The Currency of Energy

Replenishing energy entails different activities for different people. The most obvious difference in these activities occur between introverts and extroverts.

Introverts replenish their energy by being on their own, in their thoughts, or with a few select people with whom they have intimate sharing, deep discussions and throw ideas about.

Extroverts replenish their energy by being with other people, preferably larger groups, where they soak in social interaction and express themselves in various ways.

Recharging is necessary because we use energy in our day-to-day activities. Think of a phone battery. At some point, it has to be recharged to keep the phone working. The more often it is drained, the sooner this happens.

Some research has been quoted to say that it is more tiring for an extrovert to behave like an introvert than it is for an introvert to behave like an extrovert. Nobody really knows why but it essential to recognise who you are and how you best recharge so you don't eventually run dry.

As teachers, our energy levels need to be kept up. When we are low on energy, we become ineffective at our vocation and unpleasant to be around. Always set time aside for recharging and do not neglect the early warning signs of irritability, difficulty concentrating and a general feeling of dullness.

Branding Yourself

by Eric Deckers and Kyle Lacy contains a useful mix of social media advice and live networking tips. Still in the midst of it, I have been focusing mainly on the latter although this site is social media.

The authors advocate using LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter as the main forms of social media for businesses and self-branding. They remind readers that networking is not about giving out cards like candy but an opportunity to speak to and listen to others. If there is a match or businesses, only then do we offer to exchange contacts.

The main point of networking is not, as some people imagine, to get as many cards as possible, but to see how you can help some of the people that you have met without expecting anything in return. The authors believe that if you help others, you sow goodwill and this goodwill is of benefit both to you and the person you helped.

So my main takeaway so far? To get out there and help some people!

A Thought on Passion

Recently, I picked up a book that discusses the danger of what it calls the "Passion Hypothesis". It believes that the advice "Follow your passion", so rampant in recent years, can cause people to become less than they could be.

I'm not sure I entirely agree with the premise of the author. However, not having read the book in its entirety, I am not yet in a proper position to comment on it.

Suffice it to say that I believe that passion must be commensurate with skill. If you are passionate but lack the skill to make your passion appreciated or admired, you just have a hobby. Yet, if you are skilful without being passionate, you are not going to be very happy with what you are skilful at.

Those are my thoughts, however. The author believes that passions form when we get good at something - when we become skilful at it. Skill comes from long, useful practice.

Perhaps I will comment on this again when I have formed my own thoughts on the matter after I finish reading the book.