Vision Coaching & Business Mentorship

For more information on your path of personal success, visit our website: www.visionmc.co.za ; or book a session at [email protected] Or contact us directly on 082 443 7077

What Is Self-Efficacy?

Self-efficacy is the strength of your beliefs in your ability to complete tasks successfully. It determines things such as:
- Whether you will persist or give up while working on a specific task,
- How long you will stick to uncomfortable changes designed to bring long-term results (diet, workout regimen),
- What goals you’ll set for yourself and where “extremely difficult” ends and “impossible” starts.
Self-efficacy is not self-esteem. People with a high sense of self-esteem can still suffer from low self-efficacy. However, people with low self-esteem are more likely to have low self- efficacy due to their general lack of confidence.
Thus Efficacy = Effectiveness + Efficiency

HOW DO I DEVELOP A STONG SENCE OF SELF- EFFICACY
1. Set goals slightly above your ability to gradually increase your self-efficacy. There are two approaches you can take – do things that lay just a few steps outside your comfort zone (and wait for the results longer, with a lower chance of failure) or try something more difficult that borders your panic zone (where growth is extremely difficult).

For more information on your path of personal success, visit our website: www.visionmc.co.za ; or book a session at [email protected] Or contact us directly on 082 443 7077

5 Leadership Lies You Need to Stop Believing.

1. “All managers are leaders.” Truth: some managers can lead and others don’t or cannot. Management is a subset of leadership, not its equivalent.
Managers are good at planning, organising and controlling systems and processes. They hire people. But if they can’t bring out better performance in people and take the organisation beyond where it is, they aren’t leading. Leadership always involves change, improvement and growth.
2. “Some are born leaders.” Truth: even someone with a predisposition to lead must learn the skills of leadership.
Leadership might be more latent in some than others — and you can’t always tell— so focus on what is developing someone’s behaviors, not their biological background.
3. “Leaders always have the right answers.” Truth: leaders ask the right questions and know where to find the best answers.
It isn’t about knowing the answers as much as it is about knowing who to ask and where to look.
4. “You need a title to lead.” Truth: to lead you only need to know when it is appropriate to do so and how to do it.
Leadership is about making things better, and the best organizations teach everyone to take responsibility for leading.
5. “Anyone can lead.” Truth: Nobody can lead if they lack the desire to do so.
You cannot make people lead any more than you make a horse drink once you have led it to water

For more information on Business Leadership and Mentorship Programmes, visit our website: www.visionmc.co.za ; or book a session at [email protected] Or contact us directly on 082 443 7077

LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES

Leadership practices are still unclear with many employees. I recently had a discussion about leadership qualities with a junior employee, which clearly illustrated this perception.

In essence good leaders must have a good grasp of the culture, requirements, and vision of the organisation. If they are deficient in an area, great leaders find a resource to repair the crack. They understand they must perform with a level of excellence required to complete all facets of their job responsibilities.

Here is a partial list of competencies all organizations need in their leaders:
(1) The ability to oversee the day to day management responsibilities needed to keep the company flourishing.
(2) The ability to work with and through all the layers of the organisation, establishing the right protocol to get things done.
(3) The ability to identify adjustments needed and to manage change that is thrust upon the company.
(4) An impeccable level of integrity blanketing all decisions.
(5) An impeccable degree of ethics that always follows the legal requirements governing the organisation without compromise.
(6) A high degree of problem solving skills with the ability to make problems become opportunities for the organisation.
(7) Having the capacity to be understood and to understand when engaged in the communication process.
(8) Being able to grow employee skills and competencies as well and his or her own competencies.
(9) Having the ability to make the complex simple.
(10) Being able to comfortably take risks as needed to keep the organisation on the right track.

For more information on your path of personal success, visit our website: www.visionmc.co.za ; or book a session at [email protected] Or contact us directly on 082 443 7077

How to Be Happy Again (part 2)

3. Create safe spaces to find yourself and beat the feeling of shame
We’re constantly bombarded with messages that tell us we need to look, act, or be a certain way in order to be happy and successful.
The average person gets exposed to over 10,000 advertisements a day and most of these messages are total nonsense.2
All of these false promises given to us each day are what causes us to portray ourselves in a way we think others want us to be so that we can fit in. The sad part is that many of us do find ways to fit in, but we never actually feel like we belong.
When we don’t feel loved and understood for who we truly are, there is no way we can ever be happy. The reason we are often reluctant to be our most authentic selves is because of shame.

At some point in your life, you will run into shame and it will make you feel like there is something wrong with you. Whether it was getting teased at school, not meeting up to your parents’ expectations, or being harshly judged by a peer, shame makes you hide your true self and wear a mask to show someone else.

Learning to have the courage to stay true to yourself is one of the keys to longer lasting happiness.
What you can do right now:
Practice vulnerability. Start by looking yourself in the mirror each morning and telling yourself “I’m not perfect, but that’s ok”

4. Help yourself by helping others
The happiest people are ones who make a positive impact on others.
“No man or woman is an island. To exist just for yourself is meaningless. You can achieve the most satisfaction when you feel related to some greater purpose in life, something greater than yourself.” ―Denis Waitley
Every individual has something they can contribute to the world. The hard part is figuring out what that is. And the truth is, we’ll never figure it out until we actually do something about it.
Science has shown data that supports the evidence that giving is a powerful way to lasting happiness. If done in the right way, giving can feel great and give you the much needed boost in your mood.
“Happiness is only real when shared.” -Christopher McCandless,

What you can do right now:
Intentionally begin contributing to something or someone in your life.
5. Kick materialism in the face and invest in experiences
Material things usually only bring out a temporary amount of happiness at best. Happy experiences last as a happy memory forever.
While owning material possessions can be nice, they can never be a part of you like great experiences can be a part of you. This is why you should invest more in experiences rather than things.

What you can do right now:
Rather than spending your money on buying something a material possession that you’ve always wanted, try these options instead:
• Invest in a class you have always wanted to take.
• Book a trip to somewhere you have always wanted to visit.
• Get tickets to a popular show that you might like.

6. Meditate regularly
Self-realization has been shown to have many benefits and this can be achieved by regularly practicing mindfulness meditation.
Taking a moment to get yourself untangled from all the messy thoughts and emotions you experience can be just the thing you need to be happier. Meditation increases gray matter in the hippocampus, which is an area of the brain important for learning, memory and emotion. It also reduces gray matter (Gray matter-heavy brain regions include those that control muscular and sensory activity in the amygdala, the area of the brain associated with stress and anxiety.

What you can do right now:
All you need is 10 minutes and a comfortable chair. If you find yourself thinking you don’t have 10 minutes, then;
“If you don’t have 10 minutes, you don’t have a life.”

For more information on your path of personal success, visit our website: www.visionmc.co.za ; or book a session at [email protected] Or contact us directly on 082 443 7077

How to Be Happy Again (part 1)

1. Do what brings you meaning
We’ve all been there. A feeling of boredom and being stuck in our lives without knowing what to do. Rather than trying to figure out such heavy questions such as “What is my purpose in life?” it’s much easier to turn on the television and let the day go by.
“When a person can’t find a deep sense of meaning, they distract themselves with pleasure.” -Viktor Frankl
Many affluent people are experiencing unhappiness no matter how much money, respect, or fame they have because of one big reason: Our unhappiness stems ultimately from a feeling of meaninglessness.
What you can do right now:
In moments when you are struggling with unhappiness, you can start applying Frankl’s Logotherapy in your life by doing the following:

• Work on a project that demands your skills and abilities. If you have trouble coming up with one, then look for something important to work on that will help someone in need.
• Immerse yourself fully in your experience and share it with people who love you in an authentic, non-judgmental manner.
Find a redemptive perspective towards your suffering. Meaning comes in our lives when we change our perspective about our hardships in a way that it improves our lives rather than bringing it down.

2. Chang your attitude to gratitude
This is something that’s commonly said, but it comes from a place of truth.
Your brain cannot simultaneously focus on positive and negative things at once. Because of this, practicing gratitude can help you shift your focus from being sad about the things you don’t have in your life to being glad for the things you do have.
When you engage in the act of being thankful for something, production of dopamine and serotonin increases. This activates the happiness center of the brain, which is similar to how antidepressants work; so, you could think of gratitude as a natural antidepressant.

What you can do right now:
• Start a habit of writing down three things you are grateful for each day.
• Regularly write a thank you card to someone you appreciate or to someone who has done something recently for you.
• Inject things you are thankful for in your daily conversations instead of focusing on negative topics.

For more information on your path of personal success, visit our website: www.visionmc.co.za ; or book a session at [email protected] Or contact us directly on 082 443 7077

For more information on your path of personal success, visit our website: www.visionmc.co.za ; or book a session at [email protected] Or contact us directly on 082 443 7077

SOME THOUGHTS ON THE PURPOSE OF LIFE

- Your true wealth is not measured by what you are able to accumulate, but by what you are enabled to contribute.

- What good is a road map with a destination clearly marked; if you do not know where you are starting from? And, of what purpose is the desire to become more if you do not understand who you are already? Therefor a person without a definite purpose in life is more handicapped than the most disadvantaged or disabled

- The 'how' of life may be complex, but the 'why' of life is simple; it is to revere, relish and contribute.

- The future is a mystery; the past is a myth/story; only the present exists as real. Regret of the past and fear of the future steal your present.

- Remember the 4 P’s: Purpose + Passion + Persistence = Prosperity. (Failing to persist means persisting to fail)

- Gratefulness to life brings a great fullness to life.

- Life is not a test you must pass to achieve some reward. Life is the reward for some test you have already taken. I'll let you decide whether you passed or failed.

For more information on your path of personal success, visit our website: www.visionmc.co.za ; or book a session at [email protected] Or contact us directly on 082 443 7077

For more information on your path of personal success, visit our website: www.visionmc.co.za ; or book a session at [email protected] Or contact us directly on 082 443 7077

LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES

Leadership practices are still unclear with many employees. I recently had a discussion about leadership qualities with a junior employee, which clearly illustrated this perception.

In essence good leaders must have a good grasp of the culture, requirements, and vision of the organisation. If they are deficient in an area, great leaders find a resource to repair the crack. They understand they must perform with a level of excellence required to complete all facets of their job responsibilities.

Here is a partial list of competencies all organizations need in their leaders:
(1) The ability to oversee the day to day management responsibilities needed to keep the company flourishing.
(2) The ability to work with and through all the layers of the organisation, establishing the right protocol to get things done.
(3) The ability to identify adjustments needed and to manage change that is thrust upon the company.
(4) An impeccable level of integrity blanketing all decisions.
(5) An impeccable degree of ethics that always follows the legal requirements governing the organisation without compromise.
(6) A high degree of problem solving skills with the ability to make problems become opportunities for the organisation.
(7) Having the capacity to be understood and to understand when engaged in the communication process.
(8) Being able to grow employee skills and competencies as well and his or her own competencies.
(9) Having the ability to make the complex simple.
(10) Being able to comfortably take risks as needed to keep the organisation on the right track.

For more information on your path of personal success, visit our website: www.visionmc.co.za ; or book a session at [email protected] Or contact us directly on 082 443 7077

For more information on your path of personal success, visit our website: www.visionmc.co.za ; or book a session at [email protected] Or contact us directly on 082 443 7077

MINDFULLNESS IN TIMES OF UNCERTAINTY

The recent events around the globe have thrown us into an unprecedented state of uncertainty. It seems that no one can plan anything because we have no idea what tomorrow, much less next week or next month, will bring.

There is actually very little that we can control global chaos or not. Remember we do not see the world as it is but as we are. While we may exert our wishes on the world, we can’t control how the world – including other people – will respond. We can only control our responses to our environment (mainly derived from our perception thereof).
One of the ways to control our responses and the thinking that we apply to said responses is a process called mindfulness.

What is mindfulness?
There is nothing spiritual or mystical about mindfulness. It is a state of mind and not a state of being.
Mindfulness is not something to be achieved, but something to be realised.
Therefore: Mindfulness is the process of thinking (analysing) about your own way of thinking

For more information on your path of personal success, visit our website: www.visionmc.co.za ; or book a session at [email protected] Or contact us directly on 082 443 7077

For more information on your path of personal success, visit our website: www.visionmc.co.za ; or book a session at [email protected] Or contact us directly on 082 443 7077

With the new year upon us, the time is NOW to start on your personal path to success...

SOMEDAY I WILL...

How often do you say that you’ll do something “someday” all the while knowing that “someday” probably means “never?”
- Someday, I’ll get in shape and start that exercise program.
- Someday, I’ll read those books.
- Someday, I’ll make the changes in my life that will make me happier.

You know these things will make life better, but you seem to lack the motivation to actually do them. The days go by and nothing changes.

Sometimes a lifetime goes by and nothing changes. Why is that? Because of our habits and beliefs.
The real question is: What would it take to make “someday” today? How bad do things have to get before you feel forced to change? And how long will you allow the pain of staying the same hang with you? You know that existing habits are hard to change and new habits are hard to develop.

How have you chosen to handle all the “someday” ideas and “if only’s” in your life? Do they hang with you, dragging you down? Do you act on them? Or something else?
Our coaching methodology assists clients to define new goals and action steps that meet their “someday”
“Change happens when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change.” ~Tony Robbins

For more information on your path of personal success, visit our website: www.visionmc.co.za ; or book a session at [email protected] Or contact us directly on 082 443 7077

Propaganda and Fake News

For more information on your path of personal success, visit our website: www.visionmc.co.za ; or book a session at [email protected] Or contact us directly on 082 443 7077

Propaganda and Fake News

We live in – let’s face it – a very bizarre moment in history. The drive to have more, better, faster connectivity is facilitating the spread of information and discourse like never before. News stories are being published, then revised, then updated, then even sometimes removed completely minute by minute. We read our news on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube; commuting to work, walking down the street, grabbing a sandwich between meetings.
This post provide a glimpse of what propaganda and fake news entails

What is “Propaganda”
There are a number of reasons we fall for fake news and propaganda. Most significantly, though, is the fact that all propaganda – whether from a political campaign, a cookie company, is specifically designed to make you react.
What makes modern propaganda effective, though, is really very simple: it makes you feel. It’s not a matter of feeling happy or sad; propaganda targets things like fear, security, identity, pride. It taps into those deeply-held, visceral emotions you can’t even describe, all those biases you don’t even know you have, and it exploits them. Researchers claim that propaganda needs five components to work:
• surprise,
• predictability,
• rhythmic repetition,
• melodic potency and
• receptiveness

The human brain uses an immense amount of energy, so it cuts corners. These cognitive shortcuts essentially mean that the easier something is to process – i.e. rhyming, legibility, repetition – the more we like it. The more positive we feel about a thought, the more we believe it.

What is “fake news”?
This term was made very popular by Donald Trump during his political career
Fake news does what it says on the label: it’s untrue information spread under the guise of factual news. With what is known as “information pollution” (fake news) pumped into our daily feeds nonstop, combined with the fact that we find ourselves outside our circle of competence more and more (just look at all the fake news about COVID 19), deciding what is true and what is not becomes nearly impossible. This is called the Illusory Truth Effect. It means, essentially, that no matter how well-informed, intelligent, or discriminating we are, we are all likely to believe something that isn’t true at some point.
While the phrase “fake news” may or may not have been in use as long ago as the 19th century, everyone agrees that yellow journalism very much was. In 1883, Joseph Pulitzer (yes, that Pulitzer) created the largest newspaper circulation in the US by using sensationalism, scandal-mongering, and eye-catching headlines with the sole purpose of enticing readers.
With so much misinformation and disinformation circulating, “fake news” seems like a pretty appropriate phrase to use. Except it’s not that simple:-.
In a somewhat ironic turn of events, the term, “fake news,” has become propaganda itself.

For more information on your path of personal success, visit our website: www.visionmc.co.za ; or book a session at [email protected] Or contact us directly on 082 443 7077

MINDFULLNESS IN TIMES OF UNCERTAINTY
The recent events around the globe have thrown us into an unprecedented state of uncertainty. It seems that no one can plan anything because we have no idea what tomorrow, much less next week or next month, will bring.

MINDFULLNESS IN TIMES OF UNCERTAINTY

The recent events around the globe have thrown us into an unprecedented state of uncertainty. It seems that no one can plan anything because we have no idea what tomorrow, much less next week or next month, will bring.

There is actually very little that we can control global chaos or not. Remember we do not see the world as it is but as we are. While we may exert our wishes on the world, we can’t control how the world – including other people – will respond. We can only control our responses to our environment (mainly derived from our perception thereof).
One of the ways to control our responses and the thinking that we apply to said responses is a process called mindfulness.

What is mindfulness?
There is nothing spiritual or mystical about mindfulness. It is a state of mind and not a state of being.
Mindfulness is not something to be achieved, but something to be realised.
Therefore: Mindfulness is the process of thinking (analysing) about your own way of thinking

For more information on your path of personal success, visit our website: www.visionmc.co.za ; or book a session at [email protected] Or contact us directly on 082 443 7077