Achievers

The end of the year is always a time for reflection, especially if you are on holiday and are spending time catching up with your family and friends.

Its often when we have to answer the question ’so what have you been up to?’ that we start to think about what we have achieved for the past year.

Thinking back or reflection is an important component of learning and many universities regard it as an essential study skill.  It’s also an important life skill.

In a brochure about reflection, the Queen Margaret University of Edinburgh says:  "the more we reflect consciously, and make time to do it, the more reflection can become a useful habit that guides and informs what we do next."

The University says reflection or deep thinking involves a mixture of elements such as:

1. Making sense of experience
2. ‘Standing back’
3. Repetition
4. Deeper honesty
5. ‘Weighing up’
6. Clarity
7. Understanding
8. Making judgements

So how are you going to reflect on your past year? Look at the advice from the Queen Margaret University brochure and your answer to ’so what have you been up to?’ may help you plot your course for 2008!

Australia Network’s Nexus program spends a day in the life of one of Geraldine Cox’s remarkable Sunrise graduates this week and it is an inspirational story.  Sopheak Louch came to the Sunrise orphanage when he was 11 years old, unable to read and write, having never attended school.  Now 19, he is studying in Australia at Adelaide’s prestigious Prince Alfred College and is aiming to attend university.

Sopheak is a young man who came to Australia to learn, but who has taught those around him so much. 

You can watch his story by going to Geraldine’s achievers page and selecting the Video story about Sopheak from the play list (it’s item 4).  A transcript of the story is also available on the Nexus website.

Sopheak is a genuine example of someone who is realising their potential … watch his story and tell us your reaction - we’d love to hear your comments.

We’ve had some thought-provoking comments about the value of self-belief and the reality of self-doubt in the comments following the ‘believe in yourself’" post.  In Brett Lee’s exclusive ‘achievers’ video interview, Australia’s #1 bowler says career lows are inevitable and the key is to stay positive.   

"There’s times when you’re down and there’s times when you’re up and that’s what sport is all about and that’s why we love it," he says.  "If you are continually at a high all the time you wouldn’t be challenging yourself, and it wouldn’t be a great game."

Brett’s strategy is to stay as ‘even’ as possible, not rising too high with the highs, and not falling too far with the lows … I guess that’s what makes him so consistent when he is playing cricket and in his line of work consistency brings success.

If you want to watch Brett’s interview in full (and download it to play later), go to Brett’s achievers page and select the video extra file.

And tell our achiever’s community what you think about Brett’s ‘even keel’ strategy, would it work for you?

Australia Network’s Nexus program is featuring a story on Geraldine Cox and some of the children from Sunrise’s Fine Arts School on this Friday’s program (November 30, 2007).  Geraldine and the children visited Australia earlier this year and performed traditional music and dance in some of the country’s best theatres. 

The idea for a Fine Arts School followed the trauma of a 1997 military coup - Geraldine sought advice from a pyschologist about how to ease the fears of the children who had witnessed their home and carers at Sunrise Orphanage face armed militia trying to reclaim what was once a military barracks.  "We had soldiers with machine guns and tanks and everything running around the land, trying to shoot us off the property," says Geraldine.

The advice was to get the children involved in music and dance and any kind of art form and the fine arts school has fostered a powerful means of both healing and cultural expression.

We’ve added this Nexus video story to Geraldine’s achievers page, and you can also find the full transcript and English learning component on our Nexus site.  To find out when to watch Nexus visit the Nexus home page and set your location.

Let us know what you think about the story and if you’ve experienced the healing power of art and music.

For Imogen Bailey one of the secrets to success is having confidence and she remembers an early teacher telling her to ‘fake it til you make it’ meaning that if you act confident people will think you are confident!  Presenting yourself at your best when facing an important meeting, or interview is just one thing you can do keep that inner voice positive.  Many people swear by having personal mantras or affirmations which they will say to themselves to get into a confident frame of mind.  For me it’s all about smell - I have a range of essential oils which I use that help give me stamina, energy and yes even confidence. 

It works for me … what works for you?  What are some of your best confidence boosting tricks?

"Never give up, never regret and follow your destiny." - Kostya Tszyu.

These are the words of a winner, a man who has followed his heart and his dreams to the ultimate level of his profession - Boxing World Champion. His ability to believe in his own potential has given him the edge and the endurance to succeed.

The ability to believe in one’s self is a common attribute of successful people.  All of our achievers have a strong sense of self-belief and that carries through in the way they live their lives. If you don’t believe in yourself and your own potential it makes it very hard to be confident - and confidence is essential for dealing with people.

I believe that everyone has talent and that by having faith in yourself and your talents, you will reach your goals. One of my goals is to raise my children to have the confidence to pursue their own dreams. The only way I can teach them this is by setting a good example and by showing them that I believe in their potential as well as my own.  It is a great boost to confidence and self-belief when others believe in you too…

Kostya’s greatest talent is that he is able to see and understand his own potential.

What’s your greatest talent?

Powers of persuasion are invaluable assets for humanitarian Geraldine Cox. She thrives on making the impossible possible, and her success is partly due to her ability to influence key decision makers. Methods of persuasion include appeals to reason such as logical argument, rhetoric, scientific method and proof. Aids to successful persuasion include body language, communication skill and sales techniques.

Researcher Robert Cialdini describes the ‘Six Weapons of Influence,’ as he calls them, in his book, Influence, Science and Practice (Allyn & Cacon, 2000):

1. RECIPROCATION - "The Old Give and Take–and Take"
We are all taught to repay others for what they do for us. Building a sense of reciprocal giving can be a useful tool of persuasion.

2. COMMITMENT AND CONSISTENCY - "Hobgoblins of the Mind"
Once people have made a choice, they put themselves under pressure to behave consistently with that commitment. Getting people to commit to an action will increase the chances of them actually doing it.

3. SOCIAL PROOF - "Truths Are Us"
We decide what is correct by noticing what other people think is correct. If you want someone to do something for you, be sure to let them see that many other people are already doing it.

4. LIKING: "The Friendly Thief"
People love to say ‘yes’ to requests from people they know and like. Most people are also phenomenal suckers for flattery, even when they know it isn’t true.

5. AUTHORITY: "Directed Deference"
Most of us are raised with a respect for authority. You can put this general principle to use by citing authoritative sources to support your ideas. Be sure others know that your education and experience supports your ideas.

6. SCARCITY: "The Rule of the Few"
Opportunities seem more valuable when they are less available. The possibility of losing something is a more powerful motivator than of gaining something.

Robert Cialdini’s ‘Six weapon’s of influence’ have certainly got me thinking. I’m going to be referring back to this post before my next pay review!

How do you get people to say ‘yes’?