You’ve heard it countless times.

“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”

The reason why so many people are unsuccessful today or haven’t begun their journey to success is that they take the said statement too lightly.

Are you one of those people?

Maybe you’ve been keeping your fingers crossed and hoping your current friends would wake up and change. You keep giving them chances, yet nothing happens.

Newsflash: People rarely change. If they do, it usually takes a tremendous amount of consistent effort to change their habits.

But, did you know that your circle of friends could determine where you’ll be in terms of success?

You might not notice it yet, but take a moment to reflect on your friends’ attitudes, words and actions. It’s best to write them down or type them on a screen so you could see and cast proper judgment.

How do friends influence your life? Observe these three things and you’ll get a clearer idea.

You Start Thinking the Way They Do

More often than not, we start to mimic people who surround us. It’s Biology.

We use it as a bonding method and to encourage social interaction with people who we want to like us.

How do friends influence your life?

If your friends are always complaining, chances are, your mind will be filled with complaints daily and you won’t even know it.

And this is exactly why I asked you to carefully reflect on your encounters with your friends.

In high school, I remember spending time with a group of people who were fans of Anime movies and TV shows.

Nobody I’m related to watches Anime and I didn’t grow up being too exposed to it. However, after being with that particular group in high school, I started to watch Anime TV shows and movies as well.

Of course, today, I no longer hang out with that group and my interests have changed. This strengthened my point further.

The good news? You always have a choice.

If you see yourself growing with your current circle of friends, good for you! If not, take action to change that.

Remember, everything starts out with a thought. Right now, if your thoughts aren’t already gearing you up for your dream life, take a closer look at the environment you’re in.

We can’t change how you got here, but you can steer yourself to where you want to be by first changing the way you think and the ones who influence your thoughts.

See Also: How To Design Your Circle of Friends

You Act the Same Way as Them

Like my example earlier about the Anime group, I started to act like them.

I learned words I’ve never heard of before and went to events I never thought I’d be in. I even started cutting my hair similar to the characters I watched!

Did you notice this about yourself?

Even in subtle ways, our friends’ behavior could influence the way we act. It could be the way they flip their hair or how they play with their fingers.

What more when it’s toxic habits?

There are still people who have REALLY good willpower.  But, the general rule is we tend to act like the ones we spend the most time with.

One of my sisters used to have a weight problem. She was obese the first fifteen years of her life. On the year she turned seventeen, she lost over sixty pounds.

One of the people she hangs out with the most is a friend from the gym.

My sister would come home with different kinds of healthy food recommended by her friend and tells me about new workout places that we could go to. Never in a million years did I expect this to come out of her mouth before she started losing weight.

She was the sister who couldn’t stop eating all the time and would just disappear whenever you started talking about exercise.

Her biggest factor? Her friends!

They had similar goals and aspirations, so they helped bring her to the direction she wanted to be!

Whether it’s losing weight, creating more networks or building your startup, your friends will be your guide and support group.

Besides, whenever they’re doing their own thing, you can’t help but be inspired and challenge yourself to new heights.

They Could Expand Your Network and Give Valuable Connections

It’s not about what you know; it’s who you know.

Who you’re associated with can either increase or decrease your value to another person.

Let’s say, if you’re associated with Bill Gates, you’re more likely to be viewed as a VIP.

If you hang out with friends who are known in the business field, you’ll most likely be introduced to like-minded people and even be associated with their traits.

And you shouldn’t limit yourself to offline friends either!

You can have online friends with whom you can exchange ideas and insights with. You can even attend activities, like webinars, together.

Picture yourself living exactly the way you want. You’ll thank your family, relatives, mentors, coaches and supporters.

Do you think you could say the same to your friends?

See Also: Making Friends and Increasing Business Contacts is Easy If You Know These 7 Secrets of Socially Successful People

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Owning a home gives families a sense of independence and security. However, in buying a house, numerous factors influence the family’s choice. They may face economic, socio-cultural, psychological, demographic and personal issues.

In the past, all decisions related to buying a home were primarily made by the male members of the family. However, in today’s times, the same decision is now unanimously taken. All family members can voice their opinions and all needs and preferences are taken into consideration, irrespective of age or gender.

Let’s look at the some of the changing trends affecting the way families buy homes.

A Shift from Joint Family Set-ups to Nuclear Lifestyles

In earlier times, most family set-ups were joint, with closely-related members living in their ancestral home. But, as the population and economy of the country grew, this previously popular lifestyle saw a major shift.

Today’s nuclear family set-up created radical changes in the family’s process of buying a house. There are fewer members in a nuclear family and buying decisions have aligned in the same direction. One good example is space. Fewer family members won’t need as much space so houses tend to be smaller.

Placing children’s needs at the forefront

While making any property-related buying decision, parents and grandparents tend to consider the needs of their children to a great extent. They opt for houses which are airy, well-lit and which have a positive impact on their children’s growth, health and well-being.

Parents also put sufficient thought on their kids’ safety. They take into account the community’s recreational amenities, like parks, pools or playgrounds when buying a house. Additionally, families tend to prefer residential properties which have good schools in the vicinity along with options for extracurricular activities. Parents are more than willing to compromise on their own needs as long as they meet their children’s needs.

Compact homes over out-sized properties

Nuclear families these days prefer compact and self-sufficient homes. This justifies the large number of families opting for space-efficient apartments and flats over sprawling properties.

One good reason families prefer flats over stand-alone properties is because of better social interaction. In addition to that, maintaining a large property can also be quite a hassle, especially when the family is small. Apartments are also more secure and homey for such family size.

Accessibility and proximity

Most apartment complexes today offer convenience to attract more families to buy them. Malls, clubs and sports facilities are all within walking distance of these complexes so families won’t have to spend any time or money on transportation. A lot of them offer basic needs, too. Grocery stores and dry cleaning services are usually just a few feet away from them.

If a housing complex just offers apartments, then families will look for flats that are in close proximity to important facilities, like schools, healthcare, medical stores and retail outlets for added convenience. With the basic amenities within a stone’s throw from their homes, efficiently managing day-to-day activities and maintaining a good work-life balance becomes much easier for smaller families.

Properties with resale value

Families tend to move to larger homes in better locations as their financial status improves. Job changes or increase in the number of family members are also plausible reasons why families look to upgrade to a larger or better home. Thus, families prefer buying homes in prime locations that have a good resale value in the future. For instance, according to a Knight Frank survey, home buyers prefer to move to newer projects with better facilities and those that are closer to the city.

See Also: 10 Important Home Features That Home Buyers Want

To sum it up

With improvement in job prospects, purchasing power and lifestyle, families have undergone a shift in terms of how they invest in properties. There has been a considerable change in the past two decades and families have started weighing in many factors which were earlier considered unimportant while buying a home.

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Ride sharing and ride hailing are often lumped together, but the two services are completely different. One is more like a taxi while the other is more like a bus. What’s not different about the two is that there is still a lot of confusion about who is legally responsible if there is an accident.

Because drivers don’t usually need commercial insurances even though they are performing a duty for which they are getting paid, insurance companies are often reluctant to pay up in the event of an accident.

To clear things up, here’s what you need to know.

Ride hailing is common

Over half of adults in the United States have heard of a ridge hailing or ride sharing app, but only about 15% have used one. This brings a lot of confusion about what it is, what the legal ramifications are as well as its regulations.

Most people who use these services are affluent and between the ages of 18 and 49. 29% of college graduates have used these services as well.

A little over a third of all adults believe that ride sharing services should be treated like commercial taxi services, while about the same percentage of frequent ride sharing users believe the same thing. Even though the liability is the same, most people don’t believe ride hailing drivers are no different from taxi drivers.

More states and municipalities are starting to realize the legal gaps that are occurring with these services and are making attempts at patching them up. It’s likely that more regulations will be passed in the future to protect both driver and passenger.

If you are a driver, you may not be covered

Driving for a ride sharing or ride hailing service can be risky if you don’t pay extra for commercial insurance. Unfortunately, this is a catch-22 because most companies pay so little that you would pay more for commercial insurance than you would end up making in fares.

Currently, New York City requires drivers to carry commercial insurance, which is as much to protect the drivers as it is to protect the riders. What if you are in an accident on your way to pick up a fare and your insurance doesn’t want to pay up? Or worse, if they do pay up and end up raising your rates for the next several years?

It’s definitely worth checking into your coverage before deciding to work a side hustle. The coverage provided by the ride sharing and ride hailing services might not be enough to protect you.

If you are a passenger, you might not be covered, either

Between 2014 and 2016, for-hire vehicle accidents more than tripled. As more and more people are using these services, there will understandably be more accidents.

A ride sharing insurance coverage can fill in the gaps when the driver’s insurance doesn’t want to pay out. However, as lawsuits involving these services are also on the rise, you could find yourself caught up in the middle.

If you are a ride sharing or ride hailing passenger and you are in an accident, here’s what you need to do:

• Get help at the scene

Getting a police report ensures that the facts won’t change after you leave the scene. Getting medical attention is the first step in documenting any injuries you may have.

• Get information from the driver

Again, gathering the facts at the scene is the best way to ensure they don’t change. Get as much information as possible, like contact information, insurance details and data on the ride hailing service you got.

• Have your injuries treated

You may think you are fine, but car accident injuries can become more serious over time, particularly if there’s no prompt treatment.

• Keep track of medical bills and expenses, including any lost work

From day one, write down any work you missed because of the accident and any bills you accrue. Keep receipts whenever possible as this will help you get reimbursements.

See Also: 5 Financial Emergencies Everyone Must Be Prepared For 

• Decide whether you will need to hire a lawyer to recoup your costs

Sometimes, insurance companies are happy to pay up right away just to close the case. Other times, they may not be as willing and you’ll need help to get reimbursements for your expenses.

See Also: Timeline Of A Personal Injury Lawsuit

Coverage requirements vary based on location

From state to state and even from city to city, coverage requirements can vary widely.

The state of California requires an additional $1 million in liability coverage when drivers are en route and while they have passengers. Minnesota requires an additional $1.5 million in coverage for the same situation. In some places in the world, like France, ride hailing and ride sharing drivers need to be licensed professionals.

Knowing a little about the risks now, do you think these services should be treated like professional driving services or are you OK with taking the risk?

Learn more about what to do if you are involved in a ride sharing accident from the infographic below.

The post Do You Know What To Do In A Ride Sharing Accident? appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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Whether you are food shopping or purchasing something bigger for the family, spending money is definitely a side effect of shopping. For that reason, we need to be smart about the way we shop.

Do you want to know the secrets to saving some money while shopping?

In this article, we will talk about the games most retailers play and how to plan your purchases so you can get a huge spending advantage. So, next time you do your shopping online or in a store, consider the following tips and tricks of a smart shopper.

Don’t Rush to Buy the Latest Things

The majority of people are hurrying to purchase the latest and greatest things as soon as they come out, like mobile devices or computers. This, however, means you will have to pay more.

Instead of paying top dollar, why don’t you keep on using your old tablet or phone for another year or two? You can upgrade it to a more recent model without having to pay the release-day price.

See Also: 7 Ways To Stop Your Shopping Splurges

Buy End-of-Season Clothes

Did you know that big markdown on clothing prices can usually be found at the end of the season?

For instance, you can purchase jumpers in April, swimsuits in September or summer dresses in November with up to 75% discount. This is really a great way to save serious sums of money. Of course, you’ll have to wait several months between purchasing the clothes and wearing them.

Have a Shopping Plan

Remember that stores and supermarkets are designed to get you to spend as much money as possible. Retailers use various tactics and effective strategies to achieve their goals.

For example, many grocery shops place fresh and colorful produce next to the entrance so that customers will feel excited when they come in. More than that, clothing retailers also have their tricks to attract you. Did you know that they tend to put louder music, brighter lights and more expensive things on the right side of the store? That’s because customers usually head toward the right side first.

Do not fall for these tricks and alluring strategies. Make sure you are observant of your surroundings and have a precise shopping plan when you walk through the door. Planning can force you to head straight to the things you want, take them, pay for them and go out of the store. It’s the easiest way not to get dazzled into wasting more money on unnecessary but attractive items and purchasing something you didn’t plan to.

Go Shopping At Estate Sales

Are you willing to purchase a one-of-a-kind couch at a budget-friendly price? Go to estate sales and search there. There, you will be able to find great deals on specialized antiques, furniture and unique home items of different types.

Of course, these things are often older. However, since they were made of high-quality materials, they’ll last you longer. Additionally, the customers may get the best bargains coming at the closing hours of an estate sale. At that time, the sellers are usually too tired to unload the remaining items so they mark down the prices.

Use the Benefits of Grocery Services

How about making your to-buy list of groceries and not having to set your feet in the shop? If you research your local grocery stores, you will likely find some that are offering free online ordering and pickup. Isn’t that a marvelous opportunity not only to save your time but also to cut down the chances of wasting too much money?

See Also: Stop Wasting Time and Money With These 6 Productive Steps to Shopping Online

Timing Is Important

The majority of people plan their vacations so that they leave on Friday and come back the next Sunday. Of course, the travel industry is aware of this and, as a result, the customers end up paying more money on these days.

So, instead of overspending on the tickets, try to change your timeline and get a better deal. You can buy plane tickets on Saturday, Tuesday or Wednesday for much lower prices. You can also check for lower rental prices to reduce your overall travel expenses and enjoy your sweet vacation on a budget.

To sum up, a little extra effort and creativity can save you money and turn you into a smart shopper.

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Hard work is, without a doubt, an indispensable factor in the ladder of success. Without it, there is not much that can be accomplished.

Working hard with sincerity and integrity is sure to take an individual’s career a long way. Unfortunately, there are instances where hard-working individuals can lose their fight and succumb to the various obstacles along the way. These obstacles may look like subtle and honest mistakes on the surface but, in reality, they usually have very serious repercussions.

You don’t need to do something dramatic to be kicked out of your job. In some cases, various honest and subtle mistakes can be enough to end your career.

Here are 5 career killers:

Hard work

“When you’re a hard worker, the only person that can come in the way of your success is you!“

Everything in this world has its own pros and cons. We’re all aware of the merits of hard work but, like all other things, it can be dangerous too.

It’s a scientific fact that people who usually work hard are differently wired than people who don’t. In the prefrontal cortex of the brain, there’s an enzyme called catechol-O-methyltransferase or COMT. The function of this enzyme is to balance out the dopamine levels in the brain.

Now, there are two types of COMT, a fast acting one and a slow acting one. The slow acting one clears up the excessive dopamine five times slower than the fast acting one and is usually found in hard working people. This makes the hard workers prone to anxiety, stress and over-thinking. These things can negatively affect their performance under stressful situations.

People who work hard tend to focus more on the ‘working’ aspect of the job rather than the ‘result’ aspect of it. They come early to office only to be the last person to leave. They work hard but aren’t able to churn out desirable results because they direct their energies in the wrong direction. These people get so involved with working that succeeding in the work takes the backseat. This has turned out to be a big career killer because, at the end of the day, a good result is all that matters.

See Also: 7 Signs Of Overworking (And What To Do About Them)

Resting on the laurels

“Nothing wilts faster than laurels that have been rested upon.”

Now, it’s an understood fact that with hard work comes success and with success comes glory. But, it is also true that basking in that glory for too long is a sure shot career killer.

Resting on one’s laurels is a common mistake most people make. They get too attached to the pride and glory a particular task provided them and just can’t seem to move on from it.

Working hard for a task is important but it is equally important to get over it once it’s done. We’ve often heard that such-and-such fell because they let the success get over their heads. This is, in fact, a real practical problem that professionals face which can end up ruining their careers.

Complacency

“Success breeds complacency. Complacency breeds failure. Only the paranoid survive.”

Complacency is almost like the evil twin of the previous flaw. Being self-satisfied is, perhaps, the biggest hindrance to personal growth. Hardworking people have the tendency to feel self-satisfied, if not pushed hard enough.

When a professional works hard and gets his due success, he is appreciated for his work. This appreciation leads to a sense of smug self-satisfaction which makes him complacent. If they are under-appreciated, they lose the motivation to carry on further. It’s a strange paradox.

Anyhow, this complacency is another legit career killer. The trick here is to not be too attached with work and the outcomes of it. You have to know how to keep working and learning without getting stuck at a single point.

Promising big things

“Rarely promise, but, if lawful, constantly perform.”

Remember hard workers being differently wired than the rest? That strange little chemical responsible for the dopamine balance has another role to play in the career-killing behavior of professionals. Quite a mischievous role biochemistry plays in this whole thing!

So, what happens is, this excessive dopamine makes hard workers much more charged than the rest. While being assigned tasks, they (in their charged up zone) end up promising big things to their senior officials. They have the belief that they can actually deliver without realizing the unreasonable nature of their claims.

When they aren’t able to deliver the promises, it ends up pissing their seniors off. Even though they might have done a good job, their broken promises put them in the negative light.

Sucking up to the boss

“Suck up to your boss if you’re not good at what you do!”

One who is good at what one does will only focus on his work, not on other means to climb the success ladder. This is one of the most obvious and common mistakes people make in order to become successful in their careers and it ironically ends up sabotaging them.

There is no other thing that can place a particular individual in a more negative light than sucking up to their senior officials. It’s just plain wrong and immoral! Most people confuse it with people managing and playing politics smartly when they’re two polar opposites. There is no way one can sugar coat this truth. Sucking up is sucking up.

See Also: Smart Ways to Navigate Office Politics and Emerge as a Winner

Working hard is not a sure shot formula to success. In fact, there is no formula to success. It’s just a mix of complicated elements, characteristics and biochemistry! Just make sure you don’t make these general mistakes. Work hard, keep an eye on your results, and keep growing. It might just help you succeed!

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Whether it comes to pre-purchase guidance, sales or post-purchase support, modern customers desire nothing but swift, actionable service. Live chat has been answering those needs for a few years now, accounting for around 73% of total customer satisfaction today.

Traditionally developed for customer service, this simple but intuitive system shortly became a necessity for small and large businesses, particularly in the sales department.

In November 2014, about 44% of customers thought that having a live chat specialist to guide them through their online purchase as one of the most important perks a company can provide. As those figures continue to grow, let’s look into what makes this system such a potent sales aid in order to understand how to implement it as an infallible conversion tool.

Real-Time Convenience Is the Future of Online Sales

Live chat software is no longer an alternative to other channels of B2C communication. For quite some time now, this customer service and sales tool has been preferred by the majority of potential buyers and entrepreneurs.

While customers love them for their convenience and fast resolution rates, companies like them in turn because they are effective, reliable and cost-effective.

Apart from the undeniable convenience and reduced costs, live chat gives businesses valuable insight into customer data. This will allow you to tap into the customers’ pain points and earn a significant competitive edge.

Though mostly used as a part of a CRM strategy, this information is just as precious when it comes to conversion techniques. Equipped with an immediate and personalized approach to customers on one side and actionable data about their behavior on the other, sales reps can hardly fail to harness the immense potential of website live chat software systems.

How To Improve Sales Through Live Chat Software

Be Proactive 24/7

When asked about how much this option contributes to their loyalty, around 63% of surveyed customers answered that they were more likely to return to a website if it offers live chat guidance. In most cases, convenience is the number one reason for this. Around 79% of customers specify that live chat is so helpful because of the immediacy that comes with real-time solutions.

So, why employ a live chat software for sales if it is not available 24/7? The entire point of this tool is to stay in touch with prospects long after business hours. It should be able to provide them immediate guidance whenever they feel like shopping.

When used during the pre-purchase phase, live chat opens some brilliant opportunities. This includes convincing indecisive buyers that their late-night instincts are right and that your products and services are everything they’ve ever wished for.

See Also: 5 Effective Ways To Sound More Human Over A Customer Support Live Chat

Collect & Analyse Data

All live chat systems are game-changing solutions. However, the most beneficial ones are those that seamlessly integrate with your CRM database. With such an arrangement, you’ll be able to automatically collect and store information about your prospective buyers. Once analyzed, the data can tell you everything you need to know about the buying behavior of your customers.

From there on, you can use that information not only to develop far-reaching marketing, lead generation and conversion strategies but also to custom-tailor them to individual prospect’s needs.

Whether you need to send them a retargeting email or close the deal in the live chat session, you’ll know exactly what your potential buyers need, sometimes even before they themselves do. That’s what being customer-centric and data-driven is all about.

Take the Customer-Centered Approach

Let’s say your system detects that a prospect has returned to your website for the second time. It’s obvious then that your sales reps will have to deal with an indecisive buyer, presumably someone who doubts purchasing. Instead of waiting for him to come to you, the salesperson can approach him directly via your live chat software to ask what he can do to help.

Thanks to the previously analyzed browsing behavior, the sales rep will already have a few hints on what the prospect is interested in as well as what his problem with the product or service might be.

Having provided an immediate answer, the salesperson makes a strong case for your company’s efficiency. This will establish trust and can guide the prospect a few steps closer to the sales funnel. Whether it’s a case of second thoughts or an issue with a payment process, every little problem that could drive the prospect away from the website can easily be solved over live chat in a matter of minutes.

See Also: 11 Key Tips for Improving Customer Support

Reduce Cart Abandonment

That’s exactly why live chat software is a potent cart abandonment tool. Customers choose to flee from the site in the most decisive moment of all for a number of various reasons. Most of the time it’s the lack of transparency, complicated checkout process and inconvenient payment option.

But, you can never know what made them change their minds if you don’t ask. Apart from customer surveys, live chat is arguably the best way to do that. More than a feedback tool, this solution is an effective prevention against prospects abandoning their carts in the first place. A sales rep can track their every move, staying unobtrusive while the process runs smoothly and jumping-in the very second a prospect stumbles upon a problem.

Unlock New Opportunities to Upsell

With the right live chat software, your sales reps can easily find the most lucrative upselling opportunity. Pushing an entirely new and more expensive offer on top of the product the customer has already decided to pay for can be risky. If not relevant to the customer at hand and their specific needs, upselling can be frustrating for both parties.

You can put those scenarios behind you as soon as you find a live chat solution with a powerful data analysis system. When integrated with your CRM, it will hand you the entire history of previous customer interactions. This will help you know for sure what offers a specific buyer would be interested in.

It’s truly a win-win situation: a helpful product or service for your customer and a certain selling opportunity for you.

For customer service and sales, live chat software is no longer optional. It’s what most customers desire to see as they land on your website and the solution that convinces them to make the final purchase in the shortest amount of time.

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The game of golf can teach us a lot about what it means to manage a successful career. Golf takes practice, confidence, optimism and most importantly, patience.

Beginner golfers are typically encouraged to focus on their swing before they hit the green. That means breaking down their swing into smaller steps so they can focus on improving their posture, grip and alignment.

While this might be tedious for some, having enough patience to improve your swing will pay off in the long-run.

As you’re building your career, it’s also crucial to fine-tune these same qualities. It’s important to take your career step by step, have patience and be willing to change course if anything unexpected comes your way, like a surprise job offer or a promotion.

Hitting the links with friends during a sunny summer day is a great way to have fun, but a round of golf can teach you more than you think about career management.

Here are some valuable lessons from playing golf:

Work on Your Long and Short Game

When playing golf, you can’t rely on a successful long game or short game alone. While you might want to practice your long-game all day at the driving range, you also need to break out the putter to practice your short game. Both factors are vital to success.

Just like in golf, it’s important to set short- and long-term career goals. Although you should always have your eye on the big picture, don’t forget to break down your long-term goals into smaller, short-term goals.

For example, you can’t drive a golf ball 150 yards unless you have a smooth swing. The same concept applies to your career. For instance, just because a job offer promises more money now doesn’t make it a good move five years from now.

Think ahead and determine how it will affect your long-term goals in your career. This is similar to balancing your golf strategy.

See Also: A Guide to Developing Your Career Prospect

Play the Wind

Factors outside of your control often determine whether you’ll have a good game of golf. Whether it’s windy or it begins to rain, as a golfer, you must be prepared to go with the flow and adapt to the elements.

Just like the weather during golf, your career has a lot of aspects you can’t control. According to a 2016 LinkedIn survey, adaptability is one of the most in-demand soft skills. This is why it’s important to be prepared for anything as you make big career decisions.

Many doors will open and close throughout your career and it’s important to be willing to go with the flow. Maybe a job you think would end up being the perfect fit ends up having a company culture that doesn’t align with your values.

Anticipate the unexpected and prepare for how you will adapt to missteps.

Enjoy the Sand Traps

Golf can put many players in challenging situations, including hitting a sand bunker shot. Even the best players can lose their confidence when trying to hit a golf ball out of a bunker. It’s important to have patience and a positive attitude as you approach the challenging shot.

One way to overcome challenging situations is to change your mindset. Researcher Dr. Carol Dweck defines a growth mindset as understanding that abilities and intelligence can be developed over time.

A fixed mindset, on the other hand, can hold you back in your career. If you avoid obstacles in your career, like avoiding sand traps, you’ll never grow as a professional or a golfer.

When your ball lands in the bunker, remember that it’s a learning experience and not a failure. Be patient and treat your mistakes as growth opportunities. Reflect on what went wrong and determine how effort can lead to mastery in your career.

Take Practice Swings

The biggest secret to success in a game of golf is practice. It could take years to perfect your grip and make the perfect shot. But as long as you are consistent and have a positive attitude, you can get closer to reaching your goals and improving your game.

It’s also important to research and plan your career. In other words, take a few practice swings before teeing off.

Spend time exploring different options and trying different roles. Before pursuing new opportunities, conduct informational interviews and consult professionals. This way, you will figure out whether you want to continue down a specific career path before you dive all the way in.

Having a strong golf game and a successful career takes time. As you manage your career, remember to focus on building your skills, keep your goals in check and be willing to adapt to different situations. These qualities will help you navigate new career opportunities and also prepare you for a successful and rewarding career.

What other career management lessons have you learned from playing golf?

See Also: 4 Things Tom Brady Can Teach You About Career Management

 

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Feeling bored doesn’t have to mean you don’t love your partner anymore. It’s probably just the right time to find something new and interesting to do together. Taking up a new hobby is one great way to start.

It will give you something new to talk about. It can give you and your partner a fresh perspective, too.

If you are curious to know, take a look at these six hobbies for couples that you can try out today. They might just bring you and your partner closer together.

Cooking

Whether it is Japanese or French, learning a new cuisine can be loads of fun for couples. It’s not only enjoyable and creative, but it can also let you learn new things.

Taking a class is an excellent way to start. If you don’t want to leave the house, there are many YouTube video tutorials and online classes you can check out at little or no charge. With a little practice, you’ll soon be able to try new and intriguing recipes.

Cooking together provides an excellent chance to take charge of your health. Besides, every chef needs an assistant, so it makes a perfect partner activity.

Physical Training

There are a variety of sports that are best done with a partner. Biking, running, weight-lifting, yoga and hiking are great examples.

Picking something that is fun and challenging for both of you will give you the opportunity to really support one another. It will also give you the chance to better your health and achieve things you never thought possible before.

Who would be better to cross a finish line with than the person you love the most?

With physical training, you’ll get the satisfaction of having pushed yourself to new heights as well as being able to form a deep connection with your partner.

Language

Learning a new language is one the most difficult yet useful things you can do.

Have you ever thought about traveling to another country?

If yes, then pick a place that interests you both. Once you have selected a place, you can begin doing your research. You can use online programs, software and apps so you can learn that country’s language from the comfort of your home.

You and your partner can learn and practice together. It won’t be long before you can say “I love you” in another language.

See Also: 5 Tips to Learn Languages by Reading Foreign Books

Games

It may sound like child’s play, but learning a new game is an excellent way to keep your mind sharp. You can try board, video or online games.

Most of these games require a lot of thought and strategy to master. These things can help build important relationship skills, like communication and respect. It can also teach you a lot about teamwork, too.

See Also: Video Games and Relationships: A List of Pros and Cons

Dancing

Whether it is ballroom or hip-hop, dancing is a rewarding pastime, especially with a partner. Learning choreographed moves to music helps build coordination, mental acuity and physical health. Doing it with someone you love makes it all the more fun. Dancing can also be very sultry and romantic. This can bring you closer both physically and mentally.

Building or Refinishing Projects

Maybe you have an old piece that needs updating already. If not, take the time to scour garage sales or flea markets with your partner and find cool items that you can update. Hunting for that hidden gem is a great activity to do together.

Even if they have no place in your home once done, you may be able to sell them again for a profit. Engaging your creativity along with your partner’s and then working toward a common goal, will bring you closer.

Conclusion

No matter what your hobby of choice is, having something that you can do as a couple can help deepen your relationship. Remember, hobbies for couples don’t have to be expensive. There are lots of tutorials you can find on the internet.

Hobbies can be therapeutic in general and, for a couple, that can translate to a stronger and happier relationship. Who knows, you may even discover some interesting new things about each other or yourself that you never knew before.

The post 6 Hobbies For Couples That Can Strengthen Your Relationship appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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How far away do you live from your job? Ten minutes? Thirty minutes? An hour?

If you live far from your job or if you drive a lot, these fuel efficient driving tips will liberate you from spending precious minutes and dollars at the gas pump.

I’ve collected my own data to compile this list to ensure that you’ll come up with the same money-saving results I got. Take note that the more aware you are as a driver, the better results you will reap from this information.

I’ve had these tips put into practice with my own driving for years and saved hundreds of dollars on gas money.

Have a steady foot

You may not have heard of a steady foot, but how about a lead foot?

A lead foot is not ideal for gas mileage because the throttle is linear. What do I mean by that? Simply put, the harder you press the gas pedal, the more fuel is sent to the engine and burned up.

You’re never going to see that fuel again.

Being too aggressive with the throttle will use up your gas quickly. Instead, be light with the pedal. Never put it all the way to the floor. And if you really want to save gas, don’t even go past halfway.

You might be thinking, “I wish there’s some gauge or instrument that can help me out with this.”

Well, there is!

It’s called the tachometer and it’s the second large gauge next to the speed. Here’s a picture of it, the one with numbers 1 through 8.

Also called the RPMs (revolutions per minute x 1000), this gauge basically measures how hard the engine is working. The higher the number displayed on the tachometer, the more fuel is being used to move the car forward.

So, it’s easy to see how lower RPMs makes for less fuel consumption.

To keep the RPMs low, work on being easy with the throttle. As I put it before, have a steady foot.

My rule is to always keep the RPMs below 2000 or 2. Although I speed up quite slower than everybody around me, I am saving a ton of gas in the long run by doing this every time I start.

Prepare for the hills

For most of us, our daily driving doesn’t consist completely of flat road. To be more realistic, we have to throw in some hills, dips and slopes.

So, how do we prepare for this kind of terrain?

Think back to when you were a kid riding your bike down a hill. You could fly down that thing with no effort while still being fast.

Well, it’s the same thing for your car.

When you see a hill coming, slowly begin to accelerate enough to compensate for the hill but don’t exceed 2000 RPMs. Upon reaching the hill, adjust back to normal cruising RPMs. Try to keep it as low as possible. Personally, I aim for 1250. Your goal is to have the speed back to whatever your cruising speed was before the hill.

Note: I would not use cruise control unless you are on flat roads. The car’s computer does not anticipate terrain and therefore cannot adequately prepare for it.

Of course, the result you can get from this tip will depend on the size of the hill. After you reach the top, you can use the downhill slope to gain speed without using any gas.

Basically, you need to ride it like a roller coaster while using the gas pedal as little as possible.

Don’t use the brakes so much

On today’s roads, everyone is constantly driving bumper to bumper. Not only is this dangerous, but it wastes a ton of gas as well.

Be the smart driver on the road. Allow for plenty of room between yourself and the guy in front of you.

Why?

How many times have you approached a stop light and started braking 15 feet before you reached the light? You came to a screeching stop at the line only to realize that the light turned green and you need to start your car again.

There’s a big problem with this.

Your car uses a whole lot more energy to get going from a standstill. So, by stopping and starting constantly, you’re essentially throwing away gas.

Instead, as you approach a red light, start coasting as you get nearer. It will take you longer to get to the light and it may even turn green while you’re coasting towards it. This way, you won’t waste gas by starting your car from a full stop. Do this continually and you’ll be able to save a significant amount of gas money.

There are a ton of ways to save money on gas, but these are the most fuel efficient driving tips in my experience. Put these into use and start using that gas budget on more fun things!

The post 3 Practical Driving Tips To Save You Money On Gas appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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Sports massage is a form of physical therapy that is designed to help athletes prepare and recover from intense training and activity. This style of massage aims to prevent injury while supporting the repair of damaged muscles, tendons and soft tissues.

When is the right time to get one?

There is no right answer for this question as it’s subjective. Generally speaking, however, there are four main categories of sports massage: Pre, post, general and injury-specific.

Each category has a different purpose.

Pre-event

The main purpose of this style is to prepare the body for intense exercise or for an event. While some people prefer a light session, others request intense, deep work a couple days before or the night before an event.

The nature of the session depends on the request of the client. Trained masseuses adjust their routines to suit the wants and needs of their clients, especially the intensity of the session.

The athlete should feel light and refreshed after the session, not still and sluggish. Pre-event massages usually involve light strokes, dynamic/isolated stretching, and deep tissue techniques.

Post-event

The goal of a post-event massage is to minimize the onset of muscle soreness. In most cases, a runner will need a post-event massage within 26 hours of an intense workout or event to stop the body from becoming sore.

Since the muscles can undergo micro-trauma and tearing, it’s important to help the body heal. Unlike the pre-event massage, the post-event massage is lighter but slightly deeper.

It uses slow, flushing and controlled strokes as to avoid causing further damage to the muscles. It incorporates static stretching into the session, using 30-second holds to massage certain regions on the body.

Apart from the massage, athletes can also take ice baths after stretching to decrease post-work out trauma. The combination of these two treatments can drastically speed up recovery.

General massage

The purpose of a general massage is to loosen tight muscles, enhance range of motion, release trigger points and minimize the chance of injury. Generally speaking, runners tend to respond better to deep tissue work when experiencing a general massage.

It is the job of the masseuse to alter the intensity of the massage to ensure that it’s effective but won’t cause further damage. If the runner continues to experience painful, burning aches more than 36 hours after a general massage, it’s usually a sign that the masseuse has applied too much pressure.

Injury massage

Injury massage is slightly more specific than the previous styles. It is usually done to heal a specific damaged muscle, ligament or tendon. This style can be incredibly effective when applied appropriately and by a trained expert.

Similarly, athletes are advised to work alongside a doctor or physical therapist before establishing a proper treatment plan. Every injury is unique and each treatment plan should depend on the extent or nature of the injury.

Common injuries among runners

Tendinopathies- This is an injury to one or more tendons. Trained masseuses use deep, stripping strokes on the tendon and also perform cross-fiber friction to help heal the area. You’ll need to apply ice to the injured tendon for 10-15 minutes.

Ligamentous- This is an injury to one or more ligaments and is treated similarly to tendinopathies. It also incorporates deep, stripping strokes and cross-fiber friction.

Strained muscles- Strained muscles should be treated no more than twice a week since the muscles also need time to relax between sessions. Masseuses apply deep work around the area and use light, flushing strokes on the strained muscle.

When the muscles start to heal, the masseuse will use deeper strokes and cross-fiber friction on the actual area of injury. Gradually, the intensity of the static stretch will increase and resistive stretching will be introduced towards the end.

Iliotibial Band- This is one of the most common injuries among runners. Also called as Iliotibial (IT) band syndrome, it is usually detected through pain on the outside of the knee. Treatment usually includes intense, deep massage techniques in order to work three of the gluteal muscles: the tensor fasciae, latae and the band.

Achilles Tendinopathy- This is an injury associated with the Achilles heel. Masseuses usually start with deep, stripping techniques, since the muscles and Achilles are connected, and these can tug on the tendon when tight.

Runner’s knee- Runner’s knee is easily distinguishable because it causes pain behind or around the knee. Although common among runners, it is exclusive to them. In most cases, the underlying cause is muscular imbalance in the four quad muscles.

See Also: How Runners Can Easily Improve Their Foot Strength

Study

Physiotherapist and chiropractor, Greg Lehman believes that one of the main benefits of sports massage for runners is pain relief.

“Pain changes how we function and can even inhibit healing. Massage may also help with recovery after a workout and may help get us out of a stress dominated state of our nervous system.” 

He also put emphasis on how relaxation is an overlooked, yet critical aspect of a runner’s training regime. He explained that stress can impact all elements of training, including mental strength and focus.

Studies have shown that regular massage therapy can reduce stress hormones, such as cortisol. At the same time, it can also encourage the production of hormones, such as oxytocin, which increase happiness and relaxation. The benefits of massage suggest that runners, and most athletes for that matter, can recover faster after a hard workout or an event with the help of sports massage.

Conclusion

All runners are prone to injury and sports massage is one good way to prevent that. If you aren’t comfortable seeking help from a massage therapist, self-massage is a free and easy alternative you can try.

 

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