Raising expectations (and then dashing them) Have you noticed how upbeat the ads for airlines and banks are? Judging from the billboards and the newspaper ads, you might be led to believe that Delta is actually a better airline, one that cares. Or that your bank has flexible people eager to bend the rules to help you succeed. At one level, this is good advertising, because it tells a story that resonates. The problem is this: ads like this actually decrease user satisfaction. So much better to invest that same money in delighting and embracing the customers you already have.
Turning Diamonds Into a Commodity to Be Traded Hazel Thompson for The New York Times The diamond industry has an image of “hiding behind smoke and mirrors,” said Charles Wyndham, who runs a pricing company. Francois Lenoir/Reuters A vendor inspecting diamonds at an event in Antwerp, Belgium, where one fund would store its diamonds in a vault. A small number of investment professionals around the world are competing behind the scenes to turn the gem into a commodity that would be available to investors in the way that gold has been traded through funds on exchanges. Trading in diamonds is limited in the United States to the retail market for engagement rings and other jewelry and the back-room bargaining among merchants in places like Manhattan’s diamond district on West 47th Street. The is reviewing a proposal to create the first diamond-backed exchange-traded fund, which would be available to anyone with an online trading account. The diamond industry can only dream of replicating the success of gold companies.
50 (More) Life Secrets and Tips Investigate what is known about deathWhat do you know about death? You certainly have beliefs around it, but what do you know about the science of death, or of those who have died and been brought back to life? Death is not as big of a mystery as it is made out to be. Do your research before you fear or misconstrue this most universal human experience.Notice the small, beautiful thingsAs cliche as this sounds, there is so much beauty in the world yet we rarely appreciate it. Take 5 minutes, stop doing everything and sit down. Then clear your mind of your inner dialogue and focus intently on something in the space immediately in front of you. Find the supplements suitable for your lifestyleOur diets and habits are nothing like those which are bodies were built for. Wouldn’t it be awesome if you could boldly display 50 life secrets and tips on your wall to serve as a beautiful, daily reminder of how to live a Higher Existence?
30 Things to Start Doing for Yourself post written by: Marc Chernoff Email Remember today, for it is the beginning. Today marks the start of a brave new future. Our previous article, 30 Things to Stop Doing to Yourself, was well received by most of our readers, but several of you suggested that we follow it up with a list of things to start doing. In one reader’s words, “I would love to see you revisit each of these 30 principles, but instead of presenting us with a ‘to-don’t’ list, present us with a ‘to-do’ list that we all can start working on today, together.” So I sat down last night with our original article and the two reader’s revisions as a guide, and a couple hours later finalized a new list of 30 things; which ended up being, I think, a perfect complement to the original. Here it is, a positive ‘to-do’ list for the upcoming year – 30 things to start doing for yourself: If you enjoyed this article, check out our new best-selling book. And get inspiring life tips and quotes in your inbox (it's free)... No related posts
Fordham Business Challenge 2012 - Take the challenge. Master your future career options. 50 Life Secrets and Tips Memorize something everyday.Not only will this leave your brain sharp and your memory functioning, you will also have a huge library of quotes to bust out at any moment. Poetry, sayings and philosophies are your best options.Constantly try to reduce your attachment to possessions.Those who are heavy-set with material desires will have a lot of trouble when their things are taken away from them or lost. Possessions do end up owning you, not the other way around. Become a person of minimal needs and you will be much more content.Develop an endless curiosity about this world.Become an explorer and view the world as your jungle. Stop and observe all of the little things as completely unique events. Read “Zen and the Art of Happiness” by Chris Prentiss.This book will give you the knowledge and instruction to be happy at all times regardless of the circumstances.
Cum sa folosesti Facebook-ul cu cap Mulţi sunt convinşi că Facebook-ul este doar un site. Însă lumea ţine să te contrazică. Facebook-ul este un Big Brother care se poate întoarce împotriva ta dacă nu ştii să îl foloseşti, dar poate fi de un real folos dacă alegi să îl foloseşti cu cap. În 2009 1 din 5 cupluri divorţau din cauza schimbării “relationship status”-ului de pe Facebook, există persoane care s-au sinucis din cauza unor statusuri negative, există hoţi care monitorizează activitatea ta online, ca să vadă când pleci şi când te întorci acasă. Astea e partea negativă. O mulţime de companii trăiesc datorită Facebook-ului, mici întreprinzători au câştigat clienţi în plus sau i-au fidelizat, companii care vor fi listate la bursă există datorită ecosistemului creat în jurul Facebook-ului mulţi oameni şi-au găsit perechea datorită acestei reţele sociale. Facebook te poate ajuta foarte mult: Foarte foarte mult. Îţi poate da acces la persoane pe care nu ai cum să le întâlneşti. Toate acestea şi totuşi te poate ajuta şi mai mult.
Stuff Parisians Like | Ô Chateau Nouvel article sur notre blog “Stuff Parisians Like” Il concerne le mot décalé!! All French people agree that Parisians are not normal people. Provinciaux deem that Parisians are below normal, usually beyond repair. Parisians on the other hand know full well that they navigate far beyond the norm. Such a striking opposition lies in the very definition each have of “the norm”. No matter how sorry the lifestyle of the Paris people may be, most will develop advanced reality-dodging strategies to convince themselves that they are not a part of the populace (“C’est tout petit mais le séjour est super lumineux“, “Le quartier est génial. The ultimate destination of their dodging artifacts is to be found in the realm of culture. But a city of impoverished wannabes gets the cultural and intellectual life it deserves: that of followers. The adjective that epitomizes this evolution is “décalé“. Sound like a Parisian: “Non, le truc était hyper décalé, vraiment, excellent!”
Well, At Least There Was Good Stuff to Read: The Books of the Decade Anybody remember how anxious and thrilled we were in those last months of the 20th century? When we weren't at war and we had a budget surplus and it looked like Al Gore would be president? The prospect of a 21st century filled with new technologies, new art and literature loomed large and bright. But now, as we look back at what was decidedly a shitty decade for an incredible variety of people in an equally incredible variety of ways (evictions/invasions/bombings/etc), it's surprisingly hard to be pessimistic about the books that assessed, satirized, dramatized and distracted us from the events of the past 10 years. Goethe said that the decline of a nation's literature is the precursor to that nation's fall, and with this look back at the books that defined the decade, we'd like to tell Goethe to suck it. Almost in spite of ourselves, we're still writing, translating, publishing and even occasionally buying good books in this country.
August 2013 Main Article Learners need to spend 30 percent of their time learning and 70 percent of their time practicing what they’ve learned, according to Dr. Vicki Halsey, Vice President of Applied Learning for The Ken Blanchard Companies. Studies show that learners will forget 50 percent of what they learn if the new knowledge and skills are not reviewed and reinforced within 24 hours. Some research suggests that, without proper reinforcement, learners risk losing up to 90 percent of what they’ve learned before they even get back to the work environment. Part of the reason, according to Halsey, is that the brain is like a switchboard—it decides which path information takes. Dr. As she explains, “This allows people to ‘get’ the concepts more quickly because they’re applying what they’ve learned to issues that are real, and therefore, relevant for them. Continually generate relevancy to inspire application During training, require real work application. After training, link learning to business outcomes.
Top 10 Reasons to Challenge Yourself How often do you challenge yourself, pushing the boundaries and getting out of your comfort zone? This could be personal or physical challenges, or challenges at school or at work. Read on to find out why we should challenge ourselves... Why should we challenge ourselves? #1 Grow as an individual It all starts with you. #2 Gain awareness, knowledge and skills It is a pity if we do take chances to expand our horizons and enrich our experiences. #3 Become healthier both physically and mentally "Health is Wealth." #4 Save money Fact: It is a challenge for students to save money. #5 Achieve a goal every month Sit in a quiet room and think of a list of things that you have always wanted to do. #6 Advance in your career Are you satisfied with your grades at school, your position and performance in your school organisation, or your career position? #7 Become a better friend or partner Friends, family and good health are important things in life. #8 Seek inspiration and be more creative Feedback?
How to Travel Full-Time for $17,000 a Year (or Less!) Wise Bread Picks For the last five years, I've been traveling the world full-time, and for less money than I've ever spent (and I'd wager less money than most people would spend) to live in one place. My worldly possessions fit into one bag (just larger than carry-on size) and a backpack containing my laptop and computer gear. This small entourage (weighing less than 45 pounds in total) comes with me as I wander around the world, sometimes quickly, but mostly slowly. In 2011 alone, I traversed 13 countries and over 45,360 miles. Sounds pretty expensive, huh? What if I told you it wasn't? Believe it. How to Keep Your Travel Costs Low Of course, I could travel for way more than $17,000/year. Here are a few of my secrets. Don't Pay for Accommodations In the entire year of 2011, I paid $173 for accommodation. Work-Trade/Volunteer There are lots of creative opportunities to work in trade for your accommodation (and sometimes food) and enjoy a more immersive travel experience. Hospitality Exchange
Manage YOUR Time | Laura Vanderkam There are 168 hours in a week—this is a new approach to getting the most out of them Download the How to do your own time makeover (PDF) guide/intro, then choose your spreadsheet below, based on your preferred increments of time to track/log (15-minute blocks, or 30-minute blocks). To track 15-minute blocks of time: To track 30-minute blocks of time: If you want to lose weight, you keep a food diary. But how do you do that? Write down what you are doing, in as much detail as you want.