Pile On Motivation

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Category: Self Help

  • Best Advice on Excellence

    Best Advice on Excellence

    Daily writing prompt
    What’s the most profound piece of advice you’ve been given? Did you take it?
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    The need of Grit for Excellence

    The best advice on achieving excellence that I have ever received is via Angela Duckworth’s book Grit.

    In this book the author enlightens us on the need of grit and constant determination to achieve and sustain excellence.

    Research says that passion alone cannot take us towards our goal. What is needed is the perseverance in conjunction with passion, a quality exhibited by most achievers.

    The central quality to achieve the same is grit or the perseverance that keeps us going in spite of all odds.

    I find this particular insight very inspiring.

    Best Advice on Excellence

    For another inspiring insight from the same book, please read the below insight:

    https://viewpointsunplugged.com/do-you-have-grit/

    Did you find this post useful?

  • Day out with my Idols

    Day out with my Idols

    Daily writing prompt
    If you had an unlimited budget for 24 hours, what would you do?
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    A Day Filled with Inspiration

    If I had unlimited budget for 24 hours I would have travelled to different parts of the world as part of a day out with my idols.

    These are some of the great people whom I idolize and would love to have discussions around remarkable work done by each of them in respective areas:

    1. Simon Sinek -> For work done around helping me FIND a WHY in my life and for helping me realize that life is indeed an INFINITE GAME. His work around OPTIMISM and FULFILLMENT is inspiring to the core.
    2. Cal Newport -> For making me realize the virtues of DEEP WORK and the need of a CRAFTSMAN MINDSET over a PASSION MINDSET to get your rightful place.
    3. Carmine Gallo -> For enlightening me on PRESENTATION SECRETS of STEVE JOBS, coaching people around the world to TALK like TED and finally making me realize the importance of PRACTICE for any PRESENTATION
    4. Daniel Pink -> For make me realize the POWER of REGRET as an EMOTION to course correct in our lives and via WHEN enlightening me on the importance of timing and guarding the golden hour in our daily lives.
    5. Finally Angela Duckworth and Susan Cain for enlightening me on the merits of exhibiting GRIT in our lives and that the POWER of INTROVERTS is undeniable.

    I would like to take a moment to share an insightful post around introverts from Susan Cain’s book The Power of Introverts that has changed the world’s perspective around introverts.

    https://viewpointsunplugged.com/north-star-of-introversion/

    Day out with my Idols

    Do you idolize anyone? Do let me know in comments..

  • Flow Experience is Unreal

    Flow Experience is Unreal

    Daily writing prompt
    What’s a moment that made you question reality?
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    A Flow experience is truly unreal and made me question reality when I went through such an experience.

    As mentioned by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in his revolutionary book Flow, this is an experience that happens at the intersection of optimal levels of performance and arousal.

    When you are doing something you truly love and when you are completely immersed in an activity that provides a perfect balance between high challenge and your specific skill level, this experience happens.

    For me the same experience happens when I am reading a very insightful book that makes me forget about the reality around me.

    Flow Experience is Unreal

    For another insightful post on the same topic, please read this post:

    https://viewpointsunplugged.com/unleash-flow-in-your-lives/

    Has this experience ever happened to you? Do comment and share your flow experience with me..

  • Aim for CONFIDENT HUMILITY

    Aim for CONFIDENT HUMILITY

    Daily writing prompt
    How do you handle fear and self-doubt?
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    Are you Confidently Humble?

    Aim for confident humility to stay away from fear and self doubt and remain positive at all possible circumstances.

    As mentioned by Adam Grant in his book Think Again, this happens when we operate at optimal levels of confidence and comptence.

    This is the zone in which fear or self doubt is not able to overpower us. The calmness of operating in this zone helps us tide through these trying situations.

    Aim for CONFIDENT HUMILITY

    Read this post to find out how rethinking is key to development of confident humility.

    https://viewpointsunplugged.com/rethinking-is-key-to-confident-humility/

    Would love to hear your comments on what you think is the right approach to fight fear and self doubt.

    Looking forward to your comments and insights..

  • Make your LIFE MEANINGFUL

    Make your LIFE MEANINGFUL

    Daily writing prompt
    What is the meaning of life?
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    Have you found the MEANING of LIFE?

    To make your life meaningful you need to define the WHY of your life which is the purpose of your very existence. If we are able to do this we would be able to bear any HOW.

    Viktor Frankl’s book Man’s Search for Meaning is a wonderful book that throws on important aspects that lead to a fulfilling life.

    Make your LIFE MEANINGFUL

    As mentioned by the author in this book there are three aspects for finding a meaning in our lives by putting purpose over pleasure as follows:

    1. Doing significant work
    2. Being in love by loving or caring another person
    3. Exhibiting courage most of the times

    To know more about the same read this insightful post:

    https://viewpointsunplugged.com/three-sources-of-meaning-in-our-lives/

    If you have also read this book and felt inspired by the learning do comment, like and share and spread the word around.

    Would love to hear from you all!!

  • Learn to unlearn

    Learn to unlearn

    Daily writing prompt
    How do you stay motivated when learning something new?
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    Why is Adaptability a key to learn?

    The one distinct quality that separates great leaders from the rest is their ability to consistently learn to unlearn techniques that may have become irrelevant with age.

    Adaptability and flexibility of mindset is required to course correct when we realize our existing skills and knowledge may need a refresh.

    Many of us are not able to learn new things for the fear of not being able to unlearn already held knowledge.

    Hence having an open mind is the first step to remain optimistic in an ever changing world that demands us to course correct at various points of time.

    Sitting and reflecting quietly in solitude is one great recipe to start the journey of learning new things

    The following insight has been adopted from Cal Newport’s book Digital Minimalism.

    Learn to unlearn

  • The Mystery of Mindfulness

    The Mystery of Mindfulness

    Daily writing prompt
    What’s a mystery from your own life that you’ve never solved?
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    Explore the mystery of mindfulness

    Of all things, the mystery of mindfulness is something that has already fascinated me. This is one mystery I have always found difficult to solve. Lets explore why it is so difficult to be mindful.

    Our brain’s natural state is entropy i.e. either worry about the future or regret about the past and hence focusing on the present moment goes against our natural instincts.

    This is what makes mindfulness such a difficult skill to acquire.

    Focusing on the present moment is known to improve our immune system and leads to fulfilling lives.

    Read this insight that explores the quirk around mindfulness. Inspired from the best selling book Flow.

    The mystery of mindfulness
  • Power of Social Bonds

    Power of Social Bonds

    Daily writing prompt
    Do you have a quote you live your life by or think of often?
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    Have you realized the Power of Social Bonds yet?

    Right from the caveman times, the power of social bonds is what makes us innately human. This is what makes us so different from the rest of the animals.

    In his book Together is Better, the author Simon Sinek has wonderfully illustrated this aspect around togetherness.

    The below quote mentioned in this book from an African proverb is one of the best quotes I have ever come across..

    “To go FAST go ALONE.To go FAR go TOGETHER.”

    Read this post to feel inspired and start enjoying this super power that makes you innately human.

    https://viewpointsunplugged.com/enjoy-the-season-of-human-bonds/

    Power of Social Bonds
  • Motivation to destress

    Motivation to destress

    Daily writing prompt
    What topics do you like to discuss?
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    Driving away Stress

    In the modern fast paced world anxiety, depression and stress are common byproducts. This is a blog post where I would like to discuss this topic to serve as a motivation to destress.

    Whenever we feel stressed up, a very good tip is to take a walk to engage the motor cortex of our brain to reduce the amount of electrical activity in the prefrontal cortex as mentioned below.

    https://viewpointsunplugged.com/walking-as-a-stress-reliever/

    The best medicine to cure the hyperactivity that happens in our brain during such a moment is to face the reality and act. This removes unwarranted fears as mentioned by Susan Cain in her book Quiet.

    https://viewpointsunplugged.com/stress-triggers-unwarranted-fears/

    Finally take note of this piece of motivational advice from Seth Godin in his book Dip. When acted upon properly this would eliminate regret in the long term by managing stressful situations at the present moment.

    Motivation to destress
  • Fearlessly invest in Optimism

    Fearlessly invest in Optimism

    Daily writing prompt
    When is the last time you took a risk? How did it work out?
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    Why invest in Optimism?

    In the hustle and bustle of modern life the recipe for leading a fulfilling life is to fearlessly invest in optimism. This is the risk that I have already taken and I encourage you all to do the same as well.

    Optimism and faith in god are quintessential to remind us that the future is bright to enable progression.

    Research has proven that a positive and optimistic attitude is known to improve the immunity system and help us fight menace such as stress and anxiety.

    Hence as Simon Sinek says, I would also encourage you all to take the risk of Optimism & lead a fulfilling life.

    Fearlessly invest in Optimism

    Simon Sinek