Motivation and human needs: How to keep learners moving forward 15 Sep 2024 7:11 AM (8 months ago)
Motivating ourselves is something that we all do. Like a palm tree with deep roots near a sandy beach that survives the brunt of storms year after year, you can nurture your learners to stay motivated. And in doing so, you can continue to see growth for free.
In the brilliant book Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman describes seven key abilities most beneficial for human beings: the ability to motivate ourselves, to persist against frustration, to delay gratification, to regulate moods, to hope, to empathize, and to control impulses.
In this article, we’ll look at motivation (FI.I.A.K1c) and how it is affected by human needs (FI.I.A.K1d).
What is motivation?
The Aviation Instructor’s Handbook defines motivation as “the reason one acts or behaves in a certain way and lies at the heart of goals.” Motivation is the equivalent of a starter on an aircraft. It plays a part in driving the decisions that learners make so they can move forward. However, it isn’t always used.
In his book Tiny Habits, Dr. BJ Fogg says, “Motivation is like a party-animal friend. Great for a night out but not someone you would rely on to pick you up from the airport. You must understand its role and its limitations, then pick behaviors that don’t rely on such a fickle friend.”
What the author is suggesting, in other words, is that motivation is unreliable.
You know the feeling. It can appear at times but will also vanish unexpectedly in the toughest situations. One way to overcome this limitation is to get a glimpse of what is happening behind the scenes.
The power of why
Good questions can help you understand the how and why behind the motivation of a learner. Not knowing can negatively affect your relationship with your learner. It’s also a recipe for failure. As an instructor, you are also a leader. Asking questions is a way to sidestep the flaky nature of motivation. Here are three questions to start a conversation about learning to fly:
– What’s happening in your life that brought you here to learn how to fly?
– What surprised you the most about your discovery flight?
– If you could wave a magic wand and instantly become a captain of an airline, which one would you choose?
Nudge your learner to get specific with phrases like “Tell me more” or “It’s interesting you said X. Could you tell me more about that?” Even listening and being silent can encourage more sharing. To go further, save these insights in your phone so you can use the actual words later on. For example, if a learner shares their dream airline, then save that to a note so you can bring it up in the future. Or if another learner talks about what it would like to be to fly their family for a weekend getaway, then jot it down so you can revisit it.
Those vivid details will be invaluable to your relationship with your learner when motivation inevitably fades away. Next, we’ll talk about a way to help a learner understand how they are performing.
How to encourage learners
Feedback can help a learner understand what they are doing well. It can also help them know when they aren’t performing to standards. Feedback that is timely, specific, and positive is preferred for a beginner since it offers encouragement.
Angela Duckworth reminds us that experts and beginners are motivated by different things. As she writes in her book Grit: “At the start of an endeavor, we need encouragement and freedom to figure out what we enjoy. We need small wins. We need applause. Yes, we can handle a tincture of criticism and corrective feedback. Yes, we need practice. But not too much and not too soon. Rush a beginner and you’ll bludgeon their budding interest. It’s very, very hard to get that back once you do.”
Let’s say that you are walking a new learner through preflight. You can praise their use of a checklist as you preflight an aircraft together for the first time. Then remind them in the future about why a thorough preflight matters. Perhaps, even connect day-to-day preflight to demonstrating this task successfully for a check ride. Next, we’ll explore some desires and needs that we have in common.
5 basic human needs and desires
In 1954, Abraham Maslow attempted to answer the question “What motivates people?” The psychologist explored the current research on motivation. Then distilled the ideas into a list of desires and needs that people try to fulfill. We know these as Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs:
- Self-actualization: realize our potential, peak experiences.
- Self-esteem: achievement, status, independence.
- Love and belongingness: family, affection, friends.
- Safety and security: protection, stability.
- Physiological needs: hunger, comfort, thirst.
Imagine a pyramid starting from the base (i.e., physiological needs) and working your way to the top (i.e., self-actualization). Does this mean that a learner won’t do well in flight training if they are hungry? Not necessarily. However, a lack of sleep can.
What has been discovered through real-world application, is that the hierarchy is flexible. That is, people can pursue several human needs and desires at the same time. Next, we’ll talk about a couple of systems that influence our decision-making.
Two systems that drive our behaviors
Think back to your first day of work. You likely used a maps app on your phone to get you to your workplace. You probably left early to give yourself some extra time. The drive required concentration and effort. Now think about your most recent commute to work. It was probably uneventful. The drive seemed to almost happen on autopilot.
The scenario above is a combination of system 1 and system 2. System 1 is “fast” while system 2 is “slow.” Doing something that requires effort like driving to someplace new to you uses system 2. With practice, system 1 can take over. This happens as the behavior becomes more automatic like your daily commute.
As the psychologist, Daniel Katheman, writes in his book Thinking, Fast and Slow, “System 1 operates automatically and quickly, with little or no effort and no sense of voluntary control. System 2 allocates attention to the effortful mental activities that demand it, including complex computations. The operations of System 2 are often associated with the subjective experience of agency, choice, and concentration.”
Conclusion
Whether you are working with someone who dreams of becoming an airline captain, a successful business owner who wants a new challenge, or even a professional who’s making a career change, it’s essential to remember that your learners look up to you for guidance. As a leader, having an understanding of how motivation works is an important tool in your instructor toolbox. Use this tool to help learners continue to make progress on their aviation goals.
What’s human behavior and how does it affect the instructor and learner relationship? 2 Jul 2024 9:45 AM (10 months ago)
A simple idea can be the spark that ignites a change in behavior. Why do some people struggle with communicating ideas while others don’t? It takes effort to communicate well and sometimes there are misunderstandings. Like any other skill, you can get better with practice over time. A desire to connect with others is one thing that we all have in common.
“Connection is why we’re here.” Brene Brown, a research expert at the University of Houston, says. “We are hardwired to connect with others, it’s what gives purpose and meaning to our lives, and without it there is suffering.”
What she is suggesting, in other words, is that it’s part of human nature to want to connect and share ideas.
Would you like to have a bigger impact on your learner? In this article, we’ll talk about human behavior and how it affects the relationship between an instructor and a learner.
What’s the definition of human behavior?
The study of human behavior seeks to explain how and why humans act in specific ways. The Aviation Instructor’s Handbook (AIH) offers three worldviews of human behavior:
- The scientific world.
- The drive to satisfy certain needs.
- The typical life course of humans.
According to the AIH, the scientific world defines human behavior as “the product of factors that cause people to act in predictable ways.”
One of those assumptions is that we dislike embarrassment. The reality is that it’s uncomfortable and we’ll do what we can to avoid it. Inevitably, it happens. Then we bounce back, sometimes laugh about it, and life continues.
Satisfying certain needs can be basic or more complex. Basic needs are straightforward. For example, imagine that you have an upcoming training flight, and the weather is forecast to be warmer than usual. Assuming you are fit for flight, will your urge to quench your thirst be higher before or after your flight?
It will be higher post-flight because you’ll sweat during your flight. Sweating will help you cool down, which will cause a loss of fluids in your body. Check out this video on how your flying is affected when you are hot and thirsty.
Complex needs can be challenging to identify such as a sense of belonging.
Another way human behavior can be defined is through the usual life course of humans. A teenager has a different outlook than a young professional. A young professional may have a different worldview than someone at a different stage of life who has had a successful career.
So why does knowing about human behavior matter?
Understand human behavior to help a learner succeed
Think about the last time you boarded an airliner for a flight. You likely placed your carry-on in an overhead bin, settled in your seat, and fastened your safety belt. Then a few minutes later you probably heard a crew member announce that they need your attention. Part of the passenger safety information briefing is the use of oxygen masks. Specifically, if an oxygen mask appears, then you promptly place your oxygen mask on before helping others.
Understanding human behavior is a win-win. First, it offers insights that help you know yourself as an instructor. Second, by examining your behavior, you can provide effective instruction for a learner. The order matters.
As an instructor, donning your oxygen mask is the equivalent of helping yourself first by reflecting on your behavior. After you do that, then you can help others such as your learner.
Next, we’ll discuss what learning styles really are.
The instructor and learner relationship
Learning styles offer a way to explain why we are drawn to certain methods of receiving information. In a way, it’s also why we are fascinated by horoscopes. They are engaging because they attempt to help us understand who we are by explaining our preferences: “…you’re the type of person who does X, therefore you must be a Y.”
As authors Peter C. Brown, Henry L. Roediger III, and Mark A. McDaniel write in their book, Make It Stick, “The idea that individuals have distinct learning styles has been around long enough to become part of the folklore of educational practice and an integral part of how many people perceive themselves.”
In other words, some learners might learn visually through a drawing on a whiteboard. And others from reading a book or listening to a story. The stories we tell ourselves matter. If a learner believes that they learn best through a specific way, then they may be dismissive of other methods. The danger here is a learner can unknowingly set themselves up for failure from the start by fixating on a specific way of receiving information.
Instead, an instructor can acknowledge a learner’s preference. Then encourage a learner to be open to learning in different ways.
The Risk Management Handbook defines human behavior as “The product of factors that cause people to act in predictable ways.” Behaviors can be thought of like bicycles. Different characteristics make them unique. However, the most important parts are quite similar. You have a set of wheels, a frame, pedals, a seat, and handlebars. With a basic understanding of human behavior, an instructor can connect with their learner. The result is more meaningful instruction that helps the learner succeed.
Reduce stress and maintain control with tactical breathing 28 Apr 2017 3:11 AM (8 years ago)
Tactical breathing is a skill that can be used to manage stress. Also known as combat breathing, this technique ensures a steady flow of oxygen to the brain, brings down your heart rate, and increases your mental capacity. The result is being able to perform under pressure.
An overview of tactical breathing and why it works
Each day, athletes, first responders, law enforcement, military, and other professionals use tactical breathing to adapt to challenging situations and continue performing at a high level. Instead of becoming frazzled or overwhelmed from stress, these professionals remain calm by performing deep, regular breathing to a certain cadence.
Here is how Andrew Steadman, a Major in the US Army describes tactical breathing in his thesis:
…the simplest, most effective way to gain composure in the midst of an emotional event experience.
Here are the steps for this deep breathing technique.
Step 1) Breathe in (inhale) through your nose and count 1, 2, 3, 4.
Step 2) Hold your breath and count 1, 2, 3, 4.
Step 3) Breathe out (exhale) through your mouth and count 1, 2, 3, 4.
Step 4) Hold your breath and count 1, 2, 3, 4 and then repeat steps 1 through step 4 for a couple minutes.
The positive effects of tactical breathing are the result of deep, steady breathing so avoid the temptation of rushing through the count.
The tactical breathing technique visualized
Sync your breathing to the leaf below by following the movement.
If it has already started, then wait until the small leaf has shrunk to the middle.
1) Inhale through your nose for a count of 4 (leaf is expanding).
2) Hold your breath for a count of 4 (leaf is not moving).
3) Exhale through your mouth for a count of 4 (leaf is shrinking).
4) Hold your breath for a count of 4 (leaf is not moving) and then repeat these steps for a couple minutes until you reach calmness.
Practice tactical breathing on a daily basis
As with any skill, combat breathing or tactical breathing is something that can be learned. And the more you practice, the better you get at it. You’ll know when you are there when you call upon the skill without actively “thinking” about it.
Here are some moments in your day where you can practice deep breathing:
- In the morning while making breakfast (enjoy your meal with a clear mind)
- Prior to exercising (focus on your exercises to minimize injury)
- In the evenings before bed (empty a running mind so you fall asleep easier)
Being mindful of deep breathing is something that you can use whenever you would like in any location. By practicing a little each day, you’ll be able to use it on demand to effortlessly handle tough situations and stay in control.
You can wake up early and you don’t need to give up your social life 21 Apr 2017 3:11 AM (8 years ago)
Switching to a consistent sleep schedule has been the biggest win that I’ve had over the past year. It is interesting that such as small change has had a positive impact on my life. Waking up early comes naturally to me and I’ve started exercising regularly which has led me to make healthier food choices — life is good!
An energy drink in the afternoon is no longer needed to help me get through the day.
This has also cascaded into my professional life as my productivity is up and my creativity has skyrocketed. And I’ve done this while still having the time in the evenings to meet up with family and friends.
Today, I’ll share with you the framework that I use to maintain a social life and still wake up early. It will work for you whether you already wake up early or are just getting started.
The days before…
You can think of sleep as a sort of Investment Retirement Account (IRA). As you make consistent deposits from a portion of each paycheck that you receive, then your portfolio grows over time from the power of compounding. This is why financial experts recommend that you start saving for retirement early so your money has time to work for you.
Each consistent night of sleep is like a deposit so when you have good sleep hygiene and go to sleep at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each morning, then this schedule helps your body know when it is time to power down for bedtime and when to wake up so you are ready for the day.
Have you ever noticed how you felt rested and refreshed after a good night of sleep?
Now think of a time where you had a few rough days and nights — maybe you were sick from the flu and didn’t sleep well that week. You probably were sluggish and miserable until you got better and then you started sleeping normally again. This is why you can’t “catch up” on sleep by simply sleeping all day when you are sleep deprived. The best way to fix this issue is to move back to a consistent sleep schedule where you go to bed at the same time each night and then rise at the same time each morning. The National Sleep Foundation recommends 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night — adjust in your favor so you get a little more sleep than you need. Remember that you are building up consistent deposits which will help you bounce back quickly from a late evening out with friends and family.
The Sleep Cycle app is highly rated and can help you create a consistent sleep routine. It senses your sleep cycle using your mobile phone and it gently wakes you up at the right time so you feel rested. This app helped jump start my habit of going to bed the same time and waking up the same time each morning. Click on one of the buttons below to download the app for your mobile phone and get it set up so you are familiar with it.
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As a heads up, when the app is tracking your sleep, then your phone will need to be plugged into the charger and be positioned near the top of your bed where your pillows are. A bedside table works well for this. Sleep Cycle will come in handy the night you socialize with family and friends.
The day of
When you wake up in the morning, think about the upcoming event later that day and choose a reasonable bedtime for yourself. This is the time that you should be in bed so be sure to include travel time. Then continue with your daily routine as normal. Several hours before you need to head out, take a short nap of about 20 — 30 minutes. You can use the nap feature to from Pzizz get a power nap in. There is something about the man speaking softly and the ambient music that helps me fall asleep quickly to get a nap in as needed. Try out Pzizz by clicking on the button below for your mobile phone:
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Your nap will help you get some energy for the evening without needing coffee or a caffeinated drink. If consumed late in the day then these can affect your sleep in a negative way so where possible, go for a nap. Use a sleep mask (blocks out light) and a good pair of headphones (muffles the sound around you) to improve the effectiveness of the naps.
As you are on your way to meet up, then remind yourself of the reasonable bedtime that you chose earlier that morning. Let’s say that you are planning to have dinner and a few drinks with some friends and are in bed around 11 pm, then you can still wake up early the next morning. However, if you bar hop and stay out till closing time, then you’ll have a difficult time getting up and you might be on the “struggle bus” for the rest of the day. Know your limits and be realistic in choosing a time to be in bed.
When you arrive home, have a small meal, and be sure to drink water and then drink a little more just before bed. The latter is even more important if you’ve had one too many drinks while out that night.
Right before you go to bed, get Sleep Cycle running. Remember that the location and a power source are important as the app will monitor your sleep in real-time.
- Plug in your phone to a charger near the top of your bed where your pillows are
- Open Sleep Cycle on your phone
- Choose a wake-up time (try to get close to 7 to 8 hours)
- Activate the app and place it near your bed such as on a bedside table
- Think about something that you are looking forward to doing the next day and go to sleep
Sleep Cycle uses the microphone in your mobile phone to track your sleep and intelligently wakes you with an alarm when you are in between sleep cycles. The end result is that you wake up feeling alert and refreshed instead of that groggy-headed feeling and you’ll hopefully be excited to get your day started.
The day after
Once you hear the alarm from the Sleep Cycle app, then get out of bed immediately and drink some water. The first 10 seconds after you open your eyes will be critical as your morning sets the tone for your day. Be decisive! Get out of bed and make your bed. Making your bed will be your first victory for the day and it will reduce the chance of you climbing back into bed and sleeping in. Once you are moving, then use that momentum to carry on with your day. You may feel sluggish and it is okay to feel this way. You can minimize the feeling by getting in some light exercise in the morning or in the early afternoon.
If you are working that day or have obligations to take care of, then don’t be tempted to come home after and fall asleep. Instead, use Sleep Cycle or Pzizz on your phone to get a short nap in so you can have some energy to get through the rest of your day. Then go to bed at your regular bedtime and wake up early the next morning.
The first time that you go through the motions, you may stumble at a certain step or two. Be understanding that it happens and create a better plan for next time. One area where I’ve stumbled more than a few times is sticking with my chosen bedtime. Here is a quick story that has likely happened to you and people you know.
You want to meet up for an early dinner and just have “a few drinks.” Everyone is having an awesome time and the evening turns into an even more fun night of bar hopping and then things spiral further and your reasonable bedtime is tossed aside. Instead of getting home at a decent time, you’ll arrive home early the next morning and you won’t be getting up early as the snooze button will be your best friend. And to top it off, you’ll be on the struggle bus for the entire day.
Expect things to not go perfectly as planned the first few times and try again. You’ll learn more about yourself and better understand your limits (if having some cocktails). Pick yourself up when you fail, make a better plan, and you’ll be able to enjoy time in the evenings and at night with friends and family and still be a member of the early risers club.
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How to exercise more often by starting small with a walk in the morning 14 Apr 2017 7:17 PM (8 years ago)
Do you know someone that started exercising only to burn out and quit after a few days?
It happens more than you think and if this has happened to you, then don’t beat yourself up. You made the right decision to give exercise a try as it has many positive benefits. Research has shown that physical activity helps you:
- Reduces the risk of heart disease
- Improves psychological well-being (how you feel)
- Enjoy a higher quality and longer life
The intentions are good — it is the approach that needs some improvement.
As former Navy SEAL commander, Mark Divine, writes in his book Unbeatable Mind, “It does nothing to hit a workout like an NFL linebacker, and then be too sore to do anything for a week. You start back at ground zero with that approach.”
This is an example of what not to do and there is a better way.
Exercise is a long game and you’ll see the benefits over an extended period of time (think months and years). If you remember this, then you’ll find that exercise can be made a part of your lifestyle with some small changes.
Start with why
Why do you truly want to exercise?
Think about that question for a moment. What will drive you to get out of a comfortable and warm bed to go to the gym in the morning or go for a run after a long day of work?
If you are having trouble finding an answer that you believe in, then it is okay. Here are some common reasons for exercising:
- I’ve excelled in my career but my health hasn’t been a priority. I want to lose weight so I can fit in my favorite pair of jeans again
- I want to feel energized throughout the day without relying on energy drinks and enjoy better sleep
- I love my family and the work that I do matters but I need a mental break for myself to recharge from everyday life
Use one of the reasons above as inspiration for finding your why. When you stumble, then “your why” will help you dust yourself off so you can keep moving forward.
You don’t need more motivation — you need a system
Willpower is what keeps you from eating an entire family sized bag of chips or a tub of ice cream in one sitting. It can be thought of as being in control or self-discipline. As you use willpower throughout the day then it becomes expended.
Think about a day at work that didn’t go so well — it was just a bad day. Maybe you were stuck in traffic and arrived late to work and then you were putting out fires all day at work. By the time you arrived home, you were exhausted and so you watched TV for the rest of the evening with your favorite junk food because you had a tough day. It is okay to feel tired but your willpower failed you.
Now think about a time where you had a great day at work — you “crushed it.” You woke up around sunrise to get some exercise in, enjoyed a delicious breakfast, got ready for work, and was out the door a little early. And you arrived to work early to get a jumpstart on the day and breezed through the day. When you arrived home, you felt good instead of being exhausted and now had the rest of the evening to spend time as you please.
Are you wanting to have more great days?
Creating a habit of exercising during the week can help make that a reality for you.
Exercise doesn’t have to be hard or painful…and it certainly doesn’t have to be in a gym. It simply requires you to move your muscles in a way that burns calories. -Chip Heath & Dan Heath of Switch
In the Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg shares a framework for a system for creating a habit.
It starts with a cue which is a trigger for a behavior. This then leads to a routine which is the behavior that is being performed. And this leads to the reward which transforms the behavior into something that you can do again and again without relying on willpower.
A cue can be a time of the day, a certain place, an emotion that you feel, the presence of certain people, or before an action occurs.
Here is the framework for the habit loop one more time: Cue → Routine → Reward ↺
Let’s take a look at the framework with going for a walk in the morning.
1) Cue → Seeing your sneakers by your bed when you wake up in the morning
2) Routine → Going for a walk around your neighborhood right after you get out of bed
3) Reward → Enjoying your favorite cup of coffee or tea
Remember that exercising does not have to be in a gym. Riding your bicycle, hiking with your friends, and walking around your neighborhood are all examples of exercise.
If you are wanting to start exercising, then start small with a walk in the morning just one time this week and be specific on the date and time. For example, I will wake up 30 minutes early on Wednesday at 7 am so that I can go for walk around my neighborhood.
Can you walk around your neighborhood right after you wake up just one time this week?
Here are some tips to make sure that you follow through:
- Write down your goal of going for a morning walk just one time this week on a piece of paper. Be specific with the date and time (e.g. Wednesday at 7 am)
- Place your socks and sneakers right next to your bed along with a bottle of water. Position them so you can’t miss them or step over them when getting out of bed
- The night before, read your note that you wrote on a piece of paper and be in bed a little earlier than usual
- When your alarm goes off the next morning then grab the water bottle and drink at least half as you’ll be dehydrated from sleeping. Turn your alarm off, put your socks and sneakers on, get your keys and head out the door
- When you complete your morning walk, then you should be pleased with yourself
Even though it was just a walk around the neighborhood, this is the kick start that you need to create momentum and momentum is key to accelerating the formation of your new habit.
Momentum will help you go from walking once a week in the morning to walking a couple times a week which will open the door for trying out other types of exercise that you may enjoy.
Notice that we did not start with a huge goal like walking 5 miles in the morning before work. This is equivalent to working out like a professional athlete and then being in so much pain where we want to quit shortly after getting started. If this has happened to you then know that you have the choice to start exercising again in a sustainable way.
We are taking baby steps by starting with a morning walk to show ourselves that we can rewrite our self-image as someone who values physical activity.
[bctt tweet=”Habits are a marathon, not a sprint -Charles Duhigg” via=”no”]
Get back on track when you fall off
Eventually, you’ll miss an exercise routine or two or three. Perhaps you’ll feel under the weather from being sick or go on a vacation where you were doing exciting things each day. Recognize that it is likely to happen so when it does, you can pick up where you left off.
Think back to the moment where you completed your first morning walk and the energy that you had that day. Remind yourself that you want that feeling again and commit to moving forward again.
Accountability can take help you stay committed. If you don’t trust yourself to get up early for a morning walk a few times each week, then you can plan to do it with a friend. When you make plans to exercise with someone, then you’ll follow through so you don’t let them down. Even though you may want to sleep in, the temptation to do so will be low when you are being held accountable to a friend by showing up.
Exercise is a keystone habit. This means that its positive effects will spill over into other areas of your life. As you start exercising regularly then you’ll enjoy better sleep and you’ll naturally make healthier choices for food.
Photo credit: Unsplash
How to drink more water — starting today 13 Sep 2016 4:53 PM (8 years ago)
Drink more water!
You’ve heard that phrase countless times. We know that we ought to drink more water and yet we don’t. Why?
Claire: "As a recent college grad, I see my peers drinking more soda than water. We're forming lifetime habits." pic.twitter.com/zFVnZmOhgC
— Ninjas for Health (@ninjasforhealth) July 20, 2016
Have you also found yourself preferring sugary beverages over water which helps us stay hydrated? In this post, you’ll learn how you can start drinking more water and you can begin today.
The myth of “You should drink eight glasses of water a day”
One health myth that fails to be forgotten is that you should drink eight glasses of water a day. Research has shown that this is indeed a myth. It is so prevalent that some doctors even continue to share this recommendation with their patients.
Is this causing more harm than good? Not necessarily.
Here are two truths to be aware of.
Truth #1: Water is essential for the cells in your body to function normally so dehydration should be avoided.
Truth #2: Drinking water is not your only source of hydration. Your body can get water from other fluids such as tea and coffee and foods such as vegetables and fruits.
Your body is remarkable and will let you know when you need more hydration as you’ll feel thirsty. An easy way to monitor if you are hydrated is to check the color of your urine when you go to the restroom. It should be a very light yellow color.
Make drinking water a daily activity so it becomes effortless
Ready to hear about the magical technique to start drinking more water each day?
It turns out that there isn’t one and it is more straightforward that you may believe.
The way that I started drinking more water throughout the day was to simply have water available with me. Think about some of the activities from yesterday — you woke up, had a morning routine (e.g. have breakfast and get ready for work), went to work, ate lunch, came home, made dinner, enjoyed time with family, got ready for bed, and went to sleep.
Does your daily routine include most of the activities mentioned above?
Could you start drinking more water by having water available during various times of your day? I bet you could and the best part is you won’t have to worry about lugging around 1-gallon jugs of water.
Today is your day to get started.
Step 1 – Purchase a few water bottles from a nearby store
Head to a store close by and pick up a few bottles of water. 3 – 5 bottles of water is a good starting point.
Step 2 – Introduce water into your daily activities
Now that you have your water handy, you’ll want to start introducing them so they are visible and easily accessible throughout your day.
You can start with your refrigerator. Open your refrigerator and place the water bottles at eye level. This is important because they will be one of the first things that you see when you open your refrigerator. Then take one or two and head to the next room of your home where you spend a lot of time. Lets say that you find yourself spending quality time in your living room. Place a water bottle on your coffee table or a side table and feel free to use a coaster so your furniture isn’t damaged by the moisture. Next, head to another room in your residence where you spend time such as your bedroom. Again, place a water bottle near your bed such as on a side table or at the foot of your bed and that is it for stashing water around your house. This is ideal for drinking first thing in the morning as you’ll naturally be dehydrated from sleeping.
Now set a reminder on your phone for the next morning to grab a bottle of water from the refrigerator on your way out the door to work.
If you are a coffee or tea person then definitely enjoy your beverage of choice that morning. When you arrive at work, then keep the water bottle near you. Remember we want it to be visible and easily accessible. If you work in an office, then an ideal spot may be on your desk. If you have a job where you are mobile and on the go, then you can be creative. Again remember visible and easily accessible.
Throughout the day, you’ll find yourself sipping on the water without having to really “try” and you can top off your water bottle as needed. Plus, as a added benefit, you’ll use the restroom more frequently which is helpful if you work in an office environment where you are seated for most of the day.
When you head home, then you won’t need to go out of your water to drink water.
Step 3 – Try this routine for two weeks
Remember the water bottles that you strategically placed around your home such as eye level in your refrigerator and in other areas such as your living room and bedroom? You may find yourself drinking more water just because they are there.
Be sure to also keep a bottle of water with you while you are at work.
Will this actually work for me?
Can having water visible and easily accessible really help you drink more water? It can because it reduces the amount of motivation needed to actually drink water.
In one study of a mess-hall, soldiers drank almost two times as much water (81 percent more) when water pitchers were put on each dining table than when there were put on a side table.
Source: Mindless Eating by Brian Wansink
In the study above, the soldiers could easily reach and pick up the pitchers and pour some water or ask a fellow soldier to pass the pitcher down the dining table. This required less effort than getting up and walking over to a side table to refill a cup with water and then returning to the dining table to eat their meals.
I find drinking water difficult because…
Can you relate with any of the following?
- Water bottles are not great for the environment. That is a fair argument. Remember that you are trying to making drinking water effortless so it becomes part of your daily activities. One way to do that is to make water visible and easily accessible throughout your day. Another thing to remember is that you can refill a plastic water bottle and they are recyclable. Try using water bottles for just two weeks to develop a habit.
- I’m not a fan of water because it is bland. Try picking up a few different brands of water when you are first getting started. You may find that you prefer the taste of one brand of water over another. There are also products that let you flavor your water.
- My tap water has a funny taste and odor. A water filter can definitely help here. The PUR 18 Cup Dispenser works quite well, is rated highly on Amazon, and has a spacing-saving profile so it does not take up much room in your refrigerator.
Do you need to stop drinking other beverages while trying to drink more water? Of course not. You can continue to enjoy your coffee, tea, soda, beer, and other beverages. I found that staying hydrated has helped me feel more energized and you may too!
Ideas from the book Sway 30 Mar 2016 3:03 PM (9 years ago)
Three concepts that are discussed in the book Sway are loss aversion, value attribution, and diagnostic bias. Here is a overview of each of those topics.
Loss aversion
In simple terms, loss aversion means that we naturally try to reduce our losses even if it means sticking with something when it would be best to not to.
People cringe at the thought of experiencing a loss. Have you ever rented a car before? Was the person helping you kind enough to recommend getting rental insurance for the car? Did you start to worry about a possible disaster like someone crashing into you or even worst, the car being totaled and you being stuck with a massive bill?
That rental car insurance is starting to look really helpful at that point and it really isn’t that much more…
However, it turns out that your credit card may offer complimentary rental car insurance as a benefit of being a cardholder.
When I first read this, I grabbed my wallet and looked at my credit card and then called my credit card company to ask about benefits. It turns out that my card includes rental car insurance for being a member. So the next time that you are getting ready to travel, check with your credit card company to see the available perks of being a member. Then you can politely decline the rental car insurance with a thanks, but no thanks and a smile!
Value attribution
With value attribution, we set certain qualities about an object or a person through our initial perceived value.
Joshua Bell is an American violinist that shares his music with people all over the world. From Fredericksburg, Virginia to Shanghai, China to Sofia, Bulgaria — Joshua is easily able to sell out his concert performances.
In January of 2007, Joshua went to the L’Enfant Plaza subway station in Washington, D.C. in the morning during rush hour. He appeared to be just an ordinary person dressed in comfortable clothes and started playing his Stradivarius violin (valued at north of 3.5 million dollars). Here is what happened next.
For over 40 minutes, Joshua played his violin and over one thousand people walked by. Yet hardly anyone stopped and noticed.
One man listened for a few minutes, a couple kids stared, and one woman, who happened to recognize the violinist, gaped in disbelief.
So what happened here? Here was an exceptional violist that plays to sold out crowds all across the world and yet only few people noticed. He was not wearing formal attire and just appeared like a regular street performer. He definitely did not sound like an average violinist but he did appear as one. The commuters that passed by simply saw an average person and therefore perceived the quality of the performance as average and instead of hearing an amazing concert, then heard just street music.
Diagnosis bias
When diagnosis bias occurs, we become blind to information that contradicts our initial views about a situation or a person.
In South Africa, a consumer lending bank worked with a team of economists to push personal loans to 50,000 of its customers. Different versions of the loan offer letter were created and randomly mailed off to the recipients. There was also no indication that the offer letters were part of the experiment. Here are some of the differences between the offer letters:
- interest rates ranging from 3.25% to 7.75% per month
- some had a feature comparison to a competing bank
- others had a giveaway such as a chance to win a mobile phone
- others have a photo of a smiling woman or man
With something like a loan, you would believe that customers would be objective in reviewing the offer. Therefore, marketing tactics such as smiling photos, a chance to win a cell phone, or a competitor comparison should not matter.
Something interesting happened with the loan offer letters that had a smiling face included.
Men who received an offer letter of a smiling woman were much more likely to apply for the loan than were the men that received a picture of a smiling man. A smile is a smile, right? According to the study, the effect was pretty significant and having a photo of a beautiful woman on a letter does not make a better financial offer, but the researchers thought that the men were attracted to the woman shown in the loan offer letter and that is why they applied for the loan.
It does not seem rational that any man would sign up for a higher-interest loan because the offer letter had a photo of an attractive woman. Yet the men that applied made diagnostic errors because they were unconsciously focused on the woman and did not consider the important data such as is this loan rate competitive to what I can receive from another local bank?
Why I Recommend and use WP Engine for WordPress Hosting 6 Mar 2015 5:48 AM (10 years ago)
WP Engine is a premier managed WordPress hosting provider.
They host my blog and several of my other WordPress-powered projects. In this post, I’ll highlight exactly why I use them as my managed WordPress host.
How I Got Started with WordPress
My journey with WordPress started a couple of years back in winter of 2010. At that time I was using basic shared hosting. While the hosting solution worked, there would be times when I would be unable to reach some of my sites. This was rather frustrating and the issue could certainly be described as “sporadic.” I then subscribed to an add-on for the hosting service which did make my sites a little faster. However, I still had minor issues pop-up now and then.
I decided to migrate my sites to a dedicated-virtual server which means that the host helps you run the server. Essentially, they handle a part of the server administration and you take care of the rest. My sites were much faster which was great! However, I noticed that if I tried to open the WordPress admin for more than 2 sites at once, the resources would spike and the server would temporarily stop responding. Why would you need to use multiple WP-admin areas at once?
Here are a few ideas:
- Taking a look at website analytics
- Upgrading the WordPress core, themes, and plugins
- Checking broken links and setting up 301 redirects to fix them
I hired a company to run performance and security optimizations on the server and while that made an improvement, the issue with burning up excessive resources while browsing the WP-admin interface of multiple sites was never really resolved.
After several months, I again decided to move to a more powerful platform and migrated to a virtual private server (VPS). I read many many many articles online and setup the VPS using a LEMP stack: Linux, Nginx, MySQL, PHP-FPM. The server was quite fast and I even had the same company as before help me out with security optimizations. I just ran into one particular issue — every time I wanted to update the WordPress core or a plugin or theme on a certain site, I had to connect in to the server and give WordPress privileges to make changes to files and folders. Then I could run the updates on the specific site. Afterwards, I would need to remove the privileges. For a period of time, I became comfortable connecting in via Terminal. However it soon became a chore. As mentioned by Patrick McKenzie (patio11), I don’t want to host my blog anymore. I want to let a specialist handle that so I can focus on actually running my business.
Switching to WP Engine for WordPress Hosting
A quick search in my inbox shows I signed up as a paying customer with WP Engine in summer of 2012. I believe I first heard of them through a WordCamp website. Now I’m on their professional plan and host various WordPress projects. Before I share some of these with you, I’d like to tell you more about why they are my favorite WordPress host.
1) Every WordPress Installation comes with a Staging Area
What is a staging area? Think of it as a sandbox for your site. You have the ability to instantly create a version of your live site in a separate area. This allows you to test out changes as needed without the risk of your live site being damaged and taken offline.
2) Several Locations Available for Hosting your Site + Content Delivery Network
WP Engine offers the ability to host in the USA, United Kingdom, and in Japan. Why does this matter? The closer your server is to your audience, the faster your site will load for them. Additionally, the content delivery network or CDN provides an extra speed boost by delivery some site resources from servers located all over the world. We also know that the “speed of a site” is now a factor in search engine rankings. I now use WP Engine USA and WP Engine Japan.
3) Proactive with WordPress Security
WP Engine understands the importance of website security. Here is an email that I received:
WP Engine located a security vulnerability and automatically corrected it for me. They care about keeping my website and websites’ of other customers secure!
4) WP Engine is FAST and they are Transparent
I touched on this earlier, but I want to mention this again. WP Engine is FAST. My websites are both stable & load quickly. Additionally, if an issue does arise with a site, WP Engine is open and honest about the issue and doesn’t try to hide it. Here is an example from their status blog which is public:
5) And my FAVORITE: WP Engine Support is Awesome!
The WP Engine support team is extremely helpful.
There have been several times where I’ve asked them a question and had a member of their support team get back to me within a couple minutes! Thinking about one of the more memorable requests — they helped me setup an SSL certificate on a site, same day, during off-hours.
How I use WP Engine
Here are a few projects that I run on WP Engine:
- Online shopping for tropical water lilies — utopiaaquatic.com (an e-commerce site)
- Tutorials, how-tos, and recommendations for the Shopp e-commerce plugin — shopp101.com (a consulting site)
- Setup bookmarklets on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch — iosbookmarklets.com (a blog site)
…and of course this site (lorenzocaum.com) runs on WP Engine.
Check out WP Engine and test out some of your sites with their complementary WordPress speed test tool.
P.S. Here is a snapshot from Gaug.es while I was writing this post.
You can seen that my sites we’re being visited from people all over the world.
Book summary: The Five Temptations of a CEO 23 Jan 2011 4:15 AM (14 years ago)
…adapted from a reaction paper that I wrote a couple years ago–this post is presented in a explain then apply format.
The Five Temptations of a CEO taught me several concepts that I only had limited knowledge of. The author Patrick Lencioni begins with a statement that’s speaks of a reality. It is the idea that when an individual becomes a CEO, they will be presented with incredible difficulties. These challenges are the result of falling prey to one or more of the five temptations. These five temptations are presented to us by means of a fable. This allows us to truly absorb the meanings of the temptations so we can more easily associate with them. The five temptations are:
- Results vs. status
- Accountability vs. popularity
- Clarity vs. certainty
- Conflict vs. harmony
- Trust vs. invulnerability
Results vs. status
What does results vs. status mean? In simple terms, it’s deciding whether a leader has more dedication for results or status. Another way to say this is, am I concerned with my ego or the bigger picture? The reason why this is a pitfall is because a leader may become so absorbed by their status or ego that they will fail to consider the effects of this upon the company in which they lead. An example that is provided by the author states that once a person’s ego is first fulfilled, their energy is projected towards enjoying all the perks. Another way to envision this is to have a look at a rollercoaster. A person works diligently to get their way to the top (this is seen as the rollercoaster is rising), once it hits its peak, it suddenly drops steeply. They have earned it so now the bigger picture (organization) is less meaningful. This is incredibly dangerous for the fact that a leader may not realize this until serious damages begin to occur. At this point the leader seeks to blame others and things instead of the source of the problem—him or herself. This temptation applies to me as a leader because as long as I aim for the big picture, the benefits will come along automatically. This leads to the next temptation, accountability vs. popularity.
Real-world application: Is your company’s vision about promoting its ideals or yours?
Accountability vs. popularity
The author paints a picture of this temptation at work when Andrew ultimately fires his marketing guy after ten months of lackluster performance. In this situation, this CEO became to comfortable with his marketing guy and went along with the failing performance for many months instead of moving to rectify the situation. The CEO does make some attempts by asking about his performance to him directly but he covers himself by saying he is still learning—that he was still pretty new. Furthermore, the CEO was very strong in electrical engineering, not marketing, so he just assumed his guy would eventually get better. However, at ten months, he was cut. Now the CEO did not have to worry about accountability. I feel that perhaps the CEO was too sympathetic with his marketing guy. Yes it’s true that he relocated across the country with his family but a job is a job and it comes with responsibilities.
Real-world application: At work, are you more concerned with making friends or ensuring tasks are completed?
Clarity vs. certainty
Temptation number three deals with finding a balance between clarity and certainty. You need some clarity to hold an individual accountable. However, if you have to be absolutely certain, then you can’t possible hold that person accountable. When this is seen in everyday situations, these may be seen as a loophole in leadership abilities. The example in the book shows that the CEO is uncertain of a vision for the company. Once a company has a vision, all business that is conducted should empower that vision. By the CEO not being able to simply state his company’s vision, shows that he has succumbed to this particular temptation. The CEO is then reminded that answers are not supposed to come easy but they should come—that is regardless of the circumstances, some type of action is needed. Perhaps this CEO should of took the initiative to know and educate his marketing guy about his responsibilities instead of worrying about being seen as not friendly or not popular.
Real-world application: Do you make timely decisions?
Conflict vs. harmony
The fourth temptation is conflict vs. harmony. Some conflict fosters growth but constant harmony will be detrimental. This temptation should not be confused with accountability vs. popularity. While that one is the desire to be popular with people instead of holding them accountable, this temptation shows that one may want to foster harmony instead of conflict for fear of personal emotions. If you are desire too much harmony, you’ll lose credibility and appear “soft.” Why? It is so that a person can be popular, and be very well liked. The right thing to do is get all ideas out on the table. It doesn’t matter if they are not accepted by everyone. By being to harmonious you would have missed the opportunity to view and hear other opinions.
Real-world application: Are you trying to make everyone that you work with happy?
Trust vs. invulvernability
The final temptation is trust vs. invulnerability. In order for a relationship to be fostered, a person has to trust another. You have to take this risk before they will trust you. In your mind you know that it’s possible you could be burned but then there is that possibility that you won’t. Having trust for one another allows people to feel comfortable. In simple terms this temptation shows that someone must be willing to give another a chance. This temptation isn’t a large factor with me because I naturally hope for the best in people.
Real-world application: As a leader, do you naturally feel that people are genuinely inclined to make good decisions?
So where do we go from here? They say the best way to learn something is to teach it. Here on you should continue to develop your skills and be more apt to spot and engage issues that are occurring and rectify them on the fly as opposed to after damage is already done. That is being proactive before your are reactive. Be sure you pickup The Five Temptations of a CEO for your book collection.