Anuradha Mandal

Career Coach

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Enhancing Communication Skills: Key Strategies for Success

In today’s interconnected world, strong communication skills aren’t just nice to have – they’re essential for success.

According to a LinkedIn survey conducted in 2023, communication skills topped the list of most in-demand soft skills, with 93% of employers rating them as crucial for workplace success.

Let’s explore practical strategies to enhance your communication abilities.

The Power of Active Listening

The power of active listening
Communication skill – Active Listening

Did you know that we typically remember only 25-50% of what we hear?

That’s according to research from the University of Missouri.

Active listening can significantly improve this retention rate.

Take Sania, a sales manager at a tech company, who transformed her team’s performance by implementing active listening techniques. Her team’s customer satisfaction scores improved by 40% in just six months.

Key active listening practices include:

  • Maintaining eye contact
  • Providing verbal and non-verbal feedback
  • Asking clarifying questions
  • Avoiding interruptions

Body Language: Your Silent Communicator

Our non-verbal cues speak volumes.

Studies by Dr. Albert Mehrabian suggest that 55% of communication is body language, 38% is tone of voice, and only 7% is the actual words we speak.

Consider John, a nervous public speaker who crossed his arms during presentations.

After working on his body language, particularly maintaining an open posture and using purposeful gestures, his audience engagement scores increased by 65%.

Communication Skill : Body Language
Communication Skill : Body Language

Written Communication in the Digital Age

With remote work becoming prevalent (47% of workers now work remotely at least part-time according to Gallup’s 2024 workplace report), written communication has gained unprecedented importance.

Clear, concise writing can make or break professional relationships.

A study by Grammarly found that professionals who wrote clearly and effectively were 31% more likely to be promoted.

Take Maria, a project manager who implemented a structured email format for her team. Her simple change reduced back-and-forth emails by 35% and improved project completion times by 28%.

The Art of Public Speaking

While 75% of people report having glossophobia (fear of public speaking), mastering this skill can increase your earning potential by 10-50%, according to a study by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

Consider David, who joined Toastmasters International. After six months of regular practice, he secured a promotion that required frequent presentations to senior management.

Effective public speaking strategies include:

  • Starting with a strong hook
  • Using the rule of three for main points
  • Incorporating relevant stories
  • Practicing regularly

Cultural Competence in Communication

In our globalized world, understanding cultural nuances is crucial.

A study by the Harvard Business Review found that companies with high cultural competence outperformed their competitors by 46% in profitability.

Take the case of a multinational tech company that saw a 50% increase in international client retention after implementing cultural communication training.

Digital Communication Tools and Etiquette

With professionals spending an average of 3.1 hours daily on work emails (Adobe Email Usage Study), mastering digital communication tools is essential.

Microsoft Teams reports that effective use of collaboration tools can save employees up to 4 hours per week.

Practical tips for digital communication:

  • Keep messages clear and concise
  • Use appropriate channels for different types of communication
  • Respect time zones in global teams
  • Maintain professional tone across platforms

Emotional Intelligence in Communication

Research by TalentSmart shows that 90% of top performers have high emotional intelligence.

Lisa, a customer service manager, implemented emotional intelligence training for her team, resulting in a 42% reduction in customer complaints and a 27% increase in positive feedback.

Components of emotional intelligence in communication:

  • Self-awareness
  • Empathy
  • Conflict resolution skills
  • Adaptability

Feedback and Continuous Improvement

Regular feedback is crucial for developing communication skills.

A Gallup poll found that employees who receive regular feedback are 3.5 times more likely to be engaged at work.

Consider implementing the SBI (Situation-Behavior-Impact) feedback model, which has shown to improve communication clarity by up to 40%.

Practical Steps for Implementation

  1. Start with self-assessment using communication skills assessment tools
  2. Set specific, measurable goals for improvement
  3. Practice regularly in low-stakes situations
  4. Seek feedback from trusted colleagues
  5. Record and analyze your communication patterns
Communication Skills
Communication Skills: Writing & Practice

The Impact on Career Success

Strong communication skills can lead to:

  • 25% higher average salary (PayScale survey)
  • 34% increased likelihood of promotion within two years
  • 50% better team collaboration scores
  • 40% higher customer satisfaction ratings

Remember, enhancing communication skills is a journey, not a destination.

Start with one area, practice consistently, and build upon your successes.

As Warren Buffet noted, “You can improve your value by 50 percent just by learning communication skills.”

By implementing these strategies and maintaining consistency in practice, you’ll see significant improvements in both personal and professional relationships.

The key is to start small, stay committed, and celebrate progress along the way.

Conclusion

Enhancing your communication skills and developing your personality is a journey, not a destination.

By taking small, consistent steps, you can become a more confident, articulate, and approachable individual.

Remember, the key is to stay patient, practice regularly, and embrace growth. Start today, and watch how these changes positively impact every aspect of your life.

Leave a comment for on what is your go to strategy for enhancing your communication skills.

Hard Skills Vs Soft Skills

Hard Skills Vs Soft Skills: With 50+ examples.

Hard skills, also known as technical skills, are technical knowledge and teachable abilities and expertise that can be easily measured and quantified. Hard skills are often job-specific and can be acquired through education, training, or experience.

For example, a hard skill could be coding. No one is born with the knowledge to code. Preferably, it must be learned over time, normally through some type of schooling, education, relevant certifications, portfolios courses, skill assessment tests, upskilling or other skill development program.

By nature, hard skills are tangible and can be measured or tested. They are often specific to a particular job or industry and involve technical expertise or proficiency in a certain set of tools or methodologies. They are more concrete, measurable, demonstrate proficiency and objectively assessed.

While hard skills are crucial for specific jobs, they may not be easily transferable to different roles or industries without additional training or education.

Hard skills are gained through education or training that can be gained through any life experience, including in career or education. Typically, hard skills are learnt in the classroom, through books or other training materials, or on the job.

Common Hard Skills

  • Computer software knowledge
  • User interface (UI) design
  • Website development
  • Content development
  • Graphic design
  • Data analysis
  • Project management
  • Marketing
  • Copywriting
  • Copyediting
  • Budgeting
  • Computer programming
  • Foreign languages
  • Search engine optimization (SEO)
Hard Skills
Hard Skills

 

Different hard skills will require different criteria for expertise.

Unequivocally hard skills will often be a prerequisite for a job. Again, look at the example of coding. This skill is very important if you are a developer or web designer. However, coding is less important if you are a plumber.

For some professions, like lawyers and doctors, one need advanced degrees and rigorous testing to prove their hard skills. On the other professions, like digital marketer or copywriters, one can learn the skills on their own or on the job and can prove hard skills with a portfolio of work.

While certain hard skills will be mandatory for many jobs, other hard skills might be negotiable.

Hard skills are technical skills required for a job.

Also, hard skills are important for resume, as employers look for them when hiring.

Some of the most in-demand hard skills include:

  • Adobe software suite
  • Bilingual or multilingual
  • Database management
  • Data mining
  • Marketing management
  • Mobile development
  • Network security
  • SEO/SEM marketing
  • Statistical analysis
  • User interface design
  • Storage systems and management
  • Programming languages

According to data published by LinkedIn, the top trending hard skills are:

Top Hard Skills

  • Customer service
  • Accounting
  • Business development
  • Marketing
  • Digital marketing
  • Finance
  • Sales and marketing
  • Financial analysis
  • Engineering
  • Social media marketing
  • Structured query language (SQL)

Developing a diverse set of hard skills can significantly enhance one’s professional capabilities and one can be valuable asset in their chosen field.

Here are 10 examples of hard skills one can acquire:

  1. Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, Java, or C++ are excellent hard skills.
  2. Graphic design and multimedia production
  3. Project management skills show how one can effectively plan, execute, and monitor projects.
  4. Proficiency in specific software applications, like Microsoft Office Suite or Adobe Creative Cloud, is very important.
  5. Accounting and bookkeeping certifications
  6. Network administration and troubleshooting
  7. Engineering design and drafting abilities help you create technical drawings and plans.
  8. Digital marketing and search engine optimization (SEO)
  9. Data analysis and interpretation help you derive insights and make informed decisions.
  10. Statistical analysis and modelling allow you to analyse data and identify patterns.

Now that we have understood, the meaning of Hard Skills.

Let’s understand, the meaning of Soft Skills.  How important will soft skills be in the future?

The answer to this question, is.

Very!

Deloitte Access Economics forecasts that soft skill-intensive occupations will account for two-thirds of all jobs by 2030.

Soft skills, also known as “people skills” or “interpersonal skills,” are subjective skills that are much harder to quantify. Soft skills, or people skills, are traits and abilities that one develops throughout their entire life. Soft skills speak to how and why one is motivated to do certain things.

Soft skills, also known as interpersonal, people, or social skills, are non-technical, personal attributes which are difficult to define or to measure.

These skills are subjective and less quantifiable. Soft skills reflect an individual’s emotional intelligence and social awareness. Flourishing these attributes enhances both professional and personal relationships.

Effective communication, is a key soft skill many employers look for.

Soft skılls
Soft skılls

Soft skills examples include:

  • Communication: Expressing ideas, thoughts, and information through written, verbal, and non-verbal means such as body language.
  • Empathy: Understanding and compassion for the feelings and perspectives of others.
  • Teamwork: The capacity to work with others.
  • Leadership: The skill to guide, motivate, and inspire others to achieve common goals.
  • Problem-solving: The aptitude to analyse complex situations, identify issues, and give solutions.
  • Dependability: Being reliable and consistent.
  • Open-mindedness: Willingness to consider different perspectives and adapt to changing circumstances.
  • Creativity: Demonstrating the ability to create new ideas, solutions and proceed towards problems.
  • Critical thinking: The skill to analyse information, assess situations, and make well-informed decisions.
  • Organization: Managing tasks, time, and
  • Willingness to learn: Maintaining a proactive.
  • Time management: Managing one’s time to enhance productivity.
  • Conflict resolution: The capability to address and resolve conflicts.

Some more Soft skills include:

  • Stress management
  • Active listening
  • Adaptability
  • Integrity
  • Flexibility
  • Motivation
  • Patience
  • Persuasion
  • Work ethic

Soft skills are essential to one’s career and as one search for jobs. Employers at times prefer to select candidates who have a stronger set of soft skills over hard skills.

For example, one may be seeking a job in customer care services but lack prior knowledge of data analysis tools. If one has references that can attest to the effectiveness of one’s soft skills, such as empathy, open-mindedness and communication, an employer may choose one over another candidate whose hard skills are stronger but who lacks the same level of soft skills.

Some of the most in-demand soft skills include:

  1. Integrity
  2. Dependability
  3. Effective communication
  4. Open-mindedness
  5. Teamwork
  6. Creativity
  7. Critical thinking
  8. Organization
  9. Willingness to learn
  10. Empathy
  11. Collaboration
  12. Adaptability
  13. Active listening
  14. Emotional intelligence
  15. Initiative
  16. Compassion
  17. Attention to detail.
  18. Problem-solving skills
  19. Positive attitude

Soft skills, however, are more interpersonal than technical. They are sometimes known as durable skills.

Soft skills are typically something that one is naturally good at, without having to learn it through education or hands-on training. However, one can still improve soft skills, just as one can improve your hard skills, like;

  • Maintaining eye contact (active listening)
  • Speaking clearly when prompted (effective communication)
  • Asking follow-up questions (active listening)

Soft skills are deeply linked to an individual’s personality. Also known as interpersonal or people skills, soft skills are personal attributes and qualities that affect how individuals interact with others.

Soft skills are intangible in nature and are transferable across different roles and industries. They are valuable in a variety of contexts and contribute to an individual’s overall effectiveness.

Soft skills are often developed over time through experiences, interactions, and self-awareness. They can be honed through practice and feedback.

Soft Skills can be gained through the informal learning process, for example, one can learn etiquettes and table manners, by associating with people, attending social get together and parties.

These are acquired, but these cannot be measured.

Soft Skills helps in maintaining interpersonal relations, plays a crucial role in effective decision making, improves communication skills and facilitates professional development and career growth.

Hard skills or soft skills. Which is more important ?

Trick question!

To be successful in any role, one need a combination of relevant hard skills and soft skills.

And that is why  it is important to have both hard and soft skills.

Hard and soft skills are both crucial for personal and professional success. They play distinct role yet complementary. A balance between hard and soft skills is essential for success.

Combining hard skills with soft skills creates well-rounded professionals. It allows them to excel in their roles.

A blend of hard and soft skills allows individuals to adapt to changing situations.

There is no one-size-fits-all ratio for hard skills to soft skills, as it heavily depends on the industry, job role, and individual career goals.

Different professions and roles have varying requirements for technical expertise and interpersonal abilities. However, there are some general perspectives:

Technical Roles:

Occupations in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields often require a higher ratio of hard skills. For example, software developers, engineers, and data scientists may need a significant amount of technical proficiency.

The ratio in these roles could be skewed more toward hard skills, such as 70% hard skills and 30% soft skills.

Client-Facing Roles:

Jobs that involve frequent interaction with clients or customers, such as sales or customer service, often require a more balanced ratio. Soft skills like communication, empathy, and relationship-building become crucial.

In client-facing roles, the ratio might be closer to 50% hard skills and 50% soft skills.

Leadership and Management:

As individuals progress into leadership and management positions, the importance of soft skills increases. Leadership roles require effective communication, emotional intelligence, and the ability to motivate and inspire a team.

In leadership positions, the ratio might shift to 60-70% soft skills and 30-40% hard skills.

Creative and Design Fields:

Careers in creative fields, such as graphic design or content creation, often place a premium on creativity, innovation, and artistic abilities.

The ratio in creative fields might be more balanced, with perhaps 60-70% soft skills and 30-40% hard skills.

Conclusion

It’s crucial to note that these ratios are illustrative and not prescriptive. The ideal balance can vary based on individual strengths, career aspirations, and the specific requirements of a given role. In today’s dynamic work environment, possessing a combination of both hard and soft skills is generally advantageous, as it allows individuals to adapt to changing circumstances and contribute effectively in diverse professional settings.

As you move ahead in the journey of  your skills, the career path also plays an important role.

Grab the book for creating  your own career path.

Learn The Secrets Of Getting A Successful Career In Easy Steps:

 How to Choose Your Career Path”- A self-Guided Book Just For You.

The eBook and the paperback version are available just a click away. https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0B2JRTMBZ.

 

Soft Skills Importance

Soft Skills Importance In The Age Of AI

Nobel Prize winner William Butler Yeats shared his million-dollar thoughts by stating this great line.

“Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people.”

Having knowledge is good, i.e. itself is not enough, we need to communicate it to others effectively.

By successfully getting our message across, we convey our thoughts and ideas effectively.

This is where the Soft Skills comes into the picture in a bigger way.

Soft skills are character traits and interpersonal skills that characterize a person’s ability to interact effectively with others.

Psychologists may use the term “soft skills” to describe someone’s emotional intelligence quotient (EQ) as opposed to intelligence quotient (IQ).

According to Wikipedia, Soft skills, also known as power skills, common skills, essential skills, people skills, or core skills, are skills applicable to all professions.

The word “skill” highlights the practical function.

The term alone has a very extensive meaning and describes a particular ability to complete tasks ranging from easier ones like learning how to kick a ball to harder ones like learning to be creative.

History Of Soft Skills

Going back to history, it was in the late 1960s the term “soft skills” was created by the U.S. Army.

It refers to any skill that does not employ the use of machinery.

The military realized this category, and understood, that the  social skills is necessary to lead groups,

Emphasized more on the social skills which were necessary to motivate soldiers,

and encompassed that this very social skills were much needed to win wars.

Concept Of Soft Skills

 

The concept of Soft Skill is very simple and easy to understand even in this age of AI

Soft skills are personal attributes that enable someone to interact effectively. These skills can include social graces, communication abilities, language skills, personal habits, cognitive or emotional empathy, time management, teamwork and leadership traits.

A definition based on review literature explains soft skills as an umbrella term for skills under three key functional elements: people skills, social skills, and personal career attributes.

And you should be not get confused with the common term referred as Skill set.

skill set is the knowledge, abilities, and qualifications required to perform a job.

Commonly, skill sets combine hard skills (also called technical skills) and soft skills (also called people skills). 

Advantages of Soft Skills

 

  1. Soft skills allow an individual to evolve and adapt to change in the workplace.
  2. Soft skills become sharper and more enhanced as individuals move up the hierarchy.
  3. Soft skills are common to every organization and highlight an individual’s hard skills and technical knowledge.
  4. In addition, soft skills reflect an individual’s personality, behavior, traits, and attitude.

Disadvantages of Soft Skills

 

  1. Soft skills cannot make up for hard skills or technical proficiency.
  2. Having proper qualifications and accolades to work in a particular field is crucial.
  3. Soft skills enhance an individual’s performance but aren’t as competitive compared to expertise.
  4. Soft skills are qualitative skills, so they cannot be calculated unless exhibited or proved.

Examples of Soft Skills

 

Different types of soft skills are relevant to different industries. Some examples of soft skills pertaining to different industries are as follow:

  • Customer Service: Communication, positive attitude, listening abilities, empathy, taking responsibility.  
  • Healthcare: Work ethic, teamwork, flexibility, time management, receptive attitude.  
  • Digital Marketing: Curiosity, willingness to learn, creativity, honesty, accepting criticism.  
  • Education: Written and oral communication, stress management, patience, enthusiasm, motivation.  
  • Design: Visual communication, active listening, attention to detail, aesthetics, verbal communication.  
  • Web Development: Open-mindedness, adaptability, critical thinking, confidence, time, and project management.    

Importance of Soft Skills

 

A recent survey by LinkedIn found that 92% of talent professionals believe soft skills are equally or more important than hard skills when it comes to hiring the right person for the job.

Soft skills are also uniquely human. In a workplace and job market changing at high speed because of technological advancement, they are the type of skills that cannot, thus far, be replicated by artificial intelligence (AI). This will only increase their importance in the future.

Below are some of the fundamental reasons why soft skills are important.

  • Career progression and promotion.
  • Improves workplace productivity.
  • The modern workplace is interpersonal.
  • Customers and clients demand soft skills.
  • The future workplace will rely on soft skills.
  • Build professional relationships.
  • Soft skills are hard to automate.
  • Soft skills are in huge demand by recruiters.
  • Complement your hard skills.
  • Increase your self-confidence.

Types of Soft Skills

 

Soft skills include the personal attributes, personality traits, and communication abilities needed for success.

Soft skills include:

  • Adaptability
  • Communication
  • Compromise
  • Creative thinking
  • Dependability
  • Leadership
  • Listening
  • Work ethic
  • Teamwork
  • Positivity
  • Time management
  • Motivation
  • Problem-solving
  • Critical thinking
  • Conflict resolution
  • Negotiation

How to Develop Soft Skills?

 

Development of soft skills has two parts.

One part involves developing attitudes and attributes, and the other part involves fine-tuning.

Unlike hard skills that are learned, soft skills are similar to emotions or insights that allow people to “read” others. In order to develop Soft Skills one can take up the following:

  • Job Training Programs
  • On-the-Job Training
  • Education and Volunteering.

How to Improve Soft Skills

 

There is a very thin line when it comes to improving your soft skills in connection to developing your soft skills. Below simple steps will help you on how to improve your soft skills.

  1. Be open to feedback
  2. Communicate often
  3. Emphasize teamwork
  4. Build positive relationships
  5. Get outside of your comfort zone
  6. Get ready to learn
  7. Adapt to workplace changes
  8. Observe others
  9. Work through conflict
  10. Take on a leadership role
  11. Arrive at work on time

Conclusion

 

To be successful in any role, one need a combination of relevant hard skills and soft skills.

And that is why  it is important to have both hard and soft skills.

Hard and soft skills are both crucial for personal and professional success. They play distinct role yet complementary.

A balance between hard and soft skills is essential for success.

Combining hard skills with soft skills creates well-rounded professionals. It allows them to excel in their roles.

A blend of hard and soft skills allows individuals to adapt to changing situations.

There is no one-size-fits-all ratio for hard skills to soft skills, as it heavily depends on the industry, job role, and individual career goals.

As you move ahead in the journey of  your skills, the career path also plays an important role.

Grab the book for creating  your own career path.

Learn The Secrets Of Getting A Successful Career In Easy Steps:

 How to Choose Your Career Path”- A self-Guided Book Just For You.

The eBook and the paperback version are available just a click away. https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0B2JRTMBZ.

Success Mindset

Success Mindset For Successful Career

Your Mindset is Everything.

A beautiful day begins with a beautiful mindset.

Have you ever thought?

Why one person is happy and another sad?

Why one person is confident, and another not very confident?

Have you ever wondered?

What sets those who get huge success, and others failing?

Why one person can network well in a group, and another can’t talk to a stranger?

What sets those who achieve great things apart from those who fail to realize their aspirations?

Have you pondered about it?

Why doeses one person with a great education, and skills, struggle in their career, and another person with lesser knowledge or skills grow in his/her career?

You might be thinking, that the answer to all the above questions is intelligence, aptitude, creativity, or risk appetite.

All those are sensible suggestions,

But that’s not what science has found.

According to Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck and others, the predictor of Success in Life is none of the above sensible suggestions

But it is the mindset.

It’s your Mindset.

“The mind is everything. What you think, you become.”—Buddha.

According to the Oxford Dictionary- Mindset is a set of attitudes or fixed ideas that someone has and that is often difficult to change.

People with a “Growth Mindset” are the ones who achieve great things generally by believing that they can improve and grow as people.

While the people with a “Fixed Mindset” are the ones who put a stop to their attempts to realize their dreams and tend to believe their abilities, talents, and potential to be static/stable. 

FIXED MINDSET GROWTH MINDSET
I am either good at something or I am not I can work and improve my skills with practice and hard work
I am criticized when people give me feedback I respect when people give me feedback. It helps me improve, learn, and grow.
Successful people are lucky and never experienced failure Successful people have failed many a time, but they did not quit until they achieved success

In this book, you will get insights into Success Mindset in the context of your successful career journey.

Having a success mindset means having a mind that’s ready to work towards achieving your goals despite the odds you might encounter.

Your mind speaks different languages, one is agile, and another is slow in its corners.

It speaks different languages when it comes to what you want to do in your career.

So, what do you want to do, you must think deeply and think clearly because it is very important thinking?

Thinking clearly doesn’t mean what will I get from this or what will I get from that.

It’s your life and your life is precious.

Ask this question to yourself.

Is your life precious to you?

If yes.

Then before investing this life into something, you must think today, that if I invest my life into this then after 20 years will it mean a lot to me?

After 40 years will it still mean a lot to me?

And at the end of my life when I turn back and narrate.

Will I be proud of this ‘or will I be ashamed of what I was doing?

It doesn’t matter what other people are saying.

But you shouldn’t do anything that you will be ashamed of.

Isn’t it?

It doesn’t matter people say so many things.

Everybody has an opinion, and it is their business.

But you should not do anything that you feel ashamed of.

This much pride and freedom you must keep in your life.

So, this is all you have to look at.

Remember one thing.

Something will get you money,

Something will get you comfort.

That’s not the point.

What you choose to do.

Will it give life to you?

When I say, life.

Are you just trying to make a living or are you trying to make a life out of this?

See ….

Making a living is not an issue. Even a bird, an insect, a worm, a bee, or an animal is making their life and making their living.

Isn’t it?

Making a living with a big brain is not an issue, earning your food is again not a problem.

But the only problem is

You want to live like somebody else.

That is an endless problem.

You want to live like others – this is a real problem.

And this creates pressure.

It’s very usual to hear that your father has a dream, he wants you to become an engineer. Your mother dreamt that you should become a doctor.

Please understand that this is their dream and they are not going to live your life.

Look I am not saying that we shouldn’t fulfill our parent’s dreams,

They are the most amazing people; they gave birth to us they grew us up they did so much for us, and we have a duty out of our genuine love and gratitude to serve them.

But when you come under pressure. You get puzzled and are distracted from your path.

One thing that you all should do, is to withdraw yourself.

Yes, you heard it right.

Withdraw yourself from the pressure of peers, professors, parents, and everybody before making a big decision in your life.

Take and spend some time of your life, maybe one week and look at it.

Look at it, what is it that, you want to invest this precious life into,

What is it that will be worthwhile today and worthwhile after 50 years for you to invest?

Invest your life into that, whatever it is, however small or big it is, it doesn’t matter

What it is that you really want to do and not under the pressure from other people matters.

Do that.

It doesn’t matter what other people think about it.

A whole lot of people today are deciding what to do depending on what they will get out of it.

Will I get this kind of lifestyle?

Will I get that kind of salary?

Will I make this kind of money?

This is the wrong approach.

Because this approach will have you everything, but you will have nothing at the end of life.

There will be no fulfillment in life. You will live a very poor life and there will be no growth.

The greatest killer of our growth is what society thinks we should be doing.

There are social standards of what you should be doing, socially it’s cool to have a job or a business.

Again, as a social standard, you should have a home at a certain location, have a certain car, wear certain kinds of clothes, and have a certain kind of hairstyle.

And we give so much importance to it because we want to be socially accepted.

In this whole gamut of social acceptance, we forget to make a simple calculation.

And this calculation is very important and is an eye-opener.

Assume you spend 8 hrs. at work daily.

It’s a very conservative number though, we spend way more than this.

If you work for 8 hrs. daily and you are working 5 days a week, that is 40 hrs. per week at work.

And assuming you took 2 weeks off holiday every year that is 50 weeks working.

That comes down to 2000 hrs. of yours at work.

And assuming you work for 45 yrs., then the further calculation comes down to 90000 hrs. of your life at work.

90000 hrs. seem to be a daunting number.

That’s the average is 10 yrs. of your life.

You need to be very sure whether you want to get into this 90000 hrs. of dissatisfaction or 90000 hrs. of cribbing and complaining

A very common statement you must have heard from your surroundings.

Saying I don’t like it.

This is not what I wanted to do

Or

This is what my parents wanted.

Just because you are getting paid or in some cases getting paid more, you cannot be miserable for those 90000 hrs.

Furthermore, you can never achieve excellence.

Excellence only comes when you do something which truly resonates with your soul. You can be good at it. But it may not be fulfilling for you.

So, you need to be very wise while choosing your path, whether it’s a career path or your life path. It is the most precious path of your precious life.

“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change”-Wayne Dyer.

 

 

Success Mindset comes with the Change Your State Of Mind– 

 

 

Change Your State Of Mind
Change Your State Of Mind

 

Anthony Robbins says that lasting change occurs when you are in an altered state. That is why he created 22 ways to instantly change your state. You can change your state by following simple actions.

 

  1. Fun- Fun is enjoyment, and fun is amusement. Having fun helps you to forget your worries. Do something just for fun.
  2. Freedom- Freedom is the state of being free. Take a  ferry ride, cruise on a yacht, dive in the water, or go for a long drive in your favorite car or motorbike. 

 

  1. Relax & Read- Become less tense or anxious. Books and articles change your state into a state of joy, happiness, and gratitude by reading books or articles.

 

  1. Movement- A movement is an act of moving or slight movement in the body. Movement of any kind changes your state.

 

  1. Words- Words are powerful. Word either gives us energy or depletes our energy. Notice the words you use when speaking.

 

  1. Meditate- Meditation is a vital way to purify and calm the mind. Meditation helps in rejuvenating the body

 

  1. Laugh- Laugh is the best medicine. Always laugh when you can. Children laugh an average of 300 times per day when compared with an adult

 

  1. Best Friend- Spending time with your buddies brings joy and positivity. Try and make out most of it.

 

  1. Smile- Smile is free therapy. A smile improves your mood. Recent studies say that smiling often rewires your brain to create a more positive design.

 

  1. Journaling- Journaling is writing in a journal or diary. Impacts on your physical health and helps in the removal of mental blocks, start journaling.

 

  1. Heart- A good Heart keeps you beautiful. Practice the art of gratitude daily to remain present, appreciative, and positive.

 

  1. Think Big- You have to think big to be big. Think big in life no one is stopping you from thinking big.

 

  1. Review- Review is essential for evaluation which is essential to progress. It’s time for you to review.

 

  1. Your Nearest And Dearest- Talk to the nearest and dearest one. They help us reach a resolution, they often can see something we have overlooked.

 

  1. Nature- Nature is the best spiritual teacher. Nature has the power to bring empathy, love, and emotional stability.

 

  1. Give- A phenomenal way to change your mood is to think about someone else. Help an elderly person cross the road, stand up and give a seat to the needed one on the bus, and volunteer in a charity organization.

 

  1. Change Of Scenery- Looking forward to, shifts your thoughts to the future and gives you something to be excited about it.

 

  1. Get In The Ring- Exercise is a great stress releaser and creates wonders. Indulge in any form of workout.

 

  1. Challenge- Challenge yourself, it is the only path that leads to growth. Set a new challenge to change your focus and excel in that different direction. 

 

  1. Drink- Many studies have proven that increasing your water intake improves your mood. Aim to drink an average of 2 liters daily.

 

  1. Chill- Chill is a mental mould. Do not take things too seriously.

It’s time to take a chill.

 

  1. Change- Change is inevitable. Change is constant. By doing different things and changing your routine, you change your life.

The change in your state of mind will make you go through various emotional levels. You experience all levels of emotional state.

It is very important to know the state of the emotional level.

 

Emotional Guidance Scale

Abraham-Hicks has described 22 emotions and he has described them on an emotional scale.

Here are the 22 most felt emotions, and as you go through the scale you understand, that individuals with the higher up the scale, are the happier, and the lower on the scale, are the unhappier ones.

So, what you need to do, is that you find the emotion where you are now.

And you speak, think, figure out and try to move up on the scale, one emotion at a time.

  • Joy/Appreciation/Empowered/Freedom/Love
  • Passion
  • Enthusiasm/Eagerness/Happiness
  • Positive Expectation/Belief
  • Optimism
  • Hopefulness
  • Contentment
  • Boredom
  • Pessimism
  • Frustration/Irritation/Impatience
  • Overwhelmed
  • Disappointment
  • Doubt
  • Worry
  • Blame
  • Discouragement
  • Anger
  • Revenge
  • Hatred/Rage
  • Jealousy
  • Insecurity/Guilt/Unworthiness
  • Fear/Grief/Depression/Despair/Powerlessness

 

Let’s understand and practice together. For example:

 

Let’s say you feel “depressed” (Emotion-22). You cannot improve your emotion, by jumping to

 

(Emotion-1) at once, in fact, it would be very hard to do that.

 

So, what you can do is you could think of thoughts that create feelings of perhaps “guilt” (Emotion-21) within you. Stay in that emotional state for some time till the time you really feel it, then climb up.

 

Now you can create feelings of “rage” (Emotion-19) within you with your thoughts.

 

Further on you can feel “blame” (Emotion-15), and then “disappointment” (Emotion-12), and so on.

 

Every emotion is an improvement, and you will always have to go upwards toward emotional number 1 which is – Joy/Appreciation/Empowered/Freedom/Love

 

Try not to be at the lower part of the emotional scale, look through it and try to get to least number 7

 

You can make yourself feel differently with the right kind of thoughts and with the right kind of measurement.

 

Measure Everything

 

Measure Everything
Measure Everything

 

Measurement is very important.

“What gets measured, gets managed”

Just Imagine

Someone or maybe you walk into the gym, warm-up, hop on to a few machines, do a little bit of this exercise, does a little bit of that exercise, finish the workout, and leave the gym.

So, what is notable about this situation?

The person who has not measured anything has no basis for knowing if the individual is making progress or not.

Not tracking one’s progress is one of the major mistakes.

We all have areas of life that we say are important to us, but we aren’t measuring that.

As we know the things, we measure are the things we improve. It is through numbers and proper tracking that we get the idea of whether we are getting better or worse.

Our lives are shaped by how we choose to spend our time and energy each day.

Measuring can help us spend that time in better ways, more consistently.

Again, you can’t measure everything like Love, Morality, etc.

That’s true.

But even for things that can’t be quantified, measuring can be helpful.

And it doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming.

You can’t measure love, but you can trackways that you are showing up with love in your life.

Send a digital love note to your parents or love done each day (text, email, voicemail, tweet)

Now that you have received some information regarding success mindset, change of state of mind, emotional state, and measurement.

You need to rethink it in context to your career path journey and make the best use of it before making a concrete career decision.

Let’s dive in a bit more to understand the meaning and myth associated with a career.

Please share your valuable inputs regarding the article. Also, help me develop other information guides by giving your suggestions.

 

You can comment in the section below for sharing your thoughts.

 

 

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Career Research

 

 

 

 

 

NFT

Meaning of NFT : An Ultimate Explosion In The Digital Space

The world is changing rapidly and there is an explosion in this fast-evolving digital space.

 

It is crazy and the whole world is going even going crazier.

 

That’s the feeling I experienced when I first heard of the new technology which is taking the sphere by storm.

 

You may be one who will experience the same thunderbolt. 

 

And this bombshell is ” NFT”

 

It is seen that this NFT is making headlines about people paying huge money for clip art and becoming billionaires in no time.

 

You might be wondering: what is an NFT?

 

After hours and hours of reading and thinking, I tried to get into the fundamentals

 

Okay, let’s start with the basics.

 

Meaning Of NFT 

 

NFT stands for Non-fungible tokens.

 

The non-fungible token is a unique digital asset that cannot be replaced with anything else. These are digital assets that may include digital art, digital pictures, memes, video, and games.

 

NFT is built with a similar kind of programing as used in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or Ethereum but that is something where the end is similar. Physical money along with cryptocurrencies are “fungible” which signifies that they can be traded for one another. In contrast to this non-fungible tokens by their very own name are “non-fungible” and hence cannot be traded or exchanged for one another.

 

Specifically, NFTs are typically held on the Ethereum blockchain, although other blockchains support them as well.

 

An NFT is created, or “minted” from digital objects that represent both tangible and intangible items, including:

 

  • Graphic art
  • GIFs
  • Videos and sports highlights
  • Collectibles
  • Virtual avatars and video game skins
  • Designer sneakers
  • Music

 

Types of NFT

There are various types of NFT but the most widely used type of NFT which is common on the market is as follows:

ART

One of the most popular NFTs is the Art and it is the only kind of NFT that sells the best out of the rest. Every art NFT is unique in its creative design making and cannot be duplicated, making them scarce, rare, and restricted. The function of the NFT was to help and provide the artist with their best online works. As of day, the most expensive NFTs are works of art.

 

And as per the record the piece of work by artist Beeple known as: “Everyday’s : The First 5000 Days”  was sold for a whopping price of $69 million.

Everydays_The First 5000 Days_NFT
Everydays_The First 5000 Days

MUSIC

The second high in the NFT spectrum is music. Music has been fungible for decades and decades. But with this blockchain-embedded technology artists and musicians can create their very own NFTs and auction off these various forms of digital media in the market and their fans pay using cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and others. The artists even get royalties every time a buyer of that digital copy sells it to someone else. Artists and musicians now and in the future can make millions of dollars by selling digital versions of their art, music, video, photos, and many others.

 

DJ and music producer 3LU made $11.6 million and a Canadian musician named Grimes made $5.8 million by selling their music NFTs.

 

VIDEO GAME

Another frontier in the NFT space is video games. Blockchain technology in gaming is driven by non-fungible tokens and digital assets that are represented as game content. These are the tokens that are limited, scarce, and rare that facilitate player ownership.

NFT games are modeled as play-to-earn which provides the players the opportunities to earn money as they play. Besides this, gamers can monetize their playing time by buying and selling the game NFTs. In addition, trading is also conducted using cryptocurrency through a blockchain marketplace which functions as an auction house.

As a business, NFT games help developers to monetize their creations while giving users the ability to earn cryptocurrency just by playing the game

 

Gaming-related NFTs and blockchain gaming generated billions of dollars of revenue in 2021.

 

NFT digital games can potentially provide new ways for content creators to monetize their work, often through social tokens, digital art pieces, collectibles, or in-game items among millions of gamers.

 

MEMES

Recently memes have turned into something no one has ever expected and the credit goes to NFT. NFTS can be almost anything like a piece of digital art, a poem, a song, or a card and it is not surprising that memes inevitably found their way onto the blockchain as NFTs.There are many meme creators in the market who are selling their work as NFTs.

 

Most of the memes to be highlighted are Nyan Cat, Bad Luck Brian, Trollface, Grumpy Cat, Disaster Girl, and the most popular Doge meme.

 

Doge_Meme_NFT
Doge_Meme

 

DOMAIN NAMES

Domain NFTs (also known as decentralized domains, crypto domains, or blockchain domains) offer various unique advantages to traditional domains. Domain NFTs are also usually one-time purchases, in comparison to the Web-2 domain business models. 

 

NFT  domains are also 100% user-owned and can send and receive other compatible cryptocurrencies and tokens as payment. It functions as a cryptocurrency public address. NFT domains are domains that live on a public blockchain and give users complete ownership of their stored data. The main benefits to owning one are simplifying crypto transactions by replacing wallet addresses with the domain name and easily creating and hosting websites on web3. If you buy one on the NFT market, you will be able to claim exclusive ownership of the name, cutting out the middleman.

 

Some of the other types of NFTs are trading cards, collectible items, Big Sport moments, and virtual fashion.

 

How to Buy and Sell NFTs

 

It sounded irrational when portable network graphics(PNG) or graphics interchange format(GIF) was bought for thousands and millions of dollars. Now, Web 3.0 is encountered with another million-dollar question.

 

And the question is how to buy and sell NFTs.

 

Before reaching the answers it is very important to understand and know that NFTs are purchased with cryptocurrency. And most of the transactions in major marketplaces are done with Ethereum and a cryptocurrency wallet. Since this is a trending question, you need to understand why you should buy NFTs. There are many reasons why people buy NFTs. The primary one is because they want to invest in a new, and volatile asset.

 

With lots of collections named the Crypto Punks or the Bored Ape Yacht Club the market for NFTs exploded and saw their skyrocket.valuations  As the world advances more towards a digital sphere, a lot of our interplay and time is spent online.

 

Moreover, as the concept of a metaverse pursues to catch speed, a set of people want to own rare, verifiably, and limited authentic digital art.

 

There are people who might buy an NFT as a gift to someone. The reasons can be different, but it’s a fact that the market has evolved and will boom.

 

Popular Market Places 

 

In the crypto space, there are various online marketplaces where there is an option to buy and sell non-fungible tokens. The majority of platforms are based on the Ethereum blockchain, Cosmos, Polkadot, or Binance Smart Chain and these are the non-Ethereum NFT services 

 

All NFT marketplace works differently, mostly they have a wide range of NFTs to buy. Although the expert buyers always choose a marketplace, depending on the type of nonfungible token they are looking to purchase. Basis the token usage the following types of NFT marketplaces can be categorized :

 

Types of NFTs Marketplaces

  1. Mass marketplaces
  2. Non-curated, self-service crypto art marketplaces
  3. Curated or invite-only  crypto art marketplaces
  4. Gaming Platforms
  5. Sports NFT marketplaces
  6. Niche NFT marketplaces

Some of the largest market places to buy and sell the NFTs are 

 

Steps to buy NFTs at different marketplaces:

 

Step 1: Get a wallet and fund it

You need a digital wallet with funds to buy NFTs.For example, the currency you will use to buy is Ether (ETH). 

There are many web wallets and the most popular web wallet for NFTs are Metamask, Coinbase, wallet connect, Fortmatic, etc. Connect your wallet to move to the second step.

Step 2: Browse the NFT Collections

Step 3: Find something you want. Buy Now or Make an Offer

Step 4: The Actual Purchase.

Selling NFTs at different marketplaces

 

Two ways to sell NFTs: 

 

  1. Selling a minted NFT – This is the way for content creators.
  2. Selling an NFT that has been already bought and is now willing to sell. 

 

Selling a minted NFT is the endpoint of the nonfungible token creation (or minting) process.  Minting refers to an easy procedure after which representing innovative products such as works of art, collectibles, songs, memes, etc., becomes a part of the blockchain, tamper-proof and secure, and the content becomes “tokenized.”

 

As a result, these are digitally tracked when re-sold from this time on, and also these digital items can be sold and traded as NFTs, as well.

 

 

nft

Process for minting the NFT

To start minting, content creators need to follow the steps

Step1: Signing into the crypto-wallets. 

The content creators give access to their accounts on the NFT marketplaces  websites 

Step 2: Create a new NFT

Step 3: Upload a high-quality representation of the digital item that needs to be converted into non-fungible tokens along with NFT catchy name and description.

Step 4: Decide whether it will be a single-edition token or it belongs to a collection.

Step 5: Create to mint an NFT

The creators need to sign their NFTs and pay the gas fees to complete the minting process. Contrary to this in other cases, content creators sell their NFT from their accounts on the NFT marketplaces.

How to sell the bought NFTs

 

The process of selling collected nonfungible tokens is somewhat more complex than the process of selling freshly minted ones.NFTs.

 

The main difference between the two types of the seller is here the collectors will not receive royalties when NFTs from their temporary collection is sold. The percentages of royalties for all future sales go directly to the NFTs’ original creators or to the wallets.

 

The copyright always remains associated with the content creators for their creative products in form of NFTs. On the other hand, the collectors receive collection temporarily in the form of nonfungible tokens.

 

Final Thoughts

 

This ultra lucrative technology and marketplace is full of risk and accrues a dramatic impact. Buying and selling NFTs is not as hard as you would think. However, be aware of scammers in this field, and also keep an open eye on the extreme volatility.

 

Wash traders have riddled the NFT field with fake trading volumes to make them more appealing to investors. This is a very young and emerging market with unregulated policies in most of the jurisdictions. Hence, it is necessary to take precautions and proper steps to protect your capital.

 

An iconic quote by Dane Scarborough well fits her “IGNORANCE IS YESTERDAY’S PROFESSION”

 

Click the link below and get an exhaustive career report and book a free counseling session.  For Studying abroad in 15000+ across 20+ Countries visit the mentioned link.

 

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Please share your valuable input regarding the article. Also, help me develop other information guides by giving your suggestions.

 

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Career Counselling
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