When your dreams are vague, it's easy to rationalize little exceptions all day long and never get around to the specific things you need to do to succeed

Let's star with this simple question. A habit is a routine or practice performed regularly; an automatic response to a specific situation.

What is a habit?

Remember that habits can be actions that, when done, seem insignificant but in the long run make a big change. Many people always underestimate the power of small, consistent improvements. This is all based on the compound effect; Small and smart actions + consistency + time = radical difference.Let's break it down: If you can get 1 percent better each day for one year, you'll end up thirty-seven times better by time you're done

Small changes? No thanks

One of the main reasons why it is so difficult to create habits is because of people's patience; people make small changes, don't see results soon and stop doing it.Remember that mastery requires patience and constant work. Everything can be achieved in the long run, sometimes you just have to be a little more patient.

Why is it so difficult to create habits?

The score takes care of itself

Goals are about results you want to achieve. Systems are about the processes that lead to those results. A handful of problems arise when you spend too much time thinking about your goals and not enough time designing your systems.We must create systems that allow us to achieve our goals; you want to be a writer? design a system that makes you read different types of writing, write a page a day, research an hour a day on the topic you want to write about.Remember that everything is in the process, enjoy the progress, live the process.﻿

Implement systems, not goals

Many people tend to implement actions in order to achieve a particular goal; I will train soccer every day to win the game. And it is not wrong to want to achieve something, but the key to implement habits is the other side of the coin, we have to focus on who we want to become; I am going to train soccer every day to become a professional soccer player.<ul><li>The goal is not to dance a song, the goal is to become a dancer.</li></ul>It is one thing to say "I am the type of person who wants this", it is quite another to say "I am the type of person who is this".

The wrong approach

Habits are, simply, reliable solutions to recurring problems in our environment

Remember that everything is in the process, enjoy the progress, live the process.

The #1 New York Times bestseller. Over 3 million copies sold! Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving--every day. James Clear, one of the world's leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results. If you're having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn't you. The problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not because you don't want to change, but because you have the wrong system for change. You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems. Here, you'll get a proven system that can take you to new heights. Clear is known for his ability to distill complex topics into simple behaviors that can be easily applied to daily life and work. Here, he draws on the most proven ideas from biology, psychology, and neuroscience to create an easy-to-understand guide for making good habits inevitable and bad habits impossible. Along the way, readers will be inspired and entertained with true stories from Olympic gold medalists, award-winning artists, business leaders, life-saving physicians, and star comedians who have used the science of small habits to master their craft and vault to the top of their field. Learn how to: • make time for new habits (even when life gets crazy); • overcome a lack of motivation and willpower; • design your environment to make success easier; • get back on track when you fall off course; ...and much more. Atomic Habits will reshape the way you think about progress and success, and give you the tools and strategies you need to transform your habits--whether you are a team looking to win a championship, an organization hoping to redefine an industry, or simply an individual who wishes to quit smoking, lose weight, reduce stress, or achieve any other goal.

Personal Growth

Atomic Habits

No deal is better than a bad deal

For good negotiators, "No" is pure gold.Why?That negative provides a great opportunity for you and the other party to clarify what you really want by eliminating what you don't want.Remember:"No" is a safe choice that maintains the status quo; it provides a temporary oasis of control.

Beware "yes", master "no"

We've been conditioned to fear the word "No". But is a statement of perception far more often than of fact. "No" is often a decision, frequently temporary, to maintain the status quo.Remember:Change is scary, and "No" provides a little protection from that scariness.

All starts with "No"

When you preserve a person's autonomy by clearly giving them permission to say "No" to your ideas, the emotions calm, the effectiveness of the decisions go up, and the other party can really look at your proposal.Remember:Great negotiators seek "No" because they know that's often when the real negotiation begins.

Let them say "No"

When someone tells you "No", rethink the word in one of its alternative meanings:<ul><li>I am not yet ready to agree</li><li>You are making me feel uncomfortable</li><li>I do not understand</li><li>I don't think I can afford that</li><li>I want something else</li><li>I need more information</li><li>I want to talk it over with someone else</li></ul>Then, after pausing, ask solution-based questions or label their effect:<ul><li>"What about this doesn't work for you?"</li></ul>Remember:People have a need to say "No." So don't just hope to hear it at some point; get them to say it early.

Train yourself to hear "No"

<ul><li> Counterfeit: When the counterpart wants to say "no" but feels that "yes" is an easier exit route or just wants you to keep talking to get information. </li><li>Confirmation: It is usually innocent; sometimes it is used to set a trap but almost always it is a simple statement without promise. </li><li>Commitment: It is the one that matters, it is the real agreement that leads to action. This is the one you should be looking for. </li></ul>Remember:An early "Yes" is often just a cheap, counterfeit dodge.

3 types of "Yes"

Saying "No" often spurs people to action because they feel they've protected themselves and now see an opportunity slipping away.Remember:"No" is not a failure. Used strategically it's an answer that opens the path forward.

"No" is protection

<ul><li>"No" allows real problems to come to light</li><li>"No" protects people from making bad decisions</li><li>"No" slows things down so people can think through their decisions</li><li>"No" helps people feel safe, secure, emotionally comfortable and in control of their decisions</li><li> "No" boosts everyone's efforts</li></ul>Remember:As Dallas Mavericks said "Every 'No' gets me closer to a 'Yes'"

The skills of "No"

If despite all your efforts, the other party won't say "No", you're dealing with people who are indecisive or confused or who have a hidden agenda. In cases like that you have to end the negotiation and walk away.Think of it like this: No "No" means go

Force the "No"

A former international hostage negotiator for the FBI offers a new, field-tested approach to high-stakes negotiations—whether in the boardroom or at home. After a stint policing the rough streets of Kansas City, Missouri, Chris Voss joined the FBI, where his career as a hostage negotiator brought him face-to-face with a range of criminals, including bank robbers and terrorists. Reaching the pinnacle of his profession, he became the FBI’s lead international kidnapping negotiator. Never Split the Difference takes you inside the world of high-stakes negotiations and into Voss’s head, revealing the skills that helped him and his colleagues succeed where it mattered most: saving lives. In this practical guide, he shares the nine effective principles—counterintuitive tactics and strategies—you too can use to become more persuasive in both your professional and personal life. Life is a series of negotiations you should be prepared for: buying a car, negotiating a salary, buying a home, renegotiating rent, deliberating with your partner. Taking emotional intelligence and intuition to the next level, Never Split the Difference gives you the competitive edge in any discussion.

Negotiation

Never Split the Difference

"Nothing damages the perspective of a speech more than the feeling that the speaker is a braggart" - Chris Anderson

Put aside your ego

Be yourself. The worst talks are the ones where someone tries to be who they are not. If you normally like to fool around, fool around. If you are emotional, be emotional. The only exception is arrogance, self-centeredness. If you're arrogant, self-centered, you have to do everything you can to not let it show.

be Yourself

There are speakers who use humor to deliberately get rid of their ego. Criticizing oneself, badmouthing oneself, is something that, if done by the right person, can be very good.

fight it

Ego comes in many forms, forms that may actually be invisible to a speaker who is used to being the center of attention.<ul><li>Allegations of important acquaintances</li><li>Anecdotes that seem designed only for bragging purposes</li><li>Speaking well of yourself, or your company's accomplishments</li><li>Focusing all the talk on oneself, rather than on an idea that might be useful to others</li></ul>

avoid it

Concentrating on a talk can be difficult, and humor is a fantastic way to engage your audience. The laugh overrides the defenses of others, and suddenly you find yourself with an opportunity to communicate with them Tips from Tom Rielly:<ol><li>Tell anecdotes that relate to the topic, where humor comes naturally.</li><li>Have a funny comment handy in case you screw up. The audience has also been through similar situations and you will gain instant sympathy.</li><li>Include humor in the visual elements.</li><li>Use satire.</li><li>If you are not a funny person, don't try to be. Try it with people you know and see if it works.</li></ol>

5 tips to make people laugh

Chris Anderson is the curator of phenomenally successful TED talks - over one billion views and counting. He is passionate about the importance of public speaking, something he describes an a crucial life skill and which we should be teaching in school, and of the amazing power of direct human-to-human communication, recorded on video, in the internet age. It is now possible to share ideas with millions around the world (as evidenced by the success of TED itself, whose most popular talk has been viewed 31 million times). In his first book, Talk This Way, he shares his passion for public speaking and offers a master-class in how to do it - not just how to give a great TED talk, but how to stand up and speak persuasively in front of any size of audience, whether that is a school classroom, making a video blog, in a business meeting or at a conference. The book brings together his experience of over two decades as the curator of TED, in which time he has listened to over one thousand stage talks, with advice from 30 of his all-time favourite TED speakers.

Public Speaking

TED Talks

Happiness is a constant unfolding process because problem solving is a permanent unfolding process: solutions to today's problems will lay the foundation for tomorrow's problems and so on.  True happiness only occurs when you find the problems you enjoy having and solving.

Happiness is a problem

Whatever your problems are, the concept is the same: solve problems, be happy. Unfortunately, many people don't perceive life that simply because they tend to lose things in at least one of two ways: Negation and victim mentality.

Solve problems, be happy

Some people deny that their problems exist. And because they deny reality, they must be constantly avoiding or distracting themselves from reality. This makes them feel good in the short term, but leads to a life of insecurity, neurosis and emotional repression.

Negation

Others choose to believe that there is nothing they can do to solve their problems, even though, in fact, they could. Victims seek to blame others for their problems or blame external circumstances. This may make them feel good in the short term, but it leads to a life of anger, helplessness and despair.

Victim mentality

#1 New York Times Bestseller Over 1 million copies sold In this generation-defining self-help guide, a superstar blogger cuts through the crap to show us how to stop trying to be "positive" all the time so that we can truly become better, happier people. For decades, we’ve been told that positive thinking is the key to a happy, rich life. "F**k positivity," Mark Manson says. "Let’s be honest, shit is f**ked and we have to live with it." In his wildly popular Internet blog, Manson doesn’t sugarcoat or equivocate. He tells it like it is—a dose of raw, refreshing, honest truth that is sorely lacking today. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k is his antidote to the coddling, let’s-all-feel-good mindset that has infected American society and spoiled a generation, rewarding them with gold medals just for showing up. Manson makes the argument, backed both by academic research and well-timed poop jokes, that improving our lives hinges not on our ability to turn lemons into lemonade, but on learning to stomach lemons better. Human beings are flawed and limited—"not everybody can be extraordinary, there are winners and losers in society, and some of it is not fair or your fault." Manson advises us to get to know our limitations and accept them. Once we embrace our fears, faults, and uncertainties, once we stop running and avoiding and start confronting painful truths, we can begin to find the courage, perseverance, honesty, responsibility, curiosity, and forgiveness we seek. There are only so many things we can give a f**k about so we need to figure out which ones really matter, Manson makes clear. While money is nice, caring about what you do with your life is better, because true wealth is about experience. A much-needed grab-you-by-the-shoulders-and-look-you-in-the-eye moment of real-talk, filled with entertaining stories and profane, ruthless humor, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k is a refreshing slap for a generation to help them lead contented, grounded lives.

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

"Never make the mistake of thinking that you elevate yourself by humiliating people"

Amoral, cunning, ruthless, and instructive, this multi-million-copy New York Times bestseller is the definitive manual for anyone interested in gaining, observing, or defending against ultimate control – from the author of The Laws of Human Nature. In the book that People magazine proclaimed “beguiling” and “fascinating,” Robert Greene and Joost Elffers have distilled three thousand years of the history of power into 48 essential laws by drawing from the philosophies of Machiavelli, Sun Tzu, and Carl Von Clausewitz and also from the lives of figures ranging from Henry Kissinger to P.T. Barnum. Some laws teach the need for prudence (“Law 1: Never Outshine the Master”), others teach the value of confidence (“Law 28: Enter Action with Boldness”), and many recommend absolute self-preservation (“Law 15: Crush Your Enemy Totally”). Every law, though, has one thing in common: an interest in total domination. In a bold and arresting two-color package, The 48 Laws of Power is ideal whether your aim is conquest, self-defense, or simply to understand the rules of the game.

The 48 Laws of Power

<ol><li>Digitized</li><li>Deceptive</li><li>Disruptive</li><li>Dematerialize</li><li>Demonetize</li><li>Democratize</li></ol>Any technology that becomes Digitized enters a period of Deceptive growth. Such a rapid rise describes the third D, Disruptive. And once a technology become disruptive it Dematerializes - which means that you no longer physically carry around devices. All of them have dematerialized as apps. And once that happens, the product or service Demonetizes. The final step to all this is Democratization. 30 years ago if you wanted to reach a billion people you needed employees in one hundred countries. Today you just need an app.

THE 6 Ds OF EXPONENTIAL ORGANIZATIONS

Anything that becomes digitized enters to exponential growth. Digital information is easy to access, share and distribute. It can spread at the speed o the internet.

1. Digitized

When something starts being digitized, its initial period of growth is deceptive. Doubling 0.01 gets 0.02, then 0.04 and so on. Exponential growth really takes off after it brakes the whole-number barrier. 2 quickly becomes 32, which becomes 32,000 before you know it.

2. Deceptive

The existing market for a product or service is disrupted by the new market the exponential technology creates because digital technologies out perform in effectiveness and costs.

3. Disruptive

Money is increasingly removed from the equation as the technology becomes cheaper, often to the point of being free. Software is less expensive to produce than hardware and copies are virtually free.

4. Demonetized

Separates physical products are removed from the equation. Technologies that were once bulky or expensive are now all in a smartphone that fits in your pocket.

5. Dematerialized

Once something is digitized, more people can have access to it. Powerful technologies are no longer only for governments, large organizations, or the wealthy.

6. Democratized

Frost & Sullivan's 2014 Growth, Innovation, and Leadership Book of the Year "EXPONENTIAL ORGANIZATIONS should be required reading for anyone interested in the ways exponential technologies are reinventing best practices in business." —Ray Kurzweil, Director of Engineering at Google In business, performance is key. In performance, how you organize can be the key to growth. In the past five years, the business world has seen the birth of a new breed of company—the Exponential Organization—that has revolutionized how a company can accelerate its growth by using technology. An ExO can eliminate the incremental, linear way traditional companies get bigger, leveraging assets like community, big data, algorithms, and new technology into achieving performance benchmarks ten times better than its peers. Three luminaries of the business world—Salim Ismail, Yuri van Geest, and Mike Malone—have researched this phenomenon and documented ten characteristics of Exponential Organizations. Here, in EXPONENTIAL ORGANIZATIONS, they walk the reader through how any company, from a startup to a multi-national, can become an ExO, streamline its performance, and grow to the next level. "EXPONENTIAL ORGANIZATIONS is the most pivotal book in its class. Salim examines the future of organizations and offers readers his insights on the concept of Exponential Organizations, because he himself embodies the strategy, structure, culture, processes, and systems of this new breed of company." —John Hagel, The Center for the Edge Chosen by Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, to be one of Bloomberg's Best Books of 2015

Business

Exponential Organizations

4 innovation tips that I learned from Eric Ries by reading some articles.

4 innovation tips 

"The only way to win is to learn faster than anyone else"

Most leaders are looking for that key innovation: long-term growth will require finding many small breakthroughs, ideally leveraging the creativity and talent of each team member.

The best way to generate innovations and unlock sources of growth is to create internal startups and work on them. You need an organization that supports and encourages experimentation.

As you learn the best way to grow, innovate and evolve, you will experience a second founding of your organization.

The key to success is to rewrite the genetic code of your organization to incorporate transformation. It would be a shame to do this only once. When you discover how to transform your organization you will be preparing yourself to do it many more times in the future.

Just thinking

BuildMeasureLearn Lower investment to test, measure effectiveness and then learn how to improve it. Validate learning: Measure the production of high quality items and the habit that entrepreneurs are getting into. Once the learning is validated, change the quality of your product or service.

LEAN Methodology

Before Lean was used in business, it was a manufacturing approach. Learn about the history and application of Lean and key Lean methodology principles.

Lean Methodology | Planview

Every business is unique and the objective changes every time. There is no such thing as a single winning hand that beats all others. A win-win is needed here.<ol><li>Know your opponent</li><li>Know yourself</li><li>Know the goal</li><li>Be 100 percent prepared</li><li>Deal with the decision maker</li><li>Take your time</li><li>What can go wrong, will go wrong</li><li>Be agile and creative</li><li>Establish relationships</li><li>Integrity, no matter what</li></ol>

The 10 principles of negotiation

"Always leave money on the table. Building a relationship is more important than doing business."

In any negotiation you must know what are the conditions of the other party to get the most out of it. You have to know if your opponent is strong or weak. Never underestimate your opponent. Never.

1. Know your opponent

You have to know your strengths and weaknesses, your position, what you really want. It's about knowing who we are, what do you really bring to the table? What do you bring to the table that the other doesn't have?

2. Know yourself

Negotiations should always start with an understanding of where you want to go. Note: when entering into a negotiation, the exit strategy has to be part of the end goal.

3. Know the goal

Do the research before you go to the first meeting. How someone has handled their business in the past is a very good indicator of how they will handle this one.

4. Be 100 percent prepared

Always try to negotiate from the beginning with the final decision-maker so that you can't come to the meeting fresh and say you would never have agreed to it.

5. Deal with the decision-maker

In negotiations, the tortoise wins. Never let the rush to close the deal lead you to make the first offer. It is always better to let them make the first offer. <ul><li>Because the first offer is just that, it is a starting point. It is rarely the end.</li></ul> Never fail to see that you are anxious or desperate. Take your time. Do not despair. Those who despair always end up closing a bad deal. Don't get backed into a corner. If your back is against the wall, don't let them notice.

6. Take your time

Murphy's Law: what can go wrong from the moment the negotiation was made, will go wrong, unless things secure. We have to expect the unexpected. You always have to think about what can go wrong, will go wrong. However, you can limit the number of unexpected events if you do a good research.

7. What can go wrong, will go wrong

Negotiations evolve. They are not static. Circumstances change. We must not close ourselves off. You have to know how to listen to detect the small signs and take advantage of them. Be open to the possibility of changing the original plan if that is what is required to carry it out.

8. Be agile and creative

Establishing relationships is one of the most important goals in any negotiation. Negotiations are not just about the actual business, it is more important to establish a relationship than to make a deal. If you give them something you wouldn't necessarily have to give, you show them that you care about them. That builds a positive relationship.

9. Establish relationships

Whatever happens, always maintain your integrity. Once your reputation is tarnished, when people realize that you are willing to negotiate the shortest and easiest route, others will lose respect for you and that will greatly reduce your growth potential in the future.

10. Integrity, no matter what

A wealthy real-estate developer shares the principles of his success, examining the vast financial opportunities that exist in real estate, key points to successful investment, and effective business strategies.

Powerhouse Principles

<ol><li>Do not criticize, do not condemn or complain: God does not intend to judge man until the end of his days. Why, then, should you or I judge him?</li><li>Show honest and sincere appreciation: The difference between appreciation and flattery is very simple. One is sincere and the other is not. One arouses universal admiration; the other is universally punished.</li><li>Arouse in others a burning desire: If there is a secret of success, it lies in the ability to appreciate the other's point of view and to see things from that point of view as well as your own.</li></ol>

Techniques for dealing with others

Do you feel stuck in life, not knowing how to make it more successful? Do you wish to become more popular? Are you craving to earn more? Do you wish to expand your horizon, earn new clients and win people over with your ideas? How to Win Friends and Influence People is a well-researched and comprehensive guide that will help you through these everyday problems and make success look easier. You can learn to expand your social circle, polish your skill set, find ways to put forward your thoughts more clearly, and build mental strength to counter all hurdles that you may come across on the path to success. Having helped millions of readers from the world over achieve their goals, the clearly listed techniques and principles will be the answers to all your questions.

Atomic Habits

Never Split the Difference

TED Talks

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

The 48 Laws of Power

Horacio Quintana