TED Tuesday: Robert Waldinger— What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness

"There isn't time, so brief is life, for bickerings, apologies, heartburnings, callings to account. There is only time for loving, and but an instant, so to speak, for that."

Good Morning Folks,

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. The food, family, the stories... always remind me that I have much to be grateful for. Each morning, I'm eager to jump out of bed and get to the office. I'm incredibly fortunate in that I love what I do. My team and I work hard every day to deliver the best opportunities to help you achieve your dreams and ambitions, whatever they may be.

But what else keeps us happy and healthy as we go through life? If you think it's fame and money, you're not alone – but, according to psychiatrist Robert Waldinger, you're mistaken. As the director of a 75-year-old study on adult development, Waldinger has unprecedented access to data on true happiness and satisfaction. In this talk, he shares three important lessons learned from the study as well as some practical, old-as-the-hills wisdom on how to build a fulfilling, long life.

Join 11 million others to experience my selection for this TED Tuesday, Robert's brilliant TED talk: What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness




As we usher in the "happiest time of the year," I wish you all the health, wealth and happiness that you deserve.

Have a GREAT day, be happy and…

Love Life!

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

*TED is a nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design. Since then its scope has become ever broader. Along with two annual conferences -- the TED Conference on the West Coast each spring, and the TEDGlobal conference in Edinburgh UK each summer -- TED includes the award-winning TED Talks video site, the Open Translation Project and TED Conversations, the inspiring TED Fellows and TEDx programs, and the annual TED Prize.  More at TED.com

Ted Tuesday: Diana Nyad- "Never Give Up"

"Everyday of our lives is epic....Never ever give up...You can chase your dreams at any age...It looks like the most solitary endeavor in the world and in many ways it is, and in other ways and the most important ways it's a team...When you achieve your dreams, it is not so much what you get, but who you have become..."

Good Morning Folks.

A record-setting long-distance swimmer, Diana Nyad writes and thinks deeply about motivation. If you have a dream, and you have obstacles in front of you, believe in perseverance and find a way!

In the pitch-black night, stung by jellyfish, choking on salt water, singing to herself, hallucinating … Diana Nyad just kept on swimming. And that's how she finally achieved her lifetime goal as an athlete: an extreme 100-mile swim from Cuba to Florida — at age 64. Hear her story.

For ten years (1969-1979), Diana Nyad was known as the greatest long-distance swimmer in the world. In 1979, she stroked the then-longest swim in history, making the 102.5-mile journey from the island of Bimini (Bahamas) to Florida. She also broke numerous world records, including what had been a 50-year mark for circling Manhattan Island, setting the new time of 7 hrs 57 min. She is a member of the National Women’s Hall of Fame and the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

At age 60, having not swum a stroke in decades, she began planning for her white whale of distance swims: the 110-mile ocean crossing between Cuba and Florida. She'd tried it once, in her 20s, and severe jellyfish attacks had defeated her then. But now, with a strong team and a new commitment to her vision, she stepped back into the salt. She spoke about this second attempt at TEDMED 2011. And at TEDWomen 2013, in December, she talks about how it feels to have finally done it.

“It's the fifth time I stand on this shore, the Cuban shore, looking out at that distant horizon, believing, again, that I'm going to make it all the way across that vast, dangerous wilderness of an ocean. Not only have I tried four times, but the greatest swimmers in the world have been trying since 1950, and it's still never been done.”

Within the first few seconds, and with these few words, Diana Nyad has painted a picture and set a mood about her challenge; to swim from Cuba to Florida. She has also established herself as someone you want to listen to, to trust that she is telling the truth, and to find out what happened. What a powerful start.
Motivation aside, so what can you learn and apply about presentations from Diana Nyad’s TED talk?

==> Show passion.
You can instantly hear the passion in Diane’s voice. As you listen, look away from the screen and just listen for a few moments. You can clearly hear the passion in her cadence, and in her vocal inflections. Notice that she is telling you a story, not reciting a stream of facts or numbers. You hear how meaningful and emotional this journey was. Now think of your own presentations; are you focused on the story, the meaning, or the facts and figures? What would happen if you let a little more passion into these talks?

==> Make it real.
Did you see the sharks? Did you feel the frigid water and experience the solitude of the pitch dark? Did you hear her singing John Lennon's "Imagine" – 200 times? These are not mere details. This is the concrete description that makes her story so tangible. You can't fake this, at least most of us can't. What you can do is go to that place where what you are talking about is real and immediate, and then describe what you are seeing and feeling. (If this is difficult for you, contact me about learning the skills of being in the moment and completely focused.)

==> It's not about your slides.
Did you miss seeing bullet points, charts and graphs, or photos? I don't think you did. In fact, I didn't notice until the end that there nothing but Diana and the world she created verbally. Slides would have been so distracting and even irritating as you wanted to hear this story from her lips. Now, if you don’t want to go completely without slides, at least try to cut back and see what happens. Then cut back some more. Use fewer slides, and put less and less on each one. Or start and end you next talk without slides, using them only as needed.

==> Keep it short.
This talk is about fifteen minutes. She could surely have talked for an hour, or many hours, but she told her story in a compelling way in a fairly short timeframe. Your audience is probably too polite to tell you, but they wish you would be a little more concise. Take out unnecessary "padding." Strip the story down to its basics. Tell enough to make your point. Then end it well.

Make it into a story. Note that Diana takes you from standing on the shore ready to set forth at the beginning, and ends with the crowd cheering and her speaking with reporters at the end. This is classic story style. As a bonus, she added three big takeaways as the final thoughts. Use storytelling structure to make your talks more memorable. And make sure you don't blow off your beginning and endings; these are key targets you must hit.

Take a few pointers from Diana Nyad. Never ever give up. Keep working to make your presentations, speeches and informal talks more concise, compelling and genuine. And, once you get to TED.com, look around. There are many speeches you can learn from, and I will be continuing to write about the ones I think have lessons for us all.

Thanks to Applause Inc for leading me to this which delivered it to you.

Thanks to you for listening.

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.

Shout-Out: Saluting Our Folks Who Go The Extra Mile

"You were the first ones in office and last to leave, and you did it all with a smile. It is always such a pleasure to work with such a hard working & well organized team."

Good Morning Folks,

As FSO continues its expansion nationally, 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. 

Our clients love what we are doing for them. When they take time to write to me, it is testament to what I've been saying all along: At FSO, our difference is people. They bring a passion for hospitality and service that just can't be faked or duplicated. Here's what we are hearing about our folks:

From The World's Largest Professional Services Firm

Re: Security Team 

"The client sent along their appreciation to the team for assisting with a very difficult and last minute situation. The team is also short staffed but they were able to assist the client in the most efficient and professional manner. The client was very happy with the efficiency and professional that not only this situation was handle but also with the day to day services. Go team!!!!"

Re: Kimberly 

"Kimberly goes above and beyond every day. She checks every day if there is anything additional she can assist with. She ensures that all conference rooms are not only ready for scheduled meeting but that they are also cleared out after meetings. She is also so pleasant and courteous. Her attitude truly makes it a joy to work with her every day."

Re: Melissa & Elaine 

"Melissa and Elaine stepped in recently and assist with the transport of supplies and the set  for a huge meeting at the client site. They were also very attentive to other details that were needed for the meetings. Kudos Ladies!!!!"

FSO Attends OBT Gala

From Our AMLAW 200 Clients

Re: Steve Young – CMR, Frost

Great big thank you to Steve for all his Excel training sessions. His patience and expert knowledge on everything Excel is incredible helpful no matter our responsibilities. He makes the training session entertaining and engaging and that makes the material easier to understand. Thanks Steve.

From One of The World's Largest Accounting Firms

Re: Jason, Renee  & William

Congratulations to the team for a successful kick off at this new client. The team was very helpful and efficient in getting the new office opened and set up. They have been very welcoming to not only staff but visitors as things continue to get settled into at the office. We look forward to many more great things from this brand new team.

At A Large Condominium

Re: Zahir 

The client has repeatedly commended Zahir on his excellent customer service and a model concierge. The client is delighted with his professionalism, and enthusiasm. 

At One Of The Big Four Mobile Communications Companies

Re: Mail Services –  Atlanta, GA

Congratulations to the team who have worked tirelessly for the client. They handle every request with a sense of urgency and are proactive in anticipating the needs of the client. The leadership displayed has also put the client at ease and comfortable that things will be addressed in a timely and efficient manner. Kudos!!!

Re: Christina & Cindy- Chicago, IL

"Kudos to Christina and Cindy for this overall great work at the client site. Christina is always cheerful, professional and willing to help wherever needed. She has been a tremendous help on special projects. Christine goes the extra mile and provides high quality service every day. Great Job Christina!!!!"

To The Office Services Team At A Wall Street Financial Services Giant

"Thanks to the efforts of the Office Services team the client was able to sponsor a very successful event. The outstanding support of the staff was a direct result of the team’s tireless efforts and attention to details. Kudos!!!!"

From Our AMLAW 200 Clients 

RE: Charles – California

Thank you Charles being instrumental during a prospect site tour. His professionalism and knowledge were helpful. Great job!!!

Our Chicago welcomed me during his visit recently. They even got me the perfect gift.

Great people like those featured above today want to be part of FSO as clients and employees because we are passionate and we CARE about what it means to be there for them.

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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"Success is how high you bounce after you hit bottom" 
~~ General George Patton

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Ted Tuesday: Guy Winch-— Why Rejection Hurts So Much — And What To Do About It

Psychologist Guy Winch shares some practical tips for soothing the sting of rejection. (Illustration by Dawn Kim for TED.)

Greetings Folks,

Rejections are the most common emotional wound we sustain in daily life. Our risk of rejection used to be limited by the size of our immediate social circle or dating pools. Today, thanks to electronic communications, social media platforms and dating apps, each of us is connected to thousands of people, any of whom might ignore our posts, chats, texts, or dating profiles, and leave us feeling rejected as a result.

In addition to these kinds of minor rejections, we are still vulnerable to serious and more devastating rejections as well. When our spouse leaves us, when we get fired from our jobs, snubbed by our friends, or ostracized by our families and communities for our lifestyle choices, the pain we feel can be absolutely paralyzing.

Whether the rejection we experience is large or small, one thing remains constant — it always hurts, and it usually hurts more than we expect it to.

The question is, why? Why are we so bothered by a good friend failing to “like” the family holiday picture we posted on Facebook? Why does it ruin our mood? Why would something so seemingly insignificant make us feel angry at our friend, moody, and bad about ourselves?

The greatest damage rejection causes is usually self-inflicted. Just when our self-esteem is hurting most, we go and damage it even further.

For the answer, read on HERE

Rejection is never easy but knowing how to limit the psychological damage it inflicts, and how to rebuild your self-esteem when it happens, will help you recover sooner and move on with confidence when it is time for your next date or social event.

Thanks for listening.

Have a GREAT day,

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

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"Surround yourself with the dreamers and the doers, the believers and the thinkers, but most of all, surround yourself with those who see the greatness within you, even when you don’t see it yourself." ~~ Edmund Lee 

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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. 

Shout-Out Wednesday: Cheers To The Nation's Best Outsourcing Team

"Brandiu’s hard work has not gone unnoticed and her positive attitude as well. She is prompt, never complains and also has a smile on her face."

Good Morning Folks,

One of FSO’s true differentiators is our CARE for our employees. We take pride in offering great job opportunities, career paths, reward programs, benefits, mentorship, and training. We truly appreciate the hard work and dedication of our employees.

Here are what our clients are saying about their FSO staff:

Re: Gloria, Serving a Higher Education Client On Campus

"When Gloria came across someone personal documents which had very sensitive information, made sure to secure the documents and then returned them to their rightful owner. This is truly what FSO is all about and we are very lucky to have her."

From Our AMLAW 200 Clients

Re: Diana Pomales — Boston

"Diana recently was an huge help to our client in helping create a very urgent binder. The request urgent and Diana made sure to make herself available so that the project was completed immediately. Great job Diana!!!"

Re: Records Department — Newark

"The records went up to our Boston office to assist in a large offsite records project. With their quick and efficient work, the project was completely quickly. Great job!!!"

Re: Dallas Team

"Kudos the Dallas team who were treated to a lunch in recognition of all the hard work they do for our client every day. Great job team!!!"

Re: Brandi — Dallas

"Brandiu’s hard work has not gone unnoticed and her positive attitude as well. She is prompt, never complains and also has a smile on her face. She is a great asset in take care of the litigation department. Awesome job!!!!" 

Re: Katherine

"During our recent world-wide presence, Katherine could not have been more professional, helpful and supportive, as we guided colleagues around the office for meetings, lunches, photo shoots, cars, flights, etc. I am happy to say that we survived a very demanding week.

To The Team At A Wall Street Financial Services Giant

"Recently our client gave our FSO team an appreciation breakfast for all the amazing work they have done and continue to do in the Copy Center. The team works as a whole to meet the demands of the client going above and beyond exceeding expectations. Well done!!!"

At One Of The Big Four Mobile Communications Companies

Re: Pernesse — Parisippany

"Pernesse acted quickly when a very large shipment was delivered to the wrong address. She was able to track the phones down quickly and made arrangements to have them transported to the correct address. Kudos to Pernesse for her quick action and efficient work."

Re: Vince — Richardson

"Vince helped at the client site sort through various storage rooms that need to be cleaned out. With his can so attitude the spaces were sorted through and the content repurposed or disposed of properly. Vince offered very insightful suggestions through the process which lead to making the space more functional and usable."

Re: Ashton — Bellevue

"Ashton’s attention to detail, follow through and professionalism has made an incredible impact at the client site. Due to this thoroughness mail gets delivered to the proper people. He is also always willing to stepping in helping in any way he can. He is also very polite and courteous and that makes it a joy to have him at the site. Kudos Ashton!!!"!

Re: Tyler — Bothell

"Kudos to Tyler for helping out in the set up for an event. He had a positive attitude and work effortlessly and efficiently. We are truly grateful to have such a great asset on our team."

From The World's Largest Professional Services Firm

Re: Our Floor Hosts —  Chicago

"The Chicago floor Hosts are doing a tremendous jobs. They cover everything from helping guests, helping with major issues and overall just delivering excellent hospitality at every turn. The office runs much better with them greeting, escorting and assisting all guests that walk through the door. Kudos!!!!!!"

To all the FSO employees: IT IS YOU that makes FSO who we are.  From logging in the package to completing the sweep to standing up and greeting every guest coming to us for assistance with a big hospitable smile, clients can count on us because we can count on you.

THANK YOU for working tirelessly to deliver Service Extraordinaire with a smile.

I look forward to hearing more stories from our clients how our team has made a difference.

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


Mitchell D. Weiner
Chief Happiness Officer

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“Work for a cause, not for applause. 
Live life to express, not to impress. 
Don’t strive to make your presence noticed, just make your absence felt.”  
~~ Unknown
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TED Tuesday: It’s Time to Re(IMAGINE) Death

"Miller thinks deeply about how to create a dignified, graceful end of life for his patients. Take the time to savor this moving talk, which asks big questions about how we think on death and honor life."

Good Morning Folks,

At the end of our lives, what do we most wish for? For many, it’s simply comfort, respect, love.

Death is a subject no one likes to talk about. Yet it is one of the only certainties of life. Any of our families could deal with a health crisis, accident or aging parent and find themselves totally unprepared for the decisions they will face. So for that day, and with the goal of using these TED Tuesdays to enrich you both personally and professionally, I share B.J. Miller's "It’s Time to Redesign Death".

Sue Campbell notes, "Miller was a sophomore in college when, horsing around with friends, he climbed onto a parked commuter rail car and was electrocuted. He lost part of one arm and the bottom of both legs as a result. That, he says, was the beginning of his “formal relationship with death.”

Now a physician working at the Zen Hospice guest house in San Francisco, Calif., he focuses on providing palliative care and on fundamentally changing the American health care system. Right now, medical care centers on the disease. Miller argues that it should center on people — what patients want to do and what makes them feel good — taking into account caregivers as helpers and healers.

Miller says “life and health and health care can become about making life more wonderful, rather than just less horrible.”

The video is 20 minutes long and lays out rich ideas. Take the time to savor this moving talk, which asks big questions about how we think on death and honor life:

 

As B.J. says, "I got to redesign my life around this fact, and I tell you it has been a liberation to realize you can always find a shock of beauty or meaning in what life you have left, like that snowball lasting for a perfect moment, all the while melting away. If we love such moments ferociously, then maybe we can learn to live well -- not in spite of death, but because of it. Let death be what takes us, not lack of imagination."

I hope that you learned something new and valuable today from this powerful TED talk on patient-centered compassion. Thanks to Sue Campbell and the Next Avenue Blog for tipping me to this talk.

Have a great day and thanks for being a part of our amazing journey.

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

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“Remember if you are not smiling then you are doing it wrong."

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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. 

Shout-Out: "Outsourcing The Way It Was Meant To Be"

"The team is hard  working, courteous and reliable. They work tirelessly going above and beyond their responsibilities to us happy."

Good Morning Folks,

Our success is all about our clients knowing they can always count on us, we will always be there for them, we care about their success and we would never let them down.

Here are some of the nice things we are hearing in the market:

At a Client in the Healthcare Industry:

Re: Lily & Yang — "They provide a critical component to the science. They are both hardworking, dedicated to clear communication, follow up with customers, and provide high quality in their work. They also provide a collaborative approach to their work, working well together to overlap their skill sets which benefits the customer with cell lines that are of great quality and adhere to the requirements from the customer.

Re: Annie As the leader of the group, Annie is a rising star, with the ability to take on difficult tasks, provide clarity from chaos, and show warmth and concern for her team.  She is determined to continue to develop her team."

Re: Martin — "As a team of one he his dedicated work allows for things to move efficiently. Recently the team moved to a new system and Martin learned the system quickly while still ensuring that the everyday tasks were completed."

Re: Haley — "Even though she is the new addition to the account, Haley has already introduced her experienced from her previous job and made improvements to the lab associate position. We look forward to see what else she brings to the table which we know will be all good things."

At One Of The Big Four Mobile Communications Companies

Re: Zachary — "Zachary helps in all he can and takes all the time needed to explain things in detail with much professionalism and patience. He is a team player and works hard to ensure that all responsibilities are completed."

Re: Facilities Team — "The team stepped up recently and assist with a very urgent need at the client site. They immediately jumped in and helped with the delivery and set up of a breakfast for a very large conference. They did so without being asked and truly exemplified the All Hands in philosophy."

From The NYC HQ Of The World's Preeminent Daily Newspaper

Re: LaBrun — "LaBrun is responsible for six individual client floors of delivery of mail and courier packages, one of which is the Data Center which received multiple large boxes. LaBrun ensures that all the packages are handles carefully and consistently."

From Our Wall Street Clients

Re: Erika & Davita — "Erika and Davita work extremely hard and are very dedicated to the client and make sure that they handle all of the client’s needs with care and professionalism."

Re: Rossi — "Rossi goes above and beyond to ensure the client is taken care of. He also takes time to pitch in and assist when he can to ensure everything runs smoothly."

Re: Jonathan  & Team — “Thank you for all that you do for me each and every day, but especially with my event last night. Each of you calmed my nerves, set up the room and materials perfectly, and made sure that everything ran smoothly. I truly wouldn’t be able to do my job if it weren’t for you and the team.” 

From The World's Largest Professional Services Firm

Re: Curtis, John, Angela & John C. (“JC”) — "Kudos to the team for assisting with a very sick individual onsite. They were able to assist in administering first aides, calling 911 as well as providing the EMT with detailed account of the situation in a very calm, professional and quick manner. It was their quick thinking and actions that saved this person life as professional assist arrived on the scene. Thank you very much for the excellent emergency actions taken."

Re: Michael  — "Michael has done a fantastic job of assisting in finding necessary space for everyday business needs like meetings and conference calls. He has assisted all levels and across various locations. His works tireless to make sure that his finds the correct accommodation for each request."

Re: Lisa, Nikeisha, Michael & Monica — “Thank you for all of your hospitality and help with this year's World Leadership Forum. You and your team are an integral element of this year's success, and I want to thank you personally for all of your help. I look forward to working with you again soon.” 

Re: Vanessa S — "Vanessa is subbing on our floors and I see her more often than our own floor host. 11 and 12th floors are lucky to have her. "

Re: Kimberly — "Want to say what a pleasure it is to work with our new floor host, Kimberly. Kimberly is always willing to help and recently assisted with two lunch orders.  She waited for the orders, assisted in setting up the order in the conference room, was able to get extra chairs for the room, and when the meeting was over, assisted me with collecting the remaining food to take it back to our floor. She has also jumped in and helped with the moving of some boxes which made the process quicker and more efficient. She is a great addition to the floor and looking forward to work with her more in the future."

Kudos like these exemplify the true culture perspective of our company. It's what we do. It's what separates us from everyone else. It's in our DNA!  

To those applauded today, CHEERS to you and THANK YOU for working tirelessly to deliver Service Extraordinaire with a smile. I am so proud of all of you, and to count you among the FSO family. Keep up the great work!!

Have a great day and thanks for being a part of our amazing journey.

Mitchell D. Weiner

Chief Happiness Officer  

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“It is easier to do a job right than to explain why you didn't.”

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