Make the Most of What You Have

by | Apr 12, 2016 | Learning

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Sometimes it’s all too easy to think about the things you don’t have.

But writing down 3 things I’m grateful for every night has had an interesting benefit. It reminds me to to take full advantage of everything I already have.

Here are a few examples:

Your employer. Are you taking advantage of on-the-job and other learning opportunities at your company? I thought about this today as I completed an online marketing course on building strong brands through my company’s learning portal. It’s a blessing to be in an environment that invests in and focuses on learning and development for the future.

Your professional association. If you belong to a professional group, are you taking full advantage of the many networking, learning and leadership opportunities? I enjoy the webinars available through organizations such as IABC, PRSA and SHRM, plus the great professional networking in the Forum Group of senior-level corporate communicators.

Your alma mater. Are you involved with your college or grad school? There are great opportunities to give back through volunteering, mentoring and speaking. And you have a built-in network at your alma mater. If you live nearby, you can attend sporting and cultural events.

Your library. Many libraries are providing all kinds of new services, from e-books to the Lynda.com online learning platform. I love the “new releases” section of my library, where I can load up on interesting books for free.

Your gym. Is there a new class you could try at your gym? They’re often included with the membership and are a great way to add variety to your fitness routine. I’ve enjoyed sampling a variety of yoga classes, adding stretching and balancing to my cardio and weight program.

Your video provider. What are you streaming these days? I love my DIRECTV app and the apps I can access with my subscription, like HBO GO and TVLand. (Full disclosure: I work for this company and opinions in this blog are my own.) Great entertainment is always with my on my phone or tablet.

Your smartphone. How can your smartphone make your life easier? What new apps can you download? Your smartphone connects you to practically everything and everyone. A good question to ask when starting any new project is how you can do it on your smartphone. Mine is coming in especially handy for my daily 10 minutes of Spanish study on my Rosetta Stone app.

Your community. What’s going on in your community? Are there free concerts coming up this spring and summer? Other information and learning opportunities? These are great ways to connect with your neighbors and get more enjoyment from the community you call home.

How do you make the most of what’s already in your life?

Great Blogs About Marketing Analytics and Big Data

by | Apr 11, 2016 | Learning, Marketing & Analytics

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Since small steps add up to big change, what are some blogs that accelerate learning about marketing analytics and big data?

A great place to start is with this post: Want to Learn Marketing Analytics? Start With These 9 Great Resources.

From that and other searches, these are 3 to check out regularly.

  • The KISSmetrics Blog. Here there’s daily content about marketing analytics, marketing and testing.
  • Alexandra Samuel’s blog. Here this “technology researcher, writer and strategist” covers how the social web is changing every aspect of our lives.

Is this last one strictly about marketing analytics and big data? No, it’s bigger than that. It’s about life.

And isn’t the point of analytics and big data to enable better decisions and therefore better lives?

 

My post 6 Brilliant Blogs for Marketers covers more general marketing blogs, including FiveThirtyEight on “using statistical analysis to tell compelling stories.”

Small Steps, Significant Progress

by | Apr 10, 2016 | Change, Learning, Work/Life

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Driving across the Golden Gate Bridge this week got me thinking about how small steps add up to big things over time.

Was it really true that the bridge has to be painted 365 days a year? Turns out the answer is no. It’s an urban legend.

Of course, touch ups are required. Just as they are in our own lives.

And spending a few minutes each day on important goals can make it easier to achieve them. That’s what I’m attempting with my Spanish studies. If I can’t consistently devote a half hour every day, how about 10 minutes?

Technology makes this even easier than when I made my first attempt to learn Spanish a few years ago. Now I have a Rosetta Stone app on my phone and my tablet. It’s available anytime and anywhere. The only start-up time required is plugging in my earbuds and tapping on the app. Easy and effortless.

My daughter was amused last night at the airport when I squeezed in my 10 minutes of Spanish. But if I keep this up for a year, it will equal 60 hours of study. That’s better than zero. And perhaps as the days and months go by I’ll find that I can double and triple the time.

After all, it’s easier to ramp up the momentum on something already underway.

 

The photo above was taken in spring 2014 when my sister, Katie, and I walked across the Golden Gate Bridge and back from Marin County. Small steps added up to a beautiful and invigorating 3-mile walk that morning.