How To Memorize A List Easily: Top 10 Corporations

You've probably had to memorize lists in school for subjects such as history and even today there are many Top 10 lists for everything from sports teams rankings to country GDP rankings to music charts.

There is a method to memorizing a Top 10 list which is both easy and fun.  Plus, you can recite the list backwards and even name what is number 7 or 3 or any of the numbers.

How Is It Done?

Cutting to the chase, here are the links to every number which you will associate with the items on the list.

They are:

1. sun
2. shoe
3. tree
4. door
5. hive
6. sticks
7. heaven
8. skate
9. wine
10. hen


As an example, we'll use the top 10 American companies by market value (as of March 2015).

They are:

1. Apple
2. Google
3. Berkshire Hathaway
4. Exxon Mobil
5. Microsoft
6. Johnson and Johnson
7. Wells Fargo
8. Wal-Mart
9. General Electric
10. Procter & Gamble


Other methods of memorizing the list would have you doing it by rote or trying to make a story.  You could say "I wanted to an Apple store so I Googled the nearest location and sold some Berkshire stock to afford a tablet and stopped by Exxon to fill up....".   This is obviously tedious and not very useful if you wanted to know what was #7 or #10.

The method with the links is much easier and works like this.  Remember to visualize!

1. Apple/sun - Imagine the sun shaped as a huge apple in the sky

2. Google/shoe - Imagine doing a Google search for shoes

3. Berkshire Hathaway/tree - Imagine  CEO Warren Buffet up a tree!

4. Exxon Mobil/door - Imagine applying Exxon Oil to a door to stop it from squeaking

5. Microsoft/hive  - Imagine Bill Gates being attacked by a swarm of bees after he knocks over their hive.

6. Johnson & Johnson/stick - Imagine a Johnson and Johnson band-aid holding a stick 

7. Wells Fargo/heaven - Imagine seeing a well in heaven

8. Wal-Mart/skate - Imagine buying a thousand low-price skates at Wal-Mart

9. General Electric/wine - Imagine a GE cooler full of vintage wine bottles

10. Procter and Gamble/hen - Imagine a hen gambling  Prock! Prock!

After you create these images, you'll find it very easy to recite the list from the top or bottom and to instantly recall any number.  Quick, what's number 6?  Stick - Johnson and Johnson

With the links, you can substitute other words for the numbers, such as one-gun or eight-gate but any word will do.

Try it.  You'll be amazed at how easy it is!


My Twitter Page

My Pinterest Page

My Google Plus Page

Inspirational Quotes On The Importance Of Learning

Learning, at it most ideal, is something that costs you nothing and gives you everything.  Of course, there is a cost to learning whether it be time or money but the returns are worth any investment that you make.

The wonderful thing about learning is that it can take any form you want.  You can attend night classes in whatever field you want, you can learn online, you can obtain a book from the library or you can buy a piano keyboard for less than $100 and start playing!

As Henry Ford said, "Keep your mind young".  Learning doesn't have to stop with the end of school.  It can continue for as long as we live and it can take any form - any form you like!

My Twitter Page

My Pinterest Page

Some Lessons on How To Succeed From Tom Brady

March 2022 Update: Tom Brady has 'unretired' and will be returning to the NFL for a 23rd season.  This adds another lesson for success from Tom Brady - leave on your own terms at the time of your choosing and don't be afraid to change your mind!

“This is difficult for me to write, but here it goes: I am not going to make that competitive commitment anymore...I have loved my NFL career, and now it is time to focus my time and energy on other things that require my attention.”

Tom Brady announced his retirement on February 1, 2022 after having won six Championship Titles with the New England Patriots and a seventh with Tampa Bay after his decisive 31-9 victory at SuperBowl LV. 

There are some lessons we can take in from his career and the path he took to achieve his amazing career.

1)  Perseverance Is Key

Before his 5th Super Bowl victory, Tom Brady's fourth Championship  was his first in 10 years.  He won in 2002, 2004 and 2005 and it looked like he would win a literal double handful of Superbowl rings before he retired.  However, he experienced heartbreaking losses to the New York Giants in 2008 and 2012 and it looked like his time was past.

However, he shook off the disappointments and kept working toward winning another SuperBowl.  It was the same drive that earned him an Orange Bowl victory with the Michigan Wolverines after 3 years as a back-up.  This same drive also earned him a starting job with the Patriots after being drafted 199th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft!  He was often considered to be too skinny and too slow and lacking a good enough arm for the pros.  He showed enough determination and hard work to the Patriots that it landed him the starting job when the opportunity arose.  The rest is history.

2) Focus On Your Goal

Tom Brady knows that his job is to lead his team to victory as a quarterback.  His goal has always been to win Superbowl championships.  As he said, "To me, football is so much about mental toughness, it's digging deep, it's doing whatever you need to do to help a team win and that comes in a lot of shapes and forms."

That is his focus.  He could have been easily been distracted by the millions that he has earned and his marriage to Gisele Bundchen.  

Unlike many pro athletes who become seduced by the high life and forget what brought them their fame, Brady doesn't forget.  His work ethic is still extremely high even after all of these years and a serious knee injury which kept him out of the 2008 season.

Even two weeks hearing about 'Deflate-gate' didn't distract him enough from making sure he was 100% ready for the big game.  Football brought him his success and he didn't forget that.

3) Trust The People Around You

A quarterback depends on his teammates and his coach.  Whether in work or in sports or in most fields of life, you're often only as good as the people around you.  Brady has worked with his coach Bill Belichick for his whole career.  It hasn't been a harmonious relationship the entire time but they're on the same page more often than not.  

Brady has also worked with a myriad of different teammates throughout his career and manages to adapt every time there's a significant change of personnel.  One example is Ron Gronkowski who plays tight end.  When former Patriot tight end Aaron Hernandez was arrested and when Brady didn't quite mesh with his wide receivers, he relied on Gronkowski for a lot of offence.  As in work, you should always take advantage if you find yourself working extremely well with a particular colleague!

4) Don't Be Afraid Of A Change In Scenery
 

After 20 years with the Patriots, Tom Brady signed a two-year contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  This was truly the end of an era and it ended a partnership with Bill Belichick that yielded 6 SuperBowl Championships.  Many people that Brady wouldn't be able to succeed at the age of 43 in a new city. He was joining a team that was 7-9 the previous year and not projected to do much, even with Brady as quarterback.  The effects of the Covid pandemic also meant that Tom Brady wouldn't be able to have any exhibition games to learn about Tampa's coaching style and systems, not to mention the strengths and weaknesses of his new teammates.  Did Brady overcome the odds?  Indeed, he did!

5) Don't Let Age Be A Factor

Tom Brady is 43 years old and says he wants to play at age 45 and beyond.  With proper diet and training, he has kept himself in top shape.  Doing so, he was able to defeat Patrick Mahomes who is almost 2 decades his junior.  As a wise quote said, "Aging is not lost youth but a new stage of opportunity and strength...".

 
There is a lot more than can be said about Tom Brady.  Many people look at him and think everything was handed to him on a silver platter.  However, digging deeper into his career shows how much hard work and defying the odds can lead to success.  The rest of us won't be multiple Superbowl champions that way but it can lead us to our own individual achievements.

My Twitter Page

My Pinterest Page

Learning A New Language: Why Not?

Learning is free and unlimited. Whether it's language or a musical instrument or a new skill such as drawing, there is nothing people can't teach themselves if they take a bit of time or effort.  It opens up many doors and exercises the mind in new and enriching ways.

 Learning a new language is of the most instantly rewarding things a person can do. Speaking to someone in their own language, even if at the most basic, will often elicit a very appreciative response. Take a look at Mark Zuckerberg surprising a Chinese audience.

They are amazed and appreciative that he is making an effort at speaking in their own language. His pronunciation is off and it's not perfect but that point is he is speaking Mandarin. For the people in the audience, it just may be one of the very few times that they've heard a foreigner speaking their language beyond a few basic phrases such as "How are you?".

Why Learn A Language?

The question should rather be "Why not?".   It's as simple as buying a phrasebook with some basic grammar lessons or even looking at videos online.  You can go to YouTube and type in a simple search such as 'Learn German' or 'Learn Mandarin'.

A very useful tool is Google Translate, where you can type in any phrase and then see AND hear how it sounds in another language.  You can see how it works here:

Use-Google-Translate-to-Learn-a-New-Language

Language is communication and communicating with others is still very important in today's modern age, whether electronically of face-to-face.  Just as courtesy is important in written form such as texting or emailing, it is also very important verbally.

Learning a language is a very high form of courtesy.  It means that you don't expect everyone to simply speak English whether you are travelling somewhere or receiving visitors.

Mark Zuckerberg's audience were well-versed in English and he simply could have spoken in English but he went a very huge step beyond that in speaking Mandarin.

Look at Kobe Bryant.  He's a 5-time NBA champion and one of the best basketball players of all time but he still is game at learning and speaking some Spanish.

In the interview, Kobe mentions that he already speaks Italian and so Spanish is a bit easier to learn because they are very similar.  It still looks very impressive that he can do more than just shoot a basketball!

Of course, you don't have to learn a language 100% fluently.  If you wish, you learn a smattering of a few languages or basic phrases of many languages.  I remember meeting and speaking with a mother and daughter at an event.  The mother herself was speaking a foreign language and the daughter was translating.  I asked the daughter what language her mother was speaking and she said Norwegian.  

I knew a couple of phrases and said, "God dag. Hvorden gar det?".  The reaction was literally priceless.  When I was complimented on my Norwegian and the fact that I could say a greeting, I simply said the other phrase I knew, "Tusen takk" (thank you).  Now I have a place to stay if I should ever visit Olso!

Knowing another language, however little, breaks down so many barriers.  Get learning!

My Twitter Page

My Pinterest Page

My Google Plus Page

Public Speaking - A Lot Easier Than You Think!

It's a well-known theory that people consider public speaking to be their number one fear.  Death is often listed as the second-ranked fear, leading to Jerry Seinfeld's observation that people at a funeral home would rather be in the casket than delivering the eulogy!

That being said, public speaking is really nothing to be feared.  Unless people have paid $100 to hear you speak or if you're making a speech that will seal a $10 million deal or bring peace between nations, you have little reason to fear any public speaking opportunity that you are offered.

Remember, all talking is public!  If you are conversing with your spouse or family, telling a story by the watercooler or talking about your latest trip with friends at a restaurant, you are engaged in public speaking.  They want to hear what you have to say.

I have had a few experiences with public speaking and several occasions might be defined as a bit more intense than normal.

Recently I shared the stage with Mark Saunders, Toronto's Chief of Police at a fundraising event for the Special Olympics.  The event took place at Police Headquarters in downtown Toronto in front of an audience of several hundred people.

It could have been nerve-wracking introducing the head of law-enforcement for a big city in front of a large crowd but I found it best to realize that the focus was on Chief Saunders.  The fact that he's extremely popular and a very nice person made my job much easier.  Always accentuate the positive.

This is a speech I gave at the Chinese Consulate with a few Chinese diplomats in the audience, including the Consul-General.

This is a speech at a Special Olympics Banquet where there were about 300 people in the audience and 10 dignitaries behind me, including local politicians and the Chief of Police!

There have been many books and articles about public speaking, but here are my personal tips and observations based on the previously mentioned speeches along with others..

1) You Won't Be Perfect But Who Cares?

Just about everyone stumbles during a speech or hesitates or temporarily loses a train of thought for a moment.  Unless you're delivering a prepared speech off of a teleprompter that you've already done 100 times, you will  have the occasional hiccup.  Look at President Obama during a press conference as opposed to a prepared speech.  There is a difference in smoothness!

2) You Are Not Singing Or Performing A Piano Recital

You can be off-key when you're singing but not when you're talking.  If you speak in your natural voice, you will be fine.  Nobody will say "Good speech but his voice was off.".   There are those who have extremely rich voices and those who have been coached for many years but they are usually professional speakers.

A piano recital requires that every note be perfect.  A speech can have a few missed notes but they won't be noticed if the message is clear.

3) The Audience Is On YOUR Side

Chances are that you won't be at a comedy club where people are waiting to heckle you.  The audience is there to learn something and perhaps pick up an interesting tidbit or two.  Most everyone has a fear of public speaking so they will wish you the best because they've either given speeches themselves or might do so in the future.

4) Your Speech Will Likely Not Be Remembered

We've all heard hundreds or thousands of speeches and presentations in our life.  How many do you recall that really stood out?  I'm pretty sure that my speech at the Chinese Consulate didn't have a huge impact on our relations with China.

Our nervous energy before a speech is likely the brain making things out to be a lot more earth-shattering than they actually are.  Unless you spontaneously combust on stage or shout "Fire!", people will likely remember the message more than your delivery.

5) People Will Be Looking At You, Not Staring At You

Everyone will be looking at you but better that than looking at the floor or behind them.  Keep in mind that they probably will be daydreaming for a portion of your speech.  Attention spans aren't long and minds will wander.  Don't worry about it.  Unless you're someone like Anthony Robbins, it's a fact of life!

If you are using visual aids such as a Powerpoint presentation, that makes it all the better as the focus will be off of you for a while.

Remember, it's normal to be a bit nervous before a speech.  Use that energy.  Focus on the message and you'll find that the audience will react positively.  This is your moment to shine.  Use it and have fun!

As Dale Carnegie said, "“There is only one excuse for a speaker's asking the attention of his audience: he must have either truth or entertainment for them.” 

Audiences come in all shapes and sizes!

My Twitter Page

My Pinterest Page



Travel Discounts!

As Russell Wilson Learned, "Why Not You?"

"Why not you?"

 Russell Wilson, as starting quarterback, led the Seattle Seahawks to a convincing 43-8 over the Denver Broncos. The Broncos were led by Peyton Manning, one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history and leader of the number one offence in the NFL.  At the end of July 2015, he signed a 4-year extension making him the second highest-paid quarterback in the NFL - ahead of stars such as Tom Brady, Tony Romo and other star QB's.

On November 13, he led the Seattle Seahawks to a thrilling victory over the New England Patriots, showing that his team is still a force to be reckoned with in the NFL.

His story is remarkable given that he was not a top pick and he did not have the physical size that people associate with a modern-day top quarterback.  It was simply "Why not me?".

 Wilson had a lot of things going against him. He's only 5'11, which is much shorter than average for a quarterback. He was chosen 75th overall in the draft in a year where the spotlight was on Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin the 3rd. He was taken in the 3rd round, meaning that every team (including Seattle) passed him over twice.  He was then chosen by Seattle which is a city not in the media spotlight like New York or Dallas. In the Super Bowl game itself, he went up against Peyton Manning and the question was mostly "How many points will the the Broncos win by?" and "How will a second Championship Ring cement Manning's career?".   Peyton had many years of experience while Wilson was only playing in his second year.

What happened? Wilson took the question "Why not you?", which his father often asked him, to heart and won the game. His team won it in convincing fashion in front of a world-wide television audience where the pressure must have been enormous.  It would have been easy for him to lose and simply say, "It's only my second year.  I have lots of time to win the big game in the future."

 Yet, he won.  He was young and not very experienced and going up against a decorated veteran in Peyton Manning.  Still, he recalled his father's words "Why not you?".

You can ask that same question in the mirror - "Why not you?" Success in life isn't about where you start but rather where you finish.  Russell Wilson had a lot going against him and still he succeeded.

 Many successful people started with only a dream and their own drive to succeed. They asked "Why not me?" and answered the question.

If you have a dream or a goal, then look in the mirror and say "Why not you?". Take the time and read about successful individuals. They likely started out with the same things as you but worked hard to achieve their success. You may never win a Super Bowl title like Russell Wilson but you can certainly reach your own goals, no matter how far off they may seem now.   If they can do it, why not you?

My Twitter Page

My Pinterest Page