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Title: Formula 52 Author: Melinda Condray
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Pick a chapter in this book–, any chapter–, and you will find a self-contained formula with principles that can be understood and applied immediately. Goals To Go! is a year’s worth of wisdom in small doses to help launch your business success. You will find an action plan ready to be implemented, and space to write your thoughts right in the book.
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“"Terrific! Easy to use as a quick reference; valuable as a cover-to-cover read.”"—Erik Moran, Vice PresidentMerrill Lynch
“"Terrific! Easy to use as a quick reference; valuable as a cover-to-cover read.”"
—Erik Moran, Vice President
Merrill Lynch
book praise
"“For anyone who ever wondered where they were going in life, "Goals to Go!" is the book to read. Melinda Condray'’s breezy, no-nonsense style gives readers the courage to pursue their goals. She shows how dreams are attainable by mere mortals—and that “innovation is not just for mavericks.”"-Joanna Sullivan, EditorBaltimore Business Journal
"“For anyone who ever wondered where they were going in life, "Goals to Go!" is the book to read. Melinda Condray'’s breezy, no-nonsense style gives readers the courage to pursue their goals. She shows how dreams are attainable by mere mortals—and that “innovation is not just for mavericks.”"
-Joanna Sullivan, Editor
Baltimore Business Journal
"““Goals to Go!” is your workbench for a successful and fulfilling life-—well stocked with formulas that combine practical insights, easy-to-use tools and a generous dose of common sense. It is a worthy companion for people who seek to be their very best in every moment of life. No desk top or briefcase should be without it!’"-John Morrell, Senior DirectorCisco Services
"““Goals to Go!” is your workbench for a successful and fulfilling life-—well stocked with formulas that combine practical insights, easy-to-use tools and a generous dose of common sense. It is a worthy companion for people who seek to be their very best in every moment of life. No desk top or briefcase should be without it!’"
-John Morrell, Senior Director
Cisco Services
"“I could not put this book down. Melinda writes with great spirit; she has refreshing philosophies that will get you where you want to go personally and professionally with 52 easy steps/formulas. This book can help change your life.”"-Linda RitterSenior Consultant, Mercer
"“I could not put this book down. Melinda writes with great spirit; she has refreshing philosophies that will get you where you want to go personally and professionally with 52 easy steps/formulas. This book can help change your life.”"
-Linda Ritter
Senior Consultant, Mercer
FORMULA 26 Life Dimension 2: Mental SelfMental Self is all about the care and feeding of your brain. Just like putting healthy food into your body and exercising creates energy, putting information into your brain and processing it creates new ideas.We are used to thinking of innovation as the hallmark of mavericks, cooped up in think tanks, focused on
FORMULA 26
Life Dimension 2: Mental Self
Mental Self is all about the care and feeding of your brain. Just like putting healthy food into your body and exercising creates energy, putting information into your brain and processing it creates new ideas.
We are used to thinking of innovation as the hallmark of mavericks, cooped up in think tanks, focused on
excerpt
generating grand, new solutions. Innovation is not just for mavericks. In an ever-changing world, innovation is quickly becoming a requirement for success in our life and our business. Our ability to think quickly, clearly, and creatively is imperative to achieving our goals.Innovation does not have to be large. A small idea can be the solution to a large problem. For instance, Sally, who owns a children's day care center, faced
generating grand, new solutions. Innovation is not just for mavericks. In an ever-changing world, innovation is quickly becoming a requirement for success in our life and our business. Our ability to think quickly, clearly, and creatively is imperative to achieving our goals.
Innovation does not have to be large. A small idea can be the solution to a large problem. For instance, Sally, who owns a children's day care center, faced
a three-fold challenge. First, the children had short attention spans and she had a hard time keeping them occupied. Second, since the toys were kept in open bins, the playroom always looked disheveled. Third, the children's constant shifting from toy to toy created a mess that left her with a lengthy clean-up time at the end of the day.Sally found a simple solution. At a warehouse store, she bought bright, colorful boxes and placed a few of the
a three-fold challenge. First, the children had short attention spans and she had a hard time keeping them occupied. Second, since the toys were kept in
open bins, the playroom always looked disheveled. Third, the children's constant shifting from toy to toy created a mess that left her with a lengthy clean-up time at the end of the day.
Sally found a simple solution. At a warehouse store, she bought bright, colorful boxes and placed a few of the
toys in each box. At the beginning of the day, the children selected a box and played with the toys in it. Every fifteen minutes, she made a game of putting the toys back in the box and selecting a new one. By simply putting fewer toys in small, colorful boxes, Sally was able to keep the children occupied, keep the playroom neat, and eliminate her clean-up time.Although solutions may sometimes be simple, we often find it difficult to generate them. We envy those who do.
toys in each box. At the beginning of the day, the children selected a box and played with the toys in it. Every fifteen minutes, she made a game of putting the toys back in the box and selecting a new one. By simply putting fewer toys in small, colorful boxes, Sally was able to keep the children occupied, keep the playroom neat, and eliminate her clean-up time.
Although solutions may sometimes be simple, we often find it difficult to generate them. We envy those who do.
How many times have you listened to someone else and thought, "I never thought of it that way", "How did they come up with that?" or "I wish I would have thought of that!". Those people who have the mental agility to think clearly and find creative solutions were not born that way, nor did they have special training. However, they do feed their brains with a variety of information and they exercise their brains by processing information in different ways. You, too, can develop the ability
to generate new ideas and solutions by understanding each element in the following formula:INFORMATION GATHERING + INFORMATION PROCESSING = NEW IDEAS AND SOLUTIONSInformation GatheringImagine that it is spring and you are preparing to create your summer
to generate new ideas and solutions by understanding each element in the following formula:
INFORMATION GATHERING
+
INFORMATION PROCESSING =
NEW IDEAS AND SOLUTIONS
Information Gathering
Imagine that it is spring and you are preparing to create your summer
garden. You enter a plant store and are stunned. Although there are many plants in the store, there are only three varieties of flowers, each in a single color. The limited variety of plants severely limits your ability to be creative in planning your garden.By contrast, a store with hundreds of different plants provides you with a wide palette that allows you to creatively design a glorious summer refuge in your back yard. Your brain
garden. You enter a plant store and are stunned. Although there are many plants in the store, there are only three varieties of flowers, each in a single color. The limited variety of plants severely limits your ability to be creative in planning your garden.
By contrast, a store with hundreds of different plants provides you with a wide palette that allows you to creatively design a glorious summer refuge in your back yard. Your brain
works the same way. The amount and variety of information you put into your brain determines how creative you can be in planning, problem solving, and generating new ideas.As professionals, we tend to limit our learning to our business and to traditional ways of learning. We sit in classrooms, read books, and listen to skilled colleagues. We limit our knowledge not just to our profession, but to our niche within that profession.
works the same way. The amount and variety of information you put into your brain determines how creative you can be in planning, problem solving, and generating new ideas.
As professionals, we tend to limit our learning to our business and to traditional ways of learning. We sit in classrooms, read books, and listen to skilled colleagues. We limit our knowledge not just to our profession, but to our niche within that profession.
To get our best results, we need to broaden our knowledge and experiences. We can do this by going beyond our niche and learning about our clients' businesses, about other departments in our company, about the history of costume, the evolution of baseball, the world of quantum theory, or the potential impact of changing global climate. Our choices are endless.By going beyond our immediate
To get our best results, we need to broaden our knowledge and experiences. We can do this by going beyond our niche and learning about our clients' businesses, about other departments in our company, about the history of costume, the evolution of baseball, the world of quantum theory, or the potential impact of changing global climate. Our choices are endless.
By going beyond our immediate
professional needs, we fortify our brains with new knowledge. We can enhance our mental powers by adding new experiences like visiting a museum, going canoeing, learning to dance, or building a bookshelf. The greater and more varied the information and experiences we put into our brain, the more information our brain can apply to finding solutions.Information ProcessingWhen applying the knowledge we have
professional needs, we fortify our brains with new knowledge. We can enhance our mental powers by adding new experiences like visiting a museum, going canoeing, learning to dance, or building a bookshelf. The greater and more varied the information and experiences we put into our brain, the more information our brain can apply to finding solutions.
Information Processing
When applying the knowledge we have
stored in our brains, we tend to use set models. We write lists, plan on calendars and charts, and organize information in files. We stuff our brains in a box.To break our mold, consider the innovative thinkers who reside in think tanks. The first thing you will notice is that they don't wear suits. Rather than an environment with arranged furniture and neat files, the room appears disheveled and is populated with toys
stored in our brains, we tend to use set models. We write lists, plan on calendars and charts, and organize information in files. We stuff our brains in a box.
To break our mold, consider the innovative thinkers who reside in think tanks. The first thing you will notice is that they don't wear suits. Rather than an environment with arranged furniture and neat files, the room appears disheveled and is populated with toys
and gadgets. They bounce ideas around, brainstorm, sketch, observe, explore, and play. By totally freeing themselves of structure and limitations, they free their brains to generate out-of-the-box ideas.I am not suggesting that you fill your office with toys and upend your files, but you can learn from observing how creative thinkers stimulate their minds. They take the walls down and train their minds to think in different ways.
and gadgets. They bounce ideas around, brainstorm, sketch, observe, explore, and play. By totally freeing themselves of structure and limitations, they free their brains to generate out-of-the-box ideas.
I am not suggesting that you fill your office with toys and upend your files, but you can learn from observing how creative thinkers stimulate their minds. They take the walls down and train their minds to think in different ways.
You, too, can teach your brain new tricks by doing things that require your brain to process information in different ways. For instance, before I start planning for a large project I put a puzzle together. Afterward, my observation is more acute and I become more aware of details. I am also more cognizant of connections and the interplay of pieces in my plan. By simply putting a puzzle together, my brain shifts to a different way of processing.
By building activities into your life that require you to think differently, you can expand the way your brain processes information. There are numerous ways you can do this. You can play games, do crossword puzzles, or take a creative writing course. You can learn to cook, do woodworking, paint, or play a musical instrument.By adding the element of observation to your routine, you can also learn new ways of thinking. For instance, when
By building activities into your life that require you to think differently, you can expand the way your brain processes information. There are numerous ways you can do this. You can play games, do crossword puzzles, or take a creative writing course. You can learn to cook, do woodworking, paint, or play a musical instrument.
By adding the element of observation to your routine, you can also learn new ways of thinking. For instance, when
taking a walk, become acutely aware of the details of what you see around you, or when shopping in a mall, take a few minutes to sit on a bench and observe how people behave and interact with each other.Like our body, our brain needs to be fed and exercised to be at its best. By feeding our mind with new and different information, and engaging in activities that require different ways of thinking, we can develop an agile,
taking a walk, become acutely aware of the details of what you see around you, or when shopping in a mall, take a few minutes to sit on a bench and observe how people behave and interact with each other.
Like our body, our brain needs to be fed and exercised to be at its best. By feeding our mind with new and different information, and engaging in activities that require different ways of thinking, we can develop an agile,
creative mind that can generate new ideas and solutions and move us along the most direct path to our goals.
Coaching isn’t about theory. Coaching is about assessing your business and developing strategies to meet your goals. Coaching is about developing plans, systems, accountabilities, and skills, like sales and marketing, that will quickly move your business forward.
author bio
Melinda Condray is Founder and CEO of Strategic Perceptions, a business coaching and consulting company. Condray has inspired many groups with her proven business wisdom, given in her signature animated style. Since 2000, she has coached and presented to hundreds of business owners and corporate professionals, which have included participants from Cisco Systems, Mercer, Merrill Lynch, Booz Allen & Hamilton, Maryland Judicial Information Systems, and the
National Association of Women Business Owners, Wachovia Bank, Baltimore-Washington Financial Advisors, Inc., and The Executive Women’s Network.Condray has been featured in the Baltimore Business Journal , The Business Monthly, The Jeffersonian, Diversity Inc. Magazine, and North County News. She has a BA in Psychology, graduate studies at Johns Hopkins University and Loyola College,
National Association of Women Business Owners, Wachovia Bank, Baltimore-Washington Financial Advisors, Inc., and The Executive Women’s Network.
Condray has been featured in the Baltimore Business Journal , The Business Monthly, The Jeffersonian, Diversity Inc. Magazine, and North County News. She has a BA in Psychology, graduate studies at Johns Hopkins University and Loyola College,
and graduation from CoachU. Condray lives in Maryland. Visit her website at: www.strategicperceptions.com.
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ISBN: 9780975440292 / 285pgs.
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