Introduction to Civil Litigation

Introduction to Civil LitigationIntroduction to Civil LitigationWhat Is Civil Litigation? When two or more parties become embroiled in a legal dispute seeking money or another specific performance rather than criminal sanctions, civil litigation is the result. They must instead head to the courtroom for trial so a judge or jury can decide the matter. A lawyer who specializes in civil litigation is known as a litigator or a trial lawyer. He represents clients across a broad spectrum of associated proceedings, including pretrial hearings and depositions, as well as arbitration or mediation before administrative agencies or court personnel. Arbitration and mediation are processes that attempt to guide the parties toward settlement without the time and expense of going to court. Types of Civil Litigation Civil litigation encompasses a broad range of disputes, and litigators generally specialize in one or two specific practice areas. Several common areas include Environmental lawLandl ord/tenant disputesProduct liabilitylawsuitsPersonal injuryclaimsIntellectual propertydisputesConstruction liability lawsuitsMedical malpractice claimsEmployment and labordisputesReal estate lawsuitsAnti-trust litigationWorkers compensation claimsEducation lawdisputesDivorce lawsuits Civil litigation can be loosely defined as a legal process in which criminal charges and penalties are not at issue. The Role of a Civil Litigation Lawyer The role and responsibilities of a civil litigation attorney can be challenging and diverse. It is an adversarial process with two or more parties pitted against each other. The attorney is his clients advocate, obligated to fight for him to achieve the best possible outcome on the clients behalf. Lawyersspecializing in this field must be willing to assume oppositional positions, to embrace conflict and controversy, and to effectively act as human pit bulls in defense of their clients. Attorneys and litigation paralegals in this field often work l ong hours, especially during a trial. Certain skills and knowledge are essential tolitigation practice.Key legal skillsinclude Knowledge of substantive and procedural lawStrong written and oral advocacy skillsAnalytical and logical reasoning abilitiesAbility to synthesize complex legal and factual materialsSuperior interpersonal skillsKnowledge of legal research techniques and softwareClient development skillsNegotiation skills The Life Cycle of a Typical Civil Litigation Case Civil litigation can be divided into several stages, including investigation, pleadings, discovery, pretrial proceedings, potential settlement or trial, and even appeal.Discovery is typically the longest and most labor-intensive stage of a case. Unlike the way theyre often portrayed on television, civil attorneys spend comparatively little time in the trial. Much of their time is devoted to the discovery stage the exchange of information pertinent to the case through depositions, interrogatories, and sub poenas. The latter are demands for information or documents from third parties. Depositions and interrogatories involve questions posed under penalty of perjury to the parties in a lawsuit. Deposition questions are posed orally under oath. Interrogatories are written questions. Not every lawsuit passes through each stage in fact, most dont. The majority of lawsuits are settled by agreement of the parties and never reach the courtroom. Parties can settle during a trial, even after a jury has begun deliberating or has delivered a verdict. They can settle or stipulate to some aspects of the lawsuit, leaving others in the hands of the judge or jury. When a case does go all the way to trial, the entire process, from filing documents with the court to initiate the case through resolution, can take anywhere from a few months toseveral years.

Executives and integrity (according to their assistants)

Executives and integrity (according to their assistants)Executives and integrity (according to their assistants)The Secret Power In The Office is a collection of responses from 200 executive assistants regarding the questionable behavior theyve witnessed over the course of their careers.An alarming 48% expressed a first hand-account of serious misconduct within the last year alone. Abuse of company resources, sexual assault, mishandling of confidential information, and operations that pose a conflict of interests made up the majority of the breaches indexed.Young professionals and consumers, in parteicular, were found to hold their respective firms to high standards as far as integrity is concerned. This means, in a bid to ensure a healthy pool of potential employees and acquired targets, employers purport a degree of ethical behavior that they rarely observe.The report states that 30% of upper management never, seldom, or occasionally upheld to the ethical standards they professed, with a little less than 20% claiming to abide faithfully. These reports speak to a developing enmity between workers and CEOs leading to a depletion of faith in leadership and decreased productivity.According to the report, the pervasive failure to properly abide by certain policies is fueled by a fear of not meeting fiscal expectations and buttressed by a lack of concrete understanding of what ethical standards actually are.Many of the instances of misconduct mentioned were believed by many to be par for the course for the corporate world 13% of executive assistants stated that lying and cheating is simply part of the culture.What can be done?The report used the data to attempt to conjecture several methods of remedying the ethical challenges plaguing the economic community.One of the things proposed was eradicating the link between compensation and targets. Many have suggested in the past that incentive-driven targeting adversely impacts value creation. Additionally, key perform ance indicators seem to be the nucleus of much of the misconduct detailed.Accounting for every conceivable form of misconduct by creating policies for all of them obscures the aim.As the report states Ahigher number of policies produces more incentive to bend the rules or find loopholes. It also takes away peoples own responsibility.Lastly, the report suggests all firms exercise muscles of discussion. Instead of excessive reprimanding and surveillance, habitual discussion on the topic of ethics and integrity with executive consultants should be a preferred method in order to change the culture from within.

The History of the Borders Group

The History of the Borders GroupThe History of the Borders GroupThe Borders Group, Inc. welches a publicly held bookstore chain that closed its doors in September 2011. After Barnes Noble, it welches the second largest bricks-and-mortar US bookstore chain, known for the innovation of creating the first superstore. The groupincluded Borders superstores, Waldenbooks, Borders Express and Borders airport stores.Where many booksellers - even other publicly-held bookstore chains - are closely identified with one owner, the Borders Group came together through corporate acquisitions. Brentanos, Walden and Borders The Borders Group owes its history to several separate chains - Borders, Waldenbooks and Brentanos. Brentanos was the longest-lived of the three bookstore chains that eventually made up the Borders Group. The original Brentanos store was founded in 1853 in New York City, by August Brentano, a newspaperman. The second oldest of the three, Waldenbooks, was founded by Lawrence Hoyt, a rental library entrepreneur. Hoyt opened the first Walden Book Store in 1962 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania he named the bookstore for Henry David Thoreaus Walden. Over the years they were in business, Brentanos and Waldenbooks expanded their establishments into multiple-bookstore chains. In 1984, Kmart purchased Waldenbooks Waldenbooks then purchased Brentanos.Brothers Tom and Louis Borders opened their first bookstore in Ann Arbor in 1971, while they were students at the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor continues to be Borders Groups headquarters). The Borders brothers opened additional stores in Michigan, Atlanta, and Indianapolis, and developed a sophisticated system that enabled them to track bookstore sales and inventory. In addition to using it in their bookstores, they sold their Book Inventory Systems (BIS) to other booksellers, as well. In 1985, they opened their first superstore, a large-scale bookstore (with a coffee bar) that was to become the prototype of many t hat came afterward. In 1988, they hired Robert DiRomualdo, a Harvard MBA with retail experience, to help expand the business. Under his leadership, the Borders bookstore chain grew rapidly in the next four years. Kmart, then Borders IPO In 1992, with the bookstore business booming, Kmart purchased Borders and created the Borders-Walden Group. But book profits proved not to be as robust as anticipated and Kmart was having its retail troubles so, in 1995, they divested themselves of the chain of bookstores, spinning off the Borders Group with an initial public offering. The Borders Group expanded internationally beginning with a store in Singapore 1997, then opening more than 40 stores in Europe, Asia, and Australia/New Zealand and buying a 35-store chain called, appropriately, Books. Online Bookselling Threatens Borders Business Model As it became clear that zugnglich book retailing, begun by Amazon.com, was rapidly and dramatically changing the bookselling business, Borders created their online presence. But after their initial e-retail efforts resulted in short-term losses for investors, in what was in retrospecta short-sighted move, Borders scrapped its website. Due to less-than-expected profits overall, some of the booksellers private equity investors agitated about poor decisions and poor management and in 2001 DiRomualdo was replaced as CEO.

Common Cover Letter Mistakes

Common Cover Letter MistakesCommon Cover Letter MistakesAs a leading provider of professional resumes and cover letters, the team at Resume Spice has landseen it all.The only thing worse than a bad cover letter is a perfectly qualified individual whose chances at an interview are shot by a few easily avoidable errors. We dont like to see that happen.Review the list below and see if you can make any of these small, but important changes that just might help you land your next opportunity.Repeating your resume.Your cover letter is not the place to rehash your resume. Instead, its an opportunity for you to rouse the employers interest. Focus on showing why you want the job and what qualities you bring to the table.Writing too much.Its okay to write a lot when youre drafting your cover letter. But before you send it to a hiring manager, spend some time thoughtfully editing the message youre trying to convey. You want to demonstrate that youre concise, can organize your thoughts, and can communicate well.Focus on keeping your cover letter under one page. Typically, 2-3 paragraphs will do the trick.Sending the same cover letter to every company.Every job youre applying to will have its own unique requirements, so youll need to customize each of your cover letters to showcase why youre the best fit for those requirements.notlage proofreading.Read your cover letter at least three times aloud. Sometimes your eyes will skip something incorrect, but if you read it aloud, your ears will pick up on anything that doesnt sound quite right.Just to make sure youre sending a cover letter that reads well and sounds credible, send it to a trusted friend or colleague for a quick review.Bringing it togetherTweaking each cover letter is going to take some time, but no detail should be overlooked when youre trying to find your next opportunity.Let us helpIf you need a little help getting started on your cover letter or want to talk to a career consultant about how to ahem spice up y our cover letter, give Resume Spice a call or contact us to chat with one of our consultants about how our professional services can help you.

The Problem with Personal Branding

The Problem with Personal Branding The Problem with Personal Branding The last time I wrote a post about the concept of personal branding, I received several comments from people who disagreed with my point of view. Some commenters assured me that personal branding isnt about making up an image, but is about communicating who you authentically are. And I think communicating who you authentically are is really important too, so it seems were in agreement about that. But still, day-after-day I see examples of people distorting that idea in the name of personal branding. Take this post, titled Personal Branding is for EveryonePersonal branding is for your mom who wants to find a new job, and she is really talented at arranging flowers, but has never worked in a flower shop. If they could only see her designs, they would hire her instantly.OK, so far so good. Mom needs to communicate her value proposition (that shes great at arranging flowers) so she can get hired. If you want to call t hat personal branding, thats fine with me.But then we get to thisPersonal branding is for the band at the local dive bar who plays every Thursday night. Their music is amazing, but when looking at them on the stage, all the guys wear totally different clothes. They dont seem to match in any way they seem like they were pulled out from bands they were kicked out of. They dont even have a website, or a Myspace, no one knows about them. And you dont want to tell anyone about them because you are embarrassed by their appearance.OK. Changing the way they look to fit some music industry idea of a brand is not about authenticity Its about manufacturing something that doesnt exist. If their music is so fantastic, then get them the website and the MySpace page and forget about changing the way they look. The way they look is who they are (Just ask Fall Out Boy if a makeover is necessary to success). If you want to change that, dont call it personal branding call it image-making.I dont mean to single out this particular writer, but this is the common misconception that bothers me about personal branding as a concept. Too many people hear those words and, instead of hearing communicate what makes you unique and valuable, they hear create an image you think will sell.One is authentic and one isnt. One results in genuine success based on who you really are, and one results (maybe) in fleeting success for the period during which you manage to maintain the facade.At this time of all times, when so many companies are struggling just to stay afloat, can we put the emphasis on adding value rather than personal branding? Words matter and this is a term that doesnt confuse anyone. Its also the right focus, because a person who communicates an authentic homilie about how she is uniquely able to add value will succeed, even in a down market.

Top Experienced Teacher Resume Choices

Top Experienced Teacher Resume Choices Achievements are the absolute most important portion of a resume, so make certain to include them in your elementary teacher resume. Turning into a teacher may be a noble profession. If this Elementary School Teacher resume example was not sufficient for you, youre absolutely free to review various other samples and templates from our website. The resume objective is among the most crucial paragraphs in a teachers resumeif not the most essential. Nobody would like to employ a messy teacher. Superior teachers are famous for their vivacity and sunny disposition. In a globalized world, its inevitable that schools accept a growing number of students coming from several nations and cultural backgrounds. Employers often wish to know youre a well-rounded person with different activities outside work. You shouldnt underestimate the importance of resumes. Should you need an example to take a look at, make sure that you have a look at the sam ple teacher resume at the close of the write-up Perhaps while looking for examples you noticed poor samples throughout the internet. If you would like to have mora samples of Teacher Resume templates, kindly pay a visit to the archives on our site. To find some formatting suggestions for your resume, have a look at our samples. The Secret to Experienced Teacher Resume In writing resumes, youve got to take into consideration every facet of it. Writing a strong application is a difficult procedure and we would like to make it simpler. Moving to the employment section of the resume, if youre employing a combination or chronological format, you might want to include things like a short, introductory paragraph to demonstrate the reach of the position and the skills essential to perform the necessary duties. Professional teacher resumes are the documents that may be compared to observe the benefits and disadvantages of candidates from one another. Ideas, Formulas and Shortcuts for Experienced Teacher Resume More so, our Teacher Assistant Resumes might also be helpful in your present undertaking. Job seekers deserve to discover decent content quickly. Resumes can be quite vital since it will help your employers find out more about your backgroundthe skills youve got, educational attainments, and previous work experiences. An expert teacher resume is used by means of a job applicant whod love to practice her or his teaching expertise in the geschftsleben of academics. List experience based on the way that it is going to be absolutely the most impactful. If you have little teaching experience, include volunteer positions and co-curricular pursuits that involve teaching in some manner. Looking to get a job in a reliable school located in Seattle. The Unexposed Secret of Experienced Teacher Resume So long as you include all the appropriate info, sometimes a different look can be what makes you stick out from the remaining portion of the applicants. There are a few unexpected things that can occur sometimes that could distract you and have you find yourself getting late for your interview. Your resume should look to be an effortless read. A perfect selection for candidates with plenty of experience who desire to have a really good one-page resume template. With a proper resume made, your odds of getting work in teaching increases. An acceptable allotment of admonition is you dont accept to accept a work action to acquire your career started. Not locating a job according to your expectation will cause frustration. Finally, be sure to conclude the interview by thanking your interviewer for her or his time. Get the Scoop on Experienced Teacher Resume Before Youre Too Late The area of information technology grows more important every single day. Possessing a crystal clear and professional resume is important in the medical field. Find out more about the school and its culture so that you understand their expectations and uti lize certain examples to explain why youre a superior fit. Understanding how to tailor your resume will obviously provide you an advantage. The education business is flourishing globally, and people have begun understanding the worth of excellent education for their kids. Teaching jobs usually need specific degrees and certifications, so be certain to highlight your education. Most teachers should list all their certifications, or whenever they anticipate receiving them. Even experienced teachers need to renew their licenses every certain number of years, and several enroll in supplementary training or greater education programs to advance their career. Zetys resume templates are made with the aid of recruiters and adhere to the best practices in HR. If you chance to be interested in more resumes, then take a look at this fine collection of sales resumes. No matter what type of industry youre aiming to land work in, you want to personalize your list of skills for the posit ion. Various kinds of work in the food tafelgeschirr industry require resumes with several of the exact same skills. A well-crafted CV will fetch you the correct job in the most suitable university or institution. Resumes are important for the primary goal of being in a position to supply your work experience, skills, and other valuable info to be eligible for a particular job position. They are always used for applicants who want to apply for specific jobs in a company where resumes are the key item they would need.

Ask These 4 Questions to Clarify Your Purpose in the World

Ask These 4 Questions to Clarify Your Purpose in the World Article by Barry StilesBy the time I welches diagnosed with stage 4 neck and throat krebs, I had thought I welches done with life-changing experiences for a while. In fact, I had been running the company that my previous life-changing experience inspired me to found for only six months when I got the call.What happened was this Five years before my own diagnosis, my then 4-year-old son was battling a rare form of lymphoma. I was witness to our beautiful boys extraordinary bravery as he endured spinal taps and an extremely aggressive chemo treatment.During this time, I occasionally escaped for a short run around Rice University to clear my head. During one run around the decomposed granite track that circles the campus, as I was looking for answers to questions that had none, I realized how I could combine my skills and passions to make a tangible difference in the world.I saw clearly that I co uld meld my skill set as an engineer and entrepreneur with my passion for family to help create a cleaner, less toxic environment for our kids. I envisioned a company that would keep plastic out of the oceans and landfills by using 100 percent post-consumer plastic, reduce carbon dioxide emissions by offering an eco-friendly alternative to concrete and asphalt, and cleanse toxic automobile pollutants through natural filtration of storm water. I wanted to make a real contribution toward a safer environment, and my sons bravery was the deep well from which I could draw inspiration.Years later, my own cancer treatment and recovery, coupled with the unending support of my team and our clients, sharpened the clarity of purpose I had found. No one person and no one company can eradicate cancer, but making strides in that direction has imbued our companys mission to improve our environment and communities by eliminating toxins and carcinogens that are present in our everyday lives with u rgency and intention.I encourage you entrepreneurs, geschftsleben owners, and dreamers to find fuel in your life challenges. The most trying times can clarify what motivates, inspires, and challenges you. When you see what lights your fire, go for it.You dont need a traumatic experience to take steps to clarify your purpose.Successful entrepreneurs rise, grind, stretch, and strive every day. They listen to clients, customers, and the marketplace and to their guts. They ignore the voices that tell them business is just business, that its not personal. Successful entrepreneurs know that if you make your business personal in a positive way, you can be a powerful agent for change.To clarify your purpose in the world, start by asking yourself these four questions1. Am I Happy?Are you passionate about what youre doing? Does it fulfill you? If you answered no, take some timetoconsider what you really love to do. What excites you so much that you lose track of time while doing it? What do you find yourself reading about or doing when youre off the clock? When I reflected on this question, my passion was easy to name my kids.When you figure out whatyour passion is, ask yourself Is this a hobby or a business? If its something just for you, it may be a hobby. If it solves a problem, makes something easier for other people, or improves a product or a service, then it may just be a business you can commit to in the long term. Equally important, make sure there is a market or an audience who will find value in your offering. If it fits these criteria and makes the world a better place, youll have a clear purpose going forward.2. What Do I Want?What do you want to achieve so much that you will be motivated to learn, work, and sacrifice more than anyone to reach that goal? Overnight successes are illusory.What the world sees as sudden is in fact backed by years of work and dedication. Ask yourself whether your passion is strong enough and your goal is clear enough.One way t o figure out whether this passion will stay with you for any length of time is to write it down, put it aside, and come back to it in a month. For me, the drive to work toward a safer, cleaner, less toxic environment for my own kids and children everywhere was persistent and unflagging.3. What Do I Know?Once youve defined what you want to do, take inventory. Do you have the necessary skills? The appropriate education? The funds to get started? If not, map out a path to attaining what you need.As you make a plan, incorporate the ways your existing skill set will help you achieve your larger goal. The business I developedbrought together my skills product design, invention, engineering and my passions for manufacturing in the US and cleaning the environment. My primary taskat the start wasto shore up the capital and the material resources to begin my journey.4. Can I Solve a Problem?What is the gap between what exists and what is needed? Is your solution new or different? Search t he internet and scour retail to find out. Do a patent search, either on your own or with a patent attorney. Talk (and listen) to your potential customers.Having done this research, build a prototype of your product or write a detailed plan for your service. Assess the market potential for what you offer and once again consider whether you have something that solves a problem, improves someones health, or makes a process easier or better. This due diligence will help you determine just how the purpose you have found contributes to the greater social good. It will also show you whether you can be the best at doing it and find a place for yourself in the market.Finally, ask yourself Will it be fun to do this work? My research showed me that the solutions I proposed werent already in the marketplace. This freed me to anticipate how much fun I would have making permeable paving surfaces that snap together, like playing with Legos in the real world.Having a child with cancer was a bracing wake-up call for me about what really matters in this life. The surreality of the whole experience forced me to stop and listen, pause my entrepreneurial ambitions, and find a deeper purpose. Because I did, I was given the gift of making a difference.Yes, there are many inspirational stories of people who find clarity because of traumas that wipe away the fog of the busyness of life, but its not necessary to experience trauma to find clarity for yourself. Just slow down, listen to your inner voice, and commit to change. When you clarify your purpose, it will be fun to go to work and your business will benefit exponentially.A version of this article originally appeared on SUCCESS.com.Barry Stiles is the founder and CEO of TRUEGRID Pavers, the 100 percent permeable paving alternative to concrete and asphalt that instantly absorbs stormwater and detains water below the surface. TRUEGRID is a green, permeable, Lego-like paver system for the real world, made in the US from 100 percent post-consumer recycled plastic and filled with gravel or grass for a natural aesthetic. As an engineer and as a dad, Barry is passionate about TRUEGRIDs mission to provide green paving solutions to build a safer and cleaner environment for our kids. To learn more about TRUEGRID, follow along on the companysblog.

The #1 reason to set unrealistic goals (and its not achieving it)

The 1 reason to set unrealistic goals (and its not achieving it)The 1 reason to set unrealistic goals (and its not achieving it)There are certain keystone accomplishments that open-up unforeseen and unanticipated doors.These accomplishments are things you do one time that continue to yield opportunities, relationships, collaborations, and ongoing growth. Dan Sullivan, the founder of Strategic Coach, calls ansicht strategic byproducts or unanticipated side-effects.Most of these accomplishments require that you take a leadership role and actually create something.You cant be passive. You must be innovative, creative, and generous. Youve got to work a few years like few people will so you can spend the rest of your life like few people can.One of my mentors, Richie Norton, told me that having a bestselling book welches one of those achievements. Im still making money and getting opportunities from the book I wrote over 5 years ago Riche told me. Something in his words sunk-in.I already wanted to be an author - but I underestimated all of the things that becoming a bestselling and traditionally published author would do for me.I also unanticipated everything Id need to do and become in order to write at the level I wanted to.If you want to do something at the absolute highest level, you need to become a polymath - which means youve mastered multiple things, not just one.Youve got toLearn how to set and quickly achieve goalsKnow what to focus on FIRST in order to get confidence and momentum (confidence is a byproduct of winning, even making small wins) so start winning first thing in the morning by doing stuff like making your bed, writing in your journal, going for a walk or a workout, listening/reading to powerful books/podcasts/music, and producing a meaningful result in the first 90120 minutes of your dayGet organizedMaster your time and manage your energy (youve got to know WHEN and WHAT to focus on) mornings are generally best for strategic and creative wor kDiscern what really matters and what doesntDevelop mentorships and maximize those mentorships, which means you 1) grow THEIR business, 2) unravel your limited subconscious patterns through transformational learning experiences, 3) quickly learn from them to succeed at their level and beyond, 4) and continue to sing their praises for the rest of your life (as Michael Fishman has said, Self-made is an illusion. There are many people who played divine roles in you having the life that you have today. Be sure to let them know how grateful you are.)Brute-force learn a subject (and multiple other subjects), which means you 1) quickly gather the most important information, 2) test that information, 3) reframe your perspective because of that information, and 4) produce new results because of that informationA new definition of learningYou didnt learn something if you cant produce a new outcome. Thats all learning is - the ability to produce an outcome. - Dan SullivanCan you produce the r esult you want?What must you learn and become to produce the result you want?Learning requires making a permanent improvement to your perspective and behavior.Learning means you see, feel, and live different. It means you can consistently produce better outcomes than you previously could.You become a NEW and UPGRADED version of yourself. And you should do this over, and over, and over. Personality isnt intended to be a fixed and unalterable trait. Rather, your personality is a state that continuously changes, adapts, and evolves.Identity is fluid and highly flexible if youre willing to learn new things. The problem for most people is that they stop ACTIVELY learning new things. Sometime in their late 20s or early 30s, they stop pushing themselves into situations that force them to purge-out limiting and suppressed subconscious patterns.Emotions get stuck at the subconscious level. Suppressed emotions freeze your personality and keep you living in the past, unable to process and seek new experiences that TRANSFORM you.Just as emotions are what keep you stuck, emotions are also what pull the suppressed patterns up to the surface so you can create new patterns. In order to get to the next level, you need to have EMOTIONAL and transformational experiences. Breaking-down and crying is one thing. But mora, Im talking about doing stuff that you consider outside of your comfort zone - outside of what youve defined yourself as. As Joe Polish has said, In order to have a breakthrough you have to break something. Get out of your comfort zoneYoure not an introvert or an extrovert. Those are labels and boxes youve put around your behaviors, patterns, and beliefs.You can learn (and unlearn) all of those things. You can produce new results. You can create a new identity, new worldview, and new ability to operate in the world with people.What happened when I tried (and failed) to write a New York Times bestsellerAs I said earlier, I decided I wanted to write a bestselling bo ok. In order to get a traditional book deal, I learned that I needed to build an online platform. That concept was entirely foreign to me just a few years ago.Cant I just write a book? I thought to myself.Of course not. If it was that easy, everyone would do hard stuff.Its not the activity itself. Its all of the stuff you need to do (and master) to even GET IN THE GAME that will test and prove you.You qualify yourself by putting yourself in the role, and acting into that role. Your behavior shapes your identity. You can become who you intend to be if you begin living that way, today. Not tomorrow.In order to become a successful author, heres just a small handful of things Ive had to learn in the past 3 yearsBuild a websiteWrite articles onlineGet those articles viewed by millions of peopleTurn readers into email subscribersMaximize every online impression I gotReach out to my favorite writers and find-out how I could help them achieve their goalsMake money with my artSell and launch productsInvest money into myself and my educationSpeak mora powerfullyFail a lotForget about what other people think about meRedefine who I am and what I do (over and over)Use my time wellGet into flow regularlyLearn fasterInnovate and be creativeHire and train full-time employeesMake large sums of money and invest nearly all of it back into further education, mentoring, experiences, technology, consultants, flights, hotels, etc. etc. etc.Put simply, my path to becoming an author took me down a rabbit-hole of having to master a million other things. If you told me 3 years ago when I was first starting this journey that Id need to hire and train employees, I wouldnt have believed you.If youre seeking TRANSFORMATION, not just achievements, youll be willing to become whatever your path requires you to become.Do it.Once it came time to launch my book, I didnt end-up hitting my original goal of becoming a New York Times bestseller. Although I didnt hit that goal, what I learned trying t o hit that goal was worth infinitely more.When you learn something - truly learn it - you OWN it. Its part of you. If you learn how to do a lay-up in basketball, you can do it again and again. You can replicate the result.If you learn how to make a million dollars, you can do it again. And again. And again.This is why you set unrealistic and ridiculous goals, because the path to those goals will change you. Hence, Jim Rohn said, Become a millionaire not for the million dollars, but for what it will make of you to achieve it.What you learn and become is far more important than your previous accomplishments. In fact, if you over-attach yourself to those accomplishments, youll get stuck in a role and identity.What you learn and become is far more important than the accomplishment itself.What you learn is how to produce certain results. You learn how to operate in the world differently.You learn how to learn, and deal with uncomfortable emotions. You also learn how to regulate those e motions, because every step you ascend into your personal development will bring-up all sorts of suppressed pain and trauma.Every step you take up, youll have to redefine yourself and the world in a better and more empowering way.What are you trying to accomplish?Are you learning?Are you transforming?Are you able to produce new and better results?What accomplishment would PUSH YOU TO GROW and would also open tons of doors?Your goal becomes the vehicle for learning a ton, developing skills, and creating life-changing relationships.Two types of goalsCrave the result so intensely that the work is irrelevant. - Tim GroverIn psychology, there are two types of goals - achievement and mastery.Achievement goals are all about getting a certain outcome. They are extrinsically motivated.Mastery goals are all about what you learn and become. They are intrinsically motivated.Both are incredibly important. Seeking certain outcomes WHILE seeking mastery is totally possible.Actually, being fully f ixated on either the extrinsic OR the intrinsic can get you stuck.If youre purely Achievement-oriented, then youll never be happy, no matter what you accomplish. Youll fail to realize that the journey truly is the destination.If youre purely Mastery-oriented, you likely wont push yourself as hard as you could. A better approach is pushing yourself to the limits trying to hit a certain milestone. If you dont hit it this time, re-evaluate and try again. Just cause you didnt hit it this time doesnt mean you wont. However, dont forget about all that youre learning and becoming along the way.If you leverage BOTH intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, its like double-dipping. You get the best of both worlds.You can master both byBeing clear on WHY youre pursuing what youre pursuingExpect everything and attach to nothing - expect the best things to happen, have faith and hope, and yet dont over-attach to any specific outcome whether good or badRe-adjust your goals when you get new informatio nAchieve your goals regularly and quicklyNever stop learningNever stop honing your motivation and WHY - it really is about other people - as Viktor Frankl said, For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side effect of ones personal dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of ones surrender to a person other than oneself. Similarly, Christ said, He that findeth his life shall lose it and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.Take plenty of time, regularly, to connect with yourself and your WHYOnly develop TRANSFORMATION-based, not TRANSACTION-based relationshipsWhat unrealistic goal are you pursuing?The greatest dreams are always unrealistic. - Will SmithAre you pursuing something completely unrealistic?If not, youre missing-out huge. Youre missing-out on BECOMING something totally different and better.Youre missing out on several emotional breakthroughs. Youre missing out on LEARNING and t ransforming both yourself and others.Set huge goals. Pursue them with insane persistence. Learn everything you MUST in order to achieve them.The learning and BECOMING is the most important part. Learning means youve expanded how you see and operate in the world. It means you can consistently produce better outcomes.Learn.Ready to upgrade?Ive created a cheat sheet for putting yourself into a PEAK-STATE, immediately. You follow this daily, your life will change very quickly.Get the cheat sheet hereThisarticlewas originally published onMedium.

Take Control of Your Career Through a SWAG Analysis

Take Control of Your Career Through a SWAG AnalysisTake Control of Your Career Through a SWAG AnalysisDo you feel like your career is stuck in neutral and your professional destiny is in the hands of others? Rookies and seasoned professionals alike experience this sentiment once if not several times throughout their careers. The solution? Take control through a SWAG analysis.I created the concept of a SWAG analysis after moving from investment banking to venture capital. As an investment banker at Goldman sax I found the biannual 360-degree reviews, which are tied to bonuses and other forms of recognition, to be quite effective. But there was no such system in place at the first venture capital firm I joined. My managers were reactive about personal career growth. If I had simply accepted the situation, I would have made very slow progress in my career advancement.I joined my first venture firm with modest expectations- I would under-promise and over-deliver. My salary was below that of all the assistants in the office, and I borrowed money to invest in our fund. Before long, I brought in several new investments that led to great fund successes, and I recruited several high-impact vice presidents for the firms portfolio companies. The venture capital partners were appreciative of my achievements, yet that appreciation didnt translate into a promotion. Thats when I took action through this SWAG analysis, which I presented to my managersThis SWAG analysis served four purposesIt conveyed to my managers that I was motivated to grow professionally.It demonstrated I had the self-awareness to identify both my weaknesses and strengths.It served as documentation of my accomplishments.It conveyed that I was focused on delivering on my goals.My managers reacted positively. Over time they used the SWAG analysis to benchmark my successes every six months. Eventually they promoted me.The key takeaway here is that you can take control of your career advancement, and the SWAG analysis is a great vehicle for self-evaluation and communication to your managers.If youre in a position of leadership at your company, use the SWAG analysis to empower your employees and foster an environment of self-assessment and goal-setting.Give the SWAG analysis a whirl, and send me a tweet on your thoughts.

Thomas Jefferson Americas first great innovator

Thomas Jefferson Americas first great innovatorThomas Jefferson Americas first great innovatorThomas Jefferson might be historys busiest polymath. His numerous letters work in tandem with the bounty of musings published since his death to illustrate a mind charged by unrest and immense productivity.All the literature mentioned above herald an innovator with remarkable range.His role, for instance, in the Barbary Wars at once perplexed his views on emancipation, planted the seed for what we know as the U.S Navy and served as a prelude to Americas long-standing refusal to bargain for liberty.Twenty-five years of reserved authority saw him father the library of congress, pen the declaration of independence and found the University of Virginia. His agricultural and medical contributions are a testament to his private subscription to deism and are staffed by sober predictions of Americas trajectory.A man of the landJefferson officially established his agricultural legacy with A General Ga rdeningCalendar, a collection of his meditations debuting in The American Farmer in 1824.The generalist famously possessed a predilection for agronomy- occasioned via the curation of one of the fruchtwein eclectic gardens in history. His massive, Monticello masterwork, pioneered the culinary importance of vegetables by emboldening their presence in the preconceived notions of a balanced diet. The same dietary regiment that enabled Jefferson to evade the scythe until the age of 84, has since maintained an esteemed place in contemporary regard.Pedestrian fixtures like mashed potatoes, French fries, and fried eggplant were at one time viewed by many to be curious if not welcomed features of his white house dinner table, all of which were nods to his intimate knowledge of the epicurean traditions observed by France, Spain and the Mediterranean.Though you couldnt properly categorize Jefferson as a vegetarian he rarely ate meat, statingI have lived temperately, eating little animal food, that, not as an ailment so much as a condiment for the vegetables, which constitute my principal diet.This, no doubt, contributed to the impression of vitality remarked upon by those who knew him well. His grandson, Randolph when questioned on the subject, handsomely recalled a man of strength and robust health..his carriage erect step firm and elastic, which he preserved to his death his temper, naturally strong, under perfect control his courage cool and impassive . .The latter portion of Randolphs characterization is consistent with what we know of Jefferson as an inventora title he boasted sans the unhinged madness that oft accompanies it. The instruments dreamed up by Jefferson owed equal gratitude to practicality and a wealth of cultural influences.The inspiration to construct the Moldboard plow, which enabled farmers to manage a deeper furrow, only occurred to him during his time serving as a minister to France. There, he studied European methods intimately.Despite the enthu siastic reception the light-iron-clad device earned from his colleagues, Jefferson never sought to patent it. In fact, the extent of its popularity is not really known save The French Society of Agriculture awarding Jefferson membership as a foreign associate on its behalf. This innovation like a good many others welches beholden much more to viability than ego.When his dearest Martha, bemoaned the invasion of pests wreaking havoc on her crops, the prolific agronomist responded with a postulation that we now understand as rudimentary.We will try this winter to cover our garden with a heavy coating of manure. When rich it bids defiance to droughts, yields in abundance, and of the best quality. I suspect that the insects which have harassed you have been encouraged by the feebleness of your plants and that has been produced by the lean state of the soil.Similarly, Jeffersons influences on the preservation of vaccinations (notably derived from his smallpox vaccine trials) suggest a man pulled every which way by many burgeoning talents. Or as the late Christopher Hitchens put it He could have easily elected to do something other than politics and have perhaps been not as well known but equally successful in the chosen field.Action and delineationJeffersons precocity is well documented, but a savage thirst for knowledge too played a role in rearing the Promethean author of independence. When his father, Peter Jefferson, died in 1757, Thomas inherited his extensive library. Unfortunately, the contents within were largely destroyed by a fire some 13 years later.The heir at once set out to resurrect his fathers collection at Monticellothis library as many already know would go on to be sold to Congress in 1815 as solace for the British Invasion that decimated its own volumes but a year prior.Jeffersons massive libraries (lets not forget the impressive collection of Poplar Forest) were partly composed of books given to him by George Wythe, the very man that played such a crucial part in forging Jeffersons often overlooked but undoubtedly impressive law career.Jeffersons tenure unsurprisingly focused on matters concerning common farmers and indentured servants-pleas of the yeoman one of the 900 land affairs he handled involved a biracial man unlawfully bound to servitude-(in case you thought our third president welches anything resembling resolute on the topic of slavery).True, these formative years, were peppered with the clashes with his mentor, Wythe, that many scholars find so compelling, (a dispute between the two regarding the quarrel of brothers over a will resulted in a 252 paged publication indexing their highly technical arguments.) But they, more importantly, saw Jefferson nurture his fascination with natural law.Though Law has become something like the red-headed stepchild of Jeffersons vocations, it was an unmistakable precursor to so many of the important philosophies associated with himnote Virginia Statue For EstablishingReligious Freedoms and the classicswithinsuch as the right to chose faith withoutcorrosion,acknowledging the right forfutureassemblies to change the law and of course the separation of church and state.An impressive librarian, a vivacious lawyer and an inspired farmer saying nothing of his impact on the vertiginous political landscape of his day- the very one he coursed for nearly a quarter of a century.The Shores Of TripoliWhen America was still finding its footing, Jefferson helmed the famous assault against the Barbary Pirates.Now theres obviously a lot to unpick politically and ethically about the origin of the conflict and its ensuing effects but this is hardly the stage to employ division. However, I think any reasoned mind would have to submit to the objectively positive institutions ushered by Jeffersons unyielding loyalty to the liberty promised to the peoples of early America-the establishment of the U.S Navy being principle among them.Linda Colleys account of what we now call The B arbary Wars estimates that between 1650 and 1830-more than a million Europeans and Americans were taken captive by the navies of the Ottoman Empire. The pirates of Tripoli soon after requested a slew of demands in an attempt to cow President Madison into perpetually offering tribute.Joined by John Adams, Thomas Jefferson sought consolation with the North African ambassador behind the conflict, in London, insisting an explanation for the havoc aggressively dismantling trade. This confusion was justified by Americas decision not to establish itself as a Christian nation-taking no part in the Crusades and even signing a treaty with Tripoli.Ill spare you the Barbary ambassadors response, except to say it made clear the necessity of war and ignited one of the finest instances of Jeffersonian Democracy A radical defiance of all forms of aristocracy and corruption a resolute devotion to the common man. The Barbary pirates threatened free trade, enforced religious beliefs with the threat of tyranny and imprisoned American citizens-excuse the lack of imagination but the termination of this maritime feud quickly became Jeffersons great white whale.Theres some debate to be had about which term more accurately names the antecedent of Americas first true encounter with terrorism commerce or theology, but for the sake of my aim Ill favor the former.In defiance of the Barbary menace on free trade, Jefferson, with the aid of President Madison, championed a refusal to bend to temptation. This galvanized the American people. The nautical conflict aggravated both their ethics and their fiscal liberties, and bid them welcome the inevitable war. Madisons statement, lyrical and potent was as followsThe United States, while they wish for war with no nation will buy peace with noneSaying nothing about whether or not we have upheld the virtue of conviction since, Jeffersons role in embedding it into our countrys fabric should be noted.The battler, replete with flaws and questionable a mbivalences, procured a legacy of passion and innovation fundamental to the American ideal. His many careers confirm liberty to be the reward of courage and a commitment to enlightenment.