5 Ways To Increase Your Income

I know it has by far been the longest since I last wrote a post. Countless things have happened during this period of time. My personal and professional plans have not exactly come to fruition just yet. Notwithstanding, I have recently been working towards growing my small teaching business. Even though I have lately yielded a little more profit than usual, it is still far from my financial goal. Thus, today I wanted to share some information on how to maximize our income and be able to have enough money at the end of the month to keep working towards our long-term goals.

These pieces of advice are not set in stone. Nonetheless, they are going to give you an overall guideline on how to become more financially successful and self-aware of how you spend your money.

Step 1: Become more valuable as an employee: If you happen to be part of a team of staff members in a big corporation, it his highly recommended that you constantly be proactive and look for creative ways to be of more help to your employer. Hence, if your boss sees you as a more valuable asset, you can over time request a raise in your job.

Step 2: Move into a company's profit stream: There are three types of jobs in the business world: Technical jobs, operation jobs and revenue generating jobs. 

Technical jobs have positions such as the legal department, the accounting department and the financial department. 

Operational jobs have positions such as customer service and product fulfillment.

Revenue generating jobs have positions such as sales representatives, marketers, copywriters and even managers. This is where you want to be.

Step 3: Become an intrapreneur: This means than an employee within an organization becomes an entrepreneur with the CEO's permission.

For instance, by starting a project that would benefit the company's productivity, income generation, customer satisfaction, etc.

Step 4: Develop a high-income skill: The aforesaid is a skill that will help you be able to generate a large amount of money. This tip is definitely tied to starting your own business. 

Be that as it may, it takes time and dedication to master a skill that will allow you to produce enough income to justify setting up a business.

Step 5: Use your high-income skill to start a side business: You can use the skill set you have developed in order to create a business. Granted you could begin with this step and forget all of the above. Nevertheless, so as to set up a business you need capital. Consequently, working a regular job is the correct avenue in order to earn that money allocated for that undertaking. 

In review, the best way to leverage your income is by becoming an indispensable asset in your line of work. As well saving enough money to run a profitable business. 

This particular YouTuber I gathered information from is obviously not the only one you can take advice from. This is just an example from many available in the web. 

Sources:
- Dan Lok YouTube channel
- Personal Experience.

Black-and-White Thinking: Cognitive Distortion #1

To say that I have taken a long time to resume my post writing would be an understatement. Has it been over half a year since my last online publication. So as to redress my decline in posts, I will start writing more often. Needless to say that the motivation I have towards keeping this blog alive has not been the same this year as it has been in previous ones. Without further ado, I will proceed with the topic for today: "Dichotomous thinking"

Before we start nonetheless, it would be wise to understand what a dichotomy is first. According to the Cambridge Online Dictionary a dichotomy is: "The difference between two completely opposite ideas or things." Case in point, a dichotomy between what people say and what they do.  Back to our main point, Dichotomous thinking, otherwise known as "Black and White thinking" refers to the following: Thinking in extremes or absolutes regarding everyday situations. For instance, Mary is having a job interview for a sales rep position she wants to take at a local mall. Everything seems to be fine. However, she notices that she forgot to mention one of the places where she had worked before when asked about her experience. Even though the aforesaid is a minor detail, she takes it to heart and believes her potential employer might take note of this. Mary decides to leave in the middle of the interview and excuses herself. Not only did she lose the opportunity to find a new job, she also limited herself by assuming a minor slip would affect her overall assessment. 

This sort of behavior can have serious repercussions in a person's personal and professional development. Thus, the need to seek help from a mental health specialist when you feel your life is getting out of control due to this condition. Having weekly therapy sessions and making use of cognitive behavioral therapy should be enough to tackle this issue. Our mind is incredibly powerful. It can either lift us up or it can bring us down. It all depends on how much we take care of our emotional and mental health. In most cases, not having an "in-between" is not good whatsoever. To illustrate my point, let us consider the following situation: If a person commits a crime such as a robbery, they should be punished. There is not an "in the middle". On the other hand, what if a teacher has a student who does not show up for the final exam of the semester owing to the death of a loved one? Should he fail such student? Or should the school and he give the student another chance to take the test when she recovers emotionally?

Lastly, I would say that we all need help at some point. It does not always work to have a conversation with a relative or friend to deal with a condition such as "All or nothing reasoning". Oftentimes it takes the help of a therapist to put us back on track. Having the right mindset can be a great asset towards the pursuit of our ultimate goal. Only by keeping both our mind and body working at 100%, will we be able to realize our goals.  I will leave by quoting Obi-Wan from Star Wars: "Only a Sith deals in Absolutes."

Sources:

- Therapy in a Nutshell YouTube channel

- Dichotomous Thinking definition | Psychology Glossary | alleydog.com

- Cambridge Dictionary | English Dictionary, Translations & Thesaurus

Why Do Stupid People Think They're Smart? The Dunning Kruger Effect (ani...

It has been about 5 months since my last post. To be quite honest, at some point I was considering to delete this blog. Mainluy due to the fact that I do not make any profit whatsoever out of this. My only reward out of this page is the satisfaction of the few readers I have. Apart from what I learn myself by writing this posts. The topic for today has to do with some people overstimating their intellectual skills. In the following, I will tackle to "The Dunning Kruger Effect" to the best of my ability.

Rumor has it that at some point at 1995, a man decided to rob a bank in Pitsburg, Penssylvania by himself. He was convinced that since he had smeared his face with lemon juice, he would not get recognized by the security cameras. His reasoning was that since this juice was one of the compotents used to make invisible ink, his idea would work. Be that as it may, he was sadly mistaken. Not only did he not succeed in his endeavor, he was also shown the footage of the robbery. Despite the proof, he was quite dazzled to realize his plan had failed. 

This peculiar case inspired Cornel University psychologists David Dunning and Justin Kruger to research this phenomenon in depth. He conducted a study with two groups of undergraduate students in different categories. The categories taken into account were: grammatical writing, logical reasoning, and sense of humor. After all the participants had taken the test, they were asked how well they thought they had scored. The group with the lowest score overstimated their results by a large margin.  As opposed to the other group who had performed better than they anticipated. The first group ended up obtaining a low score. The second on the other hand overperformed. The Dunning Kruger Effect posits that low ability people wronly assume to have better skills at a particular discipline than they actually do.

In summary, I would say that the more we know about a subject, the more we realize how much we still have to learn. It is always highly recommed to have unbiased feedback from peers and teachers. As well keeping track of our progress. 

Sources:

- Better Than Yesterday YouTube Channel.                                                                                        - Dunning-Kruger Effect | Psychology Today

Better Than Yesterday

The Pygmalion Effect

Needless to say it has been over a month since my last post. Thus, I felt the necessity to make new one.

I am beyond sure I have already touched on "The Pygmalion Effect". Given that is such a fascinating topic. Nonetheless, it can be expanded upon and explored further. In the following, I will tackle the aforesaid. As well as providing real life examples and experiences.

The Pygmalion Effect can be defined by the phrase: "Higher expectations lead to higher performance".    In other words, our beliefs about a person can influence our actions towards them. Hence, altering the person's belief in themselves. Which in turn can lead to them either succeeding or failing in their endeavors. Case in point, a father has the preconceived notion that his older son is naturally more intellectually gifted than his younger one. Even though not only have they the exact same IQ results, but are only a year apart in age. Consequently, the father spends most of his money on his favorite son. He enrolls him in several language learning lessons, music lessons, etc. He has the best tutors in town assist him whenever he is struggling with a subject matter at school. His younger son however, only attends his regular lessons at school and performs at an average level. Obviously the older son is going to feel superior than his brother. Be that is it may, it was the father's unfair intervention what altered their performance. As opposed to their natural talents.

The aforementioned concept can tie in with intrinsic motivation. Which is an empowering tool especially in adults. Most of us are still susceptible to what other people in authority perceive or believe about us. If however, despite our best efforts we fail to live up to their expectations, we must press on. For instance, feedback can only be useful in the teaching profession if educators remain as objective as possible. Notwithstanding, that is not always the case. Because of the preconceived idea a teacher might have of a student, he can draw the wrong conclusions. As a result, the need for us to remain calm and speak out only if we must. Our opinion about ourselves should outweigh any other. Oftentimes, it is ourselves who are our best judges. We can not only notice, but improve on mistakes me make quite efficiently. Only constructive criticism must be taken into account.

In summary, we can all agree that other people's perception of ourselves can ultimately influence our behavior. Only if we let that happen however. As soon as we become emotionally mature in all aspects, we can fight those preconceptions. I could name multiple examples of highly successful people who faced countless rejections. Yet, they had the inner strength to keep going and prove their detractors wrong. The Pygmalion effect parallels the myth it was based on. In Greek mythology, Pygmalion was a prince of Cyprus who was seeking the perfect wife. He made an ivory statue of the perfect woman he envisioned. The prince pleaded with Goddess Venus to bring his creation to life. She granted his wish. Pygmalion married the woman of his dreams. It only worked out in the end because she possessed all the qualities he was expecting for.

Sources:

- Sprouts YouTube Channel.

- Personal experience.

- https://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-pygmalion-effect.htm

Rev. Al: George Floyd Funeral 'Was Very, Very Emotional' | Morning Joe |...

Has it been slightly over a month since my last post. As I have said several times before however: "Inspiration is not easily encountered on a daily basis". At times, it is indeed harder to find a topic worthy to write about. Notwithstanding, what happened with African-American citizen George Floyd on May 25th cannot go unnoticed. In the following post, I will touch briefly on racism in America and how it has shaped society today.

 

Ever since the crime committed that day, countless protests erupted not only throughout The US, but also in countless other countries around the world. Police brutality against African Americans is not a recent occurrence. Be that as it may, this last tragedy was without a doubt the last straw. To name a few examples of recent killings in the past few years: In 2018, citizen Stephen Clark was shot to death by police officers in Sacramento, CA. Only due to the fact that the aforesaid officers mistook his cell-phone for a gun. In 2016, a citizen named Castile was shot dead in his car by an officer outside of Minneapolis. In to 2015, a citizen named Clark was pinned to the ground and shot to death by yet another officer also in  Minneapolis. Let us not forget how the Black Lives Matter movement came to be. It did so in response to the murder of Trayvon Martin back in 2012 by a civilian. Activists had had enough by then.

 

What has been happening in the past week and half since the incident has been quite inspiring. Yet looters and ill-intentioned people have tried to take advantage of the situation as well.  Notwithstanding, most protestors are speaking out against injustice and pushing for new policies to protect minorities. Nevertheless, it is not enough to pass new laws. They must be enforced. Not to mention that the requirements so as to become a police officer in The US have to be more strict. Taking into account the mental health of the candidates at all times.

Racism has been around in America for hundreds of years. Slavery was outlawed in 1865 by the Thirteen Amendment of the US constitution. As well as The Fourteen Amendment, which mandated that citizenship and equal protection of the law could not be denied based on race. Notwithstanding, the previous two centuries of slavery had left black Americans at a huge disadvantage. Basically in terms of education, health care benefits and whatnot. It took a long time (several riots and historic speeches) after that however for black Americans to be treated "equally" in society. For instance, to be able to apply to the same schools, universities and jobs as white Americans. To be allowed to vote, among others.

 

In summary, changes remain to be made in order to realize the dream of countless Americans who wish equity and safety for every single citizen. Irrespective of the fact that The United States remains arguably the most powerful nation on Earth, improvements have to be made as soon as possible. People have to make wiser decisions when it comes to electing their authorities. The power a political leader exerts cannot be unlimited, etc. These violent incidents have only added to the already compounding state of affairs with Covid-19. Albeit, America has resurfaced several times from similar crises. It will not be easy, but it will do it again.

 

Sources:

- https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2020-06-04/police-killings-black-victims

- Sapiens - A Brief History of Human Kind by Yuval Noah Hurari.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flipped Classroom Model: Why, How, and Overview

Positive discipline is without a doubt a an exemplary model to follow. Nonetheless, when it comes to teaching and learning, The Flipped Classroom model seems to be as effective. Not following the traditional path has worked wonders before. In the following post, I will touch on Flipped Learning based on personal experience and from the information I could gather.

 

First of all, we all know how traditional lessons are conducted. The teacher presents the content, students remain silent throughout most of class. By the end of it, he leaves homework for learners to work on. When Flipped Leaning is applied however, the opposite happens: The teacher leaves students an assignment or a set of questions. These questions are directly connected to the following lesson. He usually suggests what sources or tools learners can make use of so as to do their research. During the following class, students focus on hands-on activities, help each other through collaborative work, etc. Their tutor is also there to dispel any doubts that may arise during the activities or to clarify some points from the assignment.

 

What is more, another major advantage to this model is the personalization of teaching. Teachers can focus more on individual students who need assistance. The well known MKO (More knowledgeable other) technique is utilized as well. In other words, the students who have a better understanding and skill-set of the content aid their peers. They are paired up for this to happen. At this point, you may wonder what exactly learners do during their very first lesson. Basically, the teacher starts walking them through the process of flipped learning. Taking advantage of technology goes without saying. It comes naturally for students to use online resources to conduct their research an work on tasks. Notwithstanding, it is our job to curate the content to be used in class. As well as teaching how to properly search for content and rely only on reputable sources. The only drawback I can think of for the Flipped Model is the complexity of the homework. The tasks must be manageable for learners. Not to mention that the topic to be learned through this model cannot be too advanced or demanding.

In review, there is no denying how useful Flipped Learning can be in any classroom. Implementing it in your school may be slightly daunting at first. Be that as it may, as was the case with Positive Discipline, the results acquired in the long run will be more than worth it. Having students as active participants of the learning process makes a huge difference in their attitude. Showing them their opinions and contributions matter should always be part of our belief system as educators.

Sources:
- Personal experience.
- Teachings in Education YouTube Channel.

Five Criteria for Positive Discipline With Parenting Expert Dr. Jane Nelsen

Needless to say that this is not the way in which most people pictured themselves spending April 1st before the pandemic. Nevertheless, circumstances outside of our control made it happen. Thus, for now, we must focus on what we can do to make progress. For this particular post, I feel compelled to share with you the concept of "Positive Discipline". A principle that has proven to be useful not only in teaching settings, but also in parenting.

 

When it comes to disciplining students, most teachers resort to the behaviorist approach. In other words, the idea that all behaviors are learned through conditioning. Consequently, for every stimulus, there must be a response. Case in point, if we train our students to stand up every time we come into the classroom, chances are they will fulfil this simple task without any difficulty. This concept has yielded results and been improved upon over the years since its formal inception in 1913 (even before then since Pavlov introduced the idea of conditioning). Be that as it may, behaviorism has only proven to produce short term results. For longer periods of time, a different approach is needed.

 

Given that rewards and punishments only provide temporary solutions, positive discipline can fill that void. The aforesaid principle endorses the idea that educators must be "firm and kind" at the same time. In fact, being more understanding of students' feelings, interests and circumstances has resulted in a stronger rapport between them and the teacher. Without showing weakness that is. Being kind does not necessarily mean being lenient. Fairness would be what most educators aim for when utilizing positive discipline. In fact, teachers who employ this concept, constantly hold teacher-student meetings. Where constant discussions take place regarding matters that will benefit both sides in the long run. The book by the same name "Positive Discipline", proposes a wide variety of techniques and strategies to make learners feel more at easy and willing to actively participate in the classroom. For instance, "The mistaken goals chart". A chart that contains four different behaviors students display when their needs are not met. Such as undue attention (to keep others busy or to get special service), misguided power (to be boss), and so on. It also provides avenues of action teachers can take so as to effectively deal with each particular behavior.

 

In summary, this relatively new method of disciplining students has become an indispensable guide for most educators worldwide. I believe that behaviorism and positive discipline can complement each other so as to promote a healthy learning environment in each classroom or household. Nonetheless, long term results should be what we all aspire to for our learners.

Sources:
- Positive Discipline in the Classroom (Jane Nelsen, Lynn Lott, H. Stephen Glenn).
- https://owlcation.com/social-sciences/Cognitive-Development-in-Children-from-Watson-to-Kohlberg

Charles Lyell and Geologic Time

Needless to say it has been over a month since my last post. Quite an eventful month and a half it has been. Nonetheless, keeping this blog alive is one of the goals I set out to pursue from the beginning.  Regarding my topic for today, I would say it is deeply connected with the theory of evolution. In fact, the scientist I am about to mention inspired Darwin to develop his theory. In the following, I will tackle Charles Lyell's Theory of Uniformitarianism and his contribution to Darwin's Evolutionary Theory.

Charles Lyell was born to a wealthy family in Scotland in 1797. They moved to England two years later. Charles was interested in nature from an early age. His father who was a botanist, would take him to the woods to collect bugs and butterflies. Lyell grew up to become and geologist. Earning his degree from Exeter College in Oxford at age 22. Additionally, he pursued and acquired a Master's degree in law in 1821. Be that as it may, he resumed his initial career path after a few years. By this time, Charles had already published some minor works which would later serve as a foundation for his more prominent ones. Case in point, his dissertation paper: "On a recent formation of Freshwater Limestone in Forfarshire".

 

During the 1800s, it was accepted as fact that everything  in heaven and Earth had been created by the Judeo-Christian god. Thus, the old testament was taken literally. Notwithstanding, Lyell debunked this assertion. He believed that the Earth was much older than only 6000 years old. Consequently, concluding it had taken millions of years to form.  Charles was able to corroborate his hypothesis while in Europe. Conducting research and collecting fossils. His theory of uniformitarianism posits that the Earth has been shaped by forces such as erosion and sedimentation. Which happened progressively throughout long periods of time. As opposed to Noah's ark flood and other isolated biblical events. What is more, Darwin himself applied the principles of uniformitarianism while studying volcanic rocks on The Canary Islands. Further cementing the validity of Lyell's work.

 

Lastly, even though most people regard Darwin as probably the greatest scientific mind of the 19th century, it is crucial to know who influenced his discoveries and conclusions. Had he not befriended Charles Lyell, he would have not read "The Principles of Geology". Hence, he would have probably never been inclined to discover a wide variety of fossils and patterns from different animals. Which ultimately lead to the development of his theory.

Sources:
- Famous Scientists: Charles Lyell.
- Famous Scientists: Charles Darwin.
- UC Berkeley: Understanding Evolution: Uniformitarianism: Charles Lyell.
- Dr. Mary Dowd article.

Lateral Thinking: Generate Brilliant Ideas

Is this my very first post of 2020. Sometimes searching for the right topic to write about turns into a taxing task. Nonetheless, I always seem to stumble upon the right piece of information at the right time. Recently, did I encounter the term "lateral thinking" on a math book. Ever since then, I have been planning  on explaining what it is and how it works. In the following, I will address this topic and provide a few insights into how we can apply it into our lives.

 

I am sure you have heard the expression "to think outside the box". Lateral thinking is most likely the technical term for it. You see, most people think in a linear way (vertical thinking). When presented with a problem or question, most would employ logic and devise one solution. Conversely, lateral thinking encourages you to apply several strategies after looking into the problem. Thus, generating multiple solutions or answers. In other words, lateral thinking is used "to dig a whole in a different way". Whereas vertical thinking is used "to dig the same hole deeper". Both types of thinking should complement each other. Lateral thinking primarily being used with out-of-the-ordinary situations. For instance, mathematicians use this type of thinking so as to ideate different ways to solve a problem.

 

Dr. Edward De Bono coined the term back in 1967. He is a pioneer in brain training.  He has published several books on creative, critical and lateral thinking throughout his career. One of his most prominent works being "The Six Thinking Hats". Schools from over 20 countries have included his thinking tools into their curriculums. Not to mention he has helped countless people all over the world improve their creative skills and thinking abilities. De Bono believes our brain is organized and operates in patterns. Which makes it difficult for new information to be integrated easily. Which it needs to fit within the aforesaid existing patterns. Hence, lateral thinking allows us to restructure those patterns. Opening our minds to new ideas.

 

Lastly, I would say that even though this principle may be quite useful when playing chess or doing math, it can also be applied in our daily life. As stated above, problem solving skills do come into play when making decisions. Those decisions can lead us either to success or failure. The focus of lateral thinking lies on using all the alternatives we have to our advantage in order to produce the best solution.

Sources:
- Blahzinga YouTube Channel
- https://www.edwddebono.com/

8 Stages of Development by Erik Erikson

Has it indeed been over a month since my last post. Quite an eventful year this has been. Hopefully, 2020 will be a better year not only for publishing new posts, but for all aspects in general. In today's post, I will be going over Erick Erikson stages of development. You can draw a parallel with similar posts I have written in the past.

 

Erik Erikson was an German-American psychologist born in 1902. Best known for his "Stages of Psychosocial Development". His work was influenced by Sigmund Freud:

1. Trust vs Mistrust (Infancy - 1 and 2 years old) : At this stage, we are experiencing the world for the first time. Thus, it is hard to know if we can trust other people. We could have a positive experience with one person, and trust other people as a result. Conversely, we could have a negative one and be more cautious about whom we trust. Mother-child relationship is essential at this time.

2. Autonomy vs Shame & Doubt (Early childhood - 2 to 4 years of age) : During this stage, we start discovering our body and identity. If we are permitted to discover ourselves, we become confident. On the other hand, if we are not, we begin doubting ourselves and to feel insecure. Both parents need to be quite supportive at this time.

3. Initiative vs Guilt (Preschool age - 4 to 5 years of age) : During this period, we take initiative and experience new things. We also learn basic concepts. Such as how round objects roll. We wonder if it is fine to keep doing a new activity we tried for the first time. We will pursue our interests if we are encouraged by our parents. Nonetheless, if we are discouraged, we will stop doing what we enjoy.

4. Industry vs Inferiority (School age - 5 to 10 years old) :  We learn that we are different from others and develop our own interests. We feel the need to prove our worth at school, etc. and seek recognition from our teachers, parents, and other people in our community. If we are motivated by our teachers for instance, we become more responsible. Being ignored or discouraged by them however, could make us feel less valuable than our peers.

 

5. Identity vs Role confusion (Adolescence - 13 to 19 years old) : We realize we have different social roles. We take the role of children, friends, students and citizens. This period is usually when an "identity crisis" takes place. Phrase coined by Erikson himself. It is important that parents allow their children to explore new things to certain extent and with limits that is. Be that as it may, if we completely shut down our children, they will feel lost, Hence, struggling to find an identity.

6. Intimacy vs Isolation (Early adulthood - 20 to 40 years of age) : When we reach young adulthood, we begin to understand what our place is in the world . We no longer have the need to fit in as much as we did before. Besides, we also have the desire to build strong relationships with friends and even romantic relationships. If we feel that we are failing at one or both, we start feeling isolated and left out. Having a close bond with our peers is crucial for the most part.

7. Generativity vs Stagnation (Adulthood - 40 to 65 years of age) : We are more comfortable from the start of this stage. We use our spare time intelligently and in some cases contribute to society. If we have been successful, we care for generativity (the need to inspire and lead next generations to brighter future). If we have not conversely, we become pessimistic and stagnant.

8. Ego integrity vs Despair (Maturity - 65 to death) : We look back at our lives. We assess how successful with have been and compare ourselves with others.  If we believe we have had a fruitful life, we are nice to the people around us and have a positive attitude. If the opposite is the case, we become bad-tempered and are rude to others.

 

This has been one of my unusual articles where I explain a theory, concept and so on. Usually not following my regular layout. Even so, I consider this an enriching topic to close the year. Especially in the fields of education and psychology. Best wishes for 2020!

 

Sources:

- Sprouts YouTube Channel.

- https://www.verywellmind.com/erik-eriksons-stages-of-psychosocial-development-2795740