Things I Learned From Linked in Learning

So I have been watching training videos for work on Linked in Learning, a professional training website. Here are some some words of wisdom that I found personally insightful/stuck out to me. Friendly warning, there is a bit of tough love coming your way! ;)

• Start off your day by doing the thing you dread doing. That way it won’t loom over your head the whole day! It is seriously a breath of fresh air when you don't feel a task haunting you throughout the day.

• If you are indecisive on two options which are equally promising, flip a coin! If they are truely of equal value than the 50/50 chance is worthwhile because you won't have to spend time going back and forth in your mind! If once you flipped the coin you did not like the results, choose the other option-that’s the one you really want! So cut to the chase and just choose something! (A bit of touch love here!)

• You only fail by not trying. Even trying half heartedly is okay at first because even if that one dream didn’t work out, now you know that it didn’t and you can move on. If you never try, you’ll never move on.

• Never judge an idea when you’re brainstorming. You first have to get it all out of your system. Be creative! You never know what ideas can spark other ideas. You can worry about practicality later.

• Success is NOT the same thing as having a lot of money (we all need to be reminded of that!)

• When you are working from home, it is important to set ground rules for the people you live with AND yourself. Enforce these rules because these are the healthy boundaries you need to function optimally (and sanely).

• You cannot stop all interruptions or distractions-but you can minimize them! This also ties back to the previous one. An example of setting a healthy boundary for interruptions would be to schedule for them! Let others know when it is okay to come to talk to you/when are your breaks. (This doesn't apply to emergencies of course!)

• When doing a task, try to group similar tasks together (for example, sort mail at your desk before wiping it down). It helps to have a task trigger another task. Furthermore, it is easier to do things when you're motion oppose to starting, stopping, and starting again.

• Set priorities when you are making a to-do list, especially if you get intimated by them. At maximum, have 3 top priorities and several lesser priorities.

• If the task takes a few moments to do, it is not worth jotting it down, simply go and do it!

• Whether you believe you can or cannot, either way you’re correct.

• TAKE BREAKS! Seriously, we are not machines. We can’t give 100% all the time. If we take breaks, we prevent crashing and other mental health issues.

The most powerful wisdom I got from doing all the training videos was this: have a growth mindset. It kind of goes with the expression earlier about “whether you believe you can or cannot, either way you’re correct.” If we believe that we can never change for the better, we will never try to reach our potential. No amount of knowledge, skill, or talent will be enough for a mind set on throwing in the towel, so to speak. This concept is based in hope and faith. How do we cultivate such things? I believe by renewing our minds everyday with God’s truth and love to drown out our inner critic.

I hope this inspires you to cultivate a mind set on growth!