jeaninehughes-blog

[jeaninehughes-blog]

Hey Peeps!

Big news! I’m baaaaaaack with a totally fab, brand spankin’ new website filled with tons of great new stuff to help you stay dialed in on just the things that matter to you - work, play, life or just a little inspiration. You’ll find it there!

Look, I may not know it all, but This Much I Know, there’s isn’t enough time to manage all your work, family, personal responsibilities AND do the leg work to stay up on the latest books, blogs, new music and trends that matter to you, right? Well, problem solved! I’ll do it for you! I’ll be your filter. And better yet, I’ll deliver it right to your inbox. So grab a glass of wine. I got you!

After all, my aim is simply to give you what you need to save time and kick some ass in life, and work! So come on over to www.jeaninehughes.com and see how!

And hey, if you like what you see, do us both a favor and tell a friend! We’ll both love your for it!

xo

Jeanine

#this_much_I_know #jeanine #hughes #success #life #work

[jeaninehughes-blog]

(via https://soundcloud.com/whilkandmisky/babe-im-yours?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=tumblr)

Loving this and had to share!

#SoundCloud #Whilk and Misky #Whilk & Misky #Babe I'm Yours

[jeaninehughes-blog]

News Flash: It’s NOT About Balance.

So much is made of striking a balance in our lives, whether it’s eating a balanced diet, striving for spiritual balance, or the constant struggle for work/life balance. And yet despite our every effort, are our lives ever really balanced? And is that the end game?

The older I get the more I question this need to be “balanced”. Maybe it’s just a rationalization but I can’t help but feel that instead of worrying about balance in our lives we’d be better off focusing our energy on just having a happy, fulfilling life.

Of course, to be truly happy and fulfilled our “occupation” should be something we love, not something we merely endure. Because, if we love what we do, then it’s not work, it’s just part of who we are.

The key is to figure out what it is you love and how you can make a living from it. It means finding your niche, the thing you were meant to do.  Easier said than done, right?  Of course, but everything worthwhile requires work. And you’re worth it!

So, where do you start? Here is a little something I think will help. Well-known author and speaker Sir Ken Robinson recently wrote a book titled, Finding Your Element that aims to tackle this very issue. In his book he says, and I’m paraphrasing, there are 4 important steps to consider as you try to find your niche. 

Start by identifying that thing you are naturally good at. Something you believe you have a real knack for. Having difficulty figuring out what that is? Think for a moment about the times in your life when others (colleagues, coaches, teachers, friends, significant others) have told you that you are really good at something. What was that? Often it takes someone else to point out our talents for us to see them ourselves.

Next, make sure your talent is also something you are passionate about. Something you love and that feeds you spiritually. This is key because these are things that you do for the sheer pleasure of the experience, not for monetary reward. They are also things that energize you. Unlike things that you might describe as “work” which have a tendency to be draining. Also, keep in mind, that sometimes we love things that we’re not all that good at. Be brutally honest with yourself. Stick to things for which you have a natural talent. That’s what you’re meant to do.

Once you’ve identified the thing you’re naturally good at and energized by, you need to spend time with it. To borrow an idea from “Outliers” author Malcolm Gladwell, you need to accumulate your 10,000 hours of experience honing your talent in order to develop an expertise in it. You’ll also need this time to figure out how you can adapt this talent for professional purposes. In short, how can you make a living doing it?

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, once you’ve honed in on your specific niche, don’t assume it’s something everyone can do. Often, when something comes easily to us we have a tendency to downplay its significance.  Don’t de-value your talent! Use it to your advantage.

See, you don’t need balance! You just need to find your niche.

 Now get after it!

 -Jeanine

#TMIK

[jeaninehughes-blog]

Have you ever struggled to come up with an effective “elevator pitch”?  One that you thought really captured who you are and the value you provide without saying too much or being too confusing?

As Steve Jobs famously said, simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. But sometimes trying to keep it short and sweet can be impossibly difficult. Especially when it comes to describing who we are and why we matter in just a sentence or two.

For many people this can be paralyzing. After all, what if we leave out something that would have resonated with the listener? What if we sound inexperienced because we tried to keep it short? Will it leave the listener unimpressed? Will they think it sounds canned and corny? This is why I for one have always hated the elevator pitch.

Until, I started to think about it differently. This new perspective really worked for me; perhaps it will be a help to you as well.

For starters, stop pressuring yourself into thinking of your pitch as a sentence that needs to make an immediate sale. It doesn’t need to do that much. An effective pitch just needs to engage the listener enough for them to want to hear more. The real key here is to remember that the pitch is actually not about you. It’s about them. Your value is not what you do; it’s what you do for others.

Also, keep in mind that your pitch needs to appeal to a 21st century audience. What do I mean by this? You need to be mindful that you are competing for your listeners’ attention with their smartphone, the television, the person standing next to them, and a whole host of other distractions. So try to keep it brief. Also, skip the industry buzzwords and speak plainly. Often using jargon does more to confuse or otherwise turn-off the listener than to engage them.

And finally, think strategically about your pitch.  Ask yourself, “after hearing my pitch, what do I want someone to know?” Or, “What do I want them to feel, or do?” Make sure your pitch answers these questions.

Now go out there and wow them!

Was this a help? If so, do me a favor and share this mother like wildfire!

-Jeanine 

#TMIK

[jeaninehughes-blog]

Hedge Funder Paul Tudor Jones II: Why we need to rethink capitalism

As Paul Tudor Jones points out: corporate profit margins are at a 40 yr. high. Sounds good right? Well, for the average american worker, not so much. Here’s why, higher corporate profit margins don’t increase societal wealth instead, it actually exacerbates income inequality. Why? Because the top 10% of American families own 90% of stocks. So they are the ones who benefit from higher corporate profits. This in turn  leaves less wealth for the rest of society. 

So how do we fix it? Well, historically the fix has been a) revolution b) higher taxes or c) war. Mr. Tudor Jones has another more civil suggestion. In this short Ted Talk to explains.

I thought this was very thought provoking and super easy to follow so I wanted to share. Have at it!

[jeaninehughes-blog]

I wouldn’t recommend doing this on the first date but, if your relationship gets to the point where you think it might be one for the long haul these are important things to talk about with your partner. 

..As someone who’s been married over 20 years I can tell you they are definitely important subjects to get out in the open early on.

[jeaninehughes-blog]

Suffice it to say, there’s a reason this TED Talk has nearly 33 million views.

Have at it - 

Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining and profoundly moving case for creating an education system that nurtures (rather than undermines) creativity.

[jeaninehughes-blog]

A clear goal is key to effective leadership, says fashion mogul Diane von Furstenberg. “If you can explain the goal to yourself first, then to your team, you will be on the path to meeting that goal.”

[jeaninehughes-blog]

Satellite Images Show Vast Tent Cities Sheltering Displaced After Nepal Earthquake

Satellite images of Nepal released on Tuesday show the sprawling tent cities in and around the capital of Kathmandu, where thousands are sheltering after Saturday’s earthquake. See more here. 

[jeaninehughes-blog]

Satellite Images Show Vast Tent Cities Sheltering Displaced After Nepal Earthquake

Satellite images of Nepal released on Tuesday show the sprawling tent cities in and around the capital of Kathmandu, where thousands are sheltering after Saturday’s earthquake. See more here. 

[jeaninehughes-blog]

So true.

Read on..

Entrepreneurs don’t need to disrupt an industry in order to create a successful product or service. Professor Stefanos Zenios believes the most successful innovations build incrementally on existing ideas. Read the full Fast Company article: http://stnfd.biz/oEbzR

[jeaninehughes-blog]

“It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.” – Albert Einstein

The genius in this quote is not just that it came from Albert Einstein who we all know is well, an actual smarticle particle. - Its real impact is in its simplicity and its ability to divine the essence of success.

We like to think that people who are uber successful, are just freaks of nature; that they possess a superior intellect or extraordinary talent that results in their being “discovered” while the rest of us toil away in obscurity.

The reality is that there are no overnight “discoveries”  – in anything. Additionally, and I know my younger self would have had trouble believing this, it’s ultimately not about the smarts or the talent as much as it’s about a person’s belief in themselves and a willingness to persevere and do the work day in and day out.

How many times have you heard a friend, family member or colleague lament that life has somehow conspired to keep them from being more successful than they are. After all, they may grouse that they’re bright, talented and are great networkers. All of which is certainly very important to success.

But here’s the real question: how bad did they really want it? And for how long were they willing to persevere to reach their goals? Because, it’s not about putting forth some crazy, intense burst of energy for days, weeks or even months. Real success comes from an unglamorous, even painful, yet sustained effort, over a period of years, maybe even decades.  - Without the guarantee of a payoff.

I know, what I’m saying kind of sucks. Yeah, sorry. - Actually, not sorry. You know why? Because the world is filled with smart, talented, well connected and totally mediocre people who never achieve big success because working that hard, for that long, without knowing if there will be a reward, doesn’t seem worth it to them. So they rationalize that they’re ok where they are.  Until of course, some less talented but super hard working schmo passes them by. Then they’ll complain about the injustice of being passed over by someone they think they are better than. But you know what, even this won’t motivate them to change. They’ll just continue to complain.  What these kinds of people fail to realize is that while their talent and connections gave them an advantage in the beginning of their career, the longer you’re in the game the less sheer talent matters and the more hard work and persistence play a role.

These underachievers, because of their lack of grit, have essentially taken themselves out of the competition. Bad for them, but good for you. You know why? Because that means less competition on your climb to the top!

You don’t have to worry that you’re not the most talented, the smartest, or the most connected person – you just need to be willing to work harder than the competition every single day, day in and day out, year in and year out. - Even when there is no sign of a payoff in sight.

And then I promise, extraordinary things will happen.

This much I know.

-Jeanine

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[jeaninehughes-blog]

“The human failing I would most like to correct is aggression...it threatens to destroy us all.” - Stephen Hawking

[jeaninehughes-blog]

More awesome diagramatical sh*t: 

The Creative Process

#creative #thismuchiknow #diagram #fun #inspiration

[jeaninehughes-blog]

A Woman’s Place Is on Late Night

Goodbye, Jon Stewart. And Hello to a Host of Possibilities

It's time. Don't you think?

#thismuchiknow #equality

[jeaninehughes-blog]

Lead from within.

#motivate #lead #thismuchiknow