One of the last remaining male bastions that quite a few women have broken into Indias wealth management industry has seen a reasonable representation of women money managers. Of these competent wealth managers, here are five women, whose trail-blazing achievements could inspire many more women to enter the field.

Apart from their own riches, these women manage other peoples wealth as well. With their knowledge spanning the entire gamut of financial products and their understanding of the markets, they aim to break the proverbial glass ceiling.

But what sets them apart from many of their male colleagues is this: the ability to convince women in households they advise, to come out of their shells and play a more active role in their families and their personal finances. Women in families need to take an interest in investing decisions along with the men.

Moneycontrols Women In Power campaign highlights women who lead by example and can also teach men a thing or two about investing and financial planning for family goals. And what better way to demonstrate these than with their own examples. Here is what they have to say.

Shilpa Maheshwari, Executive Advisor,Matrix Partners India

#Mantra:Sow the seeds of independent financial decisions in your daughters early on.

As the saying goes, charity begins at home.Just likeother good habits that parents want their children to inculcate, theyshould alsoencourage themto take interestinmanaging money at home. Financialplanners say that this would inculcate a sense of financial independence and discipline early on in them.

Shilpa Maheshwari,Executive Advisor, Matrix Partners India,recallsher experienceonhow parents can sow the seeds of financial discipline and independence in their children early on.When she was justoutof schooland had migrated to a newcityfor college, she remembers her dad handing her a cheque for her expenses through the year. Now, the catch was that she did not have a bank account nor had she handled her expenses independently earlier. So, not only did she have to figure out how to open a bank account on her own, but also to manage her expenses within the funds available, as that was the allowance for the full year.

It was a full years allowance and my father made it clear that extra money wont be available,she recollects.That was her first step in learning to manage funds wisely.

This episode got her to learn the nitty-gritty of personalbanking, make budgets andmanage expenses.This way, her parentsnot only encouraged her to be independent, butalso taught herhowto manage funds and her expenses very early on. Itactually shaped her thought process on financial independence and how it could be a game changer in how you decide to lead your life.

Shilpaadds that her mantra for life isBelievein yourself andyourcapabilities. If you dont,no one else will.

Shivani Bhasin Sachdeva, Founder and CEO, India Alternatives

#Mantra: Start investing early and take financial decisions jointly in a family.

Women should start investing early in their lives instead of waiting to accumulate a certain pot of money in their bank accounts. In fact, many financial planners say that right from the time you get your first salary, you should start investing a small sum. With the financialisation of savings taking off in India, there are enough investment products available to cater to varying risk profiles. Mutual funds also offer systematic investment plans that allow people to invest as little as Rs 500 every month.

Shivani Bhasin Sachdeva, Founder and CEO, India Alternatives, says that a womans financial journey shouldnt come to a halt even after marriage. She says that every woman must be an equal partner in marriage, even when it comes to household finances and money management.

Dont fall prey to the stereotype that only men should handle household investments. Thats an outdated theory. In a traditional household, both men and women should take financial decisions together, she says.

Shivani says that in a family, the husband must take an equal interest in household budgets and women must take an equal interest in financial investments. Both the spouses should work jointly towards the familys financial goals. Its a team effort, she reminds us. Increasingly more and more financial planners insist on women playing an active role in a households financial portfolio and even reviews. Do not forget to get an adequate life and health insurance schemes for both spouses individually and also collectively as a family, she says.

Supriya Rathi, Director and Principal Officer, Anand Rathi Insurance Brokers Pvt Ltd

#Mantra: Learn from your mistakes during investment journey.

Many of us remember falling while learning to ride a bicycle. But thats how most of us learnt it. Financial planners constantly remind us that, similarly, its okay to make mistakes even in managing your own money. Its okay to fail and fall. But that should not deter us from continuing to manage our money.

Supriya Rathi, Director and Principal Officer, Anand Rathi Insurance Brokers Pvt Ltd, had started investing her money on her own sometime around 1995-96. During her post-graduation years, she had begun taking a keen interest in equities. She started by reading books and newspapers on stock investments. But she made losses soon, because equity markets fell on the back of the South-East Asian financial crisis. This investment decision turned out to be a mistake, but it was still an exciting learning experience for her. She was not discouraged by it and did not give up.

Supriya says, While investing, you need to understand your risk perspective, encumbrances and capital requirements over the years. Then plan to invest accordingly with a broad financial plan rather than investing only in equities and limiting investment to a few stocks. Asset allocation is also important because it strikes a balance between risky and less-risky assets in your portfolio.

Arpita Vinay, Executive director at Centrum Wealth Management

#Mantra: Avoid investing in exotic investment schemes.

Many investors expect magic with their investments, when there is no scope for any such an outcome. Thats the simple and straight-forward financial advice from Arpita Vinay, Executive director at Centrum Wealth Management. Arpita says that there are some investment opportunities out there that, at first glance, look tempting enough to make you invest in them. When you make investments without understanding the basic underlying construct and therefore the risks that such products come with, you could end up making big losses.

There are some products that are probably meant only for the relatively sophisticated investor. They require a high degree of familiarity, knowledge and experience and can be based on certain views and assumptions. Any change of context can lead to very different outcomes and these can come as a rude surprise for the uninitiated investor.

Arpita says, It takes very little time for exotic investment schemes to become crazily toxic. Anything that promises to double overnight can harm overnight. In the past few years, many people put their money in products and schemes that they did not fully understand. Things were not questioned when the going was good, but when the context changed, people realised that these fads werent quite the investment opportunity that was suitable for them.

The world of investments is becoming more and more complex. Investing time and effort in understanding markets and products is not only interesting but can also be very rewarding. It is always a good idea to seek professional help while making ones investment journey.

Nisreen Mamaji, CFP Founder and CEO, MoneyWorks FA

#Mantra: Diversify your investment portfolio and consult a certified financial planner to get down to the nitty-gritty of investments.

Daughters should be encouraged to manage their own money earned or inherited. Every parent should resolve to empower girls with financial wisdom."

Women should decide on their goals and their timelines, and start investment plans early, on their own. It's better to make your own mistakes rather than suffer due to someone else's.

My financial journey started with investment in mutual funds, which were actually redeemed when we purchased our own home. This personal success prompted me to help other women and families through financial planning.

Dont put all your eggs in one basket is a common saying that weve all heard of. In the context of financial planning, this means that one should not invest in a single asset, since there are certain risks involved when investing money, which are beyond ones control. Financial planners always advice investors to put their money in a basket of instruments. So, if one asset or instrument goes down, your entire portfolio doesnt go down as well.

Nisreen Mamaji, CFP Founder and CEO, MoneyWorks FA, says, The biggest safety mechanism is diversifying investments across various investment avenues. Nisreen doesnt just advice diversifying into different instruments, but also across asset classes. For instance, dont put all your money in just equities or debt, she says.

Being a financial planner herself, Nisreen strongly advocates women taking charge of their own finances. She says that women should be encouraged to manage their own money, be it their own earnings or inheritance.

The rest is here:
Meet 5 women who manage other peoples wealth - Moneycontrol.com

Chris O'Meara/Associated Press

20. Derrick Henry, RB, 26 years old

Henry has the question of running back value reopened for debate (if it was ever closed). Sure, there's a lot more to rushing production than the guy carrying the ball, but after watching Henry get the Titans to the AFC Championship Game with 446 yards in the postseason alone, it's a topic worth discussing.

Other running backs might not be worth the investment. But Henry's size, running style and ability to impact games as they go on makes him different.

19. Philip Rivers, QB, 38 years old

The narrative on Rivers is that he can't push the ball deep anymore. There may be some validity to that, but he was still 13th in the league in completed air yards per completion. So he can still get the ball downfield when he needs to, but what he really brings is experience, leadership and production that most teams could use in the quarterback room.

His 20 interceptions in 2019 are concerning, but that's the third time in his career he's done that. That's just who Rivers is, not necessarily a sign of aging.

18. Anthony Castonzo, OT, 32 years old

Castonzo has been one of the best values in the league for the Indianapolis Colts. For an average salary of $10.9 millionper year, they have received solid play from the left tackle spot. He was PFF's seventh-rated tackle last season and played 100 percent of the snaps there. He's a little older than the offensive linemen ahead of him on this list, but at 32 years old, it's conceivable he has enough gas in the tank for multiple strong seasons ahead.

17. Arik Armstead, EDGE, 26 years old

There's a lot to like about Armstead. He's just 26 years old, so he could be signed to a long-term deal that expires before he even turns 30. There arealso some red flags, like minimal production until his contract year. He had 10 sacks this season, but only had nine in the previous four campaigns combined.

Some of that can be chalked up to injuries. He only played six games in 2017 and eight in 2016. Still, the former first-round pick can play the run well and handle multiple roles along the front. That versatility and upside should get him paid.

16. Jack Conklin, OT, 26 years old

Good help at tackle is hard to find, but the team who signs Conklin is getting it. Unlike most of the tackles on the market, Conklin is young enough to be a foundational piece for years to come. PFFnoted that Conklin was graded sixth in zone run-blocking and 14th in gap-blocking this season, so he is suited to play in any scheme.

15. Cory Littleton, LB, 26 years old

Littleton went from largely being a special-teamer in his first two seasons to being a cornerstone of the Rams defense over the last two. Heplayed more than 1,000 defensive snaps in 2019, andin those snaps, he provedto be a capable coverage linebacker with solid skills against the run. At 26 years old with only two seasons as a starter under his belt, he could still have a higher ceiling.

14. Chris Harris Jr., CB, 31 years old

Harris' numbers don't look great.He allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 67.1 percent of their passes and gave up 10.0 yards per target.But that belies the fact that Broncos head coach Vic Fangio often tasked Harris with shadowing the opponent's No. 1 receiver. In 2018, those numbers were 64.8 percent and 7.0 yards per target. His coverage ability still makes him a top free agent, but at 31 years old, it's fair to wonder how long he can keep it up.

13. Jameis Winston, QB, 26 years old

Winston has had five seasons to prove he's a franchise quarterback, and the results still feel inconclusive. He started his own club in 2019 as the only quarterback in NFL history to throw 30 touchdowns and 30 interceptions in a single season.

Of course, he did haveLASIK eye surgery this offseason."Jameis Winston drastically cuts interceptions after having surgery to actually see the field" feels like the 2020 season's funniest storyline already.

12. Hunter Henry, TE, 25 years old

Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper are clearly the class of the tight end group this season. Much like Hooper, Henry is young enough to play a full long-term contract before turning 30, so the timing is right for a team to lock him up. The thing that separates him from Hooper is his work as a deep threat.

Only Jared Cook and O.J. Howard had a higher average of yards before the catchper receptionlast season. Henry offers the versatility to play as an in-line tight end, in the slot or even as outside receiver.

11. Brandon Scherff, OG, 28 years old

When it comes to pure performance on the field, Scherff is just as good as any of the offensive linemen on the list. Injuries have become a concern, though. He missed eight games in 2018 and an additional five this past season. At 28 years old, those injury concerns aren't going away.

Still, Scherff is an instant upgrade for anyone looking to bolster the offensive line, especially in the run game.

See the original post:
The Top 50 Players on the 2020 NFL Free-Agent Market - Bleacher Report

This time itll be different.

What do you mean?

Exactly what I said; in the past I wasnt willing to do what it takes. But this time I mean it. This time, Ill get there.

What are you going to do differently?

I dont know if I really need to anything different. I just need to stay focused.

Why will you stay focused this time when you didnt the last three times?

Ill just do it. I mean, I really want it.

Didnt you want it before?

Yeah, sure. But I wasnt willing to do the work. I gave up too easily.

I see. So how do you know you wont give up again this time?

I know me. Now, I really need to do it. My doctor said that if I dont, Ill be in trouble.

I thought she told you that last time too.

She did. But I dont think I was ready. I had too much going on. Life was busy, you know?

Yes, I do. So, your lifes not busy now?

Well, no, it still is. But this time Im ready. This time Ill just find the time.

Where? What will you give up to find this time?

Im not sure I really need to. I just need to work smarter and stick with it.

Why will you stick with it this time when you didnt the last time?

Thats easy. Because this time I mean it.

You didnt before?

Sure, I did. But, I didnt really, really, really mean it. Now I do.

Good luck.

How often have you made the same promise over and over? How many of ended up exactly like the others? Detect a theme? As they say, If you always do what youve always done, youll always be where youve always been. Should you prefer a better visual, how about, When you get tired of walking into walls, open a door. Or, if you want to add a bit of the cosmic to it: The Universe will not change its rules to accommodate our whims, fantasies, or desires.

Changing a habit, whether that means quitting smoking, exercising more, or even having a better attitude; requires an understanding not only of what you want in the end, but why youre not already there.

As a habit-change primer, I offer theFour Assumptions of Success(in nor particular order). Understand and adopt these, and change comes easier and is more likely. (These are based on NLP, Neuro Linguistic Programming; which Wikipedia describes as apseudoscientificapproach to communication, personal development.)

1) Every behavior is generated by positive intention.

Even what we call bad habits are born of the goal of making our life easier, healthier, or happier. As example, smoking although obviously not a good thing to do has the positive intention of reducing stress. Sadly, the side effect of the behavior is it harms your health. Identify the intention of the behavior youre trying to change and work to find a new way to accomplish it, leading to

2) There is always another choice.

It might not seem like it but there is another option. Continuing with the same example, I could reduce stress by meditating or exercising. I might not want to or I might not like the options, but if I ask how do I get the results I want? Instead of why do I have to change? A path will make itself known.

3) There is no such thing as failure, only feedback.

Simply because we didnt get what we expected doesnt mean we failed. Labeling something as failure, generates within us the urge to quit. After all, if its not working, why would I continue to pursue it? To get past this barrier, look at the results you get from your actions in the same way that a scientist would conduct an experiment. See what worked and what didnt. Alter the course and move forward.

SaidPaul Batalden, active Emeritus Professor of The Dartmouth Institute, Every system is perfectly designed to get the results it gets. In other words, if youre not getting the results you expected, its not that the system is broken, rather youre using the wrong system. Tweak it.

4) You have all the tools you need to accomplish whatever you want.

No one is born onto this planet doomed to failure. We all have skills and strengths to move us toward whatever we need. Sometimes, however, its important to realize that the tool we are using might be inappropriate for the results we desire and the correct tool might be the willingness to reach out and seek advice.

Scott Q Marcus is a nationally known weight loss expert for baby boomers and the CRP Chief Recovering Perfectionist of http://www.ThisTimeIMeanIt.com. His new book, co-written with his sister, The Busy Baby Boomers Motivational Guide to Weight Loss is at http://www.BabyBoomersGuides.com.

Continue reading here:
The assumptions of success - Red Bluff Daily News

Executive Summary

Up to 85% of big data projects fail, often because executives cannot accurately assess project risks at the outset. But a new research project offers some guidelines and questions to ask yourself before launching a new big data initiative to help predict its success. Access to data is obviously a precondition for any initiative focused on data-driven growth. However, not all available data is useful, nor is it unique and exclusive. Moreover, not all data is available. The question executives need to ask is Can we access data that is valuable and rare?. If the answer is yes, you then need to ask: Can employees use data to create solutions on their own? and Can our technology deliver the solution? And finally, Is our solution compliant with laws and ethics? Little value can be created if your solution breaks the law. Moreover, if users think of the solution as creepy, you might face a media backlash. Try this structured approach to predict the success of your next big data project.

Big data projects that revolve around exploiting data for business optimization and business development are top of mind for most executives. However, up to 85% of big data projects fail, often because executives cannot accurately assess project risks at the outset. We argue that the success of data projects is largely determined by four important components data, autonomy, technology, and accountability or, simply put, by the four D.A.T.A. questions. These questions originate from our four-year research project on big data commercialization.

The components needed for success with big data can be positioned along two dimensions: (1) the focus of the activities (the projects ideation or implementation such as coming up with an idea for a big data project versus actually implementing the project) and (2) the focus of the transformation (digital backbone or getting peoples support such as building the IT-architecture needed to create a sufficient digital backbone or making sure that employees can and will apply data and that this application is in line with societal opinions on what should and should not be done with data). These two dimensions create a matrix of D.A.T.A. components and the key questions executives need to ask when contemplating new big data projects, as seen below.

The figures below provide an overview of the D.A.T.A. components, the related questions, and the rationale behind them as well as examples. Moreover, the table demonstrates the sequence in which the different aspects should be considered in data projects. In the following, we provide an in-depth outline of each component.

Data: Access to data is obviously a precondition for any initiative focused on data-driven growth. However, not all available data is useful, nor is it unique and exclusive. Moreover, not all data is available. The question executives need to ask is: Can we access data that is valuable and rare? Only when these criteria are fulfilled can executives hope to gain a temporary competitive advantage based on data.

Consider the Danish social fitness-tracking app Endomondo. In 2015, the American athletic apparel company Under Armor bought Endomondo for $85 million in an attempt to build the worlds largest digital health and fitness community. Endomondo had more than 20 million users and over 80% of them were located outside the United States. Hence, Under Armour expected the acquisition to not only provide access to data that it considered valuable and rare, but also to give the company immediate scale and increased international presence, as stated in the press release. The very price that Under Armor was willing to pay illustrates the value that it assigned to Endomondos data. Consequently, data is becoming a resource that increases in commercial potential with its user value and its uniqueness in the marketplace.

Autonomy: Autonomy, or decentralized decision-making, gives employees a mandate to come up with ideas for data-enabled solutions that they can initiate on their own. It is an essential step in the ideation phase, and it similarly deals with the human component of digital transformations. In this regard, the question executives need to ask is: Can employees use data to create solutions on their own? Unlocking the commercial potential of data requires the engagement of many people from multiple levels and departments.

Google serves as an example of this key component. Google has long been famous for allowing decentralized decision-making and for making dedicated resources available for initiatives across the organization. Google has 20% time, where it allows engineers to work on projects of their own choosing 20% of the time. Moreover, Google makes its computing resources and data available to its engineers 20% projects. One project that originated as a result of the 20% time policy and that made extensive use of a variety of data was Google Now (a mobile assistant that proactively delivered information to users based on search habits). Although Google Now no longer exists, the underlying functionality is still used. Autonomy is not only important for creating and launching new initiatives, but also for learning and for adapting existing processes. Consequently, employees need to be able to use data to initiate, create, and adapt their own solutions.

Technology: Technology is similarly essential for success with data. It comprises an important first step in the implementation phase as well as an essential component for the digital backbone. Here, the question executives need to ask is: Can our technology deliver the solution? You can have all the data and ideas in the world, but if your technology can only deliver a prototype, a beta version or non-scalable volume, no real value will ultimately be created for your firm.

An example of the importance of technology is illustrated in the blockchain collaboration between Maersk and IBM. Maersk had long wanted to streamline and simplify the administrative hurdles of global trade. However, it was unable to do so before the emergence of blockchain, which provided the technical backbone to create a solution to the problem. As Maersk arguably did not have the needed blockchain capabilities in-house, it partnered with IBM to create Tradelens, a global trade platform designed to minimize costs and increase the transparency of global shipping. In other words, enabled by blockchain technology, Tradelens digitizes the global supply chain and provides information to all actors. Consequently, it is necessary for any data-enabled solution to have sufficient technology to deliver it.

Accountability: Accountability refers to obtaining both regulatory and societal permission for your data solution as well as being able to demonstrate this compliance. It comprises an important step in the implementation phase and is an essential part of the human component of digital transformations. The question executives need to ask in this regard is the following: Is our solution compliant with laws and ethics? Little value can be created if your solution breaks the law. Moreover, if users think of the solution as creepy, you might face a media backlash.

The impacts of neglecting accountability can be seen in the Facebook/Cambridge Analytica scandal. As shown in the Netflix documentary The Great Hack, Cambridge Analytica harvested personal Facebook data to identify and target persuadables (i.e., people likely to be persuaded by certain messages) with the aim of changing their minds in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The argued misuse of personal data raised questions from both legal and ethical points of view. The case has had severe implications for the parties involved, and it has made both users and lawmakers more aware of the legal and ethical challenges of data collection and usage. Consequently, no solution should be expected to become a long-term success if it is not compliant with the law, societal ethics, and norms.

As you have probably noticed, these D.A.T.A. questions ask for simple yes/no answers. This means that you can determine the likelihood that your next big data project will be a success by tallying your answers to the questions. In other words, if you answer yes to three questions and no to one, your project has a score of 3.

Use the table below to score your next project. As is evident from the table, you will need a score of 4 to be confident of success with your data project. A score of 3 means that the project still requires substantial work in order to succeed, as all four components are essential for big data projects. Consequently, you can think of the components as need to have rather than nice to have.

An example illustrates the necessity of all four components. Facebook has unique and valuable personal data, such as data on users relationship status. In fact, Facebook is able to accurately predict whether a given relationship will last. While this may comprise unique and valuable data (yes to question 1) that Facebook employees are free to build solutions around (yes to question 2), and even though Facebook has the technology to deliver such a solution (yes to question 3), such a solution would seem slightly unethical to most people (no to question 4). Therefore, such a project would be assigned a score of 3, as critical work on accountability is required for it to be successful.

Big data projects are arguably in need of a more data-driven approach to predicting their success. While expectations regarding the business potential of big data are astronomical, returns have thus far been weak. Part of the problem is arguably that executives do not know how to predict the success of data projects, as few structured approaches to doing so exist. With our D.A.T.A. framework, executives can finally start to make data-informed decisions on big data projects.

Read this article:
Use This Framework to Predict the Success of Your Big Data Project - Harvard Business Review

Getty

Its fascinating how indignant people can get when other people lie about things, yet they readily accept the lies that they tell themselves all the time. Think about it. People respond with things like how dare you lie to me or we cant have a meaningful relationship if you lie to me, but then these same people are perfectly fine with how often they lie to themselves. When you constantly lie to yourself, you chip away at your self-confidence. And the more you allow yourself get away with it, the less likely you are to ever create the different life or career success that you say you want.

The great big lie that destroys career success is the lie people tell themselves about how they dont have choices and are unable to create a fulfilled and successful career. When we dont like any of our choices, we sometimes complain that we had no choice at all, and that is the saddest thing in the world. When we dont want to grapple with the negative consequences that come with choices, we complain about how unfair all the consequences are.

People blame their career failures on a lack of choices or options in life. But the truth is that the reason most people stay stuck in jobs they hate isnt because they dont have any choices; its because they dont like the choices they have because all choices have some kind of change or cost attached to them. People dont like that they have to give up something to make something else better happen. They dont like the risk and uncertainty of their options, and so they end up showing that they dont have the courage to make any choices. Hence, the status quo holds, and they never experience career success. It simply becomes easier to say that they dont have any choices rather than face the fact that they do have some but are afraid to make the change.

By falling for the big lie, people get to complain about their lives and careers and act like everyone else somehow has it easier than they do. They get to play the victim and sometimes become miserable about life. Again, Ive observed that people become most angry and upset when others lie to them, but yet they find it way too easy to lie to themselves on a regularsometimes dailybasis, seemingly without consequence. Here are some examples:

You name it. We have all kinds of plans for the things we need to do to get to that next level in our careers and have sustained career success, but too often these things end up as no more than lies.

Career fulfillment cant be achieved when people lie to themselves about how they will do something different to experience career success, but dont. This means that you have to get real with yourself about what kind of life and career you truly want and then face yourself about what you are willingor not willingto do to make it happen. You have to get real with yourself about whether or not you are willing to pay the cost to experience your desired life and career.

Dont ever get fooled into believing there isnt a cost (a trade off of sorts) on the path to success. Happiness has a cost. Peace and joy have a cost. And yes, life and career success have a cost. If you arent happy with where you are today, you arent going to just wake up one day happy. If you work a job that you hate, you arent going to suddenly start loving it. The great truth about lying is that we lie to ourselves more than we lie to anyone else, and too many of us find it completely acceptable to do so. If you want a better life and a better career, then take note.

Among other things, you eventually stop believing in yourself. How does lying to yourself make you feel? How do you hold yourself to account? Do you ever make repairs on yourself, and if so, what are they? What does it do to your psyche? How do continual self lies and lack of accountability impact your ability to actually follow through to sustain personal or career success?

As you journey through your career, you will have several different discussions and conversations with several different people, but be absolutely clear that the most important conversation you need to have for career success begins and ends with yourself. If that conversation starts and ends with you lying to yourself, you will continue to be unfulfilled in your career.

Original post:
The Great Big Lie That Will Destroy Your Career Success - Forbes

Defining a goal is the first step toward achieving it. However, figuring out exactly what you want to pursue can be challenging:There are a lot of different good ideas out there,and somecan prove more difficult than others toclearly identify.

So what are some good ways to better establish what you want? Below, members ofForbes Coaches Councildiscuss some of the waysleaderscanmore clearly definetheir goals andthenreach them successfully.

Members discuss a few ways people can better define, and then reach, their goals.

1. Envision The Ideal Future

One of the best tools to gain clarity around goal setting is visioning. Investing time at the beginning of the planning process to envision the ideal future, in as much detail as possible, helps solidify goals and create momentum for follow-through. Approaching goal setting from this future vision perspective allows you to first discover where you are going and then solidify how you will get there. It creates your why and can provide motivation during times of challenge or stress. - Cheryl Czach,Cheryl Czach Coaching and Consulting, LLC

2. Map Your Goals

Goals are places to come from, not destinations to go to. They represent significant milestones deriving from your vision. First, develop your vivid vision. Let it be fueled by meaning, purpose and identity appeal. Then reverse engineer your vision to define your milestones. These will become your goals. Finally, map your goals, not just set goals, by answering critical questions that will allow you to script your way to success, such as, What needs to be true about my time allocation? My structural environment? My social environment?etc. - FrdricFunck,CENTER FOR CREATIVE LEADERSHIP

3. Start Journaling Your Progress

It starts with knowing where you are, where you want to go, and seeing the space between the two. One step is to start writing and journaling to see the progress. I do this daily, weekly, monthly and yearly with an incredibly helpful tool called thePassion Planner. - Denise Russo,School of Thoughts

4. Distinguish Between Vision And Goals

Make sure you distinguish between vision and goals. Goals are the milestones one has to achieve in order to reach the vision. Identify your desire or a dream. Then work backward to create milestones that are SMART. Achieving each milestone brings about a sense of success and motivates working toward the vision. - Pritha Dubey,Success Vitamin

5. Assess How You Live Your Values

One way to define goals is to assess how fully a client is livingtheirvalues. What do they care about? What is most important to them, and how are those priorities reflected in their daily actions? If, for example, a client indicates family time is most important, but typically works a 16-hour day, the client will experience dissonance, or a work/life misalignment. Setting goals that help the client realign actions relative to the priorities will move the client toward the life they desire. - Patricia Carl,Highland Performance Solutions, LLC

6. Self Reflect

Substantive self-reflection is a vital first step in understanding our gaps and establishing meaningful and worthwhile goals for improvement. We then need to set intermediate steps that can act as guideposts as we work towards accomplishing larger outcomes. - Jonathan Westover,Human Capital Innovations, LLC

7.Define Your Vision Then Pursue It

Start by asking what vision they want to experience and then help them name the resources necessary to experience that. Then define the specific actions that are required to secure those resources. Finally, establish commitment: Decide what the first step is in taking the needed action, and then write on the calendar when theyll take that step. - Corey Castillo,Truth & Spears

8. Review Your Digital Footprint

Engaging in a yearly objective assessment of both your company's digital footprint and personal digital footprint is key to assess how successful you've been over the past year aligning your personal and professional goals for growth, connections, and reach. Doing so will lead you to think about what kinds of adjustments to make to your digital strategy in order to reach your personal and professional goals. - Julie Fisher,Echo70

9. Keep Asking Why?

Clients can come with goals they think that they "should" or "need" to do as opposed to something they really want to do or feel excited about. Help them dig a little bit deeper and see whats important to them, and then keep asking the followup question And why is that important to you? This process helps clients uncover what their true goal is. Once you tap into that, they'll find genuine motivation. - Denise Csaky,The Firefly Moment LLC

10. Tap Into Emotions

Cultivateexcitement in the end result of adesireddream orvision. Without an emotional and measurable desire for inner dreams to become tangible goals, the journey to success can be quite single minded and harder. Emotions are key to fuel the passion and the earnest desire for success. It adds meaning to the goal success and to a life worth living.Every goal matters when the voice has unshakable heartfelt passion behind it. - Charlotte D. Blignaut,EMOTION IN MOTION

11. Get Started

The single biggest reason why goals aren't achieved is because they are never started. A framework to help leaders and their teams is to answer these six questions: 1. What do you want to do? 2. What is your desired outcome? 3. What specific steps will you take to reach that outcome? 4. What obstacles stand in your way? 5. What is the time frame associated with this goal? 6. How will you measure success? - Shelley Hammell,Sage Alliance, Inc.

See the rest here:
11 Actionable Steps Leaders Can Take To Define And Then Achieve Their Goals - Forbes

The cast of the CBC original show Fortunate Son, Kari Matchett, Darren Mann and Rick Roberts.

The season finale of Fortunate Son premieresWednesday, Feb. 26 at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT) on CBC and CBC Gem.

The drama,inspired by a true story,is set in the socially and politically tumultuouslate 1960s. It tells the story of a family fractured by a mother's unyieldingdedication to activism and the personal toll it takes on those close to her.

Watch Fortunate Sonon CBC Gem.

CBC Booksasked the cast to share one book that has stuck with them.

"When I turned 30, I had an ever-increasing awareness that something was missing in my life. After much soul-searching, I developed an awareness that instead of being present in the moment, I was either worrying about the future (easy thing to do as an actor) or in some sort of regret or sadness about the past.But I didn'tknow what to do with that awareness.

"Within a week or two,I found myself in one of my favourite book stores at the time (the Bookshelf in Guelph, Ont.). As I browsed the shelves, I came across a display that seemed to be a beacon just for me: The Power of Nowwas on the shelf and it felt like a magnet that pulled me in. I bought it, and over the course of the next few months I read it everyday. There were days I could read a few pages.Other days, I only read a paragraph or even a few sentences.

"It's a book I still carry with me most of the time. I think what stays with me the most from the book is Eckhart Tolle's personal account of the first time he felt he was truly in the now.He heard himself say (to himself), 'I can no longer live with myself.'But what occurred to him in that moment was, 'Who was the "I"he referred to? What was the division there? Who was the real "I"in that phrase?'He realized the truth is, there is only one 'I.'And this notion forever changed him. And me. When I get caught up, as one does, I try to remember this. And when I remember to remember it inevitably brings me back to the now. I have come to realize that the now is where our true wealth and health, mind, body and soul really lie the power of now."

"It's hard to describe Kathy Acker's writing. It feels like it re-wires your brain. It's confusing sometimes, locations and points-of-view abruptly shift, sometimes you're not sure if you're in the real world or in a dream. It somehow manages to seem like it was simultaneously vomited onto the page and meticulously crafted. It is crass and carnal, confusing, titillating, shocking, sometimes it's so dirty that you feel like you shouldn't be reading it at all. It goes from political treatise to adventure novel to thriller to slapstick comedy.

"You are in the hands of an artist whose only imperative is truth, (i.e. the best kind of artist).One who is still behind the lines, fighting it out in the war zoneor tapping out messages from beneath the rubble. Empire of the Senseless is grotesquely carnal. It is vengeful and it can be cruel. It is filled with aching and longing. It is intellectual. It is funny. It is a wound of a book."

"HockeyTough is a book that sticks out to me, I've read it on multiple occasions to help get me over a hurdle. As ahockeyplayer, I was always looking for an advantage over my competitors. in doing so, I became a firm believer in working on my mental side of the sport. I find myself using a lot of these same methods of preparation, visualizingand mental toughness to help me reach my goals as an actor and to be the best that I can be.

"I always revert back to talking abouthockeywhen I talk about my personal success in acting, and a lot of that comes from working on my inner self."

Continued here:
The cast of CBC's Fortunate Son reflect on the books that changed their lives - CBC.ca

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Delran senior Tommy Murphy has led the Bears to their first home playoff game since 1994.(Photo: Josh Friedman/Staff Photographer)

Tommy Murphy rose out of his seat and walked down the aisle of the school bus.

The Delran High School senior was in eighth grade when he saw a friend being bullied several rows up.

Murphy couldnt let that stand.

He came down to the kid and told the kid if you dont stop bullying my friend youre going to have a problem with me, Tommys father Joe recalled. That night, the parents (of his friend) called us and said what a wonderful son we had.

Murphys mission in life is to serve the greater good. He plans on joining the Marines when he graduates.

More: South Jersey boys basketball Mean 15 rankings for February 23

I always thought I could be a part of something bigger, he said. I never wanted to show off individually. Id rather show off as a group, so I dont think it gets any more impressive than the Marines or any type of military organization. Anything I can do to help people.

That mentality has always shown up on the hardwood.

The 17-year-old has never cared about his stats, only wins.

This season, Murphy and the Bears are piling up both.

Delran is 17-6 and secured its first home playoff game since 1994. The No. 6 seed will host No. 11 Sterling in the opening round of the South Jersey Group 2 playoffson March 3.

A lot of coaches go, Thats not a big deal, said head coach Travis Murphy, who is trying to determine if the program has ever had a 20-win campaign before. Theyre going for divisions or theyre going for sectionals. For us, its the first really big step. We havent had something for the school to rally around for 25, 26 years.

Its unlikely the Bears would be in this position without Tommy, Travis nephew.

He leads the team in points (377) and steals (42), is second in scoring average (16.3) behind 1,000-point scorer Glenn Morrisonand rebounding average (5.0) behind Ahmed Johnson, and is considered the squads top defender.

Hes just 5 points away from his 1,000th.

He realizes now hes our go-to guy and hes kind of embraced that and accepted that, Travis said. Where other years he was able to defer, now hes our top choice. When we run certain sets its through him, when we run different plays its through him, when we do certain activities on the court defensively, assignments go through him. I think hes embraced that.

More: Boys basketball: Love for Camden Catholic has JV coach Joe Murtin on verge of state history

Murphy didnt expect all the personal success hes had as a senior.

His defense, power and ability to penetrate have always been strengths, which he honed against his older, taller brother Matt, a 2017 graduate who was dead-eye from deep and joined the 1,000-point club his final season, and his younger brother Danny, a sophomore whos also a great shooter and was big for his age as well.

I think his game, what he concentrated and focused on was obvious, being able to move quicker with the dribble, be able to create his own shot, Travis said of Tommy, who stands 6-foot-1. Matt (6-5) didnt have to. Wed get that separation with his size, but Tommy does (have to), he has to be able to use that dribble, use that quick one step to get by guys. I think he embraces the effort and the attitude of defense. Defense usually translates into offense, and kind of get into that flow of the game and constantly be that presence for 32 minutes.

But Tommy, much to his surprise, added his brothers ability from beyond the arc this year too.

Murphy has connected on a team-high 67 3-pointers, making at least three in nine of his past 10 games.

I did work on my shot over the summer, he said. I changed my workout routines. Since I was so good at getting to the basket, I focused on that for so many years that I was like, Im already good at this, why dont I focus on one of my weaknesses? Now if I shoot well it gives me different opportunities on the court, pump fake, go by a guy, something like that which I didnt have the past two years.

Neither Travis nor Joe, an assistant on the team, were taken back by Tommys development though. The work ethic has always been there.

He was one of those kids, he was never sitting around, Travis said. There was no video games, theres gym, theres work, hes outside without his dad telling him what to do. Hes cutting the grass, raking the leaves, hes doing these different things. Hes one of those kids where its a little bit different.

Its that drive that makes him a leader and has helped the Bears produce one of the great seasons in program history.

More: Boys basketball: D.J. Wagner, Lance Ware lead Camden to Olympic National championship

And the selflessness will help him excel in uniform too.

I dont care if anybody knows my name, Tommy said. I play hard. I play hard on the basketball court, play for my teammates. I dont really play for myself, but if the job needs to be done, if I end up being the scoring leader, thats just because thats what I had to do that game to win. I dont care who scores the most points as long as we win, as long as I back up my teammates. Thats all that matters.

Josh Friedman has produced award-winning South Jersey sports coverage for the Courier Post and The Daily Journal for more than a decade. If you have or know of an interesting story to tell, reach out on Twitter at @JFriedman57 or via email at jfriedman2@gannettnj.com. You can also contact him at 856-486-2431. Help support local journalism with a Courier Post subscription.

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Boys basketball: Tommy Murphy helping Delran to one of its best seasons of all time - Courier Post

For a long time, social media has proven to be an effective marketing channel for celebrities. Whether theyre announcing concerts or just trying to stay relevant, posting on social gives them direct access to their fans.

Take Cristiano Ronaldo, for example. With over 400 million followers across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, he can reach millions of fans within minutes. His social strategy has been so successful that hes earning more from Instagram than his salary at Juventus. It was reported last year that he earns an average annual income of $47.8 millionfrom Instagram alone.

So, why would anyone leave? Well, there seems to be a new trend in town. Lots of popular celebs are now taking an old-school approach by sending SMS (text) messages to their fans. Theyre sending breaking news, providing daily updates and asking questions. A recent campaign saw Jennifer Lopez asking fans to text her with their song requests for her Super Bowl LIV halftime show.

This is all done via a company named Community, which provides celebs with a platform to log in and send messages in bulk. They can then view replies and respond if necessary. Some of the celebs who have already signed up reportedly include Paul McCartney, the Jonas Brothers, Diddy and Mark Cuban. Ashton Kutcher is also both an investor and user of the platform.

At Reach Interactive, we arent surprised by this new trend, as consumers are striving for personalized content. As a result, users of our SMS marketing platform are beginning to adapt. Rather than sending out generic campaigns, they are sending targeted messages that attempt to build personal connections with each recipient.

Whats up with social media?

Its becoming more and more difficult for celebrities to get their content seen on social media. On average, only 8% of a pages total likes will see any given post on Facebook. That means that a page with a million likes will only have 80,000 views on any given post. Flip that around, and you have 920,000 missed opportunities.

Its the same on Instagram and Twitter, too. As followers rise, engagement falls. The average engagement rate for accounts with less than 1,000 followers is 7.2% on Instagram and 1.4% on Twitter. However, when accounts have over 100,000 followers, those numbers fall significantly, as engagement is just 1.1% on Instagram and 0.3% on Twitter.

Theres also the issue of internet trolls. Its pretty common to see jokes in the comments section of celebrities posts. While some of those messages are light-hearted, others can be malicious and personal. With platforms doing very little to combat this problem, its no surprise when celebs call it quits. Just last month, Lizzo left Twitter due to trolling on her account.

Why SMS?

A big benefit of using SMS is that it is direct. Celebs can send messages that go straight to their fans inboxes. Those messages arent going to be missed. Theyll sit there until they are either read or deleted. This is a big benefit because it means that fans no longer have to refresh their social feeds to read updates.

Texting is also personal. Fans can receive direct messages from their heroes. Imagine sending a message to a local fan that says Concert announcement in your city. Id love it if youd be there, Jodie. That message is much more personal than a generic tour poster that is published on every social channel possible.

Finally, texting doesnt have to be in bulk. It can be as simple as arranging numbers based on area codes or geographical location. Then, if celebs have any upcoming events, they can target fans in that town, city or state.

How can businesses benefit?

Itd be naive to think that celebrities would completely ditch their social channels and focus solely on SMS. Instead, theyre now able to utilize both platforms when communicating with fans. There is no reason businesses cannot use a similar strategy. All you need to do is grow your list.

Your business may not have the same number of followers as the celebrities mentioned, but growing your SMS list can still be easy. You just need to let your existing channels do the work. Easy wins are to include your number in email campaigns, publish it on your website and post about it on social channels. Budget dependent, you can also use traditional methods such as direct mail, billboards and TV ads. And you could even get creative and run podcast ads or use influencers.

The key to growth is to offer an incentive. For celebrities, thats easy. Theyre providing fans with an opportunity to receive a direct response. For businesses, youll get more opt-ins by offering a monetary discount. Send a welcome offer such as 20% off or buy one, get one free. Also, try to make it clear that your SMS subscribers get exclusive access to discounts and products.

Consider your messaging strategy.

Once you have a sizable list, its all about strategy. Firstly, your content needs to add value. You can send texts that are informative, such as appointment reminders or delivery notifications. Or, you can send marketing messages that include calls to action, such as discounts and product launches. Then, consider timing. For example, a fast-food chain would have more success on a Friday evening than on a Monday morning. Finally, avoid bombarding your customers, as this will undo all of your hard work. Further, giving out too many discounts can hurt your brand.

This strategy can also be implemented across all of your other marketing channels. Whether youre sending a text, sharing a post or sending an email, think about your content in terms of value added, timing and consistency. As a result, youll be able to develop a successful multichannel strategy that targets unique customers across each platform.

Link:
Why Celebrities Are Texting Their Fans, And What Businesses Can Learn - Forbes

Ed Fletcher, CEO at Fletchers, tells Legal Cheeks Aishah Hussain how he took the firm from fledgling high street practice to featuring in the UK top 100, and the tragic motorcycle crash that spurred him on, ahead of tomorrows Secrets to Success event in Manchester

Fletchers is going places. What was once a small high street firm in the seaside town of Southport is now one of the countrys biggest medical negligence law firms.

Its wonderful to have grown exponentially, particularly in the last five years, to become a national leader in personal injury law, says Ed Fletcher, chief executive officer at Fletchers, and the man behind the firms impressive growth story.

Ed studied law at Aberystwyth University where he was a stalwart of the first XV rugby team. His interest in personal injury took hold when one of his teammates suffered a neck injury and pursued a successful claim against the Rugby Football Union. I saw first-hand the fantastic contribution lawyers can make to rebuilding lives, he reflects.

He went on to complete the Legal Practice Course (LPC) at the College of Law in Chester and joined Fletchers as a fresh-faced trainee in the summer of 96.

Then, when he was one year qualified as a solicitor, he severed his spinal cord in a motorbike accident which changed the course of his life. He dealt with the initial trauma and spent six months at a rehabilitation centre. Once that had subsided, he found a renewed enthusiasm and greater clarity on the direction of his career: he was going to develop a specialism in motorbike accidents representing individuals suffering from injuries similar to the one he had experienced and help them rebuild their lives.

His most memorable case was Donaldson v Wilson involving a motorcyclist who rode into a cow. The case ended up in the Court of Appeal but interestingly, Ed tells me its the little victories Im most proud of. He continues: Its a blessing to be involved in cases that although arent setting legal precedents or breaking new ground but radiate fortitude from our lawyers digging deep in times of darkness.

The opportunity then arose to not only rebuild individuals lives but to build teams and departments, and then a firm with this ethos in mind.

The civil justice reforms beginning with the 1998 Woolf Reforms, the Jackson Reforms and then the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO), shook the personal injury market. Law firms costs and style of serving their clients came under great scrutiny while the government enacted changes that favoured larger legal service providers. Fletchers embarked on a strategy to scale-up.

Now listed in the top 100 UK law firms by revenue, Fletchers employs 470 staff (or Fletcherians) across the Southport mothership and since 2017, its new Manchester office. The decision to set up shop in Manchester was the obvious next move, says Ed. We had drained the local region pool of talent so it made sense to move to the capital for our type of work. Possible expansion to Leeds and London is also on the cards, he tells me.

In the time Ed has been managing the firm he has introduced flexi hours and remote working policies as well as embraced technology to boost efficiency. Fletchers has partnered with the University of Liverpool and Innovate UK to develop artificial intelligence technology to support decision-making within the firm, and is looking at ways to improve access to justice from its digital disruption lab in Manchester.

The recruitment of trainee solicitors is a core component of Fletchers growth strategy, and it takes on a total of eight trainees each year. They complete the LPC part-time alongside training a nod to flexible learning arrangements, a burgeoning trend in the legal industry and, as one of the Trailblazer law firms, Fletchers onboards a number of solicitor apprentices each year. There are currently 19 apprentices but the firm is looking to grow this number once the Solicitors Qualification Exam (SQE) kicks in from next year.

Some students can be so set on corporate law they seem to forget there are firms such as Fletchers offering interesting alternatives. Ed thinks this is a great shame. He says:

You see it a lot I certainly have among my former classmates an exodus of corporate lawyers five to ten years from when they qualify because they havent effectively explored other areas of law.

And while doing deals and drawing up commercial contracts is okay for some, others, Ed explains, are in search of emotional gratification. He continues: You get that almost every day working as a personal injury lawyer. We support customers when theyre at their lowest providing hope and guidance with real, tangible and personal outputs. If that sounds like something youre interested in then you ought to come and speak to us at Fletchers.

Future Fletchlings should also know the three skills Ed thinks all personal injury lawyers should possess. They are tenacity, the ability to collaborate with others, including opposition, to reach the best possible outcome for the injured customer, and making decisions in a wise, kind and strong way.

Ed Fletcher will be speaking alongside lawyers from Freshfields and Pinsent Masons, and a careers expert from ULaw at tomorrows Secrets to Success event in Manchester. You can apply for one of the final few (and free) places to attend.

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How a life changing accident as a junior lawyer gave me the drive to succeed - Legal Cheek