Tag Archives: Margaret Smith professional speaker
August 25, 2021 Let me convince you: You Are Talented!
“Use what talents you possess – the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best.”
Henry van Dyke
Allow me to make a bold statement: You are talented. If you don’t believe me, you’re being far too critical of yourself and I encourage you to step back, think about your myriad accomplishments, and rework your definition of “talent.”
Step One: Take a Step Back
When you’re “in the weeds” in your professional or personal life, it’s easy to lose sight of your talents. They become hidden under piles of routine work and everyday tasks. They are placed on the backburner of your mind.
That’s why it’s helpful to step away from your day-to-day tasks every once in a while and consider what you’ve achieved. If you are having trouble pinpointing your talents, enlist the help of others or consider taking an assessment test. (As an LP of Insights Discovery, I recommend that one!)
Step Two: Consider Your Accomplishments
When thinking about your talents, cast a wide net. Think about what you’ve achieved in both your personal life and career. Consider what you’re good at, whether these things come naturally or have taken a good deal of effort to achieve. For example:
Have you organized a multi-family Thanksgiving dinner with multiple courses and activities? That’s a talent!
Do you have a knack for interpreting data? That’s a talent!
Are you adept at leading team meetings? Writing reports? Recognizing strengths in others? Talent, talent, and talent.
Just because something comes naturally to you, doesn’t mean it does for everyone. It’s just that you’ve mastered a skill and take your expertise for granted. It’s time to recognize that you DO have skillsets that others might not. You DO have talent.
Looking for a job change? Or, hoping to accelerate your current career? Check out the career resources (both FREE and paid) on my website!
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE.
CHECK OUT MARGARET’S ONLINE LEADERSHIP COURSE.
Tags: discover your expertise, discover your talents, Margaret Smith life coach, Margaret Smith professional speaker, you are talented
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- Posted under Changing Your Life, Insights Discovery
July 21, 2021 An Unexpected Benefit of Giving Advice
We all know that giving advice can help others. You might offer valuable guidance that helps someone through a sticky problem, or you might provide a sought-after opinion. But, did you know that giving advice can actually benefit YOU as well?
Katy Milkman, a professor at the Wharton School of Management and the author of How To Change, has studied advice-giving and discovered that the advice-giver can reap as many benefits as the advice-receiver. The parameters are specific, though. You must give someone advice on the SAME goal or aspiration that YOU are trying to achieve.
Trying to write a book? Tell someone else how to go about doing it.
Trying to lose weight? Give someone advice on an exercise and diet regime.
Want to save more money each month? Advise someone else on how to tuck away those extra dollars.
By giving others advice on the very thing you want to accomplish, you’re building up your confidence, solidifying your ideas by bouncing them off others, and keeping this specific goal top of mind. Milkman also says that once we advise others on a specific objective, we want to “want the talk” and make the goal happen, since it would be hypocritical if we did not.
I have talked quite a bit about goal-setting on this blog, and I DO believe there is more to accomplishing goals than simply talking about them or giving advice, but still, this is an interesting piece of insight. By talking out your goals, you keep them top-of-mind and you (either subconsciously or consciously) are continuously problem-solving around them.
So, keep talking and keep giving advice! Here’s a video of Katy Milkman talking with Daniel Pink about advice giving:
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE.
CHECK OUT MARGARET’S ONLINE LEADERSHIP COURSE.
Tags: benefit of giving advice, daniel pink, goals and advice, katy milkman, Margaret Smith life coach, Margaret Smith professional speaker, milkman advice giving, unexpected benefit give advice
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- Posted under Advice from a Life Coach, Communication, Goals
April 7, 2021 Do You Give Yourself the Gift of Silence?
Many people I know run at about a mile a minute. They juggle work responsibilities, family, household chores, friendships, cooking, car repairs, and about a million other little things. When they do finally find a moment to themselves, they often spend it in front of the TV, or maybe listening to music, a podcast, or an audiobook.
Amid all the action and noise, where is the silence?
Silence is important because it allows us the time and space we need to just think and be present. When we go on a quiet walk or take a shower or drive the car with the radio turned off, we give our minds a much-needed break. These quiet moments allow ideas to germinate and come to life. They are essential to the creative process.
Think about it. How much creativity can you really have during a Zoom meeting? Or when you’re helping out with homework? Or scrambling to put together dinner?
There’s a reason why the advertising agents in the show Mad Men have all their best ideas during “downtime.” When your brain is allowed some peace and quiet, it has the freedom to stretch and travel to places it might not usually go. Entrepreneur Jason Hennessey sets aside an entire day (what he calls “Creative Wednesdays”) for idea generation and creative endeavors. He admits that the idea of devoting a whole day to creativity was daunting at first. He feared that he wouldn’t get all his work done and that deadlines wouldn’t be met. However, he found that his Creative Wednesdays actually made him more productive during the other four days of his workweek. He had more energy and enthusiasm, and he found himself looking forward to his mid-week creative time.
Get Started
You don’t have to dedicate an entire day to quiet, creative time (it’s simply not feasible for many people). However, you can start somewhere. Begin by setting aside fifteen minutes or half an hour every day for quiet journaling, mind mapping, or free writing. If you have a family or housemates, let them know what you’re up to, so they respect your space. Then, find a quiet a room or go for a walk and let the ideas flow!
This may not come naturally at first, but take heart. You’ll soon become accustomed to your designated quiet time. To help ease into this time, you may want to practice free writing. Pick a topic and write whatever comes to mind. Let your thoughts flow in a stream of consciousness. Don’t worry about grammar or complete sentences—just write. You may be surprised by what comes out!
We all need a little more silence in our lives. Try fostering quiet creative time in your life, and see what comes of it.
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE.
CHECK OUT MARGARET’S ONLINE LEADERSHIP COURSE.
Tags: Give yourself gift of silence, Margaret Smith professional speaker, Margaret Smith UXL, quiet creative time, quiet time generate ideas, silence for idea generation
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- Posted under Changing Your Life, Discussions
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