Self-Improvement Archives

Adaptive Leadership Skills: Do You Have What It Takes?

What is adaptive leadership? What does “leading adaptively” entail in practice? Adaptive leadership is an emerging leadership model which conceptualizes leadership as the ability to solve “adaptive challenges”—problems that have no known solutions. An adaptive leader has the ability to lead an organization through the difficult, uncomfortable, and sometimes dangerous process of adaptation, and make it thrive while doing so. According to leadership experts Alexander Grashow, Marty Linsky, and Ronald Heifetz, there are six characteristics to consider when it comes to assessing yourself and your adaptive leadership skills.

Use Ulysses Contracts to Make Rational Decisions

What is a Ulysses contract? How can it help you make better decisions? A Ulysses contract is a commitment you make to yourself. It’s a way to use your rational mind now in an effort to override your irrational mind later, when it’s time to make a decision. Keep reading to learn about Ulysses contracts.

The 5 Benefits of Living a Purpose Driven Life

Are you living a purpose-driven life? What difference would it make if you did? When you live a purpose-driven life, you benefit in five ways. It gives you meaning, simplifies your life, focuses your energy, motivates you, and prepares you for eternity. Keep reading to learn more about the advantages of living a purpose-driven life.

The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino

What is Og Mandino’s The Greatest Salesman in the World about? What does the greatest salesman in the world have to do with character development? Part self-help techniques, part sales manual, and part Christian allegory, The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino addresses ways we can establish daily habits to strengthen our resolve and character, which will help us achieve our goals. The book’s title is slightly misleading—you’ll find no strategies for how to negotiate a cold call or close a deal. Instead, the story “sells” the premise that becoming a great salesperson means developing a better, stronger

How the Unconscious Mind Communicates to Us

What is the unconscious mind? How and why does it communicate to us? The unconscious mind makes up the vast majority of our minds. While dreams are perhaps the best-known form of unconscious communication, they aren’t the only form. Such communication can support us in many ways and contribute to our personal growth. Read more to learn about the unconscious mind and how it communicates to us.

How to Rebuke the Devil in 3 Easy Steps

Do you want to know how to rebuke the devil? How can you ensure Satan is not controlling your life and mindset? In her book Get Out of Your Head, Jennie Allen uncovers Satan’s master plan for trapping you in a life of defeat by poisoning your mind with self-reinforcing cycles of toxic thought, self-lies, and inner battles. Here’s how you can rebuke the devil and reclaim the power of your own mind.

Distractions From God (and How to Avoid Them)

What are some common distractions from God? How do distractions from God stop you from reaching your full potential? Distractions from God include things like procrastination, going on your phone too much, and not making time with God a priority. This can lead to a feeling of stagnation, impacting your relationship with God negatively. Find out common distractions from God and how to deal with them below.

Be a Giver, Not a Taker: Giving as a Path to Success

Do you take more than you give? Or do you try to do it in equal measure? Why is being a giver pay off better? In his book Give and Take, Adam Grant explains why people who give more than they take often receive benefits that exceed their personal costs. Whether it be at work, in a marriage, or even a friendship, it always pays off to be selfless. Here is why being a giver will pay off in the long term.

The Greatest Salesman in the World: The 10 Scrolls

What is the purpose of the 10 scrolls in The Greatest Salesman in the World? What were the writings inscribed inside? The 10 scrolls from The Greatest Salesman in the World are the fictional medium for delivering the ten principles of selling, or more accurately, of character-building. The story “sells” the premise that becoming a great salesperson means developing a better, stronger version of yourself through good habits, discipline, perseverance, and self-control. Below is a brief summary of Og Mandino’s ten character-building lessons contained in the scrolls.

Teach Discipline to Your Kids: The 2 Things You Need

What’s the best way to teach discipline to children? What must parents do? To support a child’s development, the most important skill a parent can pass on is discipline. That’s the view of M. Scott Peck, in his classic book The Road Less Traveled. To teach discipline, two components are critical: love and attention. Read more to learn how to teach discipline to your kids.