Four Ways to Help Your Boss Be Better

Four Ways to Help Your Boss Be Better Four Ways to Help Your Boss Be Better Rare, too, is the anfhrer who has never made a mistake - the anfhrer who, for all intents and purposes, is not a bad partie per se - not even necessarily a bad babo overall - but who, nevertheless, makes their employees lives difficult through some poor management practices. Maybe they micromanage a little too much. Maybe they dont payenoughto attention to what employees are doing. There are tons of little ways for bosses to accidentally become the thorns in their employees sides.Today, I want to talk about these bosses - the bosses who are goofing in some way. Specifically, I want to talk about what employees can do when their bosses are blowing it. Below, I have four tips for improving life under a bumbling manager.(Note Im not talking about abusive, terrible bosses. At a certain point, a bad manager becomes irredeemable, and you just have to leave. Instead, were talking about bosses who can be redeem ed through careful employee action.)1. Make Sure Your Boss Knows Exactly What You DoMany bosses especially those with higher numbers of direct reports dont exactly know what their employees do on a daily basis. They may have hired you, they may be in charge of overseeing you, but they have a lot on their own plates, and they cant always find time to keep up with what youre working on. Unfortunately, this can lead to some bosses misunderstanding just how much work their employees do. They can see slackers where there are none.Take, for example, a job like mine I write an article every day for Recruiter.com. To some, this seems easy crank out 1000 or so words a day? That shouldnt take eight hours You should do moraAnd yet the majority of my day is spent conducting research, reaching out to sources, holding and transcribing interviews, and otherwise generally keeping my writing well informed. To the untrained eye, it could seem like I am a slacker eight hours in the office, and noth ing to show for it but one articleSome bosses, unaware of how much intangible work goes into producing certain tangible results, may come down hard on employees without realizing that these employees are meeting or exceeding reasonable expectations. My boss, for instance, could demand I write three or four articles a day. Sure, in terms of sheer word counts, I could pull that off, but if my boss wants the articles to be strong, well-written, insightful, and engaging, then hell want to give me the time it takes to write a really good article (which, thankfully, he does).If you find yourself facing a boss who doesnt quite seem to understand what you accomplish during your time in the office, then I suggest this tactic that I learned about from Reddit user Zelaphas. To quote the user Every Friday, send an email to your boss, BCC your partal email, with the followingWhat you accomplished this weekWhat youre struggling with or need advice onWhat you aim to accomplish next weekSend this F riday morning so if necessary your boss has time to discuss. Then Monday morning, stop your boss in the hall and ask if he has any comments or questions on your summary email. If so, be sure to send out a revised one right away for documentation and records.Do this for any job you have. Your boss will grow to love you and think of you as hard working and organized. Even if he never reads the emails or you dont always get everything on your to do list done, youll have documentation on your side and the sense of getting things done.Any other ways of documenting your work, the better. Communication is key, so if your boss thinks you arent working, maybe its less about the amount of things done and more about the kind or order of things done.If you regularly keep your boss updated on your workflow and achievements, then your boss will have a better understanding of what goes into doing your job properly. Theyll see how much time and effort your projects require, and theyll be able to ad just their expectations accordingly.2. Make Sure Everyone Else Knows What Youre Doing, TooChances are, you dont work in a vacuum. Even if youre the only person in your department, you likely have colleagues around you during the workday. Share your work with these people. Dont think of it as an act of vanity and dont pursue it as one, either. Rather, share your work with your colleagues because you want to make sure the office knows what the company is up to at all times.You dont have to be a flashy braggart have simple conversations with your coworkers about what youre up to, and invite them to share as well. Solicit one another for feedback. Build a whole network within the office, connecting each member of the organization to one another by sharing experiences, plans, achievements, results, and ideas.Doing this can create an open network between the members of your organization, facilitating a freer, more productive flow of ideas, which can lead to better results. Ultimately, yo ur boss will become a part of these network, too. Once your boss is tapped in, theyll have a better handle on how the company runs, and they can adjust their behaviors and managing styles accordingly.For more on this idea, see John Steppers posts about working out loud.3. Remember Your Boss is a PersonPeople are imperfect. We make mistakes all the time. Your boss is the same way imperfect, complicated, messy, full of their own personal baggage.But what does this have to do with you as an employee? To answer that question, Ill point you to the work of Martha Austin, who has some interesting insights into how we can acknowledge our bosses humanity and use this knowledge to better the workplace. I wont rehash what Austin says, because I think she says it better than I could. Instead, Ill simply urge you to read the linked article.4. Above All Stay ProfessionalYes, your boss is a person. Yes, there are ways you can help your boss be better. But remember this in the office hierarchy, you r boss is still your boss. They oversee you. You report to them. You two have a professional relationship, so be professional about it.Dont try to get too personal with the boss (unless youre in a company with that kind of culture). Dont try to get one over on your boss. Dont try to destroy the office hierarchy. Do your job, do it well, and simply try to demonstrate this to your boss. This is exactly why something like Steppers working out loud is such a good idea it creates networks between people without stepping on the toes of someone who could make or break your career.Theres plenty you can do to help your boss be better, but that doesnt change the fact that your boss oversees you. It isnt the other way around.

Creative Exercises to Keep Your Mind Sharp

Creative Exercises to Keep Your Mind SharpCreative Exercises to Keep Your Mind SharpIn a previous post, you were presented with 10 challenges to aid creative thinking. Now, its time to up the ante, with some problems that delve a little deeper, take a little mora of your time, and perhaps a little more creativity. You obviously dont have to do them all, but when you have a lull between projects and need something to keep your mind on its toes, these exercises a great place to start. Please note, although these exercises are aimed at people in the creative department, anyone in advertising and marketing, from the junior account executive to the CEO, should try them out. Everyone should stay sharp.? Reverse Engineer An Ad Sadly, this one may also have a practical application. Whether you work in an agency, or in house, you may one day be presented with this stinker of a job The client has an image they love, they need a headline or concept based around it. Creative people everywhe re are screaming. Thats not how advertising works. But, life in advertising is never about ideal scenarios. Bearing that in mind, type one of the following 10 words into your favorite stock photo site (Getty and iStock are two good ones) and write an interesting ad for the fourth image on the page. IntimacyLaughterAloneRegretJumpStrainAdventurePunishmentDeathMarketing Go One Better Than Your Favorite Campaign We all have favorite ads or ad campaigns. My personal favorite is the VW Beetle campaign by Bill Bernbach and DDB. So, what Im suggesting next is almost an impossibility for me, but Ive tried it anyway. Take your favorite ad or ad campaign and see if you can improve it. Maybe it needs a new headline, or the copy needs cutting down. Perhaps the art direction needs tweaking. Dont worry, no one will ever see the results, but the thinking behind it can be invaluable in realizing that there is more than one great solution to any problem. The Ultimate Tool For Creatives If yo ure a copywriter or art director in the creative department, you are surrounded by all sorts of tools and gadgets that help you come up with your daily works of genius. No doubt that list includes Marker pensBleed proof paperComputerSketchpadBallpoint penPaper clipsCell phoneMouseCoffee cup Your mission today, should you choose to accept it, is to use those elements to create an all-in-one tool that any creative person would find invaluable. Is it a coffee cup with a penholder and tear-off notepad? Over to you The Doodle Catalyst I play this one with my children and have been since they were old enough to pick up a crayon. In fact, I played it with my sister over 30 years ago. Its fun, its quick and easy, and it can really get the wheels spinning. Basically, you have 1 second to draw a doodle on a blank sheet of paper. Close your eyes if you want. Or even better, ask someone else in your department to do it. When you have it, photocopy it 10 times, and then make 10 completely di fferent creations from that one starting point. While silly, it is rooted in what we do every day in advertising. From one creative brief, we must produce many different ideas. If you like, make it a weekly contest for everyone in the agency. Pin up a new doodle every Monday, and see what people have come up with by Friday. Rename a Movie That Could Use a Better Title There has been a lot of talk recently about John Carter, the Disney movie that failed to live up to so many expectations. The tragedy is that roughly 70% of the people who went to see the movie liked it. There has been a lot of pontificating about the poor box arbeitszimmer results, and the name is taking the biggest beating. It doesnt mean anything to the potential audience. In fact, it sounds more like a biopic, say John Adams or J. Edgar, than a fun, out-of-this-world movie filled with special effects and action for the family. Similarly, one of the best films ever made, The Shawshank Redemption, had a title tha t made people stay away from the theaters. The tragedy. So, your task - rename a decent movie with a title that leaves a lot to be desired. Here are some starts for you. Look them up at Rotten Tomatoes to find out what theyre about if you dont know already. John CarterThe Shawshank RedemptionCinderella ManK19 - The WidowmakerOrdinary PeopleTo Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie NewmarK-PaxThe Constant Gardener

Robots Make Self-Repairing Cities Possible

Robots Make Self-Repairing Cities Possible Robots Make Self-Repairing Cities Possible Robots Make Self-Repairing Cities PossibleHow many times have you thought, When are they going to fix that pothole? Or, When are they finally going to get to that streetlamp? The Self-Repairing Cities Project, an initiative involving multiple UK universities, is out to make these questions a thing of the past as they seek to make every city in the UK self-repairing, with the help of robots, by 2050.Phil Purnell, director of the project, says to think of the project in terms of robots taking care of the city rather than taking over. You need to remember it isnt just the time were trying to save. There can be dangerous work involved, says Purnell, a professor of civil engineering at Leeds University. Better a robot gets harmed than a human.One key component of the project is having flying drones look for defects from the air. For the drones part in fixing potholes, for example, they would either fly o r go along the road and would detect defects. And then the robot equipped with a 3D printer would inject material to fill in the road, Purnell says. Its about keeping the small problems from getting big.Engineers design surveillance drones (A) and repair drones with 3D printers that bugfix road defects before they become potholes (B). Image The Self-Repairing Cities ProjectFor You How Industry 4.0 Impacts Engineering DesignThe project is comprehensive and envisions many different types of robots working on the many different needs of a city marine robots for riverbank and sewer inspections, robots with 3D printers to fill potholes, and more.Another focus of the project is making sure all robotics goals take into account the possible economic and social effects.The thought is that new technology increases productivity, ultimately leading to capital and value, which helps for profits and jobs, he says. But those arent words that ease the mind of someone who is laid off. We have a shor tage of skilled infrastructure people and we have to have it come across that this isnt a recipe for people losing their jobs. Instead of being in these dangerous jobs, these skilled people can instead do more complex and more creative infrastructure jobs that we need.With its final goal so many years in the future, it will likely depend on multiple generations to see it over the finish line.Its a long haul but we think it can happen partly because of the enthusiasm weve seen, Purnell says. So many people are on motherboard with this, seeing it as a natural extension of the technology of today. Think how much is automated and soon will be. Self-driving cars are going to become prevalent, why shouldnt this?The team, along with several consortiums, persuaded the UK government to make a major investment. Present overall funding at around 130 million pounds. A short-term goal is for the project, which started in 2016, to have the robots working well and performing in-field demonstration s in 2021.We make it clear this is not developed in secret to be inflicted on people we want the peoples view of robots roaming around this ecosystem to be positive, he says. This is in a spirit which isnt about generating intellectual property but about openness and getting people to think what it would mean to have autonomous systems in their infrastructure.Eric Butterman is an independent writer.Read More3D Printing a Future of New Metal ActuatorsAn Engineering Education Should Never EndSafety and Efficiency, Brick by Brick For Further DiscussionThink how much is automated and soon will be. Self-driving cars are going to become prevalent, why shouldnt this? Phil Purnell, Director, The Self-Repairing Cities Project

5 ways you can use visualization to achieve top performance

5 ways you can use visualization to achieve top performance5 ways you can use visualization to achieve top performanceIve always been afraid of water. To confront those fears, I decided to learn how to scuba dive, even before I learned how to swim I would to use visualization to achieve top performance if I hoped to get out alive.One of the requirements of a scuba dive certification is to descend ten feet under water, take off your mask and mouthpiece, and then put them back on again. I welches afraid I would drown in those few moments underwater and without oxygen.What if I lost my mask? How would I get back to the surface? After all, I couldnt even swim. My instructor welches with me, and during practice he had helped me several times. On the day of certification, however, I would need to do it all on my own.My fear of water had not subsided as I hoped it would. I did not feel safe in the water, especially when I was ten feet under.The night before the test, I walked myself through the exercise many times. How could I use visualization to achieve top performance in my situation? Here were my steps 1. Take a deep breath and let go of my mouthpiece. 2. Pull off the mask with my left pranke and hold it tightly as my right hand came around and pulled it back over my face. 3. Keep salt water out of my eyes by keeping them tightly closed. 4. Grab hold of my mouthpiece and bring life-giving oxygen back into my lungs.I visualized the sequence dozens of times. And when it came time for my scuba dive certification, I performed the underwater portion exactly as I had visualized it. Two days later, I dove 100 feet down a seawallIm a hard-nosed realist who used to look at things like visualization as woo woo New Age. Little did I know at the time that I could use visualization to achieve top performance and point to solid science to explain why it worked. Achieving my goal was about mora than work and discipline- it was also about physiology.Whenever we use visualization to achieve top performance, our brain releases a neurotransmitter called dopamine. That is the chemical that becomes active when we encounter situations that are linked to rewards from the past. Dopamine enables us to not only see rewards, but also to move toward them as well. So every time we visualize our achievement, our brain stores that information as a success.Visualization goes beyond my example of scuba diving. Here are 5 ways you can use visualization to achieve top performance1. Clarify what you wantThis is mora important than most people think because once we identify the things that are important to us, its easier to notice them. Once we have clarity about our goals, we start to look for ways to accomplish them. Opportunities might have been there all the time but we didnt look for them, so we didnt see them.When you visualize your goals, it forces you to get serious about what you want. Otherwise, there is nothing to visualize but a bunch of half-baked dreams about your future. Visualization takes a hazy idea and turns it into a clear goal. Its more than a quick fix.How To Make It Work For You Clarity requires precision, so it doesnt do any good to be content with vague ideas of how you want to live your life. Vague goals sound a lot like thisI want to be rich.I want to travel the world.I want to be respected.This is the pseudo-goal crap that will never lead you to success because its not based in reality. To gain clarity, you will need to sit down and think about how you want events or relationships to unfold, exactly where you want to end up, and exactly what you need to do to get there.2. Get specificWhen you use visualization to achieve top performance, you see your own ability to perform in difficult or stressful situations. It can help move you beyond your current circumstances. Visualizing encourages leaders to ask What if? or What else? behauptung types of questions open doors of possibility and opportunity. Its an invitation to move past the position quo.The very act of giving your brain a detailed and specific portrait of your end goal ensures the release of dopamine, the powerful tool to steer you toward success. If dopamine is associated with rewards, leaders can use this knowledge to help their teams find ways to create a more satisfying work environment. Research has determined that dopamine is produced in anticipation of reward, not as the result of the reward.How To Make It Work For You Visualizing the outcome of an event is enough to trigger the production of dopamine. Ask yourself a simple question such as What do I want this meeting to look like? and then visualize your performance. Visualize every objection and/or question that is likely to come up in the meeting, and your response to it.If you want to use visualization to achieve top performance, you will need to visualize the entire process- the beginning, middle, and end. Take your mind through a situation and simulate how you plan to start, what you w ill experience, and how you will do it.3. Remove uncertaintyUncertainty can rear its ugly head at any time. It may be rooted in lack of confidence, lack of experience, or self-limiting beliefs. It is impossible to use visualization to achieve top performance if we move forward with a timid heart and weak voice.The FBI Academy taught me to respect uncertainty when it popped up in stressful situations. I never ignored it instead, I found ways to break its crippling cycle of repetition. It was essential for my job as an FBI agent.Its also important for your job as a leader, entrepreneur, or business owner. Your confidence is a by-product of your success, not the cause of it. Uncertainty can manipulierung your best efforts to move forward unless you nip it in the bud.How To Make It Work For You The more familiar you become with the situations, conversations, or events that produce your uncertainty, the calmer you will be able to approach the situation. Grit up and acknowledge your doubt s so you can excavate the significance of their timing.Write downwhenyou experience uncertainty. Explore what triggers it. Trace the roots all the way back to childhood if needed.4. Experience the right emotionsEmotions are very important if you want to use visualization to achieve top performance. Your brain learns better with emotions. The memories and experiences that are freighted with emotions stick in your mind. Visualization is a mental simulation of your future performance so you need to cast the right emotion into the equation.The idea behind visualization is to plant false positive memories into your brain. To be successful, you must remain positive. Your brain will perceive your future performance as more achievable if they are accompanied by a positive emotion.How To Make It Work For You When you use visualization to achieve top performance,youre better prepared for it in real life. You will feel prepared because youre doing something youve already rehearsed many times i n your mind. Here are some tipsDont give negative emotions the space to fester.Feel positive emotions like enthusiasm, pride, happiness, and satisfaction on every step of the way.Let them become ingrained in your psyche.Dont ignore the obstacles, but dont give negative emotions the space to fester.Visualize the obstacles you expect to encounter so youre prepared for them.Imagine what it will feel like when you succeed.From Victor Frankl Theres one reason why Im here today. What kept me alive in a situation where others had given up hope and died was the dream that someday Id be here telling you how I survived the concentration camps. Ive never been here before. Ive never seen any of you before. Nor have I ever given this speech before. But in my dreams Ive stood before you in this room and said these words a thousand times.Like Frankl, you can be successful because youve done it a hundred times before- if only in your mind.5. Visualize massive success, but never fantasizeThere is an important caveat about visualization- never fantasize. Your brain is smart enough to tell the difference between peak performance and fantasy.A study published in theJournal of Experimental Social Psychologysuggests that positive fantasies can actually sap energy.The same study found that shifting into fantasy mode is most effective when we need to decrease our energy because anxiety is getting the better of us.How To Make It Work For You You can dream of becoming a rock star, but make sure you have the talent to make it happen. Its great to have dreams, but have the self-awareness to know the difference between you at your very best and a fantasy version of what you dream of becoming in life.This article was originally published on LaRae Quy.5 ways you can use visualization to achieve top performanceIve always been afraid of water. To confront those fears, I decided to learn how to scuba dive, even before I learned how to swim I would need to use visualization to achieve top perfo rmance if I hoped to get out alive.One of the requirements of a scuba dive certification is to descend 10 feet under water, take off your mask and mouthpiece, and then put them back on again. I was afraid I would drown in those few moments underwater and without oxygen.What if I lost my mask? How would I get back to the surface? After all, I couldnt even swim. My instructor was with me, and during practice, he had helped me several times. On the day of certification, however, I would need to do it all on my own.My fear of water had not subsided as I hoped it would. I did not feel safe in the water, especially when I was 10 feet under.The night before the test, I walked myself through the exercise many times. How could I use visualization to achieve top performance in my situation? Here were my stepsTake a deep breath and let go of my mouthpiece.Pull off the mask with my left hand and hold it tightly as my right hand came around and pulled it back over my face.Keep salt water out of my eyes by keeping them tightly closed.Grab hold of my mouthpiece and bring life-giving oxygen back into my lungs.I visualized the sequence dozens of times. And when it came time for my scuba dive certification, I performed the underwater portion exactly as I had visualized it. Two days later, I dove 100 feet down a seawallIm a hard-nosed realist who used to look at things like visualization as woo woo New Age. Little did I know at the time that I could use visualization to achieve top performance and point to solid science to explain why it worked. Achieving my goal was about more than work and discipline it was also about physiology.Whenever we use visualization to achieve top performance, our brain releases a neurotransmitter called dopamine. That is the chemical that becomes active when we encounter situations that are linked to rewards from the past. Dopamine enables us to not only see rewards but also to move toward them. So every time we visualize our achievement, our brain s tores that information as a success.Visualization goes beyond my example of scuba diving.Here are five ways you can use visualization to achieve top performance1. Clarify what you wantThis is more important than most people think because once we identify the things that are important to us, its easier to notice them. Once we have clarity about our goals, we start to look for ways to accomplish them. Opportunities might have been there all the time but we didnt look for them, so we didnt see them.When you visualize your goals, it forces you to get serious about what you want. Otherwise, there is nothing to visualize but a bunch of half-baked dreams about your future. Visualization takes a hazy idea and turns it into a clear goal. Its more than a quick fix.How to make it work for you Clarity requires precision, so it doesnt do any good to be content with vague ideas of how you want to live your life. Vague goals sound a lot like thisI want to be rich.I want to travel the world.I want to be respected.This is the pseudo-goal crap that will never lead you to success because its not based in reality. To gain clarity, you will need to sit down and think about how you want events or relationships to unfold, exactly where you want to end up, and exactly what you need to do to get there.2. Get specificWhen you use visualization to achieve top performance, you see your own ability to perform in difficult or stressful situations. It can help move you beyond your current circumstances. Visualizing encourages leaders to ask What if? or What else? These types of questions open doors of possibility and opportunity. Its an invitation to move past the status quo.The very act of giving your brain a detailed and specific portrait of your end goal ensures the release of dopamine, the powerful tool to steer you toward success. If dopamine is associated with rewards, leaders can use this knowledge to help their teams find ways to create a more satisfying work environment. Research h as determined that dopamine is produced in anticipation of reward, not as the result of the reward.How to make it work for you Visualizing the outcome of an event is enough to trigger the production of dopamine. Ask yourself a simple question such as What do I want this meeting to look like? and then visualize your performance. Visualize every objection and/or question that is likely to come up in the meeting, and your response to it.If you want to use visualization to achieve top performance, you will need to visualize the entire process the beginning, middle and end. Take your mind through a situation and simulate how you plan to start, what you will experience and how you will do it.3. Remove uncertaintyUncertainty can rear its ugly head at any time. It may be rooted in lack of confidence, lack of experience or self-limiting beliefs. It is impossible to use visualization to achieve top performance if we move forward with a timid heart and weak voice.The FBI Academy taught me to r espect uncertainty when it popped up in stressful situations. I never ignored it instead, I found ways to break its crippling cycle of repetition. It was essential for my job as an FBI agent.Its also important for your job as a leader, entrepreneur or business owner. Your confidence is a byproduct of your success, not the cause of it. Uncertainty can sabotage your best efforts to move forward unless you nip it in the bud.How to make it work for you The more familiar you become with the situations, conversations or events that produce your uncertainty, the calmer you will be able to approach the situation. Grit up and acknowledge your doubts so you can excavate the significance of their timing.Write down when you experience uncertainty. Explore what triggers it. Trace the roots all the way back to childhood if needed.4. Experience the right emotionsEmotions are very important if you want to use visualization to achieve top performance. Your brain learns better with emotions. The memo ries and experiences that are freighted with emotions stick in your mind. Visualization is a mental simulation of your future performance so you need to cast the right emotion into the equation.The idea behind visualization is to plant false memories into your brain. To be successful, you must remain positive. Your brain will perceive your future performance as more achievable if they are accompanied by a positive emotion.How to make it work for you When you use visualization to achieve top performance, youre better prepared for it in real life. You will feel prepared because youre doing something youve already rehearsed many times in your mind. Here are some tipsFeel positive emotions like enthusiasm, pride, happiness, and satisfaction on every step of the way.Let them become ingrained in your psyche.Dont ignore the obstacles, but dont give negative emotions the space to fester.Visualize the obstacles you expect to encounter so youre prepared for them.Imagine what it will feel like when you succeed.From Viktor Frankl Theres one reason why Im here today. What kept me alive in a situation where others had given up hope and died was the dream that someday Id be here telling you how I survived the concentration camps. Ive never been here before. Ive never seen any of you before. Nor have I ever given this speech before. But in my dreams Ive stood before you in this room and said these words a thousand times.Like Frankl, you can be successful because youve done it a hundred times before, if only in your mind.5. Visualize massive success, but never fantasizeThere is an important caveat about visualization - never fantasize. Your brain is smart enough to tell the difference between peak performance and fantasy. A study published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology suggests that positive fantasies can actually sap energy.The same study found that shifting into fantasy mode is most effective when we need to decrease our energy because anxiety is getting the better of us.How to make it work for you You can dream of becoming a rock star, but make sure you have the talent to make it happen. Its great to have dreams, but have the self-awareness to know the difference between you at your very best and a fantasy version of what you dream of becoming in life.This article first appeared on SmartBrief. If you enjoyed this article, sign up for SmartBriefs free e-mail on leadership and management, among SmartBriefs more than 200 industry-focused newsletters.

Sensing Like a Snake

Sensing Like a Snake Sensing Like a Snake Sensing Like a SnakeWhen you consider the viper, you may think of slithering, you may think of eerie beady eyes, and the ability to strike prey quickly.But you may not think of the skin of the snake and its keen ability to detect temperature.Caltech mechanical engineering and applied physics professor Chiara Daraio and her team have been working on an artificial skin material that actually senses temperature in a way that is similar to the snake, an ability that could prove very helpful in many areas of the biomedical field.The Pectin EffectThe substance pectin welches vital to the project and its involvement came about accidentally.Among the projects I enjoy the fruchtwein are ones that involve academic freedom and how research can lead to serendipitous findings, Daraio says. We began by looking at properties of composite materials made within the matrix of plant cells. We created composite materials combining cells from different kinds of p lants. We saw identical responses from the electrical materials, which were very sensitive to changes in the environmental temperature. It the temperature was changing with the outdoor temperature and humidity, allowing us to launch an investigation to answer questions of why we were seeing this temperature effect. Why are those plant cells so sensitive to these factors?The new material can be as little as 20 microns thick, and is both transparent and flexible. Image CaltechThe team spent more than a year trying to figure these things out, then stumbled on one of the active molecules that exists on plant cells pectin.Whats special about pectin is that it is a double-stranded molecule, the two strands connected together by doubly charged calcium ions, she says. Imagine them unzipping like a zipper, and there is an increasing ionic conductivity of the surrounding materials, she says. Ultimately we extract pectin and synthesize. What we realized we had here were superior temperature se nsors.Possible ApplicationsWide open and with many possibilities is how Daraio says one could see this working.For prosthetics, having a membrane that is transparent and stretchable can start to lead to brainstorming on related applications, she says. This is looking ahead in my mind, but I think the most obvious interaction is the ability to map temperature locally by creating temperature maps of skin in different spaces. Its also useful for biomedical patches to monitor a wound or inflammation. It could be a sensor on different parts of the body. Or, if were talking about someone with diabetes, it could take the temperature of their feet or hands. You could leave it on instead of using certain medical diagnostics. It would be very gratifying if this could work and make an impact in one or more of these ways.In the biomechanical field, she says, it could also be used as a wraparound skin to augment robotics.Right now companies are creating robots that are resembling humans for hous ehold interactions, or interacting with humans in public spaces, she says. This kind of temperature sensitivity would work for them to interact with another robot.Daraio says this work is a reminder that engineers need the ability to switch gears and be ready for the unexpected. You find yourself working on something very different than what you thought, she says. But surprises can make it fun.Eric Butterman is an independent writer.It would be very gratifying if this could work and make an impact in one or more of these ways.Prof. Chiara Daraio, Caltech

The Skills and Qualifications for Resume Chronicles

The Skills and Qualifications for Resume Chronicles Show recruiters that you take your work seriously and are eager to work hard to be sure you do things right. You should imagine what search words the recruiter would utilize to find someone exactly like you for the job youre aiming for. So you must make sure that yours instantly grabs and holds their attention when it has to do with the value it is possible to add to a job. Your resume is a crucial part of your job search for a waiter or waitress. Employers also receive an opportunity to recruit dexterous and professionally able employees for particular project job roles. Companies want to employ employees who understand their legal and ethical obligations to the business and its employees, and thats why discretion is a remarkable skill to improve your resume. Job boards and internet recruitment businesses are thriving and the place to be if youre searching for a new job. So as to compose an outstanding CV for online, its vital to fully grasp how recruiters utilize the internet databases to look for CVs. Completing beauty therapy level 2 courses may give you the qualifications you want to legally provide an assortment of services to clients within the beauty market. WSQ courses are prepared, remembering different industry requirements and standards. The courses are made, in accordance with the business requirements, making it even mora valuable and relevant. They are created, according to the business requirements. Skills and Qualifications for Resume No Longer a Mystery Students learn about the fundamental facts and data about their target market. Examples of resumes on your area ought to be your very first step. Can be confident that, if already see various types of resume samples will unquestionably be in a position to earn a good resume and good. Looking for resume samples in your area of expertise may also provide you with a thought of the sum. In addition, the job seekers stay updat ed with the newest information with regard to skills, qualifications and salary package. Qualifications and etiquettes are needed to serve guests in accordance with their desires. An individual should try to find a job based on the qualification. Any qualifications which you have need to be relevant to the job which youre applying for. Through security guard training, you will get the crucial qualifications and certifications that youre going to need to be able to do your work. Hence, a cashier should be honest. Results-oriented cashier with over three decades of experience in merchandising and client support. Introducing Skills and Qualifications for Resume The ideal recruitment partners cant only meet the demands of your small business, but could also assist in aggressive ramp ups without sacrificing on the grade of the candidates. Most positions require a minumum of one year of qualified experience. There are hundreds and hundreds of employment opportunities which are wai ting for the proper candidates. Thus, the candidate selected for the government positions ought to be trustworthy, dependable and responsible. Ideas, Formulas and Shortcuts for Skills and Qualifications for Resume Likewise if you work with people, theres always a possibility that therell be conflict or a demand for negotiation abilities. You may even feel the need to raise your understanding and skill to cope up with huge work pressure. The capacity to research well also suggests youre an excellent self-starterable to check into confusing things by yourself before bugging your manager. The varying nature of the job calls for an individual whos effective in a broad array of situations. Skills and Qualifications for Resume Explained Basically, you will end up a whole lot more comfortable with the way that your industry functions. Using keywords to define your skills is most likely the very best means of building a point. Time is money, as they say, and as soon as an importan t slice of production equipment breaks down, management knows it must become ready to go as fast as possible. Cleanliness and safety needs to be maintained on the premise and staff must know what things to do in a crisis. For instance, if youre looking for employment in the medical care business, listing your yoga certification indicates that youre likely a health advocate and leader. Also, with all these machines in a normal manufacturing facility, a maintenance worker needs to be in a position to rapidly spot anything that upsets the total flow. There are lots of unique places around the world which use the assistance of security guards. The program should have the newest information in place for you to learn from so that you can easily convert it and utilize it into a salon setting. The Demise of Skills and Qualifications for Resume A possible employer may spend under a minute scanning your document. It is critical that you ensure your CV comprises the vital phrases a re cruiter would hund for, as without them your CV isnt going to show. Immigration experts are wanted for renewal or extension of visas and make a PR pathway. In case the data in the CV isnt presented properly, youll be rejected and lose the chance.

Natarsha Belling - Ten News National Presenter

Natarsha Belling - Ten News National Presenter Natarsha Belling News PresenterPosted October 13, 2011, by Helen Isbister Whilst a university degree assisted me greatly, the importance of hands-on experience can never be underestimated. Every university holiday, I would participate in work experience in the industry. Respected Australian journalist and nachrichtensendung presenter Natarsha Belling is the face of the 11am Channel Ten berichterstattung. She thrives on the unpredictable nature of the news and balances her high-pressure job with motherhood. And her motto? Never take your job for granted and give every opportunity youre given your very best. What inspired a career in journalism? From as early as I can remember, I always dreamed of being a journalist. I believe investigative journalism is fundamental in a democratic society. Ive always had a passion for exploring and exposing the truth, and of course for telling great stories What was your first job in the media and wha t did you learn from it? I was a work experience student at the Namoi Valley Independent Newspaper in Gunnedah. I learnt very quickly the value of hard work, determination and learning to swim when youre thrown in the deep end What qualifications and experience do you need? I completed a BA in Communications from CSU in Mitchell, majoring in Politics and Criminology. Whilst a university degree assisted me greatly, the importance of hands-on experience can never be underestimated. Every university holiday, I would also participate in work experience in the industry. Its integral for hands-on experience and for building contacts. What do you think it takes to be successful in this field? Damn hard work, determination, a great sense of humour and learning to never say no to any opportunity that may come your way. What is a typical day like for you? Incredibly demanding. I arrive at work super-early, often very sleep-deprived (I have two young sons). I listen to about three news bulleti ns and talkback radio on the way to work, to be across the news and hot topics of the day. I then chat with the producer and run through our bulletin before heading down to make-up. During reconstruction (thats what I affectionately call hair and make-up), I read through the three major newspapers, analysing the days major issues and any new interesting angles. I then head back up to the newsroom, write and present the updates, and then prepare for the one-hour morning news. During that news bulletin anything can (and often does) happen. Sometimes we can have up to seven live crosses in one bulletin, covering everything from the latest on swine flu to maternity leave issues. Its incredibly stressful, but I love it. I believe as a news team we do a fantastic job with our resources and the challenges we face. What do you most enjoy about the job? The immediacy of live news and witnessing incredible stories that can often be history in the making. What are the hardest parts? You ha ve to be incredibly focused and on top of every issue, every day. At any time, I have to cross to talent or a journalist and ask the right questions during live crosses. Also, presenting news stories you havent had the chance to pre-read is very challenging. You have to remain calm on air when disaster strikes behind-the-scenes, which happens almost daily now because of the changing nature of news. What has been your career highlight? Fronting an innovative, exciting one-hour morning news service that allows me to not only be a news presenter, but a journalist as well. What advice would you have for someone wanting to follow in your footsteps? Be prepared to work very hard and have a great sense of humour. How do you balance your career with motherhood? Its a daily challenge, but motherhood has made me a much better person and a better journalist and presenter. My sons have helped me reassess my life and realise whats truly important. Seeing the world through your childrens eyes i s so incredibly refreshing and rewarding. As a mother, I also have greater empathy and a greater understanding of many issues we cover, which gives me invaluable insight into complex issues like worklife balance, motherhood and child care. Is a career in journalism calling your name? Get the skills to succeed with a Course in Journalism Enquire today.Bachelor of Communication (Journalism)Study modeOn CampusOnlinePayment optionsHECS-HELPUpfront paymentEnquire Online Enquire OnlineJournalism ResourcesJournalist resumeFreelance writer sample cover letterInterested in becoming a?Marketing OfficerEvent CoordinatorPublic Relations OfficerWriterJournalistPopular Career Searchesbest journalism course in australiahow to become a journalist in australiaaccredited certificates online in journalismjournalism tafewhat can i get with a diploma of journalismJournalism CoursesBachelor of CommunicationEnquire Online Enquire OnlineMaster of CommunicationEnquire Online Enquire OnlineBachelor of Media and CommunicationEnquire Online Enquire OnlineGraduate Certificate of CommunicationEnquire Online Enquire OnlineHelen IsbisterRelated ArticlesBrowse moreEvent ManagementEvent coordinators sought after by businessesAlmost more than for any other industry, event management is all about relationships.The unsung heroes of new years eveTheres more to NYE than champagne and fireworks. As the clock strikes midnight, tomorrow night, spare a thought for the thousands of people working tirelessly behind the scenes to bring you one of the most spectacular events of the year.BusinessEvent Management24-Hour feier People How To Become An Events ManagerIf you love people, have energy to spare and have superb organisational skills, being an events manager could be your dream job. After all, who doesnt love a great event and helping others to have a good time?

Heres the value of allowing your children to struggle

Heres the value of allowing yur children to struggleHeres the value of allowing your children to struggleHow can I sit back and watch my adolescent or teenage children struggle? Especially when I have the solution to their problem. Is there a benefit to my child discovering their own life direction independent of me? Am I taking something away from them if I provide a few shortcuts? Is there anything wrong with being best friends with my kids? If you have ever asked yourself these questions, read on. You may be surprised by the answersRaising children is often counterintuitive. Your natural response on how to engage your childs problem may not be the best solution. Sure, you can fix the immediate concern, but it will always be your solution, not theirs. Ask yourself if you are solving or supporting your children? Solving is providing answers, shortcuts, and helping them minimize and avoid struggle. Supporting is standing nearby with your hands in your pockets, biting down on a leathe r belt, and observing the wipeouts and wonders of your childs own personal discovery and recovery.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreAvoid drawing straight lines If you see your son or daughter wandering off the path in a seemingly sideways direction, DONT try to straighten their path. Let them walk head first into a mistake. And when they have struggled long enough with the confusion, and you know it is time to give them the answer DONT. Wait until they have found their own solution and praise them for their discovery.An eagle pushes its newly born young from a cliff-side nest. The baby eaglet plummets toward the ground. If the eaglet wants to fly, it does. If it doesnt, just before the baby hits the rocks below, the mother eagle swoops underneath, catches the bird in her mouth, and saves it from certain death. She flies upward toward the nest, and just as she reaches the safe p roximity of the nest, the mother eagle drops the eaglet again in a free fall toward the rocks below. How close do you let your kids come to the rocks? How often do you save them, convincing yourself it was for their benefit? Do you drop them again, or do you return them to the safety of the nest? Having them securely in the nest is easier, isnt it? At least for you, it is. You need to put on your adult-parent hat and begin training your kids for the day they leave the house by helping them learn how to survive on their own. Children are guests in your home. If you dont allow them to experience setbacks on their own, the discovery process as adults will be much harder, and the scars, often deeper.Suffering, struggling, and failure helps children build an waffen-repertoire of experience to help achieve success as an adult. Rebounding from adversity is a process that must be learned, not taught. ur setbacks in life typically create inner strengths that lace together in adulthood. Our s ubconscious calls on these memories of strife and struggle to help us persevere and assure ourselves that we will succeed again. The result of these tribulations in our childrens lives is the formation of their own personal pride which awards them the ultimate participation trophy, a badge of adolescent victory. It might sound extreme to say, but stop parenting so much. No more drone parents Our actions of hovering and dominating our children may be intended with love, but they cause harm to your childs future life.You dont want to take away their own growth, creativity, or resourcefulness. Dont dull the edges of a knife that will one day be needed to cut its way through the gristle of life. It shouldnt matter what mountain your child is on, only that he or she learns how to climb falls recovers and climbs again. Be patient with your childs life course. Let them stumble and pick themselves back up. Be sure to praise and affirm them when they do And when they are in a pit, assure them you have faith they will discover the solution to the setback.Also, if you have ever called your son or daughter your best friend, you need to look in the mirror and say to yourself, Quit trying to give your kid everything you didnt have And stop using them as a reset to relive your own childhood. Try saying to your son or daughter, I dont want to be your friend. I am one of two people who has been assigned the responsibility of being your parent. You will not always agree with me. But I will always listen to you, even when I think you are wrong. At times, you will be angry with me. I will let you make mistakes. I will encourage you when you pick yourself up. I will smile when you try again. And I might tear when I see your strength in the face of adversity.Families have always been stronger when parents exercise wisdom and maturity in teaching their kids difficult life lessons, even though it risks relational adversity between parent and child. We need to stop sacrificing our kids personal pride to stimulate our own. Effective parenting is about children discovering their own future, not children adapting to the future we parents think best for them. Let them embrace their unique future and achieve something you could never have done yourselfRichard Watts is the author of Entitlemania How Not to Spoil Your KidsAnd What to Do If You Have and Fables of Fortune What Rich People Have That You Dont Want.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

The Iron Mike rule The one thing successful people do differently

The Iron Mike rule The one thing successful people do differentlyThe Iron Mike rule The one thing successful people do differentlyBy the time he welches 13 years old, Michael Gerard Tyson had been arrested 38 times and was sentenced to a Juvenile center in upstate New York.Tyson was a far cry from the typical profile of a juvenile delinquent he was pudgy, extremely shy, spoke with a lisp, and was afraid of getting into fights.In fact, he was regularly beaten up by neighborhood bullies who dubbed him the Little Fairy Boy.Like most street kids at the time, Tyson was raised by an alcoholic mother and grew up in Brownsville, Brooklyn, a rough neighborhood that resembled the wild west- imagine movie scenes of people shooting one another, police cars and ambulances ringing deafening sirens whilst speeding down streets, robbers breaking windows, and young kids selling drugs to hookers.Given that Tyson was a product of his environment, the odds of him escaping a destined life of crime, drug dealing and early death, were slim to none.But as luck would have it, Tysons fate would change when he was brought to the attention of the legendary boxing coach, Cus Damato.The Iron Mike RuleCus Damato was a short, bald-headed, stern faced, Italian boxing trainer, who like Tyson, also grew up in a rough neighborhood in the Bronx, New York.Tyson would later describe Damato as a complex and dark figure who didnt have a happy muscle in his face. 1Damatos astounding resume spoke for itself he had successfully managed, trained and bred two heavyweight champions, Floyd Patterson and Jose Torres.On March 1980, Tyson met face to face with Damato in an old musky boxing gym, filled with weather-beaten newspapers plastered across the walls of a converted meeting hall, located above a police station in Catskill, New York.After a sparring session in a small ring- during which Tyson was punched in the nose and bled profusely- Damato invited Tyson to lunch at his white Victorian house.During the meal, Damato turned his head towards Tyson and said, If you listen to me, I can make you the youngest heavyweight champion of all time.Tyson flinched at the baffling words of the 70-year-old man he had just met, but committed himself to be under the tutelage and rigorous training regime of Damato.Day in and day out, Tyson would wake up at 4 a.m, run for 3 to 5 miles, and train tirelessly in the gym for up to 55 hurs, and 200 rounds of sparring each week.As he later noted in an interview, no one wants to get up and run at 4 in the morning when its pitch dark, but it has to be done, and the only reason I do it so early is because I believe the other guy isnt doing it. And that gives me a little edge. 2In the evenings, Tyson would spend hours watching and studying the fight videos of the best fighters at the time.And by 9.30 p.m. on most days, he went to bed and fell asleep.For the next several years, Tyson would repeat this tiresome and boring daily routine every single day.And eventu ally, his efforts paid off.By 1982, Tyson had beaten every amateur boxing opponent he faced. And on November 22, 1986, a 20-year-old Mike Tyson, knocked out a 33-year-old Trevor Berbick- in just five minutes and 35 seconds- to become the youngest heavyweight champion in the history of boxing.Damatos prophecy had come true and by the end of his boxing career, Iron Mike Tyson was inducted in the boxing hall of fame, recognized as one of the greatest boxers of all time.When asked to share the secret to his success, Tyson turned to the wisdom of his late trainer and father figure, Cus Damato, and explainedThe Iron Mike RuleDo what you hate to do, but do it like you love it.Mike Tyson and Cus DAmato training. Ken Regan/Camera 5 /Courtesy of Blue Rider Press PlumeThe Problem With Success PornWithin a few seconds of logging onto the internet, were bombarded with images of people with zero fat, lean perfect bodies, happy and loving relationships, a job that they love every single moment w orking, a thriving business making millions of dollars in profits and a Lamborghini parked in front of a 20-acre home in The Hamptons overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.But, is this reality?The problem is that mora so than ever, the results of success are highly visible, glamorized and deceptive.Just scroll through the images on your social media feeds and it would appear as if everyone else apart from yourself is enjoying success in life.But in reality, behauptung images are only a highlight reel of peoples best moments. The remaining 99% of their lives are as boring and repetitive as yours.To add insult to injury, success gurus promote their lifestyles, and must-buy self help books and products that will teach you the hidden secrets of success.Not only do these glamorized images of success create feelings of insecurity anddissatisfaction with our lives, they also overvalue the results and undervalue the difficulties of achieving success.And so, when times are tough and youre choseing behind on your goals, its much easier to give up than to stay consistent andfinish what you start, because of the unrealistic expectations created by these images.But the irony of this all is that its the process behind the scenes- which were often blind to and the media hardly promotes- that creates the visible success that we glamorize.The Unsexy Path to SuccessToday I will do what others wont, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others cant?Jerry RiceOn June 2, 2017, I published my first article onMayoOshin.Com.At the time I had zero readers and very little experience building an audience zugnglich (in fact, I had catastrophically failed to launch previous online projects).My plan was simple every week (till forever), Id write and publish a new article.It didnt matter how badly written the article was, or what tragedies occurred in my personal life that killed my motivation to write, or how afraid I was of failure andcriticism, I was committed to publishing at least one new article each week.During the first six months of writing, my website was a ghost town. Only a small handful of people- a few friends and family who had pity on me, and maybe a stray cat- read my articles.And although I enjoyed the process of writing, I found myself spending the bulk of my time doing the things I didnt enjoy researching, editing and marketing for up to 25 hours per article.After the first year of writing, my work finally started to gain a little traction, and was distributed by media publications.Slowly but surely, more people aside from my friends and family, started to read and share my articles.Almost one hundredarticlesand two years later, I am extremely grateful that today over 100,000+ people worldwide read my work each month.I share my story not to gain bragging rights, or even to label myself a success, but to emphasize the power ofconsistencyin achieving our goals.The path to success isnt glamorous or sexy. In fact, for the most part, its unsexy boring, repetitive and drawn-out.The difference between successful people and everyone else, is that theyve learned to fall in love with the process ofconsistently doing the unsexy workthat others arent willing to do.For exampleIf you want to be a successful author, learn to fall in love with the lonely process of writing for months and years, the paralysis of researching ideas for your book, and the tedious process of revising, editing and marketing your work after its published.If you want to be a successful entrepreneur, learn to fall in love with the lonely process of working on your business for months and years without profits, the tedious process of hiring and firing, marketing and sales, and pivoting your business.If you want to get into great shape,learn to fall in love with the tedious process of counting calories, cooking and eating boring meals, exercising 3 to 5 times a week, and going to bed early.Over the short period of a week or month, the advantage is marginal. But, over a time span of five to 10 years, the gulf between the person who consistently does what others wont do and the person who doesnt, is ginormousFall in Love With the ProcessEveryone wants to be successful until they see what it actually takes.- UnknownWeve all heard the saying that Rome wasnt built in a day, wise words that capture the idea that time is all it takes to achieve great things.But thats not the whole story.Just like how Rome was built through the tedious process of laying one brick at a time for many years, success is built by consistently doing the work that others arent willing to do.The difference between successful people and everyone else, is that theyve fallen in love with the process of pursuing their goals and thehardshipthat comes with it- the boredom, drudgery, loneliness, criticisms and failures.And most importantly theyve embraced The Iron Mike Rulewhich reminds them toDo what you hate to do, but do it like you love it.Mayo Oshin writes atMayoOshin.Com, where he shares t he best practical ideas based on proven science and the habits of highly successful people for stress-free productivity and improved mental performance. To get these strategies to stop procrastinating, get more things by doing less and improve your focus,join his free weekly newsletter.A version of thisarticleoriginally appeared atmayooshin.comasThe Iron Mike Rule The One Thing Successful People Do Differently.FootnotesUndisputed Truth My Autobiography by Mike Tyson AudiobookTysons training routinevideo.Iron Mike My life with Cus DamatoThe moment 20-year-old Tyson became the Heavy Weight boxing champion of the worldvideo.

Swimming with reef sharks taught me about fear and confidence

Swimming with reef sharks taught me about fear and confidenceSwimming with reef sharks taught me about fear and confidenceI inhaled into my snorkel and adjusted my mask to get a clearer look at the six-foot reefsharkswimming straight toward me below the surface of the water. The sunlight filtering through the top layers of the ocean illuminated the whiteness of hisjaws, revealing the serrated edges of dozens of rows of teeth. I knew that he saw me, that he sensed me. I started kicking my fins once more and extending my arms in front of me, propelling me closer and closer to thesharkwith each stroke. I welches off the coast of Bimini, the westernmost island in theBahamas, and we were in open ocean no cage, no wetsuit, no handlers.Sharks are the puppies of the sea, the captain, Neil Watson, had announced, moments before I jumped in the water. The founder ofBimini Scuba Center, Watson was busy chumming the water with lionfish carcasses while trying to convince the 40-plus people strande d on two boats in the middle of the Caribbean that sharks were harmless. He should work in shark PR.I was in the Bahamas with friends for theWoody FoundationsannualLionfish Bash, which raises funds and awareness for paralysis and other disabilities. Wed spent the past few days spearfishing lionfish, a venomous and invasive species destroying the coral reefs.Now, our prey was being used to lure our predatorsDozens of sharks began to frenetically circle the water between the boats, expectantly waiting to be fed once again. I was one of only a handful of people aboard a tiny motorboat that was bobbing up and down in the waves. The vessel was barely larger than the increasingly aggressive sharks, who kept drawing closer to the starboard side, near enough to touch.Watson began shouting reassurances from across the water - he was with the rest of the crew in a large, covered boat, aptly named Dive God See, sharks arent bad. Theyre just misunderstood. The man should really work insharkPR. He threw out the belastung of the lionfish remains. But theyre fed now, so they wont mind you jumping in with them. The smaller boat needs to go in first, or else well scare the sharks.I felt an oncoming rise of nausea - wed been at sea for nearly two hours, and I was beginning to feel increasingly dehydrated and perilously hung over. But no matter how much I was suffering on that boat in the 95-degree heat, I would certainly suffer more in theoceanwith the sharks. I had no choice. The rest of my friends were on the larger boat, and they didnt have to jump in first. Id opted for the smaller boat so I could work on my tan - and I was about to passiv in the name of a solid base.I looked down at my purple polka-dotbikini- the bright color and pattern was a magnet for sharks - and felt like bait. But I surprised myself when I found myself heading for the stern of the boat, slowly climbing down the ladder steps. I was either going to die of sun and alcohol poisoning on the boat, or b e killed in the water by sharks, I thought. At that point, I really needed to get out of the heat.Just remember, dont be scared, Watson called out one last time. Youre a big animal too. Thats the only rule I have If you act like prey, theyll think youre prey. But if they think youre a shark, theyll respect you like they wouldaelendher shark.I was the first one in the water. And now, here I was, swimming straight toward my death. I kept repeating in my mind I am a shark, I am a shark. But every muscle in my body was twitching, telling me to avert course, to at least try to save myself. There were worst places to die than the island ofBimini, I reasoned. The island was beloved by Hemingway, so at least it would have a literary angle (and relatively few witnesses).Out of the corner of my mask, I saw another shark dive below me and a third lurking beneath my floating body. I tried not to wonder why the rest of the party wasnt yet in the water. I looked up to see the oncoming shark and r ealized I had to act quickly. Was I going to change direction? And I kept swimming forward. I picked up the pace. I wanted to collide (and meet my fate) sooner rather than later. The shark seemed to swim faster too. We were eye level, both of us just below the top of thewater.Id never felt so vulnerable, so mortally exposedI dont think Id ever fully grasped my own mortality until that very moment, when I fought every natural reaction in my body to change direction, to panic, to shriek for help. But deeper than this impulse to escape was the knowledge that if I were to lose control - to splash and cry for help - I wouldnt survive.Finally, we were nearly head-on, face-to-face. Or jaws to snorkel. I needed to be near the surface so I could breathe air through my snorkel what was the sharks excuse? I was playing a game of chicken with a shark. What to do in this occasion? Politely swim below, so he could bite me and see if he liked the taste? Keep going straight? Punch him in the nose like Id seen onShark Week,or refrain from engaging in a fight Id surely lose?Ive never forgotten this moment, though Im not sure what my lesson was, because everything feels so trite. That were all connected? That were all animals on this crazy, rapidly changing planet, just trying to survive? Or that maybe in order to be brave, you have to force yourself. Maybe to be ashark, you have to pretend youre one already. Maybe such bravery can only be found when you dont have any other options. It was instinctive.So, I suppose, heres the lesson The only way to overcome fear - and its crippling limitations - is to look it in the face and not flinch. To swim toward what scares you and have faith in yourself to survive.I kept the course, and as we drew closer, at the last minute, thesharkdove down, just barely beneath me. His dorsal fin grazed the length of my body as we brushed against one another in the ocean. My entire body felt electric. He realized me. He saw me and let me live. And I saw him and chose to not be afraid. We coexisted. Maybe I was a shark.When I turned back to face the boats again, most of the sharks had vanished. By the time the people in the larger boat entered the water, none were left. Friends whod witnessed my interaction with the shark from the safety of their boat thought I was crazy. Delusional, they said. Who swims right up to a shark?Which, to be fair, is a valid question.This article was originally posted on Brit + Co.com.