Interpersonal & Thinking: Where I'm Going

Ever since I went on a negotiating course in the 80's, I've enjoyed improving and learning new skills. I'm sure I've improved in all sorts of ways in both work and personal contexts - and I know there's a lot more to do.

I'm still keen to learn more and always seem to have one or more self-help books on the go.

Some of my key influences have been :

• NLP where I found a 'pre-supposition' that matched me: "if you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got" so I started exploring different behaviours. I learned the value of modelling people I admire, and the power of goal setting and action plans.
• "Mozart's Brain & the Fighter Pilot" - a fantastic book by Richard Restak who is both a practising psychiatrist and and a professor of neurology - he gives you 28 challenges such as "Cultivate fine-motor-control skills involving your hands" and "Turn your feelings and emotions to your advantage" see http://www.richardrestak.com/mozart.htm
• Rick Allen telling me I was creative (when I thought I wasn't) - I've taken this on using a large empty table with a view, a pile of paper and coloured pens and mindmaps. I think that the key to being creative is to recognise that, just like the seeds from a tree, many of your ideas will go nowhere.
• Visualisation - the power of your subconscious to get you where you want to be if only you'll sit down and imagine it.

This all excites me so much that I want to find ways to share this with others.