Tag Archives: Inspiration

Lumosity Update – Part 1

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A few weeks ago I wrote a post about the effectiveness of brain training games like Lumosity. At the time, I’d be using the Lumosity iPhone app on a daily basis to see if I could measure a noticeable difference in the key areas that the Lumosity games are supposed to improve.

I’ve been continuing to use the Lumosity iPhone app as well as the Lumosity website games to train my brain. So far, my scores have been improving on a weekly basis. At first, the scores increased dramatically, and now they are increasing incrementally.

So the real question is, how are the brain training Lumosity games actually helping me in real life? Well, first off, I’ve been using Lumosity in the mornings to exercise my brain before getting to work and I notice that my creativity and “awakeness” has improved. Some of the Lumosity games actually stress me out a little bit so that helps for waking me up.

I’ve also noticed a slight improvement in my focus, especially in brainstorming and project work. Another added benefit I’ve noticed is that I feel like i’m sharper in terms of thinking quickly on my feet.

Finally, my memory in terms of recalling facts from reading or conversations has improved as well. I’ve definitely noticed this as I’ve had tons of meetings over the last little while and there is often a lot of little details to remember.

I’ve only been using Lumosity for six weeks now, so we’ll see what happens at the end of 90 days. The challenge is that although I am noticing an improvement in the areas I mentioned above, I’m not sure if this can be directly attributed to Lumosity or to other factors that i’m not thinking about.

I’ll check back with you at the end of my 90 trial period!

You should follow Matt on Twitter!

5 Ways to Spark Your Creativity

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Feeling stuck or mentally blocked? I find that there are a number of ways that help me get the creative juices flowing.

Here are my top 5 tips to stimulating the creativity muscle:

1) Spend time in silence

I meditate most days and even spend time driving around in my car in silence. Stopping for a few moments and taking a break from absorbing information or concentrating on a project really helps me open up to new ideas and methods for tackling a project.

2) Writing

I use Julia Cameron’s technique of writing morning pages each day to clear out the mental junk in my head and open up space for creativity. Check out the “Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron for more information.

3) Having Great Conversations

This is a really helpful practice to getting you inspired and energized. I find that if I’m feeling blocked, and I have a great conversation with somebody, I immediately benefit from the inspiration and ideas that come to me. My 30 day challenge idea came from a great conversation.

4) Cross functional activities

If you focus too much on one area, you’ll find that your creativity is limited. Try exposing yourself to new books, activities and people. I got really into rock climbing last year, and it was a fantastic way for me to learn about myself and also think about things differently.

5) Read good books

I usually read a lot of non-fiction but recently I started reading more literature. I finished “Pride and Prejudice” and now i’m working on “The Great Gatsby”. Good books are awesome at stimulating the brain in different ways.

You should follow Matt on Twitter!

Should I Get an MBA ?

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I’ve been thinking a lot recently about whether or not I should consider getting an MBA. In conversations with business people, academics and friends, I’ve gotten pretty mixed responses about what the perceived value of an MBA is. There are tons of articles out there siting both the benefits and disadvantages of an MBA.

A mentor of mine who has an MBA in addition to a number of other credentials states he thinks the market is saturated with MBAs and so I’d be better off getting a more technical credential such as an accounting designation. His reasoning is that these days, specific skill sets and applied education are more marketable to employers.

Part of the reason why I want to get an MBA is because I would like to get some more formal education. I learn a lot from reading, keeping up to date with the latest industry trends and having great conversations, but it isn’t quite the same as completing a MBA. I remember when I was finishing my undergraduate degree in business administration and I took fantastic class on business strategy. Working with my professor and with my peers, I challenged myself in ways that I just don’t get to do anymore. There was something invigorating about trying to solve business problems with a group of people who are all highly invested in the outcome.

Josh Kaufman wrote a great book called “The Personal MBA“, which delves into this subject at length. The primary idea in his book is that an MBA can be useful; however, it depends on what you want to do with it. He argues that if you want to be an entrepreneur, then classroom learning might not the right fit. As an entrepreneur, I’ve always learned best by trial and error. Another factor he raises is cost. The reality is that MBAs can be extremely expensive these days and depending on the type of job or project you work on after graduation, it could be years before you recoup the benefit from lost time and money.

At this point, I’m still on the fence on whether or not an MBA is the right choice for me. I do want to work towards building a venture but i’m not sure if an MBA will get me there.

You should follow Matt on Twitter!

3 TED Talk Playlists I’m Watching Right Now

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Last year, I made a commitment to try to watch a TED Talk every morning while I ate breakfast. This lasted for a few weeks but in that time, I absorbed an enormous amount of ideas, inspiration and actionable steps for creating great work.

Recently, I noticed that TED now has playlists which are organized by topic or by an individual. This is awesome! I normally find TED Talks by browsing or clicking on a link through Facebook. Having a collection of videos on one topic, in one place is great for absorbing tons of ideas worth spreading.

If you’re looking for a little Sunday motivation, check out these three awesome TED Talk playlists I’m watching right now. (I’ve noticed you can’t embed playlists the same way you share individual talks so the playlist links are embedded in the titles) I’ve embedded my favorite video from each playlist into the post.

1) Work smarter (11 talks)

Work smarter is a fantastic collection of TED Talks including some of my favorite authors such as Simon Sinek (Start with Why), Shawn Achor (The Happiness Advantage) and Jason Fried (37 Signals).

2) The Creative Spark (10 talks)

The Creative Spark includes inspiring talks by Elizabeth Gilbert (Your elusive creative genius), Ken Robinson (Schools kill creativity) and David Kelly (How to build your creative confidence). Elizabeth Gilbert’s talk is one my absolute favorite TED Talks.

3) A Better You (11 talks)

The A Better You playlist is a collection of success masters ranging from John Wooden to Tony Robbins. Make sure to check out Matt Cutt’s talk on “Try something new for 30 days”.

You should follow Matt on Twitter!

3 To Do List Apps That Will Change Your Life

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Today kicks off my 30 day challenge to write a new blog post every day. I’m pretty excited to see how it turns out!

I frequently write about productivity tools I use, but today I’m going to tell you about the 3 essential tools I use for keeping my To Do lists from overwhelming me.

Each app has different features and benefits but together, they make for a kick ass team of organizational mojo.

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1) Astrid

Astrid is a standard to To Do list app that allows you to create lot’s of different lists and reminders. Out of the three tools, I use Astrid the most because of its accessibility of having both iOS apps and a web app. Once you set a reminder on Astrid, it will pop up on your phone with funny messages if you don’t check it off before the task is due.

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2) Teamly

Teamly is a web app that encourages you to try to set your top 5 priorities for the day. In the early days, Teamly would actually restrict the number of items on your list to 5. That function seems to be gone now but it is still a very useful app for establishing your daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly priorities. I use this app for project planning and to keep focused on what my key priorities each day. One great feature of this app is that you can move items forward in time so if you don’t get to them today, you can add them to tomorrow’s list. It’s great to get a snapshot of what your key priorities are for both your short and long term projects.

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3) Producteev

Producteev is similar to Astrid; however, a major feature that sets it apart from other to list apps is the ability to create sub-lists within your main list. This is really helpful for project work and for assigning other team members with tasks. I use producteev a lot for collaboration on projects as well a capture tool to allow me visualize all the small critical path items that need to get done in a project. The email feature which allows you to send tasks to other people is great for assigning responsibility right after a planning meeting.

You should follow Matt on Twitter!

10 Marketing Jobs That Didn’t Exist 10 Years Ago

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In today’s ever changing marketing landscape, technology is king. As such, the types of jobs that marketers fill has exploded into a wide variety of niches and specialties. I remember when I was studying marketing in University and all my peers had the narrow focus of having a career in advertising. Not just because advertising was prestigious and cool but because there wasn’t as much choice as there is now. The evolution of the marketing job has created so many interesting types of positions at brands both big and small. Whether you want to work on the front end of the business in customer engagement or at the end in analytics, the world is at the feet of the marketer of today.

Here are 10 Marketing Jobs that didn’t exist 10 years ago:

1) SEO and Search Marketing Specialist

2) Digital Strategist

3) Chief Marketing Technologist

4) Community Manager

5) Analytics Manager

6) Engagement Specialist

7) Social Media Coordinator

8) Conversion Manager

9) Webinar Marketing Manager

10) PPC Marketing Specialist

I’m curious to see what the next 10 years brings for the marketing industry as well as how jobs in the field will evolve.

You should follow Matt on Twitter!

10 Ways to Become More Valuable to Your Company

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Feeling undervalued? Here are 10 ways to become more valuable to your company:

1) Keep up to date with the latest technologies and practices in your industry.

2) Improve your knowledge through professional development opportunities, conferences and classes.

3) Ask the tough questions that nobody wants to ask.

4) Join the trade association for your profession.

5) Get to work earlier and spend some time thinking about ways to improve your companies processes, business practices or customer service policies.

6) Cut down on unnecessary meetings.

7) Offer to help a colleague or senior manager with a project that may not be part of your portfolio but can add value to them.

8) Improve your communication skills to better tailor your message to your audience.

9) Find ways to increase positive media attention for your company.

10) Research new software tools that might be useful for improving the effectiveness of your company or department.

You should follow Matt on Twitter.

10 Things to Consider if You Complain About Your Job

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1) You’re getting paid.

2) If your boss is horrible to work with then it’s very unlikely that you can force them to change. Either deal with it or find a new job.

3) If you’re a professional, then it could be worse. Imagine 8 hours a day of retail instead.

4) Unless you’re a doctor, chances are that your problems and complaints aren’t about saving lives. So take a deep breath and let it go.

5) Don’t define yourself by you career. There is so much more to live for. Focus on building an amazing life in which your career is just one part of it.

6) Your friends are tired of hearing you complain about your job.

7) Although you may be at your job for money, security…etc. no one is keeping you there. You can make a decision today and walk out the door if it’s really that bad.

8) If you are overwhelmed with your work load, try getting to work really early and getting a jump on the day. Chances are, you’ll get more done before 8:00am than the whole rest of the day.

9) Get work done at work. If you have to work a lot of overtime and your complaining about it, consider what your doing during the day that isn’t giving you the time to get your stuff done. If it’s meetings, try to cut down on them. If it’s socializing, definitely eliminate the distractions. Keep track of how you’re spending your days and you might be surprised at how much time is being wasted.

10) Attitude is everything. Approach your job, career and work as if it’s the most important thing you could be doing. If you work a 9-5 job, then make that time count.  I spend time on Sundays preparing for my week. This generally includes preparing my Task lists, figuring out my schedule and also planning fun social activities during the week.

As with everything, all of these ideas are easier said than done. But definitely worth thinking about. What would you add to the list?

You should follow Matt on Twitter.

Two Tools To Help Maintain Your New Year’s Resolutions

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So, we are now sitting in the fourth week of January and a lot of people have either abandoned their New Year’s Resolutions or never got to them in the first place.

Today, I want to offer up two valuable tools for maintaining those resolutions from two of my favorite entrepreneurs.

(Side note, I just finished reading “The Power Of Habit ” by Charles Duhigg and the best way to keep your New Year’s Resolutions is to make it a habit. Check out the book for more great ideas on developing habits)

Tool 1 – Write down 10 goals each day in a notebook. 

Tip taken from Brian Tracy, Entrepreneur, Sales Trainer and Business Coach

The specific practice is to write down 10 goals each day when you wake up to get you focused on what your life and professional priorities are. Brian recommends using a spiral notebook so that you can write down your goals and refer to them later. Once you write down your 10 goals, don’t look at what you’ve written until the end of 30 days. By not referring to what you wrote down yesterday, you will be forced to come up with new ideas for goals and reinforce the ones that are important to you. At the end of 30 days, you’ll find some really neat patterns and have a much more solid idea of what you are working towards.

Tool 2 – Write down a “When Life Works List”.

Tip taken from Sean Stephenson, Entrepreneur

The “When Life Works List” is a really neat tool. Essentially it is a list of habits and activities that need to happen in order for you to have an awesome day. Compiling this list and hitting 5-6 of them every day will keep you motivated and help you keep those resolutions.

This is an example of what my list looks like:

1) Morning Meditation

2) Eating a healthy breakfast

3) An hour of exercise

4) Reading a great book or article for 20 minutes

5) Having a conversation with friends that keep me accountable for my goals

6) A cup of really good tea

7) Writing a blog post

All of these things help me move towards my goals whether i’m having a good or bad day.

Try out these tools for a month and see how they work for you. I can definitely say they’ve helped me stay motivated and inspired this year.

Say Yes More

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Like most people, I have a pretty packed schedule. Lot’s of meetings, projects, social events and of course a bit of networking. I keep my life pretty structured so I can try to pack as much as I can in. To be honest, this can be boring and predictable.

I had an epiphany last week when I was at a networking event and a bunch of friends I know invited me out for dinner with them after. I politely declined (as per my usual response) and said that I had an early morning squash game. As I grabbed my coat and walked out the door, I had this feeling of regret for not being spontaneous and just going out for dinner. Who know’s what could happen. Maybe I could have engaged in a great conversation which sparked a new business idea. Or maybe I listened to somebody talk about their life and got a boost of inspiration. Or maybe I could stumbled upon a new job opportunity. Who knows? The thing is, I missed out. Real networking happens when the cards get put away and you really get to know people over a drink, a coffee or a late night meal.

Some people might say that I simply have a case of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). And maybe I do. But I realized today that for me, this is a pattern. When you structure your life too much, you miss out on opportunities to engage with awesome people and do spontaneous things. Who know’s what waits for you just around the corner at the local coffee shop or restaurant. Could be an adventure!

So the next time somebody asks you out for a social event on a whim, do yourself a favour and say “yes!”.