Inspire ME Friday ==>The Best Are Always Striving To Get Better.

"Training Camp by Jon Gordon is a touching story about one man who faces his fears on his path to greatness. Along the way, he learns a valuable lesson about who is really in control. Grow your faith. Read Training Camp." —Ken Blanchard, coauthor of The One Minute Manager® and Lead Like Jesus

Good Morning Folks,

Training Camp is an inspirational story filled with invaluable lessons and insights on bringing out the best in yourself and your team. The story follows Martin, an un-drafted rookie trying to make it in the NFL. He’s spent his entire life proving to the critics that a small guy with a big heart can succeed against all odds. After spraining his ankle in the pre-season, Martin thinks his dream is lost when he happens to meet a very special coach who shares eleven life-changing lessons that keep his dream alive—and might even make him the best of the best. If you want to be your best—Training Camp offers an inspirational story and real-world wisdom on what it takes to reach true excellence and how you and your team (your work team, school team, church team and family team) can achieve it.

Excerpted from “Training Camp: What the Best Do Better Than Everyone Else”, by Jon Gordon, these eleven traits of the Best of the Best that apply to every one with a dream and ambition:

==>The Best know what they truly want.
At some point in their lives, the best have a "Eureka!" moment when their vision becomes clear. Suddenly they realize what they really, truly want to achieve. They find their passion. When that happens they are ready to strive for greatness. They are ready to pay the price.

==>The Best want it more. We all want to be great.
But only the best of the best are willing to do what it takes to be great. The best don't just think about their desire for greatness; they act on it. They have a high capacity for work. They do the things that others won't do, and they spend more time doing it. When everyone else is sleeping, the best are practicing and thinking and improving.

==>The Best are always striving to get better.
They are always looking for ways to learn, apply, improve, and grow. They stay humble and hungry. They are lifelong learners. They never think they have "arrived"—because they know that once they think that, they'll start sliding back to the place from which they came.

==>The Best do ordinary things better than everyone else.
For all their greatness, the best aren't that much better than the others. They are simply a little better at a lot of things. Everyone thinks that success is complicated, but it's really simple. In fact, the best don't do anything different. They just do the ordinary things better.

==>The Best zoom focus.
Success is all about the fundamentals, and the fundamentals are little and ordinary and often boring. It's not just about practice, but focused practice. It's not just about taking action, but taking zoom-focused action. It's about practicing and perfecting the fundamentals.

==>The Best are mentally stronger.
Today's world is no longer a sprint or a marathon. It's a series of sprints combined with a boxing match. You're not just running; you are getting hit along the way. The best are able to respond to and overcome all of this with mental and emotional toughness. They are able to tune out the distractions and stay calm, focused, and energized when it counts.

==>The Best overcome their fear.
Everyone has fears. The best of the best all have fear, but they overcome it. To beat your enemy, you must know your enemy. Average people shy away from their fears. They either ignore them or hide from them. However, the best seek them out and face them with the intent of conquering them.

==>The Best seize the moment.
When the best are in the middle of their performance, they are not thinking "What if I win?" or "What if I lose?" They are not thinking "What if I make a mistake or miss the shot?" They are not interested in what the moment produces but are concerned only with what they produce in the moment. When all eyes are watching, they rise to the occasion. As a result, the best define the moment rather than letting the moment define them.

==>The Best tap into a power greater than themselves.
The best are conductors, not resistors. They don't generate their own power, but act as conduits for the greatest power source in the world. It's not always politically correct, but you can't talk about greatness without talking about God. It would be like talking about breathing without mentioning the importance of air.

==>The Best leave a legacy.
The best live and work with a bigger purpose. They leave a legacy by making their lives about more than them. This larger purpose is what inspires them to be the best and strive for greatness over the long term. It helps them move from success to significance.

==>The Best make everyone around them better.
They do this through their own pursuit of excellence and in the excellence they inspire in others. One person in pursuit of excellence raises the standards of everyone around them. And they do this in both their work and life. ...The point is to strive to be your best and inspire others to be their best, because it's in the striving where you find greatness, not in the outcome.

Get the book HERE.

And have a GREAT weekend.

Make a difference folks!

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

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“The expert in anything was once a beginner”

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Inspire ME Friday: Be Thoughtful. Be Kind.

"When someone does something that helps you, even in the smallest way and even if it's their job, go out of your way to say thanks. Make it your mission to recognize the people behind the tasks: the people that support, that assist, that make everything possible."

Good Morning Folks,

The heart is the most important measure of the employee; if he/she is truly involved in the moment and working from the heart then good fortune happens. It's all about...

==> The Power of Being Thoughtful and Kind by Jeff Haden

My client acquired a large company, and I went along for his initial meetings with his new employees. In the afternoon, he planned a companywide address. But that morning, we met for several hours with top executives. (Talk about emotions on full display: ego, anxiety, obsequiousness, defensiveness, fear, excitement... When the new sheriff comes to town, the icy-cool corporate masks quickly come off.)

The meeting ended at noon, and when we walked out 15 minutes later, he noticed a sizable buffet set up on the other side of the atrium. There were plenty of people standing around in white coats and black slacks but no one in line or sitting at tables.

"What's that for?" he asked someone walking past.

"The company arranged a meal for after your meeting," she said. "A local restaurant closed for the day to come here." She paused. "I think the chef and her staff were really excited about it," she said, her voice trailing off at the end.

"Did anyone eat?" he asked.

"Um, I don't think so," she said.

He stood looking a few moments. Even from a distance, it was evident the catering staff was confused and disappointed.

"Come on," he said to me. "We're eating."

And we did.

But he did more than just eat. He spent a few minutes talking to every--every--member of the staff. They knew who he was, and while some were initially shy, they quickly warmed up.

And why wouldn't they? He complimented the food. He complimented the service. He joked and laughed. When we finished eating, he said, "We can't let great food go to waste!" and borrowed two white coats so we could serve them. Then he made the rounds of the tables and happily leaned into all the selfies.

When we finally left, he waved and smiled.

They smiled bigger.

Sure, it took a lot of his time. Sure, it took him off point and off focus and off schedule.

Sure, they loved him for it.

I already knew the answer, but as we got in the car, I still asked. "I know your schedule," I said. "You couldn't stop to eat. Besides, no one else did, so no one would have noticed."

"I felt bad for them," he said. "They tried hard to do a good job, and everyone blew them off. How bad would that feel? So it was the least I could do."

"Maybe my staff thought they were too busy," he continued. "Or maybe they thought they were too important. But maybe they are too self-absorbed to notice they hurt other people's feelings."

He thought for a few seconds. "And maybe they're the wrong people for the job, " he said.*

Much of the time, we want famous people to be so humble they don't recognize there's a fuss, a special buzz, that people are excited to see them. We want them to be oblivious to their fame or importance. (After all, if they're too aware, that means they're too full of themselves.)

But what we should really want is for famous or notable people to recognize that in the eyes of others, they are special--and that other people might want something from them, even if that something is the simple recognition that what they do matters.

Because it does.

Picture a CEO walking into a building for an important meeting. Maybe he says hello to the receptionist. (Maybe.) Otherwise, he only has time for the people at his level. It's like no one else exists; they're just unseen cogs in a giant machine.

Unfortunately, at times, we all do the same thing. We talk to the people we're supposed to talk to. We recognize the people we're supposed to recognize. We mesh with the cogs in the machine we're expected to mesh with, but there are many other important cogs.

So go out of your way to smile to everyone. Or to nod. Or to introduce yourself.

And when someone does something that helps you, even in the smallest way and even if it's their job, go out of your way to say thanks. Make it your mission to recognize the people behind the tasks: the people that support, that assist, that make everything possible.

Even though most of us aren't famous or notable, by recognizing people--especially those who have been conditioned to not expect to be recognized--we add a little extra meaning and dignity to their lives.

And that's the best reason to go off point, off focus, and off task.

Although, when you think about it, you really aren't taking yourself away from an important task. You're just shifting to an equally important task: showing people they matter--especially to you.

*Six months later, only three of the original 22 remained

Enjoy the weekend.

Make a difference folks!

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

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‘Curiosity is, in great and generous minds,
the first passion and the last.’
~~ Samuel Johnson 

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**JEFF HADEN learned much of what he knows about business and technology as he worked his way up in the manufacturing industry. Everything else he picks up from ghostwriting books for some of the smartest leaders he knows in business. @jeff_haden

Shout Out Wednesday: Kudos To The Best Outsourcing Team On The Planet

"This young lady clearly takes her job seriously and enjoys what she is doing. She greets me and my colleagues every morning with a smile and "how are you today? Can I do anything for you? Do you need anything?" It means so very much to have had you there to help." 

Good Morning Folks,

As FSO continues its expansion, we remain focused on the people and constantly raising the bar to (re)IMAGINE™ the way to go to business - ensuring we deliver the very best experience to our clients and employees. 

We believe people make or break the success of an organization. FSO hires for character, desire and attitude and then takes better care of that individual than one could ever imagine. We take care of our people and in turn, they take care of you. They bring a passion for hospitality and service that just can't be faked or duplicated.  

==> Compliments to Shalaine for training: 

At a time when others have cut back on the training and recognition that is essential motivation for success, this is just another example why FSO is the differentiator in the industry. Employees love what you are doing, Shalaine. Hear directly from them:

"Your hospitality training session Today was phenomenal. You hit on the most valuable points and was able to express the importance  of those points with passion and conviction."

"Your energy is contagious and you speak with such compelling inflection! "

"The ending of your presentation was the most memorable for me. I live by the statement "Do The Right Thing" especially when no one is watching. I felt every last word at the end."

"You come in and just rock the room with your amazing energy. The training was super exciting and so fun."

"Thanks so much for breaking down the meaning of hospitality. Your lovely words made it much more clearer as to what we needed to do working with this company."

"We just took the training. It was very helpful, very informative, and exciting. I loved your energy and the examples you gave."

"I find your training to be amazing! You are a breath of fresh air. You're always so happy and full of life.  You're aura is always so welcoming and your training is always insightful. You inspire me to challenge myself to be better than I was the day before."

==> Kudos To Fariyal, Jasmine, and Nakeisha:

"We had a VIP group (our competitors) for a meeting and it got a bit chaotic as the power around the table was not working and some of the guests wanted chairs that were adjustable. I kept running back and forth to Jasmine for help and although I know she wanted to throw me out the window (smile), and this is not her job, she was very pleasant, approachable and was quite helpful in reaching out to others to get us organized."

"Just wanted to write a note to let you know how helpful Fariyal was this morning.  Unfortunately, we forgot to reserve a conference room for a client meeting. We tried to reach the meetings and event group As we all ran around crazy (calling Mike, running to the office of the meeting and events group) I asked Fariyal for her help and she was extremely pleasant and was able to guarantee us a room.

"Nikeisha you are amazing! You always go far and beyond of your work. It is really a pleasure to work with you!

"She was very helpful by going downstairs and picking up my monitor vs me doing it. She offered to help me get it and i really appreciate the effort she put on her part as I was really busy this week to pick it up. So kudos to her for being very helpful. It makes the rest of our jobs much easier."

It's clear from these kudos that everyone on the team knows their position and role and they work in harmony to execute greatness. That is what FSO is all about – a perfect harmony of perfection and greatness.    

Thanks fort taking the time to write to me about these gifted employees. I am always eager to hear more about how we are doing.

Have a GREAT day as I look forward to seeing all of you soon.

Mitchell D. Weiner
Chief Happiness Officer

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"None of us is as smart as all of us." 
~~Ken Blanchard
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TED Tuesday: WTF? Sneakers?

Josh Luber: The secret sneaker market — and why it matters.

Good Morning Folks,

If you've lamented over how much you've spent on sneakers for yourself or your kids, there may be a pot at the end of the rainbow. Because had you invested in a pair of Air Jordan 3 Black Cement in 2011, you could be rich now.

What if we could buy sneakers exactly the same way as we buy stock? And what if it wasn't just sneakers, but any similar product, like watches and handbags and women's shoes, and any collectible, any seasonal item and any markdown item? What if there was a stock market for commerce? A stock market of things. And not only could you buy in a much more educated and efficient manner, but you could engage in all the sophisticated financial transactions you can with the stock market. Shorts and options and futures and well, maybe you see where this is going. 

Josh Luber is a "sneakerhead," a collector of rare or limited sneakers. With their insatiable appetite for exclusive sneakers, these tastemakers drive marketing and create hype for the brands they love, specifically Nike, which absolutely dominates the multi-billion dollar secondary market for sneakers. Luber's company, Campless, collects data about this market and analyzes it for collectors and investors. In this talk, filmed at TED@IBM, he takes us on a journey into this complicated, unregulated market and imagines how it could be a model for a stock market for commerce.

Starts the presentation, "This is the Air Jordan 3 Black Cement. This might be the most important sneaker in history. First released in 1988, this is the shoe that started Nike marketing as we know it. This is the shoe that propelled the entire Air Jordan lineage, and perhaps saved Nike. The Air Jordan 3 Black Cement did for sneakers what the iPhone did for phones. It's been re-released four times. Every celebrity's been seen wearing it. There's a site about what to wear with the Black Cement. It's been right under your nose for decades and you never looked down. And right about now, most of you are probably thinking, 'Sneakers?'"

A fascinating talk. Have a look:
 

Thanks for listening and have a GREAT Day,

Mitchell D. Weiner
Chief Happiness Officer  

Ideas are not set in stone. When exposed to thoughtful people, they morph and adapt into their most potent form. TED Tuesdays on MitchWeiner.com highlights some of today's most intriguing ideas. Look for more talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design -- plus science, business, global issues, the arts and much more— HERE.  

About FSO Onsite Outsourcing
Recognized on the Inc. 5000 list of the nation's fastest growing companies for the third consecutive year, and lead by industry pioneer, Mitch Weiner, FSO's growth and success can be attributed to making a positive and powerful impact on their clients' bottom lines, as well as their employees' careers and lives.

Inspire ME Friday: (re)IMAGINE is good

"Passing up a cupcake may be a test of willpower but the goal of fitting into a smaller pair of jeans is an easily imagined, and often attainable, one."

Greetings,

(re)IMAGINE means change.

While many of us will say that "change" is the magic panacea when we aren't satisfied with an organization, political administration, personal relationship or management team, it is one of the things that we are inherently resistant to do. Change is hard, feels unnatural and moves us out of our comfort zone, even when we know that change will ultimately bring improvement.

Sometimes what we really mean is that we want change as long as it is similar to something that is familiar. That's why political platforms rarely differ; new CEOs may look the same as the previous ones; and budding relationships can resemble those we just left.

There are many reasons why we are resistant to change: dread for the unknown; fear of failure; a sense of powerlessness; we're creatures of habit, etc. But when we eventually make the necessary adjustments and begin reaping the rewards, we have a positive reference point for why change is beneficial.

The pivotal component in what makes change feel easy or difficult may be the level of choice we have in the experience. Personal change, like adopting good eating habits, is an individual choice that allows the greatest amount of control. Passing up a cupcake may be a test of willpower but the goal of fitting into a smaller pair of jeans is an easily imagined, and often attainable, one.

Organizational change, on the other hand, is often foisted upon employees, forcing adoption of new behaviors, systems, missions and processes that are neither individually chosen nor controlled. And while senior executives may have a voice in the change management strategy, they are not immune to the pain of change since the pressure is typically spurred by stakeholders.

Institutional change management initiatives that include components to empower and assuage the fears of the workforce, such as transparency, open communication and phased approaches, are likely to garner the most positive and least painful results. And leaders who can successfully guide their teams through transition will not only demonstrate agility, they will earn the trust and loyalty of employees.

What are you going to (re)IMAGINE today?  

I’m going to start small with.... the world.

Your energy, enthusiasm and professionalism are always greatly appreciated. 

Have a fabulous weekend filled with love and inspiration.  

Be great and (re)IMAGINE!

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

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"Only from the heart can you touch the sky."

~~ Rumi

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Learn more about what DIFFERENTIATES FSO here

It's Wednesday: That Mean's It's Time For a Shout Out To Our Stars

"Maria is an outstanding employee who is always pleasant, and goes out of her way to help me. She is thoughtful, and I can rely on work that she gives me to be done accurately and correctly."

Good Morning Folks,

Our clients love what we are doing for them. 

When they take time to write like this it is testament to what I've been saying all along: FSO has a unique and unstoppable passion to exceed our clients expectations. Our culture is what defines us: Personal, Passionate & Productive. We have a proven business model that is key. We strive each and every day to not only meet expectations, but to exceed them. Our teams are hospitality driven individuals, recruited from brands where white glove service is required.

From our ownership team, support staff, subject matter experts... to our on-site folks, our focus is to come to work every day thinking of ways to (re)IMAGINE a better experience for you and your guests.

Here are some of the amazing things our clients are saying about our motivated, team-oriented, passionate people. I am honored to be in the company of all mentioned. 

Compliments From The World’s #1 Ranked Professional Service Firm

"Forwarding handwritten note from client's HR Managers, sent along with a Box of chocolates for our Admin Staff. They continually provide excellent service on a daily basis to this firms' employees:

Angela 

Shanise 

Michael

Luz 

Michael M

Kimberly

Jasmine

Nakeisha

Darryl

Khajuaan

Fariyal

Maria

Kimberly

"This young lady clearly takes her job seriously and enjoys what she is doing.  She greets me and my colleagues every morning with a smile and "how are you today? Can I do anything for you? Do you need anything?" Kimberly has been extremely diligent in making sure that we are covered with paper daily; so much so that she recently walked the floor with one of the office services managers because there was a discrepancy as to why she was putting tickets in for the paper. What the office services manager saw was that she was justified in initiating the ticket and further, she was trying to understand why the floor ambassador said he had  supplied paper that morning, yet there was none/limited when the office services manager showed up. We need a few more like her; it makes the rest of our jobs much easier."

Jasmine

"We had a VIP group (our competitors) for a meeting and it got a bit chaotic as the power around the table was not working and some of the guests wanted chairs that were adjustable.  I kept running back and forth to Jasmine for help and although I know she wanted to throw me out the window (smile), and this is not her job, she was very pleasant,  approachable and was quite helpful in reaching out to others to get us organized. So on that note, thank you so very much. It means so very much to have had you there to help."

Nikeisha

"Nikeisha you are amazing !! Not only for this. You always go far and beyond of your work."

Darryl

"On Tuesday, December 8, 2015 Audit Partner Larry hosted an all day Client Meeting in Conference Room 23302.

I was assisting Radian EA Barbara. A bare white table was set up and we requested a table cloth. We were pleasantly surprised to received a white cloth with the our logo from Darryl.

It was greatly appreciated by the client -- received a lot of compliments, in fact.

Thank you for letting us use the tablecloth for the client. Is really a pleasure to work with you!!"

Denise

"I am a new RMO Sr Manager in Risk Assurance and wanted to let you know that Denise came to my office today to see if I had gotten my screen as someone had taken it from my office. I told her that I got the new one and i had to go pick it up at the mail room.

She was very helpful by going downstairs and picking up my monitor vs me doing it. She offered to help me get it and i really appreciate the effort she put on her part as I was really busy this week to pick it up. So kudos to her for being very helpful.

Khajuaan

I wanted to comment that I've been very pleased with Khajuaan, who has been very helpful.  He stops by my desk to see if I need anything, and helped me with a project.  I see that he goes around the 7th Floor looking for issues, and puts tickets into the database as called for.  In addition to being responsible and responsive, he is a very pleasant person to deal with!

Thanks for listening,

Fariyal

"Just wanted to write a note to let you know how helpful Fariyal was this morning.  Unfortunately, we forgot to reserve a conference room for a client meeting. We tried to reach the meetings and event group As we all ran around crazy (calling Mike, running to the office of the meeting and events group) I asked Fariyal for her help and she was extremely pleasant and was able to guarantee us a room."

Maria ... At One Of The Oldest Law Firms In Continuous Existence In The United States, Specializing In Banking

"Maria is an outstanding employee who is always pleasant, she goes out of her way to help me. She is thoughtful ,and I can rely on work that she gives me to be done accurately and correctly. I would highly recommend her as employee of the month in fact the year."

Edward, Anthony & Davidson at AMLAW 200 Firm

"I walked in last week while Davidson was crawling under a desk – Witnessed it myself. Great team and Davidson definitely leads by example"

"I also wanted to drop you a note to make you aware of the awesome security staff you have. On Saturday evening, 12/5,  around 7PM I received a call from my cousin who had a car accident in Connecticut on his way home to Boston. Fortunately he was unharmed but his car was not drivable. He was forced to take Metro North back to Manhattan and when her arrived he called me. He was on 42nd and Lexington avenue with 2% power on his phone and did not know what to do. I called the security desk (X3333) and told them the situation and asked if they could help him out. They were very nice and welcomed him into the lobby, charged his phone, allowed me to speak with him over their line until I was able to pick him up and take him to a bus.

I really appreciate the kindness they showed him. Please thank the officers that were on duty that evening. I don't recall their names but they did go above and beyond to help him when he was in a bind. THANK YOU ALL FOR ALWAYS COMING THROUGH -  WELL DONE!!!!!!!!!"

Thanks fort taking the time to write to me about these gifted employees. I am always eager to hear more about how we are doing.

The PERSONAL touch AND CARE that our clients complimented us on…this is what sets us apart; this is why we are blowing the competition out of the water every chance we get, this is why our employees LOVE FSO and feel the connection to us! 

Cheers FSO USA!!!!

Mitchell D. Weiner
Chief Happiness Officer

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"Leadership is service, not position" ~~Tim Fargo
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TED Tuesday: Tali Sharot- The Optimism Bias

In the talk Tali shows a cartoon and speaks about a Penguin in a way that meshes perfectly with our own (re)IMAGINE theme. She notes, "Because if you're one of these pessimistic penguins up there who just does not believe they can fly, you certainly never will. Because to make any kind of progress, we need to be able to imagine a different reality, and then we need to believe that that reality is possible."

Good Morning Folks,

What a great way to start of 2016 then commit to look at things through a more optimistic lenses!

Are we born to be optimistic, rather than realistic? Tali Sharot shares new research that suggests our brains are wired to look on the bright side — and how that can be both dangerous and beneficial. While the past few years have seen important advances in the neuroscience of optimism, one enduring puzzle remained. How is it that people maintain this rosy bias even when information challenging our upbeat forecasts is so readily available?

Optimism bias is a tendency to overestimate the likelihood of good things happening to you, and underestimating bad things. For example 40% of people divorce, but people marrying assume the probability for them is zero. Even people marrying for a second time don’t see it: “Remarrying is the triumph of hope over experience”. People tend to be optimistic about themselves and their family, while at the same time predicting a bad future for the world in general.

Optimism about your own traits gives you a confidence and sets you up for success. But are low expectations the secret to happiness? This will mean you will be happy with success in love and career, but are not disappointed if it doesn’t happen. Our speaker today, with almost 10 million views of this program racked up between YouTube and on TED, is the author of author of The Optimism Bias and a research fellow at University College London's Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging. She argues the opposite, that optimistic people are happier because:

• Optimists interpret things differently. Whether they win or lose, they interpret successes as due to their own traits and failures as poor luck or biases.
• Anticipation makes people happy – something pleasant (a kiss from a celebrity) immediately isn’t as enjoyable as one in 3 days time – which lets you look forward to it
• Optimism acts as a self-fulfilling prophecy – it makes you try harder to achieve your goals. Optimism leads to success.

So how do we maintain optimism in the face of reality? That is: stay optimistic despite evidence to the contrary. Tali did a study – asking people to estimate their cancer risk (for example), then giving the population rate (30%) and asking them again their likelihood. People did change their estimate, but they changed it a lot more if their first estimate was high (i.e. changing their estimate from 50% to 35%) rather than when it was low (going from 10% to 11%). Tali found that there were 2 regions of the brain: one responsible for receiving good news and one that processes bad news. The ‘bad news region’ did not trigger in optimistic people: they kept the rose tinted spectacles on.

On average, we expect things to turn out better than they wind up being. People hugely underestimate their chances of getting divorced, losing their job or being diagnosed with cancer; expect their children to be extraordinarily gifted; envision themselves achieving more than their peers; and overestimate their likely life span (sometimes by 20 years or more).

The belief that the future will be much better than the past and present is known as the optimism bias. It abides in every race, region and socioeconomic bracket. Schoolchildren playing when-I-grow-up are rampant optimists, but so are grown-ups: a 2005 study found that adults over 60 are just as likely to see the glass half full as young adults.

A cancelled flight is hardly tragic, but even when the incidents that befall us are the type of horrific events we never expected to encounter, we automatically seek evidence confirming that our misfortune is a blessing in disguise. No, we did not anticipate losing our job, being ill or getting a divorce, but when these incidents occur, we search for the upside. These experiences mature us, we think. They may lead to more fulfilling jobs and stable relationships in the future. Interpreting a misfortune in this way allows us to conclude that our sunny expectations were correct after all – things did work out for the best.

In the talk Tali shows a cartoon and speaks about a Penguin in a way that meshes perfectly with our own (re)IMAGINE theme. She notes, "Because if you're one of these pessimistic penguins up there who just does not believe they can fly, you certainly never will. Because to make any kind of progress, we need to be able to imagine a different reality, and then we need to believe that that reality is possible. But if you are an extreme optimistic penguin who just jumps down blindly hoping for the best, you might find yourself in a bit of a mess when you hit the ground. But if you're an optimistic penguin who believes they can fly, but then adjusts a parachute to your back just in case things don't work out exactly as you had planned, you will soar like an eagle, even if you're just a penguin."

Have a look...


Thanks to The Guardian and TedSummaries for inspiring me today and to you, for listening.

Have a GREAT DAY!

Love Life,

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

Ideas are not set in stone. When exposed to thoughtful people, they morph and adapt into their most potent form.TED Tuesdays on MitchWeiner.com highlights some of today's most intriguing ideas. Look for more talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design -- plus science, business, global issues, the arts and much more— HERE.