Author: chungwipff

Motivational Jump Starts: Tip #5 (Daniel Pink)

Pink suggests that you get unstuck by “going oblique.” In the 1970’s, Producer Brian Eno and artist Peter Schmidt created a deck of cards that contained strategies to overcome stress and being “stuck” creatively. They called it “Oblique Strategies.”

You can purchase this deck of cards for $500 or used ones for $65 or you can get some great examples for free, here.

I think the bottom line is to “jolt” you out of your rut.

Maybe a deck of cards containing oblique strategies doesn’t do much for you.

For me,  visiting an art gallery or going to a live music event will inspire me to “break the walls” to creativity. Perhaps reading the biography of someone you admire will do it for you, or maybe a weekend trip to a cabin with no technology.

It will be different for everyone. Just make sure it’s in your arsenal of tools for work.

 

Motivational Jump Starts: Tip #3 (Daniel Pink)

After you ask the Big Question, you need to ask the small question:

“Was I better today than I was yesterday?”

Did you do more?

Did you do it well?

Monitoring day-by-day success ensures you will reach your goal long-term.

 

 

Source: Drive by Daniel Pink, pages 155-156

 

 

On Motivation (Daniel Pink) Tip #2

After identifying your “flow” activities and optimal times, Daniel Pink suggests strategy #2:

Ask a Big Question

Clare Boothe Luce (one of the first women to serve in Congress) advised John F. Kennedy to create his sentence. For example, Abe Lincoln: “He preserved the Union and freed slaves.”

One way to focus your life to serve a greater purpose is to create your sentence.

“He raised four kids who became happy and health adults,” is one example.

Or, “She taught two generations of children how to read.” (Drive, pg. 155).

What is your sentence?

 

 

 

Motivation (Daniel Pink) Tip #1

Tip #1 of 9 for Awakening Your Motivation: Give Yourself a Flow Test

In flow, people live “so deeply in the moment, and feel so utterly in control, that their sense of time, place, and even self melt away.”

If you haven’t identified what kind of activities engage you in this way, Pink suggests you set a timer for several random times throughout the day. When it goes off, record what you’re doing and how you’re feeling. You’ll soon find your “flow.”

This exercise can help you determine your optimal time of work and the “true source of your intrinsic motivation”!

Motivation: Daniel Pink

My co-workers and I discuss motivation of our students on a daily basis. So-and-So is simply unmotivated…if only he would find his motivation, he’s smart enough to pass, etc. We

teachers agree that we cannot give our students motivation. We can only inspire. But that’s often not enough.

 

Everyone has experienced the lack of motivation to create or pursue a dream. What is it that creates the “click”? The decision to act and work toward a goal?

Daniel Pink of Drive asserts that our businesses are operating under an outdated and unproductive system of carrots and sticks. Bonuses simply do not work long-term. What works, then? His research shows that there are 3 essential elements for enhancing motivation:

  1. Autonomy – “the desire to direct our own lives”
  2. Mastery – “the urge to make progress and get better at something that matters” and
  3. Purpose – “the yearning to do what we do in the service of something larger than ourselves.”

Essentially, extrinsic motivators do not work. Treats or rewards for good grades, reading books, practicing piano…they can actually undermine intrinsic desires.

Tomorrow, I will cover the first of nine strategies Daniel Pink identifies to awaken your motivation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Self-Publishing for Newbies

While I wait for my illustrators (daughters, 13 and 14) to submit more art, I’ll tell you how I created my first draft of Esther, Mia and the Stars (a book about a girl who gets bullied and how her best friend and school helped her).

 

esther_grandma_pees
PPT slide with placeholder (Ava created a much better graphic).

I created the story line and broke it down by “scenes.” Each scene then got its own Powerpoint slide. I know…PPT is BORING. It’s passé. But it was for my eyes only. It helped me visualize the book and run through it quickly. I could drop kick each illustration (or placeholders) easily. This helped me “see” the book readily and troubleshoot quickly.

 

Tip: Consider  using Google Slides.  This way, you’ll have access to your project wherever you go and you won’t lose it!

Self-Publishing: Last Minute Changes

I’m still uploading illustrations and I’ve discovered I’m missing several – actually, many – illustrations. The girls (my daughters) are not going to be happy about creating more at this point.

Oh well.

I also learned that published books through Createspace.com only come in MATTE, not glossy. Traditionally, children’s books are glossy. You know what? I’m OK with that, I think it will be cool to have it matte – sounds old timey in a good way. My book is definitely NOT traditional, anyhow.

I’ve also decided to translate the English to several different languages: French, Korean, Mandarin, Spanish…this way, it will be educational in a foreign language/cultural/anti-bullying way.

With these changes, this is going to take a long time. My goal is to complete it by March 2017. That is when I first starting writing the book. Yes, that’s an awful long time to write and publish a dinky children’s book, but I work full-time and I have two daughters who are very busy with violin extracurriculars. I’m also wife to a very high-maintenance husband. Just kidding,  he’s pretty easy-going.

The DOG on the other hand…

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I was doing yoga and Bryan Kest said something I’ve heard a hundred times (I practice to his DVDs) which finally made an impression on me:

“Go as far as you want to go, as long as there is stability.”

Stability = family + work balance

Stability = emotional, mental, spiritual

Stability = physical (strength and flexibility)

Working consistently in an even-keeled manner, not stressing and taking it out on your loved ones…this is yoga.

 

 

 

 

 

Self-Publishing: Illustrations

I had to download all of my images (which I had scanned) from my hard drive to my Google Drive for security purposes. I would hate to lose them should my computer die! This took awhile. I then placed half of those images into my CreateSpace Dashboard. It’s been a super long day/night and that’s all I can get done for now. It seems silly to create a whole blog about it, but I am (hopefully), I’m inspiring you to do even just a little (whenever you can) toward reaching your goals.

When you’re tired and just want to veg with Netflix…

When you just want to take a bath and go to bed…

When you just want to surf the Internet reading mindless junk…

do one small thing towards your goal instead.

Good night!