5 Ways to Bond With New Coworkers

5 Ways to Bond With New CoworkersMaking friends as a grownup can be really hard. Particularly making friends at work, when youre the new kid and dont yet know the dynamics of your office. But there are a few easy steps you can take to make inroads. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) 1. Think Outside the OfficeGrab a coffee or a drink at happy hour after work. Ask questions (not pushy or invasive ones) and find out about your co-workers interests.2. Quit The Smack TalkEveryone needs to grumble about work now and thenand a nice round of complaining with your co-workers can be just the keyto get things off your chest. But be careful not to overdo it. Its easy to step on toes or alienate people who might have a different take on things. Concentrate on the positive instead3. Stick To Common GroundFind things you have in common with your co-workers and steer the conversation towards your shared interests. It shows you listen to what they care abo ut and you can open up a discussion about something non-work-related (always a welcome break).4. CollaborateAsk for guidance or a fresh pair of eyes on your project. Your co-workers will be flattered to know you recognize what they do well and respect them for it. Plus youll prove yourself as someone who is capable and cooperative.5. Share the GloryDont be one of those peoplewho constantly takes all the credit. Make sure to point out who helped you outand try not to toot your own horneven if you did something toot-worthyTry these simple workplace hacks and youll be well on your way to making friends in your new office. When in doubt, just remember to do your job and be sincere.5 Steps To Easily Connect With Your Co-Workers

2 Job Qualities Guaranteed to Make Employees Happy, According to Research

2 Job Qualities Guaranteed to Make Employees Happy, According to Research Ever wonder why some people working what are arguably some of the worst jobs out there still seem so happy? Its elend because they make a ton of money, or work super convenient hours.Theyre not famous, and theyre definitely not working their dream jobs. But a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology affirms that the keys to happiness are neither fame nor fortune. Rather, the researchers report that were happiest in life when we have autonomy and competency.What really does it for people is engagement in self-chosen or personally meaningful activities (autonomy), in which they are reasonably effective or skillful (competence), and which also permit them to connect with or contribute to others (relatedness), study author Dr. Kennon M. Sheldon, of the University of Missouri-Columbia, told Reuters Health.Heres why control and competency are important.1. Control is satisfying.Psychologist Julian Rotter came up with the concept of locus of control in the 1960s. He suggested that, if you think youre responsible for what happens to you, you have an internal locus of control. On the other hand, if you dont tend to believe in free will and believe that youre at the mercy of external factors, you have an external locus of control. A wealth of research suggests that internal locus of control is linked to higher levels of happiness, health and overall wellbeing.So, a job in which you have autonomy can actually fulfill you even more. When youre not stuck reporting to others or held to extreme standards and expected to adhere to strict rules and regulations, you inevitably have a higher internal locus of control.2. Competence is morale-inducing.Science suggests that while learning new skills might be stressful in the moment, behauptung skills can make us happy in the long term. Research published in the Journal of Happiness Studiesfinds that people who work hard at improving a skill or learning something new, such as mastering a math problem or trying to cook a new recipe, may experience stress while theyre in the act of it, but they experience greater happiness on a daily basis in the longer term.No pain, no gain is the rule when it comes to gaining happiness from increasing our competence at something, said Ryan Howell, assistant professor of psychology at San Francisco State University. People often give up their goals because they are stressful, but we found that there is benefit at the end of the day from learning to do something well. And whats striking is that you dont have to reach your goal to see the benefits to your happiness and well-being.In fact, another study suggests that capability is obviously required for happiness, though not all capabilities are equally functional, and less obvious is that happiness fosters many capabilities, in particular, health. In other words, happiness and capability have a reciprocal relationship. When were cap able, were usually happier and when were happy, were often more capable, largely because happiness has a positive impact on our health.--AnnaMarie Houlis is a feminist, a freelance journalist and an adventure aficionado with an affinity for impulsive solo travel. She spends her days writing about womens empowerment from around the world. You can follow her work on her blog, HerReport.org, and follow her journeys on Instagram her_report,Twitterherreportand Facebook.

How to Use Social Media to Increase Recruiting Efforts - Spark Hire

How to Use Social Media to Increase Recruiting Efforts - Spark HireAs a recruiter, its your job to get in front of talent, thus developing connections with these professionals. Its no secret that people spend a lot of time on social media, which means that you should be active on these platforms too. People want to form a one-on-one connection with otherbeis when they are job hunting, which is part of the appeal of social media. You can have a quick, direct conversation with a potenzial new hire in a matter of minutes. In order to use your social media platforms to bring in the best of the best, consider these tipsMake sure your online presence reflects who you really areTheres no point in being mysterious on social media. You want people to know who you are, what you do, and where to find you. When you create a well-developed online presence, professionals will feel more comfortable partnering with you. However, if youre still an egg on Twitter and have no picture on LinkedIn, it ma kes you harder to trust.Stay involvedYou cant just drop in on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Facebook once every few months and hope to build a social media network. Just like with any schriftart of networking, connecting with people via social media requires concentrated effort and time. When you regularly visit these platforms, you start to develop an ongoing relationship with other users. Even if you are not a fan of social media personally, understand that being active on it is part of your job, and attend to it daily.Dont be fakeSocial media is all about presenting your authentic voice. Dont get on Twitter and fire off tweets that you think other people want to hear. You have a unique perspective and your own knowledge to present, so make sure your thoughts are authentic. The person you are in real life should be exactly who you are on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.Listen more than you talkMany people come in and try to dominate a conversation on Twitter, then cant understand why they re having trouble making connections. When it comes to developing real connections on Twitter (or any social media platform), it is important not to talk at people. Instead, there should be a give and take during the conversation.Share information that is usefulRegardless of how proud you are of your recruiting efforts, you have to share ideas and articles that other people want to read. Resist the urge to toot your own, and put out content that informs or entertains. When you contribute useful information to the conversation, you become a valuable part of the dialogue. Make sure that the materials youre presenting are relevant and compelling, and that they appeal to a wider audience. No one wants to connect with someone who only promotes his or her own work or accomplishments. Mass appeal is a necessity.Just like with face-to-face interactions, follow up is important on Twitter. You cant just have a conversation with someone once and then expect that they are now a connection. Take the time to continue engaging this person in a discussion, and work on building relationships.How do you use social media in your recruiting efforts?

Timing for Book Sales Success

Timing for Book Sales SuccessTiming for Book Sales SuccessHow do you market your book in a way that its timed for sales success? Timing is everything - and no less in book marketing and book publicity than in any other endeavor. There are many factors that affect book promotion timing - from launch date to bookseller seasonal promotions and special events (like Small Business Saturday for Booksellers see November Book Promotions, below). Heres what you need to know about timing your book promotion. How to Market Your Book - Timing Your Book Promotion Promote Your Book Pre-Publication Ideally, authors should begin a year or more before their books get published to start building their social media followings, their affinity group networks, and on- and off-line social awareness of their upcoming publication. (Learn more about the pre-publication book marketing steps to take, here.)Promote Your Book at Launch The launch window is likely your books best shot at marketing and pu blicity exposure for a number of reasons. If its keyed to a specific season or event (see Super Bowl, below), then your publisher will likely launch your book into the marketplace timed in advance of that event. Promote Your Book Often - Of course, you dont want to stop there.When youremarketing or publicizing a book - whether your own or someone elses - youll be looking for marketing opportunities throughout the life of your book. Here are some additional book marketing timing tips. Market Your Book to Your Super Bowl That is, create your books buzz around the most natural, best timeframe - the event or season when your potential readers attention is riveted on your subject matter. For example If youve written a cookie decorating book like I have, the best time to promote it would be from late-monat des herbstbeginns to through December - prime holiday cookie-baking season.If youve written a book about how to find a job in book publishing, the season to promote would likely be around graduationwhen tens of thousands of English majors are looking for jobs.If youve written a novel about pirates, the Talk Like A Pirate Day (see below) might be the date that you gear your promotions toward - read more about hooking your book to an existing event. If youre lucky enough to backlist, there may be anopportunity to re-promote your book on an annual basis,hooking it to an annual eventor the season when booksellers are focusing on it. Market Your Book When the Media and Booksellers Are Focusing on the Topic Following are some areas of and timeframes for typical, annual book promotions. Keep in mind that different booksellers have slightly different calendars, and the lead time for media varies greatly. And note that in-store promotions arent limited to bricks-and-mortar booksellers. Online retailers also promote titles seasonally. January Book Promotions New Year, New You Including diet books, exercise manuals, self-improvement of all types to key with a ny New Years Resolutions, and clutter-clearing. February Book Promotions Valentines Day Books promoted around Valentines Day include sex how-to books (like the Kama Sutra), erotica, dating advice... and books about chocolate March Book Promotions St. Patricks Day Since the Irish monks saved civilization by protecting the volumes of the day, the St. Pats people have been a book-loving crowd. Books on Irish history, Irish cookbook, etc., are generally in promotion. Spring / April Book Promotions GardeningSpeaking of all things green, gardening how-to and picture books bloom on bookseller tables at this time of year. WeddingsBridal-related books - While weddings obviously happen all year long, bridal is generally promoted in the early spring, coinciding with the bridal industrys own promotional efforts at that time. These include wedding planners, wedding etiquette books, books with wedding inspirations. And while a young womans fancy turns to matrimony and a young mans fan cy turns to... BaseballBaseball books May Book Promotions Mothers Day Womens fiction note Fifty Shades of Grey, which experienced a somewhat surprising Mothers Day bump its first year on the market. Surprising because it seems to indicate that people were buying erotic books for their Moms. June Book Promotions Fathers DayGrilling books Timed for the beginning of the summer grilling months, bookstores merchandise grilling books at Fathers Day. Golf and other sports books Golf books of all types generally sell well versus other sports books. GraduationTraditionally dictionaries were a graduation gift, but that market has diminished with the internet. Books that tip to the rite of passage of graduation, such as Dr. SeusssOh, the Places Youll Go or Anna QuindlensA Short Guide to a Happy Life, adapted from a college commencement address she gave. Books about jobs and careers are understandably popular. AudiobooksJune is officially Audiobook Month, when the Audie Awards take p lace. Audiobook versions can take aride on the promotional tails of the nominees and winners. July Book Promotions Summer ReadingThe beach reading season highlights lighter adult fiction, generally fast, fun reads. Also popular isYoung Adult and childrens books, which are driven by school summer reading lists. Travel guides and maps - again, a changing market with the preponderance of online travel information and GPS systems, but people still do look for guides to carry. August Book Promotions Back-to-School September Book Promotions September marks the start of the fall bookselling season, by far the best time of year for book sales, leading up to the month of December when holiday gift-buying boosts book sales to their annual peak. Traditionally, big books are launched at this time of year, in time to ramp up the book publicity and get those books on everyones holiday gift list. Also popular are how-to and cookbooks for the season - craft books, baking, holidaycookin g.Talk Like A Pirate Day (September 19) - you know you wanted to ask. September through early November is also the time of manyannual book fairs. These tend to showcase local authors, and if youre crafting a seasonal marketing plan, you might take a look at theBook Publishing Calendarto see when there might be a show in your area, and then readhow to pitch a book fair programmer to score a spot at a show. October Book Promotions HalloweenHalloweens popularity as a retail holiday has gained much in recent years and the growth in thenumber of Halloween titles- especially cookbooks and kids craft books- has reflected that. November Book Promotions Jewish Book MonthTimed a few weeks before Hannukah, local book fairs focus on books of Jewish interest. ThanksgivingTurkey roasting seems to generate hostess insecurity and people are gearing up for their year-end holiday cooking. Books on holiday cooking and baking, especially cookie books, are popular at this time. Indies First / S mall Business SaturdayAuthors of all kinds have opportunities to volunteer at their local booksellers while helping to promote their books themselves on Small Business Saturday (the Saturday after Thanksgiving) when many independent bookstores host a IndiesFirst events. According to its founder, Sherman Alexie, What could be better than spending a day hanging out in your favorite hometown indie, hand-selling books you love to people who will love them too and signing a stack of your own? Why not give it a try? Contact your local indie bookseller/s to see how you might participate. December Book Promotions Gift BooksDue to the give-ability of print books, December hardcover and paperback sales generally outpace the sale of ebooks. Also due to the gift-giving factor, theres an uptick in sales big, hefty, more expensive books, like major biographies, and color-filled coffee table books, art books, and cookbooks.

What you need to write in your resignation email

What you need to write in your resignation emailleWhat you need to write in your resignation emailWhen you are preparing to leave a company, you want to do it gracefully, so the door does not hit you on your way out. A resignation email that informs your company of your immediate departure is part of this gracious goodbye. To do it right, you want to get in the right information, so there is clarity on both sides about how you are definitely leaving. Heres how to right a proper onePut it in writingRecognize that the purpose of a resignation email is more for your company than for you. The company wants your resignation in writing, so they have it on your file. You want it in writing so there is documented proof that you quit, and there is no confusion about the fact that you are quitting for good with no plans to return.If you are leaving with a new job lined up, you can say that you have moved on to another opportunity, but at a minimum, you want your resignation notice to include y our name, the position you are resigning from and the date your resignation becomes effective. Many companies contractually obligate employees to give proper notice of resignation of at least two weeks. Read up on any stipulation your resignation faces before you hit send on that goodbye email.You can follow the template that geschftsleben Insider wrote on the bare minimum you need to write if you need to give noticeDear (boss name),Please accept this letter as a notice of my resignation from (your position). Per my employment contract, I am giving two weeks notice. My last day will be (two weeks from today).Dont elaborate too muchYou can keep the email short and sweet. It does not need to be too long or too specific. You do not need to write a long swan song of all the good and bad times you have had at your company in it. Your specific experiences can come in the talk with your manager that you preferably have before you send out the notice of resignation. If you want to preserve your relationship with a boss, you do not want your boss to hear about your resignation from human resources.The letter itself is just a formality and should be very short.In fact, lots of people dont even use them at all, Ask a Managers Alison Green advises employees. Theyre really just there to document that you did in fact resign your job.Your employer will keep it on file in case they ever need it for legal reasons - like if you later sue, or if you file for unemployment claiming you were laid off.Helpful additionsYou do not need to get too personal in the letter. Long commendations and criticism can wait for after-hours happy hours and professional one-on-ones.That being said, including some details about your next move helps colleagues stay in the loop about your career. Being straightforward about where you are going helps colleagues know how to reach you in the future. The more transparent you are, the more likely you are to preserve and build on the relationships you alread y have.Daniel Gulati, coauthor of Passion and Purpose, writes.You can also end the brief email with a note of thanks for being given the opportunity of your job. Even if you are counting down the days until you can quit, expressing a basic statement of gratitude helps maintain your professionalism. No matter how your feelings about work have soured, ending the letter on a positive note of gratitude can help you maintain a cordial relationship with an employer.

15 phone interview tips to get you to the next round

15 phone vorstellungsgesprch tips to get you to the next round15 phone einstellungsgesprch tips to get you to the next roundShow me a person who likes phone vorstellungsgesprchs, and Ill Venmo you a $20.Okay, not really (I dont know your account name, so how could I?). But the point is theres nothing easy about getting on a call where you cant see the other persons facial expressions or physical cues, then trying to remind yourself to talk slowly, all while worrying about background noises - I could go on. Unfortunately, phone interviewing is also where every job opportunity starts. So, how do you make them easier?Here are the best phone interview tips Ive collected from professional recruiters and, of course, the internet.PHONE INTERVIEW TIP 1 UNDERSTAND WHOS CALLINGAs soon as you hear from the person who will conduct your phone interview, do a quick LinkedIn search to figure out what their role is at the company. Most often, its going to be a member of the recruiting team, which m eans it wont be your eignung boss or the hiring manager.What that means Theyre going to want to ask you basic questions about your work history and tell you more about what the position entails. So, as you prepare your answers to potential job interview questions, youll likely avoid the more difficult interview questions that might come up in l 2.Some Phone vorstellungsgesprch Questions You Might GetTell me a little bit about your work history.Why are you looking to leave your current company?What is the biggest challenge you have seen at your current position and how did you overcome it?Describe a substantial win at your last position.What was your favorite/least favorite element of your last position?How can you contribute to our companys success?How well do you work by yourself, with a team?Why are you interested in coming to work for us?Why are you attracted to this specific position?What makes you the ideal candidate for this position?When can you come in for an in-person inter view?(If youre applying to a job in another city) Are you willing to relocate? If we dont provide relocation assistance, are you still willing?What are your salary requirements?How far along are you in your search? Are you speaking to other companies?Tell me about x in your resumeWhere do you see yourself in five years?What questions do you have for me?This last question is arguably the most important question. Make sure to come prepared with knowledge of the company and a few thoughtful questions.PHONE INTERVIEW TIP 2 WRITE BACK ABOUT SCHEDULING ASAP AND SPELLCHECKWhile its the phone prescreen that matters most, you still need to make a great impression in your email responding to the phone interview request. Make sure your reply is pristine and straightforward and that you get back in the same day, preferably within an hour or two. Also, double-check that the time you select is one that works with your schedule. (Weve all double-booked before, especially when nervous.) And say th ank youPHONE INTERVIEW TIP 3 GO BACK TO THE JOB DESCRIPTIONOnce you know youre a potential candidate, pull the original job description up and read it carefully. Look for keywords that keep popping up and the clear skills theyre after. These are the elements you should try to touch on when you talk to your interviewer. We recommend even jotting them down on scratch paper as you read. It will help your memory.Bonus Tip By the way, this is a good time to suggest that you start saving all the links to job descriptions youve applied for in an Excel file so you can keep track of them. This is a great shortcut for situations like these, but its also a smart approach to the job search process. You can set up columns for things like Date to Follow Up and Next Steps.PHONE INTERVIEW TIP 4 RESEARCH THE COMPANY ON LINKEDIN AND VIA THE COMPANY SITESo that you have a great answer to the potential question, Why are you interested in coming to work for us?PHONE INTERVIEW TIP 5 PREPARE YOUR SALARY R EQUIREMENTSYou should have a $5,000 range in mind. Prepare for it by researching via The Salary Project or one of the other great salary research tools out there. And keep it simple when asked. Just say, Im looking to make between $70,000 and $75,000.PHONE INTERVIEW TIP 6 PLAN ON BEING SOMEWHERE QUIETThat does not mean your car. Ideally, its not in an office next to a construction site either. Book a meeting room at work or make sure your dogs out with the dog walker while youre on the phone. Just keep it as mellow as possible.PHONE INTERVIEW TIP 7 USE HEADPHONESPlugging in headphones helps cut down on background noise and will help the interviewer hear you better if their service is spotty.PHONE INTERVIEW TIP 8 PULL UP YOUR RESUME AND LINKEDIN, PLUS THE JOB DESCRIPTION ON YOUR LAPTOPWhy not? Unlike an in-person interview, you can have all those resources right in front of you to reference as you talk.PHONE INTERVIEW TIP 9 SLOW DOWNMost of us talk too fast when were in a stressful s peaking situation. Thats especially true when you arent able to track the other persons visual cues. So, remind yourself to slow down. The Cut also recommends that you print out a photo for your interviewer beforehand to ease the discomfort of the faceless experience. (We havent tried this but it sounds savvy.)PHONE INTERVIEW TIP 10 PREPARE SOME QUESTIONS TO ASKAgain, these dont have to be too complicated since its a prescreen. But you might want to ask when theyre looking for someone to start or what the hiring process will be like, including next steps (if they dont provide you with this information).PHONE INTERVIEW TIP 11 WHEN YOU ANSWER, ANSWER PROFESSIONALLYYou should say, Hello, this is your full name. It makes it easy for them, but its also clear that youre ready and waiting (and therefore prepared) for the interview. Here are the ideal opening remarks that will clearly convey you knew this phone interview was comingYou Hello, this is Your Name.Them Hi, this is Their Name cal ling from Company.You Hi Their First Name, thank you again for taking the time to speak with me today.PHONE INTERVIEW TIP 12 LET THEM INTERRUPT YOUAgain, according to The Cut, theres an easy way to make sure youre giving them the right answers. If youve started to give a long answer and the interviewer tries to jump back in, then theres no point in trying to keep talking because theyre probably not paying attention Let them interrupt and see what they really want to get at, and maybe you can start that story again at a different point.PHONE INTERVIEW TIP 13 WRITE A FOLLOW-UP THANK YOU EMAILThe Interview Thank You Rule (thats an official term) is simple every time you speak to someone new at a company during the job interview process, you should thank them for their time. So write a thank-you email to the recruiter and send it within a few hours of your phone interview.PHONE INTERVIEW TIP 14 DONT BE AFRAID TO COMMUNICATE IF YOU NEED TO RESCHEDULEObviously, its not ideal to ask for a change of interview time, so this is the last resort. But if youre job searching, and it turns out that your boss wants you to attend a meeting during the pre-scheduled time, email the recruiter back. They understand that youre juggling your search and your work, and they dont want to make things uncomfortable for you.PHONE INTERVIEW TIP 15 ASK IF THEY HAVE MORE QUESTIONS FOR YOUThroughout the phone interview, you naturally answered and asked insightful questions. At the end of the phone call, your interviewer might ask you if you have any other questions. Respond in kind. Does the interview have any final questions for you? This lets the interviewer know that you are open to the challenge of more questions and that you are actively engaged in the interview process.Thisarticlefirst appeared onCareer Contessa.

One decision separates the wealthy from the non-wealthy

One decision sepatarifs the wealthy from the non-wealthyOne decision separates the wealthy from the non-wealthyThe problem with most peoples lives is that they are being shielded from the consequences of their behavior. Theres little to no accountability.The fastest way to make success inevitable in your life is to only do work that is incentive-based. Only do that which you are rewarded and punished for the quality of your work. Everything you do needs to matter to the outcomes, consequences, and results you get in life.So what is the decision?The decision is to take complete ownership of every decision in your life. And how you do that is by only doing things in which you are compensated based on perfassonance.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreThis goes completely against the norms in society. It goes against public education - which shields people from progressing at their own rates. It goes against most job structures, wherein a person is paid an hourly rate or salary.If you want to make dramatic strides forward, you must only work in environments where the consequences of your actions are immediate and REAL. You need to be demanded by your situation to come up with a result.This article will show you howAre You A Part Of The Results Economy?Founder of the exclusive entrepreneurial coaching platform, Strategic Coach, Dan Sullivan distinguishes between those who are in the Time-and-Effort Economy with those who are in the Results Economy.If youre in the time and effort economy, you are focused on being busy. You actually believe the amount of time and energy you put into something merits praise. Those who are focused on being busy are protected in some way from the consequences of their actions. Theyre elend being forced by necessity to come up with a solution. Chances are, they are an employee. They are part of a bureaucracy. And theyre striving to foll ow rules rather than break them.Conversely, when you are in the results economy, you are only focused on achieving a specific result. You are focused on results because if you dont get the result, there will be consequences to pay - for you and others. Youre leid worried about your reputation. Youre not worried about following the rules of ridiculous systems which are seeking to make you their slave anyways.Dr. Thomas Stanley found in his research that those who are paid based on RESULTS are most courageous and also the most wealthy.You actually have to take risks.You cant be sheltered from the consequences of your behavior.And you certainly cant be a part of a system which supports busyness to maintain the status quo. Hence, Dan Sullivan saysEntrepreneurs have crossed the risk line from the Time-and-Effort Economy to the Results Economy. For them, theres no guaranteed income, no one writing them a paycheck every two weeks. They live by their ability to generate opportunity by crea ting value for their clientele.Sometimes, they - and you - will put in a lot of time and effort and get no result. Other times, they dont put in much time and effort and get a big result. The focus for entrepreneurs always has to be on results or theres no revenue coming in.If you work for an entrepreneur, guess what This is true for you, too. Though you probably have a guaranteed income, its important to understand that the business you work in exists inside The Results Economy, even if youre sheltered somewhat from seeing that.I say this not to make you feel insecure, but to show you how to succeed in this environment by maximizing your results while minimizing the time and effort it takes to get them.Flow Triggers And Forcing FunctionsFlow is a mental state where youre completely absorbed in what youre doing. Youre totally engaged. No distractions. In such a state, time slows down and you begin operating at higher and more subconscious levels.One of the primary flow triggers is immediate feedback. Hence, in extreme sports where the possibility of injury is high, flow is a regular experience. If you dont land that trick, you could be in the hospital. Immediate feedback.If you want more flow in your life, you need to get faster and harder feedback for your behavior. You need to feel the consequences of your wertmiger zuwachs. You need to be in the Results Economy - not the Time and Effort Economy.In fact, one of the ways to produce more flow in your life is by creating much, much shorter timelines. Give yourself only 60 minutes to write the article and then, once the timer goes off, push publish regardless of what you came up with. Tell your partner or adviser that youll have your work to them far sooner than they expect. Make your goals public, with public deadlines.You can create immediate feedback for your behavior in the form of forcing functions. According to entrepreneur, Dan Martell, A forcing function is any task, activity or event that forces you to take action and produce a result.A forcing function is exactly how it sounds - something external thats been put in place to FORCE YOU TO FUNCTION how you desire to function.An example Dan Martell uses is a story between him and his younger brother, Moe. Dan asked Moe about his business goal for the next 3 months, to which Moe told him the goal.Then Dan asked, Based on todays understanding of the work involved, etc. how likely would you be to hit your goal in 3 months?Hmmmm, probably 6070% I would guess, Moe answered.Then Dan asked, Whose the most important person in your life?My wife, Moe replied.I then asked him to visualize a person with a gun to the head of his wife, and he knew - 100,000% that if he didnt hit his goal within 3 months that the guy would pull the trigger. There wasnt a doubt in his mind that the trigger would be pulled. How likely are you to hit your goal? Dan asked.100%, there isnt a doubt I could do it Moe said.So what changed?MOTIVATION.Thats the power of a forcing function. Its something thats embedded within the situation that forces you to succeed. It forces motivation to happen. Because if you dont produce a RESULT, there will be immediate feedback.To quote historian Will Durant, I think the ability of the average man could be doubled if it were demanded, if the situation demanded.Motivation and environment are two inextricably connected things. Motivation ISNT INTERNAL - but situational.If you want more motivation, you need a more demanding situation. Your behavior needs to be consequential - and the more immediate the feedback the better. The more consequential your behavior, the more flow youll have in your life. The more youll be forced to adapt and grow.Do You Have Skin In The Game?Bureaucracy is a construction by which a person is conveniently separated from the consequences of his or her actions. - Nassim Nicholas TalebIn the recent book, SKIN IN THE GAME, Nassim Nicholas Taleb explains that if your behavior doesnt bea r immediate consequence, your performance will be low. Even more than that though - if your performance isnt consequential, then you dont really care about what youre doing.As Taleb explainsIf you do not take risks for your opinion, you are nothing.How much you truly believe in something can be manifested only through what you are willing to risk for it.From a psychological perspective, you are either approaching something or trying to avoid something from happening.Offense or defense.Unfortunately, if youre in the Time and Energy Economy, youre probably also avoidance-oriented. In other words, your only concern is about avoiding getting in trouble, or avoiding getting caught, or avoiding doing much work at all.Only those in the Results Economy, whose behavior is consequential - the more immediate the better - are on offense. They are the ones taking risks. Theyre less concerned about the ground theyve made and more concerned about advancing their stelle. Theyre fine taking more risks. Theyre fine putting important things on the line, because they are convicted about what theyre doing.Hence, Telab explains, What matters isnt what a person has or doesnt have it is what he or she is afraid of losing. If youre afraid of losing what youve currently got, you probably wont risk it. Youll probably do everything you can to AVOID losing it. And therefore, youll have given up your WHY. Youll have stunted your progression.The more you have to lose, the more fragile you become. The more you become a slave to your current position and thus stop seeking to take risks for what you believe in.The Only Types Of Relationships That Become ExponentialThere are two types of relationships transaction-based or transformation-based.Most relationships are transactional - where one party makes the rules and the other party submits. Once one of the members of the group is unsatisfied by the terms of the relationship, it ends. People in these relationships are usually takers, not gen uine givers.In transformational relationships - both people are givers who contribute to the ongoing evolution of the relationship. The whole becomes different from the sum of the parts. There is high expectations in these relationships, but also openness.Both parties are completely invested in the relationship. Yet, unlike transaction-based relationships, both parties are also completely free.They give because they WANT TO, not because they feel obligated to.That is perhaps the definition of successful relationships - to get other people to help you BECAUSE THEY WANT TO, not because theyve been manipulated to.According to Pearsons Law When performance is measured, performance improves. When performance is measured and reported back, the rate of improvement accelerates.Transformational relationships have embedded accountability. Performance matters - because both parties are invested in the relationship and both parties deal with the consequences/outcomes of performance. Complete honesty is essential.Does your behavior matter to those around you?What about the people around you? Are these relationships transactional or transformational?If transactional - then one person is a slave to the other. They are walking on egg-shells. Theyre doing everything they can to avoid a negative outcome. They arent really contributing. No one in these types of relationships can truly be happy.ConclusionIf you are paid based on performance, your pay will go up.If you get immediate feedback with natural consequences of your behavior - youll be in a flow state more. Your performance will increase. Your pay will increase. Your happiness will increase.Its not great power that creates great responsibility. Its great responsibility that creates power.Its not confidence that creates success. Its successful behavior that creates confidence.Its not personality that creates behavior. Its behavior that creates personality.If you want to true freedom in your life, you need to take resp onsibility. Freedom can only exist with consequence - not from the absence of consequence. You are only free when your behavior matters.The only way to increase the freedom in your life is by making your behavior matter more - and by experiencing the REAL consequences of your behavior.The only way to have freedom in your relationships is when both parties have skin in the game. When both parties in invested. When the consequences of each persons performance impacts the whole - and everyone involved embraces this reality because there is mutual love, respect, and responsibility.Ready to upgrade?Ive created a cheat sheet for putting yourself into a PEAK-STATE, immediately. You follow this daily, your life will change very quickly.Get the cheat sheet hereThis article first appeared on Medium.