’t go into details, but suffice it to say they don’t think things through, they incur unnecessary costs, and they seem to excel at demotivating people. I am a Certified Manager, MBA, yada yada yada. Thus, I find it frustrating to deal with bad management. I used to find bad management stressful. I used to think I was supposed to be a team player, and that it mattered that the team did well. That is not what companies mean by "team player." Work is not like sports, where you need to be aggressive to win. It is about making others feel good about what they do, while contributing toward a common goal. It is about letting others feel good about ill-planned work and poor decisions. It is about letting go, if your team is not doing the right things to make the goal. Others will come to your light—if you let it shine instead of shining it. This does not mean being silent or mediocre. It means not babbling like a brook, and it means occupying a space, function-wise, nobody else is occupying. In the past, I would make it my mission to change what was wrong, so we could do better as a team. I tried very hard not to let anyone or anything fail. After a series of events at my present job, I stopped caring about the job and began looking for another. What happened was remarkable. With my new attitude, things started to happen. Very positive things. The waters began to get still and they began to run deep. My bosses—3 levels up—now include me in strategic meetings and consult me on things in a way unheard of for someone in my position. They now respect me the way you might respect a deep, pristine lake. You take care not to intrude on it, to ripple its surface, or to pee in it the way you might a stream. You don’t try to rechannel it, or modify it in any way. Instead, you cast your line and wait quietly for it to offer up its fish. My ex-boss (only so because he got promoted) has been quietly hinting at ways for me to do this. My ex boss has few intrinsic talents, if any, yet manages to thrive. He’s an expert at letting still waters run deep. I’m not sure if the same methods work in every corporate culture, but I suspect the basic philosophy holds true everywhere. It means being content with your own place in the world—the way a deep lake is—and expressing the confidence that others want your services, too. Knowing that others recognize you for the powerful, capable, and ethical person you are means you have no reason to care about your position relative to them. Not caring on that level creates a shift in power that makes your job about as secure as it’s going to get. Even if you are incompetent, as my ex boss is, you can promote the perception of competence just by letting still waters run deep." Still waters do run deep. Find your own bridges over troubled water and cross them. Once you’ve done so, you’ll be able to sail on silver wings. Now, you have the means to get those wings. Happy sailing! |
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3. Security tip
One of our astute readers was kind enough to send in this quote:
“Security is mostly a superstition. It does
not exist in nature, nor do the children of men
as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than
outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing."
-- Helen Keller
4. Finance tip
You can save money in a lot of little ways that add up. Here are some:
Turn off incandescent lights when not using them. Example #1: I am amazed to see people brush their teeth with the vanity mirror lights on in their bathroom. Unless you have some kind of clamps holding your mouth open so wide that you can see where the brush is making contact, it's not necessary to have any lights on. Example #2: "I'm coming right back into this room in 5 minutes, so why turn the light off?" Well, it is incredibly easy to find a light switch, so it should not be a challenge to turn the light back on. If you're not using it, why leave it on? Five minutes times the number of times this is done means many hours of just throwing money away.
Stop "warming up" your car, if you engage in this practice. In cold weather, many people let their cars idle to "warm them up." Because cars must operate over a wide band of power, they do not completely burn fuel at the low end. Sure, you'll spare yourself that initial 20 seconds of a cold seat--but you'll invest 40 seconds going to and from the car to do it. Plus, you'll lower your fuel economy by contaminating your combustion chambers and spark plugs with soot. You'll also contaminate your motor oil. This is not an intelligent practice, but it is a costly one. Caution: This does not mean you should start your car and immediately go into "race mode." Drive at a moderate pace (or slower, if traffic allows) to give the various lubricants a chance to approach operating temperature.
Borrow movies from your local library, rather than renting them from the video store. OK, maybe you want the latest releases--so, do a mix of strategies and have the best of both worlds.
Don't buy pre-packaged processed foods such as frozen dinners. In addition to being nutritional disasters (despite the package claims), these carry a high cost per unit.
When someone comes to your door, don't hold it open talking to them. You are letting out all the heated (winter) or chilled (summer) air that you just paid for. Go outside, or invite the person in. Afraid of an intrusion? The fact your door is already open means you have already crossed that bridge.
When target practicing (this assumes you take responsibility for preventing violent crimes against you, your family, and any guests in your home by preparing for defense), look for a range that gives you credit for returned shells.
Fuel up your car when it's cooler, rather than when it's warmer. Because gasoline expands in heat, you'll actually get more fuel per gallon this way.
5. Health tip
Don't hold grudges. Doing so creates a bad hormonal environment within your body. For example, studies have shown that people with an unresolved hate or anger problem have increased levels of cortisol. They have a markedly higher incidence of diabetes, colon cancer, and other illnesses. So, to stay healthy:
Think of a time when you have done something offensive or hurtful. This helps remind you that the person you are not forgiving is as human as you are.
Remember that holding a grudge doesn't solve anything--it merely keeps the pain going.
Decide if you need to discuss the grudge issue with the other person. You may want to vent your feelings, or maybe just have an honest heart to heart explaining your feelings (without attacking or blaming) and asking the person to help you overcome them. You don't need to rationalize. Just say, "This may sound silly to another person, but it's the way I feel. I want to let go of it, so I don't feel this way toward you. Can you help me out?" The person may offer an apology or even express some sentiment like, "That's not at all what I meant. I had no idea this hurt your feelings."
If all else fails, just steel yourself to move on.
6. Fitness tip
Do you want rock-hard abs by summer? Here is a routine that will burn off fat fast. Just watch your calories and let this do the rest:
Week 1: Bleacher sprints. Visit a local high school or stadium that has outside bleachers of any height. The higher, the better. Walk up the bleachers, then walk down the steps. Then, run up the bleachers as fast as you can and walk down the steps. Walking down the steps is the only rest you get. Repeat this pattern over the next half hour. This will burn more fat than running four four hours. Do this twice in the same week, but at least two days apart. If your legs are sore on day two, cut the amount of time back.
Week 2: Front squats. You should be able to do 80% of your own body weight. Thus, if you weigh 160 pounds, you should be doing 130 pounds (including the bar). This is true whether you are male or female. If you cannot do this much, cut back on the weight. Do three sets, in good form--make sure you use your abs to stabilize your trunk. You will definitely feel the abs work if you are doing squats correctly. Stop each set when your form starts to deteriorate, even if you don't do many reps. The effect of this exercise is to cause hormonal changes that will burn fat over the next three days and build muscle.
Week 3: Bleacher sprints. Do the same as in Week 1, but only once during the week.
Week 4: Front squats again.
Repeat this pattern each month over the next three months. The squats will build your abdominal muscles--they will even build your arms because of the hormonal advantages (good for men and for women). If you have noticeable weakness in Week 4, complete the exercises and do only a single bleacher sprint the next week (but make up for it in Week 3 in the following month).
Safety notes:
If you have never done front squats before, buy the book Body For Life so you can see how to do these without blowing out a spinal disk. The technique is simple and safe for your back and knees--but, you must do it right.
Before sprinting up the bleachers, check your shoelaces. A slip can cost you your front teeth.
Do not eat an hour before doing these exercises--unless you're into "shoe decoration."
Do eat a carbohydrate and protein within one hour after, to maximize lean muscle development.
Have water with you, when doing the sprints--especially if you do them in hot weather.
You don't need a partner for either of these exercises, but having one is an additional safety measure. Having a cell-phone or letting someone know where you'll be and when to expect you back is also helpful. You will be pushing yourself to the limits.
If you are a couch potato, don't do this program (if you are a little chunky, that's not an excuse--you may still be quite fit in cardiovascular terms). Test yourself by doing a very light version of these and see how you feel the next day.
7. Thought for the Day
I told my sister for years that I was the favorite child. Ever since she was little, I told her this. Every now and then, she'd relate something special one of our parents did for her, and say, "Well, that just proves I'm the favorite." I would always tell her something like, "Nope. That still doesn't beat what they did for me. Try again." We were both visiting my mom one year, and my sister asked my mom, "Can you solve this argument? Is one of us your favorite?" I interrupted, "Well, it's quite clear I am the favorite child here. I guess I should finally tell you why that is so." I pointed out that nobody can beat the Valentine's Day present I got from my mom and dad. You see, my sister's birthday is on Valentine's Day. Is there a gift you can give someone--a gift that goes beyond flowers or candy, or anything you can have wrapped or delivered? Each day, you can give the gift of respect--that speaks volumes. You have a week--get going!
Wishing you the best,
Mark Lamendola
Mindconnection
Authorship
The views expressed in this e-newsletter are generally not shared by criminals, zombies, or brainwashed individuals.Except where noted, this e-newsletter is entirely the work of Mark Lamendola. Anything presented as fact can be independently verified. Often, sources are given; but where not given, they are readily available to anyone who makes the effort.
Mark provides information from either research or his own areas of established expertise. Sometimes, what appears to be a personal opinion is the only possibility when applying sound logic--reason it out before judging! (That said, some personal opinions do appear on occasion).
The purpose of this publication is to inform and empower its readers (and save you money!).
Personal note from Mark: I value each and every one of you, and I hope that shows in the diligent effort I put into writing this e-newsletter. Thank you for being a faithful reader.
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