# Color your Career #: 2021

How Successful People Think

Everyone has a different definition of success. Successful people prepare themselves mentally everyday so they are prepared to face the challenges in their lives that may arise..

1. Move On: Fearless people, successful people, are not afraid to move on in life. They do not waste time feeling sorry for themselves, because they know it is not productive to their end goal. “They have learned to take responsibility for their actions and outcomes, Stop dwelling on the past and bounce back from mistakes faster. This allows them to be more successful in life because they do not waste time being upset about things they cannot change. Instead, they use that time to productively work on conquering new goals.

2. Accept Change: “Mentally strong people embrace change and they welcome challenges.” In order to change yourself, you have to challenge and embrace change. If you are not challenging yourself, you are going to stay in the same spot for the rest of your life or ultimately begin to slip backwards.

3. Remain Resilient: “Every failure is an opportunity to improve.” Successful people fail, too. The difference is that they get back up and keep fighting. No successful person is where they are today because they just slipped through life as casually as an afternoon breeze in the autumn.

4. Take Calculated Risks: “A mentally strong person is willing to take calculated risks.” Successful people think that risks sometimes bring out the best results in life. They aren’t careless, but rather “weigh the risks and benefits thoroughly, and will fully assess the potential downsides and even the worst-case scenarios before they take action.”

5. Applaud Others’ Successes: Jealousy and resentment are both emotions that can be incredibly prohibiting to one’s success. “It takes strength of character to feel genuine joy and excitement for other people’s success. Mentally strong people have this ability.” You only get what you work for in life.

6. Own your success or failure: Successful people think in terms of earning potential. They do not “feel the world owes them anything. In order to be successful, it is vital that you think with a strong mind and work for your successes. Successful people think, and think correctly, that if they work hard enough they will eventually earn the wins they want in life. The world does not owe you anything, but the world is much more likely to give things if you work hard for them.

7. Keep Their Power: “Mentally strong people avoid giving others the power to make them feel good or bad.” Rather than allowing the thoughts of the many different people they come across affect their way of thinking, successful people realize that everybody has the right to have different opinions and that not everybody’s opinions matter or should be taken personally.

ref: https://www.palmpartners.com/7-fearless-ways-successful-people-think/

Building Resilience

How do people deal with difficult events that change their lives? The death of a loved one, loss of a job, serious illness, terrorist attacks and other traumatic events: these are all examples of very challenging life experiences. Many people react to such circumstances with a flood of strong emotions and a sense of uncertainty. Yet people generally adapt well over time to life-changing situations and stressful conditions. What enables them to do so? It involves resilience, an ongoing process that requires time and effort and engages people in taking a number of steps.

Resilience is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress. Resilience means "bouncing back" from difficult experiences. Psychologists believe that resilient individuals are better able to handle such adversity and rebuild their lives after a catastrophe. Dealing with change or loss is an inevitable part of life. At some point, everyone experiences varying degrees of setbacks. Some of these challenges might be relatively minor (not getting into a class you wanted to take), while others are disastrous on a much larger scale (hurricanes, tornadoes, terrorist attacks). How we deal with these problems can play a significant role in not only the outcome but also the long-term psychological consequences. Social support is another critical variable that contributes to resilience. Mentally strong people tend to have the support of family and friends who help bolster them up in times of trouble.

Building resilience include:

Accept that change is a part of living
Holding positive views of themselves and their abilities
Make Connections. Being a good communicator
Look at the big picture. Move toward your goals. Keep things in perspective
Building mental toughness(Viewing themselves as fighters rather than victims)
Having an internal locus of control
Learn something new
Having high emotional intelligence and managing emotions effectively

ref:

What Is Resilience? - http://psychology.about.com/od/crisiscounseling/a/resilience.htm

Building your resilience - http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/road-resilience.aspx

6 Key Steps For Career Resilience - http://www.forbes.com/sites/kerryhannon/2012/12/26/6-key-steps-for-career-resilience/

MIT(Massachusetts Institute of Technology) OpenCourseWare(OCW) Youtube Channel Courses

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts USA. Established in 1861, MIT has since played a key role in the development of modern technology and science and has been ranked among the top academic institutions in the world.

Key Facts:

History

    Incorporated - 1861
    Motto - “Mens et manus” (“Mind and hand”)

Campus

    Location - Cambridge, MA USA
    Size - 168 acres (0.68 km2)
    Playing fields - 26 acres (0.11 km2)

Admissions (Class of 2024)

    Applicants - 20,075
    Admits - 1,457
    Acceptance rate - 7%

MIT OpenCourseWare(OCW) makes the materials used in the teaching of MIT's subjects available on the Web.

MIT OCW Lectures Youtube Channel Info:

Youtube Channel @ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEBb1b_L6zDS3xTUrIALZOw

Youtube Channel Playlists @ https://www.youtube.com/c/mitocw/playlists

Introduction to Algorithms @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZA-tUyM_y7s&list=PLUl4u3cNGP63EdVPNLG3ToM6LaEUuStEY

Design and Analysis of Algorithms @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2P-yW7LQr08&list=PLUl4u3cNGP6317WaSNfmCvGym2ucw3oGp

Computer Systems Security @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqmQg-cszw4&list=PLUl4u3cNGP62K2DjQLRxDNRi0z2IRWnNh

Artificial Intelligence @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjZBTDzGeGg&list=PLUl4u3cNGP63gFHB6xb-kVBiQHYe_4hSi

Introduction to Computational Thinking and Data Science @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1lhuz6pZC0&list=PLUl4u3cNGP619EG1wp0kT-7rDE_Az5TNd

Math Playlists @ https://www.youtube.com/c/mitocw/playlists?view=50&sort=dd&shelf_id=3

Introduction to Psychology @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fbrl6WoIyo&list=PL44ABC9278E2EE706

' Win at Work ' by Shaun Belding - A brief

Winning Attitude - Open your ears, your mind and your heart; This is how you open your future

The journey of SUCCESS is like a path through a forest. There are ravines and low-hanging branches that will get in your way. There are creatures that will startle you. There will be forks that require tough decisions But as long as you are moving, and looking at your internal compass to ensure you are heading in the general right direction, take comfort in knowing that your path is as good as any. Take a look around every once in a while to appreciate where you are and how you got there. Enjoy the journey, and the people you meet along the way.

The job-for-life mentality that our parents has is gone in a big way, with people now averaging between 10 and 11 jobs in their lifetimes. Your journey to winning in the workplace begins with a plan.

Things to consider:

Be a champion of change(Do not wait for someone to inspire You)
Focus on Big picture(what you see depends on where you stand)
Connect and being a good team player
Networking(If you are always there for others, you will never face challenges alone)
Listen and genuine praise(Listen more than you talk)

5 rules for making good First Impressions:

Smile
Make eye contact
The handshake
Be interested
Walk on the lighter side

Win at Work covers 5 fundamental topics:

The winning Attitude
Achievement and Success
Winning in the Workplace
Winning with people
Dealing with Stress and difficult people

People with the winning attitude:

are positive
understand themselves and what's important
believe
continuously improve
have passion

A person with positive attitude:

focuses on positive events and aspects
focuses on solutions instead of problems
chooses hope over fatalism

Know your priorities:

Individuals with the winning attitude understand their priorities, and use them as their guidelines when making decisions. Because their actions are in line with heir priorities, they inevitably get greater enjoyment out of the things they do. The ultimate payoff to understanding your priorities and letting them guide your decisions and actions is undeniable.

The more your actions begin to align with those things you feel are important, the greater your satisfaction and success. Knowing who you are and what our priorities are gives you confidence in yourself and your decisions. It also helps you better put the challenges you face into proper perspective, which is one of the best ways to make sure that you are mentally prepared for the things life throws at you.

Discovering your true priorities is like an explorer finding True North. Once you have that unchanging frame of reference, reaching any destination you choose only required a look at your compass, a good map, and a willingness to begin the journey.

Accept responsibility:

Accept responsibility for your own future. People with the winning attitude universally agree that they are ultimately accountable for both their successes and their failures.

Passion:

When you are truly passionate about something, work ceases to be work. You can not hit what you do not aim for. The journey to success begins with creating forward motion and achieving positive momentum. The easiest way to create positive momentum in virtually every aspect of your life is by goal setting; more specifically, by creating and then achieving highly focused short-term goals.

Once you define SUCCESS, follow 4 steps:

Set a goal
Create a map
Set a timeline
Take action

Focus:

One of the most notable characteristics of very successful people is their ability to stay focused on the things that important to them, their careers and their business.

The way of words:

Use 'Excellent/Outstanding/Brilliant' than just saying 'Thank You'
Use 'Absolutely/Of Course/It would be my pleasure' than just saying 'yes'
Use 'I want to get this right for you' than saying 'Can you please wait a minute'
Speak in sandwiches(good & bad news)
Words of empathy make sure that you have taken time to listen

Networking:

Connect people
Laugh
Be a source of information(go-to person)
Be involved
Remember
Be a mentor
Be there for the 'little people'
Social networking

When all stressed up and nowhere to go, follow steps below:

Put things into perspective(separating signal from noise - life changing (or) just a annoyance)
Focus on what's going well - not what is stressful
Identify your cold buttons
Focus on the issue
Create a ranking system
Create a new morning routine

ref: Win at Work by Shaun Belding @ https://www.amazon.com/Win-at-Work-Shaun-Belding/dp/8175545488

' The Start-up of You: Invest in Yourself ' by Reid Hoffman - A brief

Differentiate or Die:

In a world where "a million people can do your job", chart a career path that sets you apart from other professionals. You don't need to be better than all professions. You just need to be better in a local professional niche.

3 pieces(one that does not work without other) that will consolidate your position in the market:

1. Assets: What you have going for you now. Your soft assets (like knowledge, skills, connections) and hard assets(like cash in the bank)

2. Aspirations & Values: Where you might like to go in the future

3. Market Realities: What people will actually pay you for

One way to upgrade your competitive position is by upgrading your assets - i.e, Investing in Yourself.

Plan to Adapt:

Entrepreneurial career planning and adapting is about being flexibly persistent; always ready to adapt, but also persistent in driving towards set goals. You will never have complete certainty at any point of time; Identify areas of incomplete knowledge about yourself or your industry and make plans that will help you fill those gaps.

Prioritize learning over profitability, so you should prioritize learning(soft assets) over salary(hard assets) for the majority of your career. Once we follow the path of "Continuous Learning" in the long run, We are likely to lead a more meaningful life as well as make more money in the process.

Craft a experimental Plan A, an alternative Plan B, and an unchanging, certain Plan Z:

Plan A: What you are doing now. Your current implementation of your competitive advantage.
Plan B: You pivot to B when your plan is not working or when you discover a better way toward your goal.
Plan Z: You shift to Z if something goes seriously wrong. It's the lifeboat you can jump in if your plan fails and you need a re-load before getting back in the game.

People you spend time with shape the person you are today and the person you aspire to be tomorrow. Finally, remember that relationships are like any living thing; if they are not getting stronger, they are getting weaker.

Conclusion:

Start tapping into your network. Start investing in skills. Start taking intelligent risks. Start pursuing breakout opportunities. Most of all, start forging your own differentiated career plans.

ref:

The Start-up of You: Adapt to the Future, Invest in Yourself, and Transform Your Career by Reid Hoffman - https://www.amazon.com/Start-Up-Future-Invest-Yourself-Transform/dp/1847940803

America's Best Colleges

America's Top Colleges - http://www.forbes.com/top-colleges/list

How Much Does it Cost to Study in the USA? - http://www.topuniversities.com/student-info/student-finance/how-much-does-it-cost-study-us

Top Business Schools - http://www.forbes.com/business-schools/list

Top Engineering Schools and GRE/TOEFL acceptance scores @ https://www.graduateshotline.com/ranks/#.Vj5z_berTIU

Best Global Universities for Engineering - http://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/engineering

25 Best Value Engineering Schools - https://www.bestvalueschools.com/rankings/engineering-schools

Top Engineering Schools - https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-engineering-schools/eng-rankings

Top Medical Schools - http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-medical-schools/research-rankings

America's K-12 School & District Rankings - https://www.niche.com/k12/rankings/

Things You wish you knew when You were in 20s ..

What Got You Here Won’t Get You There: Learn, Unlearn & Relearn

1. Enjoy the Life's journey - Success is a journey, not a destination. It's the journey that teaches you a lot about your destination. We all have goals and aspirations. You’re probably working toward something right now. Learn to love the journey and appreciate all the little failures and wins.

2. Learn to love change and mistakes - The only constant thing in life is CHANGE. Change is inevitable whether we like or not. It won’t always be easy, but change happens for a reason. Learn to be friends with it. Always remember to learn from your mistakes and keep growing. Do not take yourself too serious. and don’t doubt yourself so much!!

3. Say yes often - Sometimes stepping outside of your comfort zone and trying something new can be terrifying. But learn to say yes more. It’ll help you to open up, try new things and bring you new world of opportunities.

4. Focus - Don’t try to be a jack-of-all-trades. Focus on being really good at just a few things. Hard work is wasted when it’s channelized in too many directions.

5. Read a book a month - Reading opens your mind to new ideas and perspectives, help you express goals. Reading books benefits both your physical and mental health, and those benefits can last a lifetime. They begin in early childhood and continue through the senior years.

6. Stop worrying about what others think - Letting the opinions of your peers influence your decisions is one of the worst things you can do. You’ll realize later just how foolish it was. The only thing that is important is what you think and feel about yourself.

7. You don’t have much to lose as you think - Often times, fear of loss is what prevents us from pursuing our dreams. When you’re right out of college, you don’t have much to lose. Why not start doing things that you always wanted?

8. Meet as many new people as you can - It may not always be clear to you, but the people you meet can help you. Treat everyone like you’d like to be treated and be willing to make new friends. The world is smaller than you think. You’ll be amazed at who is connected to whom.

9. Leverage what you’ve got - Don't ever complain in life. Stevie Wonder can’t see, but he has an exceptional ear for music. He exploited that talent and his passion for music. Today he has 25 Grammy awards to show for it. Learn to work with what you’ve got instead of complaining about your situation.

10. Take big risks - Go after what you want. Jump out of an airplane. Start a business. You won’t always succeed, but you won’t always fail, either !!