October 2020 - Daily Vitamins | Soft Skills Pills

🦟 If you ask a fly, “Are there any flowers in this area?” it will say, “I don’t know about flowers, but over there in that heap of rubbish you can find all the filth you want.” And it will go on to list all the unclean things it has been to.

🐝 If you ask a honeybee, “Have you seen any unclean things in this area?” it will reply, “Unclean things? No, I have not seen any; the place here is full of the most fragrant flowers.” And it will go on to name all the flowers of the garden or the meadow.

– An ancient parable

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10 ways to have a better conversation by Celeste Headlee

[Thanks to Ilian Stankov for sharing this useful video with our gang]

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🎃 Are you scared?

“How can we overcome self-paralysis and take action? Tim Ferriss encourages us to fully envision and write down our fears in detail, in a simple but powerful exercise he calls “fear-setting.” Learn more about how this practice can help you thrive in high-stress environments and separate what you can control from what you cannot.”

[Based on an idea by Anna Sarambelieva for Halloween]

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“If you don’t have a map, use a compass”

– Reid Hoffman (LinkedIn co-founder)

Susan Wojcicki (CEO, YouTube) knows: When you scale at warp speed, it’s easy to lose your bearings. That’s why you have to establish your company’s true north early – or the dizzying pace of growth will push you off course.

Listen to the full episode of the podcast Masters of Scale by Reid Hoffman with Susan Wojcicki by clicking the compass 👇

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“Our ikigai is hidden deep inside each of us, and finding it requires a patient search. According to those born on Okinawa, the island with the most centenarians in the world, our ikigai is the reason we get up in the morning.”

~ for more, see October 30 😉

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“Only staying active will make you want to live a hundred years.”

~ Japanese proverb

What does this mysterious word mean? – the answer is in this book 🙃 ⛩

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Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

(written in August 2020)

I have an awkward feeling in my stomach these days and I know the reason. I’m preparing myself for an upcoming presentation on a 2000+ attendee event.

As I review what to say and what not, some typical thoughts creep in.

🤔 Do I know enough?

🤔 Who am I to teach others?

🤔 Would they think I’m a fraud?

Now, people close to me know that I typically act confidently in the face of uncertainty.

As a great poet once said: 🎧 “He’s nervous, but on the surface he looks calm and ready”.

So, how do I deal with those feelings?

🖼 FRAMING

I try to frame my thinking into that I know that I don’t know a lot. And that’s perfectly fine.

It’s more than fine – it’s natural.

I’m not going to teach anyone anything.

I’m just going to share what I know. That’s it.

If someone takes something – then great! 🥳

🔭 EXPLORER’S MINDSET

Being driven by curiosity has helped me a lot.

I believe that with all that we know – there is far more unknown.

So it’s worth exploring.

When I start something new – I’d actually say “let’s try and see”.

Curiosity pushes me to act, to ask, to learn.

🔑

It’s funny how I’m experiencing the same feelings writing on this topic.

The key for me is “framing myself as an explorer”.

What’s yours?

– Hari

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