As a parent, the days with your child in the NICU can be long, exhausting, and monotonous. But the staff at Good Samaritan Hospital helped make Halloween special for NICU babies and their families.

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Attentive

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Preface*: I spent 3 days with MBA students from 2 of the top 10 universities in the world. Our interactions were within a school environment and comprised of academic and social activities. This includes almost 8 hours of lecture time, 5 hours in parties, and multiple formal and informal interactions over 3 days. Below is a summary of what I uncovered.* “I have my suit packed” I texted my friend half joking, half serious. I was going to be spending the next 3 days with a friend at one of the top 10 universities in the world, and I was going to be participating in an MBA class. I was excited to see my friend, but I didn’t know what to expect from the MBA class and his colleagues. You see, my friend and I have always been different in our approach to career growth. Although we both understood the value of hard work, I relied a lot on my hard skills while his approach placed a great deal of emphasis on soft skills. I always supported his decision to pursue an MBA, but I never understood why he wanted to be a “suit”. To understand my thought process, you have to understand that I started my career initially as a freelance software engineer almost 13 years ago. You know, when tech was about being ‘hardcore.’ My first full-time job was at an organization that treated business team members & MBAs better than members of the tech team. It always felt like a situation of ‘us versus them.’ It was common for members of the tech team to do an online MBA and make the switch to the business team just for the chance at better pay & recognition. The movies and podcasts I consumed also backed this up. MBAs (typically called “suits”) were often portrayed as trust fund know-it-alls who were far removed from the realities of everyday people, didn’t understand how things worked, and somehow felt superior to others. I unconsciously carried this around with me. First Impression My first day was fairly quiet. I spent part of it walking around the campus and understanding where the key areas were. I had started meeting some people from the MBA program, and the first thing I noticed was how ethnically diverse they were. They were also quite friendly and happy to strike up a conversation with a stranger. I got some food, watched a movie, and had an early night in preparation for the class tomorrow. Observations in an Academic Setting The next day, I was sitting in a Negotiation class from 9 am to 4:45 pm. The class included a lecture, a case study based on a variation of real events, a debrief session, and a take-home assignment. People were assigned different roles in the case study. They were given clear but conflicting deliverables that they needed to get out of the negotiation in order for their character to be successful. I sat quietly in the corner, observing; not sure what to expect. The negotiations kicked off and it all felt so real! Everyone embodied their character and was determined to get what they wanted. There was also something different about it. This didn’t feel like a gathering of people who didn’t know how the real world worked. It felt like quite the opposite. I saw people use elite tactics including teamwork and betrayal to get what they wanted from the deal. After negotiating intensely for hours, the group I was part of finally came to a conclusion that was suitable for all parties. When the class was over, I had a chat with a few of the students to understand their motivation to get an MBA and how the journey had been so far. They candidly shared their motivations, which I have summarized in the end notes of this post. Observation in Socials I kicked off socials at a barbecue party with about 50 MBA students moving in and out. As I moved around and got introduced to various groups, our conversations ranged from who made the best soup to Man Utd’s performance this season. It was not what I expected. To be honest, the conversations were a lot more down-to-earth than conversations I’ve had at tech/start-up social events. Nobody was trying to portray themselves as a ‘genius’ or the person who is changing the world. Even though a lot of the people there had done great things before they joined the program. The next stop was a party at one of the popular spots on campus. I was attending with a smaller group as most people were tired from the barbecue or had work to do. We had pre-drinks in one of the dorms and headed out for the night. This time, I spent more time observing the group than actually participating. I could see clearly that they had started building strong friendships that would last a lifetime. Bonding over shared suffering, happiness, and shared destinations. Perhaps this is why it could sometimes seem to outsiders like there’s some sort of ‘clique’. They were spending all this time together and were starting to build friendships that they would gladly defend if necessary. Conclusion/End Notes I woke up on the final day tired but filled with a feeling that I couldn’t quite explain. That was when I noticed it for the first time in 3 days. It was a sticker on the only window in the dormitory that I was in. “Build something Massive.” was boldly written across it. It summarized my thoughts about the MBA program and the students I had met. The program was a chance for ambitious people to learn and to build their lives and careers into something massive, and most of them sacrificed a lot for this opportunity. Over 90% of them are immigrants.
A lot of them are on scholarships that they had to fight for, while some took loans to attend the program.
A lot of them are anxious and working hard to find internships/jobs months before they graduate because they feel the need to start providing value that can offset the cost of their program.
Some of them left their families and cushy jobs/businesses to move into student accommodation for this program. I believe that the summary of these factors is why some of them seem to have a chip on their shoulders when they graduate. They believe that they have sacrificed a lot and deserve to be where they are. If it was you, you may feel the same way too. It’s humbling for me to write this as it exposes my past ignorance. But it’s important to put this out because there are many people who may be even more ignorant. So what did I really uncover about these MBAs? I learned that They’re parents. They’re lovers. They’re dreamers. They reflect everything that’s great about the world and everything that is wrong about it too. (Just like the rest of us.) The world has promised them in this unwritten contract that if they do [x] (i.e., get a prestigious MBA), then doors will open for them. That their hard work and sacrifice would be rewarded. For a lot of them, the MBA is their path to a better life, recognition for their hard work, and a better future. During my time there, I felt very welcome in every circle, though I was meeting a lot of them for the first time. In fact, I may have annoyed some people anytime I was visibly shocked by something they did that went against the stereotype of an MBA. Would I get an MBA? I don’t know yet. But I have even more respect and appreciation for everyone who has gotten an MBA and everyone who plans to get one. You don’t know me, but I’m proud of you. I want to thank Professor Owen for letting me sit in on the class. I enjoyed your approach to teaching the subject, and I appreciate how attentive you were to everyone. I learned a lot about negotiating and about people. Preface *: I spent 3 days with MBA students from 2 of the top 10 universities in the world. Our interactions were within a school environment and comprised of academic and social activities. This includes almost 8 hours of lecture time, 5 hours in parties, and multiple formal and informal interactions over 3 days. Below is a summary of what I uncovered.* Preface Preface “I have my suit packed” I texted my friend half joking, half serious. I was going to be spending the next 3 days with a friend at one of the top 10 universities in the world, and I was going to be participating in an MBA class. I was excited to see my friend, but I didn’t know what to expect from the MBA class and his colleagues. You see, my friend and I have always been different in our approach to career growth. Although we both understood the value of hard work, I relied a lot on my hard skills while his approach placed a great deal of emphasis on soft skills. I always supported his decision to pursue an MBA, but I never understood why he wanted to be a “suit”. To understand my thought process, you have to understand that I started my career initially as a freelance software engineer almost 13 years ago. You know, when tech was about being ‘hardcore.’ My first full-time job was at an organization that treated business team members & MBAs better than members of the tech team. It always felt like a situation of ‘ us versus them. ’ us versus them. It was common for members of the tech team to do an online MBA and make the switch to the business team just for the chance at better pay & recognition. The movies and podcasts I consumed also backed this up. MBAs (typically called “suits”) were often portrayed as trust fund know-it-alls who were far removed from the realities of everyday people, didn’t understand how things worked, and somehow felt superior to others. I unconsciously carried this around with me. First Impression First Impression My first day was fairly quiet. I spent part of it walking around the campus and understanding where the key areas were. I had started meeting some people from the MBA program, and the first thing I noticed was how ethnically diverse they were. They were also quite friendly and happy to strike up a conversation with a stranger. I got some food, watched a movie, and had an early night in preparation for the class tomorrow. Observations in an Academic Setting Observations in an Academic Setting The next day, I was sitting in a Negotiation class from 9 am to 4:45 pm. The class included a lecture, a case study based on a variation of real events , a debrief session, and a take-home assignment. real events People were assigned different roles in the case study. They were given clear but conflicting deliverables that they needed to get out of the negotiation in order for their character to be successful. I sat quietly in the corner, observing; not sure what to expect. The negotiations kicked off and it all felt so real! Everyone embodied their character and was determined to get what they wanted. There was also something different about it. This didn’t feel like a gathering of people who didn’t know how the real world worked. It felt like quite the opposite. I saw people use elite tactics including teamwork and betrayal to get what they wanted from the deal. After negotiating intensely for hours, the group I was part of finally came to a conclusion that was suitable for all parties. When the class was over, I had a chat with a few of the students to understand their motivation to get an MBA and how the journey had been so far. They candidly shared their motivations, which I have summarized in the end notes of this post. Observation in Socials Observation in Socials I kicked off socials at a barbecue party with about 50 MBA students moving in and out. As I moved around and got introduced to various groups, our conversations ranged from who made the best soup to Man Utd’s performance this season. It was not what I expected. To be honest, the conversations were a lot more down-to-earth than conversations I’ve had at tech/start-up social events. Nobody was trying to portray themselves as a ‘genius’ or the person who is changing the world. Even though a lot of the people there had done great things before they joined the program. The next stop was a party at one of the popular spots on campus. I was attending with a smaller group as most people were tired from the barbecue or had work to do. We had pre-drinks in one of the dorms and headed out for the night. This time, I spent more time observing the group than actually participating. I could see clearly that they had started building strong friendships that would last a lifetime. Bonding over shared suffering, happiness, and shared destinations. Perhaps this is why it could sometimes seem to outsiders like there’s some sort of ‘clique’. They were spending all this time together and were starting to build friendships that they would gladly defend if necessary. Conclusion/End Notes Conclusion/End Notes I woke up on the final day tired but filled with a feeling that I couldn’t quite explain. That was when I noticed it for the first time in 3 days. It was a sticker on the only window in the dormitory that I was in. “ Build something Massive. ” was boldly written across it. Build something Massive. It summarized my thoughts about the MBA program and the students I had met. The program was a chance for ambitious people to learn and to build their lives and careers into something massive, and most of them sacrificed a lot for this opportunity. Over 90% of them are immigrants. A lot of them are on scholarships that they had to fight for, while some took loans to attend the program. A lot of them are anxious and working hard to find internships/jobs months before they graduate because they feel the need to start providing value that can offset the cost of their program. Some of them left their families and cushy jobs/businesses to move into student accommodation for this program. Over 90% of them are immigrants. A lot of them are on scholarships that they had to fight for, while some took loans to attend the program. A lot of them are anxious and working hard to find internships/jobs months before they graduate because they feel the need to start providing value that can offset the cost of their program. Some of them left their families and cushy jobs/businesses to move into student accommodation for this program. I believe that the summary of these factors is why some of them seem to have a chip on their shoulders when they graduate. They believe that they have sacrificed a lot and deserve to be where they are. If it was you, you may feel the same way too. It’s humbling for me to write this as it exposes my past ignorance. But it’s important to put this out because there are many people who may be even more ignorant. So what did I really uncover about these MBAs? I learned that They’re parents. They’re lovers. They’re dreamers. They reflect everything that’s great about the world and everything that is wrong about it too. (Just like the rest of us.) The world has promised them in this unwritten contract that if they do [x ] (i.e., get a prestigious MBA), then doors will open for them. That their hard work and sacrifice would be rewarded. [x For a lot of them, the MBA is their path to a better life, recognition for their hard work, and a better future. During my time there, I felt very welcome in every circle, though I was meeting a lot of them for the first time. In fact, I may have annoyed some people anytime I was visibly shocked by something they did that went against the stereotype of an MBA. Would I get an MBA? I don’t know yet. But I have even more respect and appreciation for everyone who has gotten an MBA and everyone who plans to get one. You don’t know me, but I’m proud of you . You don’t know me, but I’m proud of you I want to thank Professor Owen for letting me sit in on the class. I enjoyed your approach to teaching the subject, and I appreciate how attentive you were to everyone. I learned a lot about negotiating and about people.

The Uncovered Secret Lives of MBAs From a Tech Person's Perspective

The Algorithm for Inserting Sequences into Sequences

In the first part of the article, we discussed why reviewing is important, how to review your own and someone else’s creations, and how to make the reviewing practice work for you. In this part, we will take a look at how to review your or other colleagues’ work and how to use the results. How to Review the Document? There are two options: you are a reviewer, or you provide the document for review. If you provide a document for a review: ask the right person according to the existing process. Provide the reviewer with the following information: The deadline.
The document they need to check.
What should they pay more attention to?
Make sure that they do not review things out of their scope (software developers should not review text style), but be grateful if they did and double-checked the highlighted points. Wait for the results of the review. If you are the reviewer, there are two options: You review your document. The main problem in this case is that you get used to the document when writing it. Even if you are very attentive, you can miss an error. It is very easy to miss poorly formulated sentences, grammatical mistakes, or complicated phrases. I highly recommend switching your attention to another task or going for a short walk; let your brain switch to other things. This will refresh your attention to details. A gym session, a cup of tea, or a small talk could work as well. Record the results.


You review someone else’s document. In this case, understand the purpose of the document and read it, paying attention to details. You can read it several times, looking for different types of errors each time. Highlight the errors. Also, take note, of how easy it was to understand the document, for instructions – how easy it was to follow, were you able to achieve the result, did you have any questions, did you have any errors not described in the document. Does the text in general help to achieve the goal and how does it make it simpler and easier to read? Record the results. How to Use the Results You can use the results to improve the text, but in general, they are very beneficial for the technical writer: Technical review improves your understanding of the technology you work on. If you understand it well, you will make less mistakes in future tasks. Also, you will know what details you require to write a great document before starting to write.


You will know which tools may help to automate your work.


You will improve your mentoring skills (if you review another technical writer’s work) or your writing skills and attention to errors.


You will improve processes involved in developing documentation. In general, you will progress as a technical writer and help other people to improve their skills. Mistakes Pay attention to the following popular mistakes: You follow all commentaries. Don’t rely completely on other people’s opinions, unless they are professionals in this particular field. Sometimes, software developers tend to look for grammar mistakes instead of checking the technical accuracy. You don’t use the tools to help you with your tasks. Use modern tools to check the grammar, style, outlook, and so on, but don’t rely on them completely – AI tools can generate hallucinations. You proceed to review your own documents straight after writing them. This will blur your attention and you may miss the mistakes. You don’t ask for another opinion if you are confused. Involve more people if you don’t feel confident. You don’t examine highlighted problems. Sometimes the repetitive or typical problems may give a hint on what to improve. Remember, mistakes are the points of growth, you will get better and help others. Summary Reviewing is a very important step in a document’s lifecycle.
Reviewing makes your document a source of truth.
The technical review by a relevant professional is mandatory.
Reviewing documents improves the skills of the technical writers. In the first part of the article, we discussed why reviewing is important, how to review your own and someone else’s creations, and how to make the reviewing practice work for you. In this part, we will take a look at how to review your or other colleagues’ work and how to use the results. How to Review the Document? There are two options: you are a reviewer, or you provide the document for review. If you provide a document for a review: ask the right person according to the existing process. Provide the reviewer with the following information: provide The deadline. The document they need to check. What should they pay more attention to? Make sure that they do not review things out of their scope (software developers should not review text style), but be grateful if they did and double-checked the highlighted points. The deadline. The document they need to check. What should they pay more attention to? Make sure that they do not review things out of their scope (software developers should not review text style), but be grateful if they did and double-checked the highlighted points. Wait for the results of the review. If you are the reviewer , there are two options: reviewer You review your document. The main problem in this case is that you get used to the document when writing it. Even if you are very attentive, you can miss an error. It is very easy to miss poorly formulated sentences, grammatical mistakes, or complicated phrases. I highly recommend switching your attention to another task or going for a short walk; let your brain switch to other things. This will refresh your attention to details. A gym session, a cup of tea, or a small talk could work as well. Record the results. You review someone else’s document. In this case, understand the purpose of the document and read it, paying attention to details. You can read it several times, looking for different types of errors each time. Highlight the errors. Also, take note, of how easy it was to understand the document, for instructions – how easy it was to follow, were you able to achieve the result, did you have any questions, did you have any errors not described in the document. Does the text in general help to achieve the goal and how does it make it simpler and easier to read? Record the results. You review your document. The main problem in this case is that you get used to the document when writing it. Even if you are very attentive, you can miss an error. It is very easy to miss poorly formulated sentences, grammatical mistakes, or complicated phrases. I highly recommend switching your attention to another task or going for a short walk; let your brain switch to other things. This will refresh your attention to details. A gym session, a cup of tea, or a small talk could work as well. Record the results. You review your document. The main problem in this case is that you get used to the document when writing it. Even if you are very attentive, you can miss an error. It is very easy to miss poorly formulated sentences, grammatical mistakes, or complicated phrases. I highly recommend switching your attention to another task or going for a short walk; let your brain switch to other things. This will refresh your attention to details. A gym session, a cup of tea, or a small talk could work as well. Record the results. You review someone else’s document. In this case, understand the purpose of the document and read it, paying attention to details. You can read it several times, looking for different types of errors each time. Highlight the errors. Also, take note, of how easy it was to understand the document, for instructions – how easy it was to follow, were you able to achieve the result, did you have any questions, did you have any errors not described in the document. Does the text in general help to achieve the goal and how does it make it simpler and easier to read? Record the results. You review someone else’s document. In this case, understand the purpose of the document and read it, paying attention to details. You can read it several times, looking for different types of errors each time. Highlight the errors. Also, take note, of how easy it was to understand the document, for instructions – how easy it was to follow, were you able to achieve the result, did you have any questions, did you have any errors not described in the document. Does the text in general help to achieve the goal and how does it make it simpler and easier to read? Record the results. How to Use the Results You can use the results to improve the text, but in general, they are very beneficial for the technical writer: Technical review improves your understanding of the technology you work on. If you understand it well, you will make less mistakes in future tasks. Also, you will know what details you require to write a great document before starting to write. You will know which tools may help to automate your work. You will improve your mentoring skills (if you review another technical writer’s work) or your writing skills and attention to errors. You will improve processes involved in developing documentation. Technical review improves your understanding of the technology you work on. If you understand it well, you will make less mistakes in future tasks. Also, you will know what details you require to write a great document before starting to write. Technical review improves your understanding of the technology you work on. If you understand it well, you will make less mistakes in future tasks. Also, you will know what details you require to write a great document before starting to write. You will know which tools may help to automate your work. You will know which tools may help to automate your work. You will improve your mentoring skills (if you review another technical writer’s work) or your writing skills and attention to errors. You will improve your mentoring skills (if you review another technical writer’s work) or your writing skills and attention to errors. You will improve processes involved in developing documentation. You will improve processes involved in developing documentation. In general, you will progress as a technical writer and help other people to improve their skills. Mistakes Pay attention to the following popular mistakes: You follow all commentaries. Don’t rely completely on other people’s opinions, unless they are professionals in this particular field. Sometimes, software developers tend to look for grammar mistakes instead of checking the technical accuracy. You follow all commentaries. Don’t rely completely on other people’s opinions, unless they are professionals in this particular field. Sometimes, software developers tend to look for grammar mistakes instead of checking the technical accuracy. You don’t use the tools to help you with your tasks. Use modern tools to check the grammar, style, outlook, and so on, but don’t rely on them completely – AI tools can generate hallucinations. You don’t use the tools to help you with your tasks. Use modern tools to check the grammar, style, outlook, and so on, but don’t rely on them completely – AI tools can generate hallucinations. You proceed to review your own documents straight after writing them. This will blur your attention and you may miss the mistakes. You proceed to review your own documents straight after writing them. This will blur your attention and you may miss the mistakes. You don’t ask for another opinion if you are confused. Involve more people if you don’t feel confident. You don’t ask for another opinion if you are confused. Involve more people if you don’t feel confident. You don’t examine highlighted problems. Sometimes the repetitive or typical problems may give a hint on what to improve. You don’t examine highlighted problems. Sometimes the repetitive or typical problems may give a hint on what to improve. Remember, mistakes are the points of growth, you will get better and help others. Summary Reviewing is a very important step in a document’s lifecycle. Reviewing makes your document a source of truth. The technical review by a relevant professional is mandatory. Reviewing documents improves the skills of the technical writers. Reviewing is a very important step in a document’s lifecycle. Reviewing makes your document a source of truth. The technical review by a relevant professional is mandatory. Reviewing documents improves the skills of the technical writers.

Reviewing Documents Part 2: How to Review and What to Do With the Results

The Truth About Respect You don't want fame, you want respect. What you want isn't respect from others. It's self-respect. You crave respect from others because you don’t truly respect yourself. It’s hard to respect yourself when you know the truth about your actions—you know you’ve lied to yourself. You said you’d do things and didn’t. You promised yourself you’d get it done, but instead, you slept. You told yourself you'd change, but you didn’t. So, your own self doesn’t respect you for this. The Illusion of External Respect You don’t want respect from everyone. You want respect from the people you respect. Because if they respect you, it feels like proof that you can respect yourself. But it’s an illusion. You can only gain genuine confidence and respect by being consistent with yourself. No one else can give that to you. The Nature of Confidence Confidence doesn’t come from shouting affirmations at the mirror. If you were truly confident, you wouldn’t need to tell yourself—you’d have evidence of your confidence stacked up like trophies. You’re not confident because you don’t trust yourself. And you don’t trust yourself because you’re not consistent. Confidence is built on trust. The more certain you are that you’ll follow through, the more confidence you’ll have. Truth is something that, once you see it, you can’t unsee. Confidence is the amount of certainty you have that something won’t change—and that starts with your own behavior. The Power of Consistency Consistency is repeating a behavior frequently enough to create trust—first with yourself, and then with others. The more consistent you are, the more trustworthy you become, both in your eyes and in the eyes of others. Build enough undeniable proof that you follow through, and you’ll begin to trust yourself. Do what you say you’ll do. Don’t rely on external validation for your confidence and respect. The Role of Others Others can provide useful, unbiased feedback, but they can’t tell you the whole truth because they don’t know your internal state. External feedback is just a supplement to your internal knowledge. In the end, only you know whether you’ve truly done your best. Self-respect and confidence come from knowing you’ve done everything you could, not from what others think. The Paradox of Consistency You’re not consistent because you assume life is stable and unchanging. But in reality, the only thing that’s consistent is change. You procrastinate because you trust that you’ll be able to do it tomorrow. But that trust is misplaced—you won’t be the same person tomorrow. That’s why you sometimes hate yourself or wish you knew what you’ve learned now five years ago. The Public Toilet Method Your life is a relay race of consciousness. The version of you today is responsible only for today. Tomorrow, a different version takes over. Think of a public toilet. If you slack off today and leave a mess, tomorrow’s version of you will likely do the same, because it’s harder to clean up someone else’s mess. The cycle continues, getting worse over time. Are you going to have fun now and screw over your future self, or make things easier for the next version of you? Love is how much you’re willing to sacrifice to maintain a relationship. To truly love yourself, you must be willing to sacrifice short-term pleasure today, so that tomorrow’s version of you has a cleaner start. The more you slack off, the harder it gets for the future you. If You Don’t Do It Now, You Never Will Power is the distance between your thoughts and reality. If you want to be powerful, close the gap between thinking about something and actually doing it. The current version of you is the only one that wants to do it. The next version of you might not—that’s why you’ve quit habits or abandoned goals in the past. Fortunately, you can control the next version of yourself. Just like your body turns pizza and spaghetti into teeth and eyeballs, what you do with what you eat determines what your body becomes. Likewise, what you read and do with the information you consume shapes your mind. If you’re not obsessing over the actions that shape your future, you’re not truly committed to becoming who you want to be. You can live your life how you want—I’m just here to tell you the consequences of the actions you take. If you don’t do the work today, you lose control of who you become tomorrow. Discipline Discipline comes from clarity, not force. You’re not disciplined because the "perceived" pain of not achieving your goals isn’t as strong as the "perceived" pleasure you get from distractions. To be disciplined, fix your perception of pain and pleasure. Write down your reasons to stay focused and revisit them frequently so they stay top of mind. You need reminders more than you need new information. Each time you give in to distractions, the harder it becomes to stop. Write that down as one of your reasons to quit. The intensity of your reasons to stay focused must outweigh the pleasure of distractions at any given moment. You didn't do the next push up because the reasons to continue have faded. The Actual Purpose of a Goal Everyone tells you to set goals, but no one tells you why. Let’s clear up some misconceptions: 1. A goal isn’t "where you want to be in 5 years." That’s just fantasy. 2. A goal is what a better life looks like. 3. You don’t rise to your goals, you fall to your systems. 4. The more you tell people about your goals, the less likely you are to achieve them because talking about them releases dopamine in your brain, like you’ve already succeeded. 5. Goals are infinite, but your time and energy are finite. Be slow to set goals, quick to work on them. 6. You need only one big goal. A collection of small goals is not "one big goal". If it fills 2 pages, it’s too small. A big goal fits a sentence. 7. You’ll never achieve most of your small goals that are long term, because on your way to achieving them, the future you will change them. 8. If you have more than one main goal, you haven't found a big goal. 9. The ONLY purpose of a goal is to make your brain more attentive to things that help you survive or improve the quality of your life. The way you notice a restaurant that's always been there, just because you're hungry. That's ALL it's good for. Any other reasons are illusions. Practical Conclusion Ultimately, self-respect isn’t something you get from others. It’s something you build by living in alignment with your values and keeping promises to yourself. The first step is to break your goals into simple, daily tasks. Think of each task as a “level” in a game. The more levels you complete, the closer you get to mastery. For example, if your goal is to build an app, break it down into simple, achievable tasks. Each task brings you closer to the final product, and you make progress daily. The Role of Pain and Pleasure in Discipline When you procrastinate, it’s because the short-term pleasure of distraction outweighs the long-term pain of not achieving your goals. Reverse this dynamic by making distractions immediately painful. For example, every time you snooze your alarm, pay a friend a significant amount of money. This brings the pain of procrastination into the present. You can also make completing tasks easier by setting up your environment for success. Move your alarm across the room so you have to get up. Lay out your workout clothes the night before. Reduce the friction between you and your goals. Increase the friction between you and distractions. And don’t forget rewards. After hitting milestones, give yourself small rewards to tie pleasure to progress. But make sure the reward enhances your journey, not derails it. Turning Life Into an Irresistible Game You can make consistency easier by treating your life like a game. Which means to create the best game mechanics (aka systems). Everyone running alongside Usain bolt have the same goal (to finish first), but they don't win because they don't have the best systems. I’ll help you with creating your own systems on Level Up. You'll: Access powerful tools. Get exclusive content. Receive one-on-one support. Build lasting habits and achieve your goals. Schedule a 1-on-1 with me here: https://forms.gle/GEWLSKeEQczKokru6 The Truth About Respect The Truth About Respect You don't want fame, you want respect. What you want isn't respect from others. It's self-respect. You crave respect from others because you don’t truly respect yourself. It’s hard to respect yourself when you know the truth about your actions—you know you’ve lied to yourself. You said you’d do things and didn’t. You promised yourself you’d get it done, but instead, you slept. You told yourself you'd change, but you didn’t. So, your own self doesn’t respect you for this. The Illusion of External Respect The Illusion of External Respect You don’t want respect from everyone. You want respect from the people you respect. Because if they respect you, it feels like proof that you can respect yourself. But it’s an illusion. You can only gain genuine confidence and respect by being consistent with yourself. No one else can give that to you. The Nature of Confidence The Nature of Confidence Confidence doesn’t come from shouting affirmations at the mirror. If you were truly confident, you wouldn’t need to tell yourself—you’d have evidence of your confidence stacked up like trophies. You’re not confident because you don’t trust yourself. And you don’t trust yourself because you’re not consistent. Confidence is built on trust. The more certain you are that you’ll follow through, the more confidence you’ll have. Truth is something that, once you see it, you can’t unsee. Confidence is the amount of certainty you have that something won’t change—and that starts with your own behavior. The Power of Consistency The Power of Consistency Consistency is repeating a behavior frequently enough to create trust—first with yourself, and then with others. The more consistent you are, the more trustworthy you become, both in your eyes and in the eyes of others. Build enough undeniable proof that you follow through, and you’ll begin to trust yourself. Do what you say you’ll do. Don’t rely on external validation for your confidence and respect. The Role of Others The Role of Others Others can provide useful, unbiased feedback, but they can’t tell you the whole truth because they don’t know your internal state. External feedback is just a supplement to your internal knowledge. In the end, only you know whether you’ve truly done your best. Self-respect and confidence come from knowing you’ve done everything you could, not from what others think. The Paradox of Consistency The Paradox of Consistency You’re not consistent because you assume life is stable and unchanging. But in reality, the only thing that’s consistent is change. You procrastinate because you trust that you’ll be able to do it tomorrow. But that trust is misplaced—you won’t be the same person tomorrow. That’s why you sometimes hate yourself or wish you knew what you’ve learned now five years ago. The Public Toilet Method The Public Toilet Method Your life is a relay race of consciousness. The version of you today is responsible only for today. Tomorrow, a different version takes over. Think of a public toilet. If you slack off today and leave a mess, tomorrow’s version of you will likely do the same, because it’s harder to clean up someone else’s mess. The cycle continues, getting worse over time. Are you going to have fun now and screw over your future self, or make things easier for the next version of you? Love is how much you’re willing to sacrifice to maintain a relationship. To truly love yourself, you must be willing to sacrifice short-term pleasure today, so that tomorrow’s version of you has a cleaner start. The more you slack off, the harder it gets for the future you. If You Don’t Do It Now, You Never Will If You Don’t Do It Now, You Never Will Power is the distance between your thoughts and reality. If you want to be powerful, close the gap between thinking about something and actually doing it. The current version of you is the only one that wants to do it. The next version of you might not—that’s why you’ve quit habits or abandoned goals in the past. Fortunately, you can control the next version of yourself. Just like your body turns pizza and spaghetti into teeth and eyeballs, what you do with what you eat determines what your body becomes. Likewise, what you read and do with the information you consume shapes your mind. If you’re not obsessing over the actions that shape your future, you’re not truly committed to becoming who you want to be. You can live your life how you want—I’m just here to tell you the consequences of the actions you take. If you don’t do the work today, you lose control of who you become tomorrow. Discipline Discipline Discipline comes from clarity, not force. You’re not disciplined because the "perceived" pain of not achieving your goals isn’t as strong as the "perceived" pleasure you get from distractions. To be disciplined, fix your perception of pain and pleasure. Write down your reasons to stay focused and revisit them frequently so they stay top of mind. You need reminders more than you need new information. Each time you give in to distractions, the harder it becomes to stop. Write that down as one of your reasons to quit. The intensity of your reasons to stay focused must outweigh the pleasure of distractions at any given moment. You didn't do the next push up because the reasons to continue have faded. The Actual Purpose of a Goal The Actual Purpose of a Goal Everyone tells you to set goals, but no one tells you why. Let’s clear up some misconceptions: 1. A goal isn’t "where you want to be in 5 years." That’s just fantasy. 2. A goal is what a better life looks like. 3. You don’t rise to your goals, you fall to your systems. 4. The more you tell people about your goals, the less likely you are to achieve them because talking about them releases dopamine in your brain, like you’ve already succeeded. 5. Goals are infinite, but your time and energy are finite. Be slow to set goals, quick to work on them. 6. You need only one big goal. A collection of small goals is not "one big goal". If it fills 2 pages, it’s too small. A big goal fits a sentence. 7. You’ll never achieve most of your small goals that are long term, because on your way to achieving them, the future you will change them. 8. If you have more than one main goal, you haven't found a big goal. 9. The ONLY purpose of a goal is to make your brain more attentive to things that help you survive or improve the quality of your life. The way you notice a restaurant that's always been there, just because you're hungry. That's ALL it's good for. Any other reasons are illusions. Practical Conclusion Practical Conclusion Ultimately, self-respect isn’t something you get from others. It’s something you build by living in alignment with your values and keeping promises to yourself. The first step is to break your goals into simple, daily tasks. Think of each task as a “level” in a game. The more levels you complete, the closer you get to mastery. For example, if your goal is to build an app, break it down into simple, achievable tasks. Each task brings you closer to the final product, and you make progress daily. The Role of Pain and Pleasure in Discipline The Role of Pain and Pleasure in Discipline When you procrastinate, it’s because the short-term pleasure of distraction outweighs the long-term pain of not achieving your goals. Reverse this dynamic by making distractions immediately painful. For example, every time you snooze your alarm, pay a friend a significant amount of money. This brings the pain of procrastination into the present. You can also make completing tasks easier by setting up your environment for success. Move your alarm across the room so you have to get up. Lay out your workout clothes the night before. Reduce the friction between you and your goals. Increase the friction between you and distractions. And don’t forget rewards. After hitting milestones, give yourself small rewards to tie pleasure to progress. But make sure the reward enhances your journey, not derails it. Turning Life Into an Irresistible Game Turning Life Into an Irresistible Game You can make consistency easier by treating your life like a game. Which means to create the best game mechanics (aka systems). Everyone running alongside Usain bolt have the same goal (to finish first), but they don't win because they don't have the best systems. I’ll help you with creating your own systems on Level Up . You'll: Level Up Access powerful tools. Get exclusive content. Receive one-on-one support. Build lasting habits and achieve your goals. Schedule a 1-on-1 with me here: https://forms.gle/GEWLSKeEQczKokru6

Why You're Not Consistent: the Equation for Consistency, Confidence, Discipline, Self Respect

Yes, bad mental health days happen even for hackers. I had one last week. And I'll tell you how I turned it around in about 45 minutes. I had been stressed about more than a few things. To name a few... Business has not been great lately.
I hadn't slept great the night before (it happens, even to sleep hackers sometimes).
There are some exciting but intimidating pivots I'm in the midst of making with my business (which involves a lot of work and learning some new things).
And the looming threat of nuclear war (in the part of the world where my little family lives!) Then, my wife made a perfectly understandable, concerned comment while rushing out the door to attend to matters in Sofia, which set me off. So, I dove into work with ferocious intensity. But I was less productive than I wanted to be. My MacBook was dragging a bit (it needed an optimization which it received), a Brazilian guy messaged me who was excited to read my book for men but my e-commerce store was broken because of a really annoying issue with my new hosting company (so I sent him the book for free - and the store is now fixed, by the way), and some new AI toolsI'm experimenting with were frustratingly not delivering the creative vision I had in my head.When my wife came home a few hours later, it was time to deal with one of my least favorite things in the world: customs paperwork for importing supplements. Getting a package of Biohacking goodness in the EU is often like negotiating with a very litigious demon for the release of your soul from purgatory! My wife is great; she handles most of the unpleasant mess of paperwork this entails, but she had a lot of questions to ask me about the package, interrupting what I was trying to do. Standing in front of my laptop (facing way too many open browser tabs), seething at the world, I realized I was about to blow up at my wife and her small barky dog (my little frenemy here in our abode). I had promised her and myself earlier this year that I'd handle my anger better and that blow-up episodes were behind me, along with explaining to her that sometimes, I needed her to stop talking and give me space. So that's what I did, and it was really time to close my laptop. I sat down in the chair where I meditate, slipped on my headphones, put a calming Brain.FM binaural beat on in my headphones, and I just breathed. Slow in the through the nose filling my belly, slow out the mouth. After 10-15 minutes, I returned to my senses. It was time for a little positive self-talk, so I reviewed the last few days; they had been stressful, but actually, I got a lot of important things done, almost all the important things. All things considered, I was doing pretty well as a husband and entrepreneur this week. And there was a lot of reason for optimism about this year (except for the nuclear war concern, which is a good thing I got a stash of "Nuke Pills" - Potassium Iodide). So, I borrowed a bit from Dr. Joe Dispenza's transformative meditation and began future-casting gratitude. In faith, I raised my hands and quietly praised my Creator (in advance) for the beautiful life waiting for me, where my efforts would come to fruition. After about 30 minutes of that, I was back to cool cat Jonathan. Then, it was time to do a coaching call with one of my favorite clients. The client was also struggling with life a bit; I listened attentively, and I think I was able to provide some insight, inspiration, clarity, and out-of-the-box solutions. It ended up being a downright decent day. To summarize, what works when compounding stress and to-dos push you to the boiling point? Know when to get off the damn computer or your "smart" device.
Establish a rule with your loved ones or domestic partners - sometimes, you need silence and privacy.
Have a designated private space for relaxation - go there.
Binaural beats are a game-changer for mood - have some just a few clicks or swipes away at any given time.
Take 5-10 minutes just to breathe - I know it's boring, but it works!
Positive self-talk - praise yourself for what you've done right recently.
Then, future-cast gratitude - be thankful for the life you'll have. Hopefully, you can borrow from my tool kit when you inevitably find yourself on the verge of a blow-up, meltdown, or panic attack. Yes, bad mental health days happen even for hackers. I had one last week. And I'll tell you how I turned it around in about 45 minutes. I had been stressed about more than a few things. To name a few... Business has not been great lately. I hadn't slept great the night before (it happens, even to sleep hackers sometimes). There are some exciting but intimidating pivots I'm in the midst of making with my business (which involves a lot of work and learning some new things). And the looming threat of nuclear war (in the part of the world where my little family lives!) Business has not been great lately. I hadn't slept great the night before (it happens, even to sleep hackers sometimes). There are some exciting but intimidating pivots I'm in the midst of making with my business (which involves a lot of work and learning some new things). And the looming threat of nuclear war (in the part of the world where my little family lives!) Then, my wife made a perfectly understandable, concerned comment while rushing out the door to attend to matters in Sofia, which set me off. So, I dove into work with ferocious intensity. But I was less productive than I wanted to be. My MacBook was dragging a bit (it needed an optimization which it received), a Brazilian guy messaged me who was excited to read my book for men but my e-commerce store was broken because of a really annoying issue with my new hosting company (so I sent him the book for free - and the store is now fixed, by the way ), and some new AI tools I'm experimenting with were frustratingly not delivering the creative vision I had in my head. When my wife came home a few hours later, it was time to deal with one of my least favorite things in the world: customs paperwork for importing supplements. Getting a package of Biohacking goodness in the EU is often like negotiating with a very litigious demon for the release of your soul from purgatory! My wife is great; she handles most of the unpleasant mess of paperwork this entails, but she had a lot of questions to ask me about the package, interrupting what I was trying to do. by the way new AI tools Standing in front of my laptop (facing way too many open browser tabs), seething at the world, I realized I was about to blow up at my wife and her small barky dog ( my little frenemy here in our abode). I had promised her and myself earlier this year that I'd handle my anger better and that blow-up episodes were behind me, along with explaining to her that sometimes, I needed her to stop talking and give me space. So that's what I did, and it was really time to close my laptop. barky my little frenemy I sat down in the chair where I meditate, slipped on my headphones, put a calming Brain.FM binaural beat on in my headphones, and I just breathed. Slow in the through the nose filling my belly, slow out the mouth. After 10-15 minutes, I returned to my senses. It was time for a little positive self-talk, so I reviewed the last few days; they had been stressful, but actually, I got a lot of important things done, almost all the important things. All things considered, I was doing pretty well as a husband and entrepreneur this week. And there was a lot of reason for optimism about this year (except for the nuclear war concern, which is a good thing I got a stash of "Nuke Pills" - Potassium Iodide). So, I borrowed a bit from Dr. Joe Dispenza's transformative meditation and began future-casting gratitude. In faith, I raised my hands and quietly praised my Creator (in advance) for the beautiful life waiting for me, where my efforts would come to fruition. After about 30 minutes of that, I was back to cool cat Jonathan. cool cat Then, it was time to do a coaching call with one of my favorite clients. The client was also struggling with life a bit; I listened attentively, and I think I was able to provide some insight, inspiration, clarity, and out-of-the-box solutions. It ended up being a downright decent day. To summarize, what works when compounding stress and to-dos push you to the boiling point? To summarize, what works when compounding stress and to-dos push you to the boiling point? Know when to get off the damn computer or your "smart" device. Establish a rule with your loved ones or domestic partners - sometimes, you need silence and privacy. Have a designated private space for relaxation - go there. Binaural beats are a game-changer for mood - have some just a few clicks or swipes away at any given time. Take 5-10 minutes just to breathe - I know it's boring, but it works! Positive self-talk - praise yourself for what you've done right recently. Then, future-cast gratitude - be thankful for the life you'll have. Know when to get off the damn computer or your "smart" device. Establish a rule with your loved ones or domestic partners - sometimes, you need silence and privacy. Have a designated private space for relaxation - go there. Binaural beats are a game-changer for mood - have some just a few clicks or swipes away at any given time. Take 5-10 minutes just to breathe - I know it's boring, but it works! Positive self-talk - praise yourself for what you've done right recently. Then, future-cast gratitude - be thankful for the life you'll have. Hopefully, you can borrow from my tool kit when you inevitably find yourself on the verge of a blow-up, meltdown, or panic attack.

7 Lifehacks for Beating Back a Bad "Mental Health Day"

Most of the time, while preparing for job interviews, most candidates try to demonstrate their technical abilities or hard skills. Hard skills are no doubt essential, but soft skills play an equally important role and can literally make or break an opportunity. Learning and working on soft skills will not only help in acing an interview but will also lay the foundation for long-term success in any career field. What Are Soft Skills? Soft skills, along with being referred to as interpersonal or people skills, are personal attributes and a set of behaviors that facilitate a person to relate and interact effectively and harmoniously with other people. These skills do not emanate from a particular job or profession; rather, they are universally useful in any workplace. Some of the basic examples of soft skills include the following: Communication: the ability to clearly convey information to others and listen attentively;
Teamwork: the capability to work in cooperation with others for some common objective.
Problem-solving: ability to spot issues, and arrive at resolutions that work.
Time management: distribute the use of time wisely according to priorities.
Adaptability: be ready to change or adapt to new situations and challenges.
Leadership: art of guiding and encouraging others to fulfill a goal. Why Are Soft Skills Important? Better collaboration: The modern workplace calls for collaboration on every level. Effective communication and team working skills are the doors to better collaboration, hence improved productivity, and enhanced atmosphere at the workplace.


Enhanced problem-solving: Employers are looking for candidates who can think creatively and seriously about problems at hand. With good problem-solving skills, you will take less time trying to sort the issues effectively.


Better Adaptability: The modern workplace is constantly in flux. Any employee who will be able to adapt to new technologies, processes, or roles is invaluable to any organization.


Increased Leadership Potential: To be a leader means not only managing people but also inspiring and motivating your team. Good leaders possess strong soft skills that help build trust and move their teams forward toward success. Soft Skills vs. Hard Skills While hard skills are discrete, teachable abilities or knowledge sets, relatively easy to measure like coding, data analysis, etc. Soft skills are more subjective and harder to quantify. Both types of skills are imperative, and it is often the soft skills that become differentiators. The reasons why this is so are expounded in the following points: Soft skills don't prove easy for one to undervalue or belittle over hard skills. Interpersonal Interaction: Even the most technically skilled individual will not perform so well in a role if he/she lacks the ability to communicate or collaborate with colleagues and clients. Adaptability to Change: That's the thing: hard skills can get outdated as technology and methodologies change. Soft skills, however, stay the same no matter what. Holistic Development: The employer seeks people who have depth and have not only the technical ability to get the job done but could also enhance company culture. Ease of Teaching: Hard skills are always easier to be taught by senior colleagues, whereas soft skills—like effective communication, teamwork, and adaptability—require more of a fundamental change in behavior and mindset; hence, they are extremely hard to inculcate in a work environment. Hence, people with already high quotient soft skills have a considerable edge over others. Developing Soft Skills Developing soft skills takes time and conscious effort. Some of the strategies to enhance your soft skills are enumerated below: Self-Assessment and Feedback: Begin by knowing one's weaknesses, and asking peers, mentors, and supervisors about the changes they would like them to develop. Self-assessment tools and personality tests prove quite helpful in this regard.


Active Listening: Listen actively by giving full attention to the speaker, asking questions for clarification, and summarizing their points to be certain that one has understood them.


Effective Communication: Verbal and non-verbal communication is important. It encapsulates clear articulation, good body language, and active engagement in conversations.


Conflict Resolution: Learn techniques of conflict resolution to handle disagreements or misunderstandings professionally.


Time Management: Tools and techniques for managing time will consist of to-do lists, calendars, and priority frameworks.


Continuous Learning: Participate in workshops, seminars, and courses to develop soft skills. Read books and articles on leadership, communication, and personal development.


Networking: Engage in networking activities to make relations and test one's interpersonal skills in different environments. Attend meetups, join conferences, and take part in other sector-specific events that will help you introduce yourself to colleagues. These contacts will assist not only in widening the circle of professional society but will also work towards developing communication and social skills. Conclusion Soft skills are very vital in a job interview and for your all-round career development. Whereas hard skills show that you are competent technically, soft skills reflect one's inter-relationship abilities, flexibility to change, and leadership skills. Much of your employability and potential career growth depends on the investment you put into building your soft skills. After all, it is not what you know but how you have to galvanize it within a team-oriented environment at work, where things seem to go at a blurry pace. Most of the time, while preparing for job interviews, most candidates try to demonstrate their technical abilities or hard skills. Hard skills are no doubt essential, but soft skills play an equally important role and can literally make or break an opportunity. Learning and working on soft skills will not only help in acing an interview but will also lay the foundation for long-term success in any career field. What Are Soft Skills? Soft skills, along with being referred to as interpersonal or people skills, are personal attributes and a set of behaviors that facilitate a person to relate and interact effectively and harmoniously with other people. These skills do not emanate from a particular job or profession; rather, they are universally useful in any workplace. Some of the basic examples of soft skills include the following: Communication: the ability to clearly convey information to others and listen attentively; Teamwork: the capability to work in cooperation with others for some common objective. Problem-solving: ability to spot issues, and arrive at resolutions that work. Time management: distribute the use of time wisely according to priorities. Adaptability: be ready to change or adapt to new situations and challenges. Leadership: art of guiding and encouraging others to fulfill a goal. Communication : the ability to clearly convey information to others and listen attentively; Communication Teamwork: the capability to work in cooperation with others for some common objective. Teamwork: Problem-solving : ability to spot issues, and arrive at resolutions that work. Problem-solving Time management : distribute the use of time wisely according to priorities. Time management Adaptability : be ready to change or adapt to new situations and challenges. Adaptability Leadership : art of guiding and encouraging others to fulfill a goal. Leadership Why Are Soft Skills Important? Better collaboration: The modern workplace calls for collaboration on every level. Effective communication and team working skills are the doors to better collaboration, hence improved productivity, and enhanced atmosphere at the workplace. Enhanced problem-solving: Employers are looking for candidates who can think creatively and seriously about problems at hand. With good problem-solving skills, you will take less time trying to sort the issues effectively. Better Adaptability: The modern workplace is constantly in flux. Any employee who will be able to adapt to new technologies, processes, or roles is invaluable to any organization. Increased Leadership Potential: To be a leader means not only managing people but also inspiring and motivating your team. Good leaders possess strong soft skills that help build trust and move their teams forward toward success. Better collaboration: The modern workplace calls for collaboration on every level. Effective communication and team working skills are the doors to better collaboration, hence improved productivity, and enhanced atmosphere at the workplace. Better collaboration : The modern workplace calls for collaboration on every level. Effective communication and team working skills are the doors to better collaboration, hence improved productivity, and enhanced atmosphere at the workplace. Better collaboration Enhanced problem-solving: Employers are looking for candidates who can think creatively and seriously about problems at hand. With good problem-solving skills, you will take less time trying to sort the issues effectively. Enhanced problem-solving: Employers are looking for candidates who can think creatively and seriously about problems at hand. With good problem-solving skills, you will take less time trying to sort the issues effectively. Enhanced problem-solving: Better Adaptability: The modern workplace is constantly in flux. Any employee who will be able to adapt to new technologies, processes, or roles is invaluable to any organization. Better Adaptability: The modern workplace is constantly in flux. Any employee who will be able to adapt to new technologies, processes, or roles is invaluable to any organization. Better Adaptability: Increased Leadership Potential: To be a leader means not only managing people but also inspiring and motivating your team. Good leaders possess strong soft skills that help build trust and move their teams forward toward success. Increased Leadership Potential: To be a leader means not only managing people but also inspiring and motivating your team. Good leaders possess strong soft skills that help build trust and move their teams forward toward success. Increased Leadership Potential: Soft Skills vs. Hard Skills While hard skills are discrete, teachable abilities or knowledge sets, relatively easy to measure like coding, data analysis, etc. Soft skills are more subjective and harder to quantify. Both types of skills are imperative, and it is often the soft skills that become differentiators. The reasons why this is so are expounded in the following points: Soft skills don't prove easy for one to undervalue or belittle over hard skills. Interpersonal Interaction: Even the most technically skilled individual will not perform so well in a role if he/she lacks the ability to communicate or collaborate with colleagues and clients. Interpersonal Interaction: Even the most technically skilled individual will not perform so well in a role if he/she lacks the ability to communicate or collaborate with colleagues and clients. Interpersonal Interaction: Adaptability to Change: That's the thing: hard skills can get outdated as technology and methodologies change. Soft skills, however, stay the same no matter what. Adaptability to Change: That's the thing: hard skills can get outdated as technology and methodologies change. Soft skills, however, stay the same no matter what. Adaptability to Change: Holistic Development: The employer seeks people who have depth and have not only the technical ability to get the job done but could also enhance company culture. Holistic Development: The employer seeks people who have depth and have not only the technical ability to get the job done but could also enhance company culture. Holistic Development: Ease of Teaching: Hard skills are always easier to be taught by senior colleagues, whereas soft skills—like effective communication, teamwork, and adaptability—require more of a fundamental change in behavior and mindset; hence, they are extremely hard to inculcate in a work environment. Hence, people with already high quotient soft skills have a considerable edge over others. Ease of Teaching: Hard skills are always easier to be taught by senior colleagues, whereas soft skills—like effective communication, teamwork, and adaptability—require more of a fundamental change in behavior and mindset; hence, they are extremely hard to inculcate in a work environment. Hence, people with already high quotient soft skills have a considerable edge over others. Ease of Teaching: Developing Soft Skills Developing soft skills takes time and conscious effort. Some of the strategies to enhance your soft skills are enumerated below: Self-Assessment and Feedback: Begin by knowing one's weaknesses, and asking peers, mentors, and supervisors about the changes they would like them to develop. Self-assessment tools and personality tests prove quite helpful in this regard. Active Listening: Listen actively by giving full attention to the speaker, asking questions for clarification, and summarizing their points to be certain that one has understood them. Effective Communication: Verbal and non-verbal communication is important. It encapsulates clear articulation, good body language, and active engagement in conversations. Conflict Resolution: Learn techniques of conflict resolution to handle disagreements or misunderstandings professionally. Time Management: Tools and techniques for managing time will consist of to-do lists, calendars, and priority frameworks. Continuous Learning: Participate in workshops, seminars, and courses to develop soft skills. Read books and articles on leadership, communication, and personal development. Networking: Engage in networking activities to make relations and test one's interpersonal skills in different environments. Attend meetups, join conferences, and take part in other sector-specific events that will help you introduce yourself to colleagues. These contacts will assist not only in widening the circle of professional society but will also work towards developing communication and social skills. Self-Assessment and Feedback: Begin by knowing one's weaknesses, and asking peers, mentors, and supervisors about the changes they would like them to develop. Self-assessment tools and personality tests prove quite helpful in this regard. Self-Assessment and Feedback: Begin by knowing one's weaknesses, and asking peers, mentors, and supervisors about the changes they would like them to develop. Self-assessment tools and personality tests prove quite helpful in this regard. Self-Assessment and Feedback: Active Listening: Listen actively by giving full attention to the speaker, asking questions for clarification, and summarizing their points to be certain that one has understood them. Active Listening : Listen actively by giving full attention to the speaker, asking questions for clarification, and summarizing their points to be certain that one has understood them. Active Listening Effective Communication: Verbal and non-verbal communication is important. It encapsulates clear articulation, good body language, and active engagement in conversations. Effective Communication : Verbal and non-verbal communication is important. It encapsulates clear articulation, good body language, and active engagement in conversations. Effective Communication Conflict Resolution: Learn techniques of conflict resolution to handle disagreements or misunderstandings professionally. Conflict Resolution : Learn techniques of conflict resolution to handle disagreements or misunderstandings professionally. Conflict Resolution Time Management: Tools and techniques for managing time will consist of to-do lists, calendars, and priority frameworks. Time Management : Tools and techniques for managing time will consist of to-do lists, calendars, and priority frameworks. Time Management Continuous Learning: Participate in workshops, seminars, and courses to develop soft skills. Read books and articles on leadership, communication, and personal development. Continuous Learning : Participate in workshops, seminars, and courses to develop soft skills. Read books and articles on leadership, communication, and personal development. Continuous Learning Networking: Engage in networking activities to make relations and test one's interpersonal skills in different environments. Attend meetups, join conferences, and take part in other sector-specific events that will help you introduce yourself to colleagues. These contacts will assist not only in widening the circle of professional society but will also work towards developing communication and social skills. Networking : Engage in networking activities to make relations and test one's interpersonal skills in different environments. Attend meetups, join conferences, and take part in other sector-specific events that will help you introduce yourself to colleagues. These contacts will assist not only in widening the circle of professional society but will also work towards developing communication and social skills. Networking Conclusion Soft skills are very vital in a job interview and for your all-round career development. Whereas hard skills show that you are competent technically, soft skills reflect one's inter-relationship abilities, flexibility to change, and leadership skills. Much of your employability and potential career growth depends on the investment you put into building your soft skills. After all, it is not what you know but how you have to galvanize it within a team-oriented environment at work, where things seem to go at a blurry pace.

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