Writing your way to the top

Well it's an online competition so it vaguely has a home in this blog...sorry this one is just for fun inbetween passing on shortcuts & tips!

There's an annual competition for the worst imaginary opening sentence for a novel you haven't yet written. The children's book prize this year was awarded to a writer that, although the contest claims to have no standards, the judges said 'had almost certainly lowered them'.

The head judge, one of a panel of 'undistinguished judges' said he liked the phrase 'The Princess formerly known as Snow White'. It suggests she's not so snow white any more and gives you the idea the dwarves might have had something to do with that.'

The winning intro from Shelby Leung -

"The woods were all a-twitter with rumours that the Seven Dwarves were planning a live re-union after their attempted solo careers had dismally spluttered into Z-list oblivion and it was all just a matter of meeting a 10-page list of outlandish demands...including a separate trailer for the Magic Talking Mirror to get the Princess formerly known as Snow White on board."

The former lawyer who wrote it said she thought a lot of the entries were of such a high standard of badness she wouldn't win; but "I used to be a lawyer and the law is the natural home of bad writing."

Here's the site with all the winners, I'm off to work on my entry for next year now.
www.bulwerlytton.com

Nelson Mandela On What Makes Champions

What makes some people truly go for it, set altitude-defying goals, drive themselves hard… and then go harder and further? What inspires the world’s high achievers? How can we apply this ‘X’ factor at home or work? In 2000, some of the best academic, sports and business minds worldwide gathered before Sydney’s Olympics to share research and discuss ‘what makes champions’. The discussions generated give us fascinating insights.

Nelson Mandela, a great champion of the human spirit, opened the inaugural What Makes a Champion?™ event hosted by the Sydney University/Australian National University’s Centre for the Mind, immediately before the Olympics.

It was attended by an array of champions including New Zealand’s Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to climb Mt Everest, Australian Nobel Prize winner Professor Peter Doherty, soprano Yvonne Kenny and composer Roger Woodward. Former Australian prime minister Malcolm Fraser was there, as was outstanding Olympic champion (1,500m gold medallist in Rome) and businessman Herb Elliott.

Mr Mandela told the audience and media ‘I was singularly privileged by history and circumstance to have been in a position to make a particular contribution to what has been described as one of the great moral struggles of the last century...That struggle on the part of the people of South Africa achieved championship status amongst the moral endeavours to make of the world a place of freedom, dignity and quality.’

He said that those who were privileged to give leadership to that struggle and gain wider world recognition, only did so by the consent of others.

‘A recognition that no individual achieves and performs in isolation must stand at the heart of our reflections on what makes a champion. To achieve those goals to which one is committed and chose to dedicate one’s life, a belief in yourself is essential. That self-belief becomes vain and egotistical, and ultimately self-defeating, if it does not derive from a dedication to and faith in the common goal. The necessary self-belief of the true leader or champion is tempered by the respect for the broader concerns.’

How can we apply a champion mindset?

I found Mr Mandela’s respect for leadership based on shared goals and collaboration, really intriguing, together with the whole What Makes a Champion?™ event.

Theories advanced included how 'championship' is defined according to a society's definition of 'worth'. One irreverent example was former Australian prime minister Bob Hawke's record as Australian and Oxford University’s champion beer drinker. Champions can apparently exist in areas ranging from the frivolous to the profound.

A compelling question was whether championship has universal elements that can be accessed and identified. What compels the champion writer, humanitarian, artist, or scientist to strive for success with an almost inconceivable drive?

Other questions analysed included whether negative emotions are great motivators? Is appreciation a driving force? The relationship between championship and adversity plays a part, as does the importance of self-belief - paramount in a champion mindset. Are champions simply people who take advantage of 'moments'?

The book and studies flowing on from this international academic project address these and many other questions. What Makes a Champion? Athens 2004 will again bring together champions from across the world, reinvigorating the intellectual face of the Olympic Games by blending sport with culture and education. [What Makes a Champion! - Fifty extraordinary individuals share their insights, Penguin Books, 2002]

Getting lucky in the talent lottery? Mind over matter?

Prior to the event, the Centre for the Mind’s Director, Professor Allan Snyder, gave the first Edwin Flack lecture, initiated by the Australian Olympic Committee to explore mind, body and society - especially relating to sport. Australian Edwin Flack won two gold medals in 1896’s first modern Olympics on top of which he also entered the marathon – collapsing after giving it all he had.

Professor Snyder, recipient of the 1997 International Australia Prize, was chosen by Bulletin/ Newsweek as one of Australia’s 10 most creative minds. At Australian National University, he holds the Peter Karmel Chair of Science and the Mind. He is Professor of Optical Physics and Vision Research and Head of the Optical Sciences Centre. http://www.centreforthemind.com

In his speech, he explored the relationship between sporting and intellectual excellence. Many intellectuals, he stated, are dismissive of the physical, which they conceptualise as separate in structure and function and an unnecessary distraction to the mental.

But compelling research, said Professor Snyder, strongly suggests otherwise. ‘The American neurologist Damasio [Damasio 1994], found decision-making is impaired in patients who lack awareness of their body, concluding that the mind learns

through, and is profoundly influenced by, the body. ‘In other words, we interact with the environment as an ensemble.

So the ancient Greeks had it right. Plato [Douillard 1992] especially advocated physical exercise for developing the spiritual side of life. And the reverse is true – our spiritual side, our mind - is critical for exquisite physical performance. Our mindset strongly influences our performance.

So what isn’t possible?

Does this mean we can employ mind over matter to get whatever we want to go after? Where do procrastination and back-sliding fit in? And the inevitable setbacks real life slyly tosses at us?

Professor Snyder observes that sport doesn't have a monopoly on those who come from behind to win. But as an example, he cites ultra-distance swimmer Susie Maroney, whose many swims include the 200 km marathon from Mexico to Cuba. After her swim, Maroney's long-term coach Dick Caine said: "Susie had no talent whatsoever. She's a little person who couldn't even make a final at a State meet - showing the world that on sheer guts and determination you can do anything you want!"

Professor Snyder said Caine’s sentiment echoes views held by many others - that raw physical talent is not always necessary to be a sporting champion. ‘In intellectual fields, Darwin, Einstein and Edison were very average students whose teachers, even with hindsight, were hard pressed to say something particularly flattering. It certainly would appear that 'raw talent' as we normally define it is not crucial for success’.

So what differentiates champions from the rest of the pack? Professor Snyder believes it is primarily their mindset. ‘Studies [Franken 1994, Ungerleider 1995], show that great achievers often create dreams or visions of exactly what they want to do and how they are going to do it. The role of dreams and mental imagery is legendary for those in the creative arts and sciences [Gregory 1987]. New Manchester University research shows that physical strength can be enhanced by just thinking about an exercise’.

‘Great achievers have a vision that they will succeed and sometimes even see the steps leading to their success. So, in my opinion, what makes a champion, in the broadest sense, is a champion mindset. If you have done something great in one field, you are far more able to do it in another. Your champion mindset is the transferable commodity and not the skill itself. It is our mindsets which ultimately limit our expectations of ourselves and which circumscribe our boundaries. ‘

‘It is our mindsets which determine whether or not we have the courage to challenge others and to expand our horizons.’ Food for thought? And in closing, one of my favourite Mandela quotes:

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that frightens us."

- Nelson Mandela

The Entrepreneurial Edge - have you got it?

Are you one of the lucky breed who never worked for anyone else for a day in your life? My entrepreneurial buddy Derek emerged from university and launched himself into business solo without a backward glance. I was pretty impressed with his cool, not to mention the cooler industrial design things he started designing, they also sold well.

It just didn’t occur to him to get a day job like most people. When he tried the shirt-and-tie gig out of curiosity a decade on, he promptly jumped ship back to his preferred uncertainty of self-employment.

Maybe that’s not you. Perhaps you’re just itching to give an “up-yours-mate!” parting gesture to the corporate rat race (remember, even if you win the rat race, apparently you’re still a rat). You could be one of thousands around the world still being downsized – a second or third time - and have sworn never to put your career, not to mention your financial survival, in someone else’s hands again.

Do you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur and take control of your future? Let’s zero in on the type who has the Entrepreneur Edge. It’s not something tangible that you can bottle up and sell, but people who’ve built successful businesses from the ground up share some common personality characteristics:

1. Entrepreneurs often start young. As kids or teenagers, they had newspaper rounds, surprisingly smart ideas for Internet businesses, or conjured up cunning schemes to make money off their unsuspecting classmates.

2. Entrepreneurs ooze self-confidence. They believe in themselves absolutely and thrive in a competitive environment. They’re catalysts, with either the charisma or great persuasion skills to enlist others to help make their big idea a reality.

3. They have a big vision and a dream. Think of England’s Richard Branson and his Virgin business empire, which started out as just a big new record store. There’s Donald Trump and his grandiose ventures; and on an even vaster playing field, Microsoft’s Bill Gates, whose vision includes donating billions from his staggering personal wealth to charity and philanthropy. Martha Stewart and the enterprise she built from scratch. One more word – Madonna. Not all entrepreneurs scale the highest peaks, but aiming low is a totally alien mindset for the true entrepreneur.

4. Entrepreneurs take risks. Some of them are calculated risks, or astute hunches that hit pay-dirt. Some of them are just way out there somewhere. One definite weak spot is a tendency to get over-extended financially. Brilliance and financial genius aren’t always roommates.

5. They like to work for themselves and make their own decisions.

6. Entrepreneurs never give up. They rebound quickly from business dead ends, or product disasters. And simply try again. There are multiple examples of entrepreneurs who burned too bright too fast, even went bankrupt, but had the resilience and chutzpah to nonchalantly bounce back. They view failures or mistakes as learning experiences, worth copping a few bruises or embarrassments on the way but not worth shedding tears over.

7. Entrepreneurs share an admirable and phenomenal capacity for grind. They work hard and don’t expect anything to be served up to them on a plate. There are plenty of get-rich-quick dreamers out there too, but even they have learnt to put in the hours. A solid foundation is what ultimately separates the men from the boys, to borrow an old cliché. Not to mention the women from the girls.

8. Entrepreneurs have a shrewd head for business. They have smart, ‘ahead of the trend curve’ ideas and keep coming up with fresh approaches, services…add-on valuable products… potential marketplaces. Their flair is creating innovative ways to make money and new distribution channels to boost profits. Sir Richard Branson built an international airline on the back of his Virgin record store brand. Donald Trump’s empire has made him the star of his own reality TV series ‘The Apprentice’.

9. Most entrepreneurs don’t retire, even if they make an attempt at it. They may sell their shares or cut back time; talking up a hammock slung on a tropical beach. But a few months later, restless, ‘just a few hours a day will do me this time’… they’re back, searching out new problems which they’ll find profitable solutions for - and a familiar adrenalin fix.

Sound like you? Or are you confident enough to try the entrepreneur route? A well-grounded belief in yourself is the mindset that will see you succeed.

You need to also be 100% realistic with yourself about the various strains in starting down an entrepreneurial track. Are you in good enough shape - physically, mentally, financially and emotionally - to handle the workload and the start-up stresses? Launching a start-up business in the middle of a vicious divorce might solve your problems about new directions, but could stretch you dangerously thin across health and sanity. Nothing’s worth a heart attack at 35.

After years of in-depth academic study, we’ve devised a Fast Track qualification test for would-be entrepreneurs. Start now, clear a quiet space and concentrate. First question: Do you want personal freedom? Second question: Do you want truckloads of banknotes? Brilliant, off you go!

If only it was that simple. Serious questions to ask yourself in an honest self-audit, if you’re considering launching your own business or taking the free agent path, include:

■ Do you have a dream or goal to chase? Something that you’re passionate about?

■ Are you a leader? Can you motivate people if your business takes off and you start hiring? Do you like people and get along with them? Do they like you?

■ Do you enjoy hard work and long hours? It will take 3 times as much of both as you estimated at the outset. Are you being really honest with yourself on this bit?

■ Can you handle responsibility? Running your own business can ultimately win you financial gains, freedom and flexibility. But there’s hard work ahead to get there and a lot of accountability to shoulder. The buck always comes back to you.

■ Can you banish the ‘what if I fall flat on my face’ fear factor with a shrug of your shoulders and demonstrate a high tolerance for risk? Are you being really honest with yourself on this bit?

■ Are you in a cashed-up position to survive for the foreseeable future? Without jeopardising your personal financial security, if your venture takes significantly longer to get off the ground than you estimated?

If it doesn’t sound like the life for you, don’t beat yourself up too much about it. Someone has to keep the corporate world afloat. Plenty of us need a manager or mentor, structure and teamwork, or more academic or creative work to fire us up.

You can get your kicks going along for the ride on someone else’s fast-tracked entrepreneurial scheme and hit the eject button when you’ve hurtled past your comfort zone. No-one who matters will make fun of you for being realistic about your business strengths and weaknesses.

And if you fit the Entrepreneur profile, get going, what are you waiting for? Why are you still hanging round reading this when you have so much to do?

One last hint...most entrepreneurs mess up spectacularly when it comes to organizing, administration and record-keeping. It’s unfortunately just not their thing. If it’s not yours, hire or outsource a good bookkeeper and pay your office manager far more than they deserve.

Don't they have better things to do???

Singapore scientists embrace plan for cyberhugs

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singapore scientists looking for ways to transmit the sense of touch over the Internet have devised a vibration jacket for chickens and are thinking about electronic children's pyjamas for cyberspace hugs.

A wireless jacket for chickens or other pets can be controlled with a computer and gives the animal the feeling of being touched by its owner, researchers at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) told The Straits Times.

The next step would be to use the same concept to transmit hugs over the Internet, it said.
"These days, parents go on a lot of business trips, but with children, hugging and touching are very important," the paper quoted NTU Associate Professor Adrian David Cheok as saying.

NTU is thinking of a pyjama suit for children, which would use the Internet to adjust changes in pressure and temperature to simulate the feeling of being hugged. Parents wearing a similar suit could be "hugged" back by their children, the paper said.

What can you say to that mad lot?

Personally I'd rather this mob of mad scientists spent their time on solving world hunger or the common cold or something HALFWAY BLOODY SENSIBLE like hugging their own children. You might feel differently?

Are You Irresistibly Attractive?

“A man never discloses his own character so clearly as when he describes another’s.” Jean Paul Richter

My coaching often integrates some of the ’28 Principles of Irresistible Attraction’ developed by coaching guru and creative thinker Thomas Leonard.

Thomas’s Attraction approach steers us away from ‘seducing’ our way through the daily maze - chasing doggedly after things, reluctant people, endless dead ends, or objectives that are frustratingly elusive the more you crank up the treadmill.

He advocates instead making yourself so ‘irresistibly attractive’ that the things you want come to you more effortlessly and you attract what you need and value (again needs come into play).

A chiropractic analogy explains Attraction in action. A chiropractor doesn’t prescribe medications to heal, but helps your system to heal you by realigning bones that may be impeding the electrical flow of your nervous system.

This is a good analogy, because part of the Attraction process is to increase the flow of your current system (heart, mind, spirit, body), rather than using medications to chemically restore or repair.

Attraction is a simple but sophisticated living approach – don’t forget that your approach to life is a choice, which many people forget to consciously make.

‘Character is not made in a crisis – it is only exhibited’. Robert Freeman

I’m musing over Thomas's Principle #20 – ‘Develop More Character Than You Need’. Are you someone with character? A big person? A forthright person who doesn’t have a need to constantly tell lies? (We’ll allow white lies where they smooth the social fabric along without harming anyone).

Thomas believes that people have put results, expediency and efficiency ahead of principles and character, but that although character has languished over the past 20 years or so, it’s coming into its time again.

I agree and also think it’s never been needed more out there, both personally and professionally. I don't care a bit if that makes me look like I have old-fashioned values either...

Character for me is strength, not wielding power. As the world shifts from power to strength as the primary paradigm, character matters more, even more so right now as a troubled planet stands uneasily on the sidelines of an anti-terrorism war - and worries over how that impacts us individually and collectively.

Character’s about honesty, integrity, honour…and about fearlessly living out your own convictions, about compassion and humility, about other people being able to put trust in you; and standing for what’s important to you. If you don't stand for something you'll fall for anything? Discuss...

Morality Question - would you steal this pie?

Here's a morality question for you all. Last week I was in the local deli and bought a couple of things including a $15 tart/pie to feed the household.

But... while I was buying it and they were adding something else to the order, the woman beside me at the counter paid for her stuff, grabbed her bags - and my pie - and raced out the door.

The shop owner and the counter girl immediately realised that she'd taken my pie by mistake. She is apparently a regular customer, so they thought a) she'd be back within a few mins b) she'd ring from hom and tell them about the mistake c) she'd bring it back 'cos she lives locally and has to come back into the shop soon.

This week the deli staff and I are giggling and they're a little shocked because the (middle-class well-off lady customer) stole the pie, never surfaced , and hasn't come back yet. They're looking forward to seeing if she tries to pretend nothing happens the next time she walks in, whereas we know she's the Pie Thief. lol

We all get situations like this that are so tempting to get a little treat from the ATM or the universe or someone else's mistake. She probably thought she got lucky with a very EAT-ME-Now free tart. But she stole from them and my dinner too! They kindly gave me another one so I didn't starve.

Would you steal the pie? Or are you going to give a funny/fake answer cos if you say HELL YES FREE PIE, the whole internet will brand you as a dishonest person?

How NOT to succeed at sleeping your way to the top

This girl ISN'T yet succeeding at 'shortcuts to sleeping your way to the top'. I had to laugh and feature this one..

The banker's reply is hilarious and very true. lol Men must be bored witless by women like this and as one of the gender I apologise on behalf of the female population for her crass approach to umm, 'romance'?. Darling go earn your own money!

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Deal or no deal? An online exchange between a woman looking for a husband who earns more than $500,000 a year and a mystery Wall Street banker, who assessed her potential for romance as a business deal, has cause quite an Internet stir.

The anonymous 25-year-old woman recently posted an ad on the free online New York community Web site Craigslist, newyork.craigslist.org/, appealing for advice on how to find a wealthy husband.

"I know how that sounds, but keep in mind that a million a year is middle class in New York City, so I don't think I'm overreaching at all," the woman, who described herself as "spectacularly beautiful" and "superficial," wrote.

"I dated a business man who makes average around 200 - 250. But that's where I seem to hit a roadblock. $250,000 won't get me to Central Park West," she said, asking questions like "where do rich single men hang out?"

The mystery banker, who said he fit the bill, offered the woman an analysis of her predicament, describing it as "plain and simple a crappy business deal."

"Your looks will fade and my money will likely continue into perpetuity ... in fact, it is very likely that my income increases but it is an absolute certainty that you won't be getting any more beautiful!" the banker wrote.

"So, in economic terms you are a depreciating asset and I am an earning asset," he said. "Let me explain, you're 25 now and will likely stay pretty hot for the next 5 years, but less so each year. Then the fade begins in earnest. By 35 stick a fork in you!"

"It doesn't make good business sense to "buy you" (which is what you're asking) so I'd rather lease," he said.

While the woman has since removed the ad from Craigslist, it -- along with the response -- has become a popular email joke that, bank JPMorgan Chase says, led to one of its bankers mistakenly being credited with writing the response.

Brian Marchiony, spokesman for JPMorgan Chase, said the banker did not write the response and that his email signature accidentally became attached to the ad and response when he forwarded it to friends and it then wound up on blogs.

Craigslist was not immediately available for comment, but a spokeswoman told The New York Times that "it does look as if the post was made sincerely."