Author: Tony Fasulo

We’ve heard the “tagline” on the Vodafone advert which says it’s “good to talk” haven’t we?
However, we tend nowadays to do the opposite. In fact, we rely more and more on the written word, via abbreviated text messages, short IM (Instant Message) or mail message, that we have forgotten the art of communication using our voices.
The problem of communicating with only messages instead of our voices is that the message is condensed and many times abbreviated where the actual message meaning is lost or at best, becomes ambiguous.

When we are using our voice and speaking to someone face to face (or on the phone) we can clarify what we are hearing there and then, to ensure we have fully understood what the sender is saying. Because after all, communication is not merely a one-way system, it is a two-way system.

The result with merely using messages? Mixed messages where the recipient gets the wrong end of the stick!
We, humans, are strange too… When we do receive a message we aren’t sure about, we don’t ask for clarification, but rather we fill in the “blanks” and make assumptions on what the message is supposed to convey. And often than not, we get this wrong.

So I say to you, ditch the messages and go and talk instead.

Because it IS “good to talk!”

No-one is better than you. We are all human beings. Someone may have achieved more in the time they have, but all that means is that they have been more productive, it doesn’t mean they are BETTER than you.

After all, we all go to the toilet the same and our blood is the same colour when we bleed regardless of what we “look” like, because we are all part of the human race.

So don’t feel intimidated if someone has achieved more. Just be respectful of them for their achievements, but remember you could do the same if you choose to. Especially if you repeat exactly the same things they did to get there.

We’ve all heard knowledge is power right?

Well, it’s wrong!

It should be “Applied Knowledge is Power”!

Otherwise, you could study and learn all the knowledge in the world but leave that knowledge sitting in your head doing nothing, does that make you powerful? I have to disagree!

It’s only powerful when you apply that knowledge. If it just sits in your mind and you do nothing with it, then it is just wasted and the argument must be, why bother to have learned it in the first place if you aren’t going to use it?

So if you acquire knowledge, realize that “applying” that knowledge will give you power!

Having problems breaking a bad habit that you know you shouldn’t do anymore?

Well, we humans on occasion take comfort from the things we shouldn’t do, and then when you’ve done them a while, they become habits and then can be quite difficult to reverse.

A good way of breaking a habit is to record yourself on video (using a smartphone or webcam) talking about your habit and why you want to break the habit.
You record yourself on video each night. (Try and do the recording at the same time each night, so this too becomes a routine).

Now when you record yourself it only needs to last 30 seconds to a minute in length. You can do longer if you wish, but short and sweat is best.

So remember, all you do it just talk about your bad habit and why you would like it to stop.  Mention that you value yourself, so that is more reason to break the habit because you realise it isn’t doing you good.

It is almost like a video diary to yourself,  but not quite. It is like a lesson to you, from you!

Don’t delete the video, just watch them after you had recorded them. Then keep them and revisit them, watching them in sequence.

You will find that being accountable to yourself via a video, seems to work very well.

If you’re brave enough to show a loved one, then that is good too, but make sure whoever you show them to won’t do something negative and ridicule you.

If you’re not sure whether to show them to anyone, then don’t. Just keep them for yourself.

Watching yourself back talking about a habit you need to break, is a great motivating factor because you will take advice from yourself.

Try it and let me know your thoughts on my facebook page at
www.facebook.com/tony.fasulo