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Editorial Reviews

“The Power of Slow is a life-changing book. Far from stating the obvious, Christine Hohlbaum provides new insights and persuasive arguments for reshaping our time and changing our lives for the better. A must read in our over-scheduled world!”–Wendy Walker, author of Social Lives, Four Wives, and Chicken Soup for the Soul – Power Moms

“In the fast-paced world of Blackberrys, Iphones, and Twitter, it’s hard to find one’s footing. In an easy-to-read style, Ms. Hohlbaum has described a process of slowing down that is so very important to our wholeness, balance, and well being. She does so in a poetic and sometimes humorous way. She has captured a heavy topic with a light touch and yet we learn many lessons.  I highly recommend this book to help anyone who wants to stay healthy, sane, and enjoy life more fully.”–Bonnie Michaels, work-life balance expert and author of Solving the Work/Family Puzzle and A Journey of Work-Life Renewal

Product Description

Getting to the heart of our hassled and over-scheduled existence, Christine Louise Hohlbaum cheerfully investigates 101 ways to increase our quality of life and productivity by reevalu ating how we perceive and use time. She claims that everyone has their own personal bank account of time. We cannot control time itself, but we can manage the activities within the time we do have. The Power of Slow gives readers practical, concise directions to change the relationship they have with time and debunks the myths of multitasking, speed, and urgency as the only ways to efficiency.

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Personally, I’ve never been bored a day in my life, but for some people, if they’re out of their normal routine, say on a weekend, holiday, or vacation, they get stuck and lose their momentum. They may not be thinking creatively of what they can come up with to do. Or they may have a pretty simple life of work and the basic home life. Or they keep so busy at their jobs, that there’s no time to develop hobbies or outside interests, so when they do have that rare free time, they don’t know what to do with themselves.

Do you see yourself in any of these scenarios? One suggestion I’ve made to some of my coaching clients, is when they have a few minutes, to make a list of all the fun activities they’d like to do—with no limits on time, talent, or money. This list might include simple things they rarely have time for like going to the movies, visiting a friend or relative, or working in the garden. Or they might include more time-intensive activities like learning a new hobby or sport, writing a book, or taking a trip.

So consider spending 5 or 10 minutes making a list of your own of your interests, hobbies, passions, secret dreams, and anything else you can think of that you don’t have time to do, you’ve always wanted to do, or you fantasize about doing if you had the time and money.

If your creative juices need a little tune up, here are just a few ideas to get you started:

1. Read a book: do you have a massive collection of books gathering dust on the bookshelves in every room of your house? I love books and sometimes feel more like a collector than a reader. But if you have some downtime when you’re feeling there’s nothing to do, it’s the perfect time to pull one of those dusty books off the shelf and settle in for an adventure.

2. Write a book: I’ve heard the 81% of people say they want to write a book someday but a very small percentage ever do. If you find yourself with time on your hands, that’s the perfect time to plunge into this project. You’d be surprised that once you’ve outlined your book, the rest is just filling in the blanks. Set a certain amount of time every week (or day) for this project and you won’t have nothing to do for quite a while!

3. Review your investments: If you’re like most people you might get all those statements in the mail, but you either stack them or file them away in your filing cabinet. With nothing to do, how about pulling them out, sorting through them, making a chart to see what you have, what the current values are, and deciding if you want to make some adjustments.

4. Start a business: If you work the 9-5 routine, you may have always dreamed of starting your own business. There are some that can be started easily in your home that you can do part time to provide some tax benefits. Now that you have some time, start the research into seeing what might be the best venture for you, whether it’s offering a service that you are skilled at like consulting, or a product you’d like to sell, perhaps on eBay.

5. Organize your house: To some people this is a lot of fun, to others it’s drudgery. If the whole family is in the “nothing to do” mode, gather them together, assign each one a room, and have a reward when everyone is done–pizza and a movie! You can also encourage the kids that they’ll make some money when you hold a garage sale to sell all your cast-offs!

6. Take some “me” time: How little “me” time most of us have in our busy lives. When we have nothing to do, we generally think we need to get busy, find some activity to fill in the empty spaces. Instead, what about time for reflection, a walk in the woods or on the beach, writing in your journal, just lying quietly on a blanket or lounge chair. We spend so much time as human “doings” it’s refreshing and renewing to spend time as a human “being.”

7. Volunteer: I see notices in my local newspaper every day with more volunteer opportunities than I could even imagine. Giving back is extremely rewarding to the place and people you’re giving to as well as yourself. If you’ve never done it, put it at the top of your list of what to do when there’s nothing to do.

With all these suggestions and your own list, I don’t ever again want to hear you say “There’s nothing to do.”

For some humorous things to do that you may want to add to your list, check out http://www.cs.earlham.edu/~jimg/reading/bored.html.

NEWSFLASH: I’ve added another chapter to my life by joining C.A.S.T. Recovery, a Los Angeles based outpatient drug rehab program which specializes in designing highly individualized recovery plans with appropriate professionals to support a client’s health, accountability, and success.

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However, there are those of us who might be asking the question, “What part do I have in my problems? How have I contributed to them? Better still, what can I do to surmount them? The more aware you become of your own power, the more you will ask questions like these. And the more the answers will come to you.

Yes, you do have a part in your problems and you have contributed to them. Maybe you did not create the economic conditions that may be causing you stress, but the choices you’ve made along the way and the choices you make today continue to keep you locked into the particular issues you’re facing.

Remember, you have the power. You, and nobody else, are in control of your problems and your happiness and success. Nobody else can take away your problems. Nobody else can make you happy or successful. All you have is what you bring with you. Your thoughts, your ideas, your knowledge, your experience, your education, your choices–and your preparation.

Yes, I believe there’s great power in being prepared. Prepared for the trials as well as the triumphs. You prepare for the triumphs by asking, “What’s the best that could happen?” And you prepare for the trials by asking, “What’s the worst that could happen?” Then you start learning and doing.

For example, few of us were brought up in homes where money was talked about comfortably. We had no idea what our parents’ financial situation was, where they invested money, or how much they were worth. By the time we were 16 or 18 when we had our first job, we had to pretty much start figuring it out on our own. Initially, we spent everything we earned. Some of us may have had to save for college. But few of us saved much or invested our money.

Hopefully, by the time we were married, we started learning about saving, spending, and investing. We attended classes, read books, or asked friends. We took risks, made mistakes, and some of us even made money. If we were lucky enough to start preparing early for our future, we would not be as troubled by these difficult economic times as some people are.

So, in this case, being prepared involved getting educated and taking appropriate actions. It also involves taking risks, learning from mistakes, and doing more of what works. Finally– and this is the one that we often overlook or get lazy about– being prepared is about practicing good maintenance. That means ongoing education as well as tracking and revising our strategies when necessary.

In what other areas of your life can you see how being prepared can make a difference between stress and success? Certainly in becoming a parent. Most expecting parents do a lot of preparation, maybe even taking classes, reading books, and talking to other parents. The more prepared couples are, the more they will feel ready and able to shape their children’s lives. Of course, these precious gifts have their own agendas to work through… but the power in being prepared will allow parents to do the best job they can in handling all the challenges that child rearing may present.

I also work with my coaching clients in being prepared when it comes to their careers or businesses. Yes, we can ask, “What’s the worst that can happen?,” and therefore be prepared to face the inevitable problems that arise. But being prepared also means setting goals, making plans, taking actions, testing results, getting support, and celebrating wins. Great preparation often makes the difference between business success and failure.

The power in being prepared lies in taking responsibility for your happiness, utilizing all the tools available to you, and staying focused on the essentials. What do you need to do today to make your life the best it can be?

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Yet, I’ve always looked on my addiction as something positive. To me, it demonstrates an open, curious, expandable mind. You know how it is when you read one book and it recommends another, so you read that one too. Or you’re directed to a website, and that links to another, and soon you’re off on a cyber journey.

I truly believe that an educable mind is what keeps the mind young. Or instead of saying continuing learning keeps us young at heart, we can say it keeps us young at mind. And the older we get, the more we have to learn, because we’re continually learning lessons from our so called mistakes. We may arrive at a certain age and be totally aware of what hasn’t worked, but are still on a search for what will work.

Say, for example, you’ve been divorced. You most likely, took a good look at what went wrong and decided to do it differently next time. So every time you enter into a new relationship, you have a body of knowledge and experience to draw from to create a better outcome. Maybe you’ve read some books on relationships, or taken some courses, or even worked with a coach. As you continue learning from your mistakes and gain new knowledge, you have a much better chance of a different result.

You may also pursue ongoing education to keep up with your business or career. Many industries have constant innovations, so it’s necessary to keep learning—new ideas, new skills, new technology. Just make sure you aren’t using education as a form of procrastination. Some people, for example, seem to be waiting to start their new business until they read one more book, or take one more course, or consider one more opportunity.

Additionally, as we age, we may choose to pursue education for purely pleasurable reasons. Maybe you never had time to study a certain subject area when you were in school, and now you do. Either you’re winding down your career, or maybe you’re retired. You’ve always wanted to study gems and minerals so you enroll in courses at the Gem & Mineral Institute.

Learning new ideas and skills is exciting—just make sure you keep it in balance to the rest of your life. Keep up your ongoing education and turn your mistakes into learning opportunities. Life is one long classroom and you’re never too old to keep learning. And with all the knowledge you’ve gained, you may just want to give back. Volunteering as a teacher’s aide or mentor is a great use of all your knowledge.

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HARTLAND, Wis. – Society is making lots of financial concessions as a faltering economy continues to challenge lifestyles, but in the case of physicians, time is also a premium that requires planning.

In this month’s Doctor’s Digest (http://www.doctorsdigest.net) periodical, which focuses on Time Management, lifestyle advisor, David Bohl (http://www.slowdownfast.com), introduces the concept of “opportunity cost,” a theory that states that in most cases, to have one thing you must give up another.

A former venture capitalist, Bohl knows the value of concession when it comes to time.  “[Understanding] opportunity cost is about making better decisions,” Bohl said in the Doctor’s Digest section entitled, “Making the Most of Your Off-Hours.” “In this hour, if I don’t do ‘this,’ then I’ll have that hour to spend with my family.”

An example illustrated by Bohl’s theory is when a doctor’s son wants him to coach a soccer team but the doctor has agreed to work with two colleagues on an important research project.

“Take a look at your commitments,” Bohl said in the article. “Do I really have to be on this board?”

Bohl said that whether it’s a physician or sanitation engineer, a person’s skills may be valuable to his or her peers, but one has to live according to his own values to make time decisions.”

Karen Childress wrote the January/February 2009 issue of Doctor’s Digest: Time Management. A bi-monthly publication, Doctor’s Digest focuses on single-topic, non-clinical issues that face physicians. It is recognized by major medical schools, universities and physician organizations for its cutting edge practice management information and is included in curricula and disseminated to practicing physicians, students and associations.

Also a Must-Read: Understanding Opportunity Costs Leads to Better Decisions

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We are told to strive for unattainable lifestyles and to model ourselves after unrealistic, airbrushed models.

Sometimes you need to step back from this virtual reality and ponder what life is really about. Will that Mercedes or those anti-anxiety medications really make you happier, or are they only temporary solutions to deeper issues? Examine these five myths about how you should be living your life and start living the way you want to live.

Myth 1: Material Things Prove Your Worth

Someone once said, “One reason it’s so hard to save money is that our neighbors are always buying something we can’t afford.” Keeping up with the Joneses is certainly no way to live, and the desire to do so stems from a belief that material things prove your worth. Extravagant clothing, houses, and cars oftentimes serve as status symbols in today’s society, but when it comes down to it, what you have in your heart and mind is worth much more than what you’ve got in your wallet. Furthermore, comparing yourself financially to your friends and family will only cause envy and strife. Remember that while luxuries may be enjoyable, they don’t make you who you are.

Myth 2: You Should Always Take an Expert’s Opinion at Face Value

How many times have you taken your car in for a simple oil change, only to be told you need hundreds of dollars worth of repairs in other areas? Have you taken the mechanic’s word for it and shelled out the cash or gone in for a second opinion elsewhere? We tend to rely on experts for advice, whether they are doctors, lawyers, financial consultants, or repairmen, but you can’t forget that even though they are experts, they still don’t know everything. You always retain the power to do your own research or seek out another form of advice. You may find that separate individuals offer different yet complementary opinions that allow you to shape a more informed decision on the issue you are having.

Myth 3: When in Doubt, Medicate

It’s hard to make it through a 2-minute commercial break without seeing an advertisement for some sort of prescription drug. The prescription drug industry has exploded in the past decade, and Zoloft, Prozac, and Ritalin are now part of most Americans’ vocabulary. While there is something to be said for the positive benefits medications have to offer, they are certainly not quick fix on the road to happiness. Before asking your doctor about the latest mood-altering drug you saw on television or in a magazine, consider seeking therapy and using self-improvement strategies to alter your moods instead. Even if prescription drugs are a feasible option for your treatment plan, it’s important to remember that they are not a cure-all. Healing takes time and a repertoire of varying strategies in order to truly come about.

Myth 4: It’s Hip to Be Forever Young

The world today is filled with Peter Pans – adults who don’t want to grow up. Whether they are lacking in emotional maturity or in wrinkles, growing old has become a faux pas for a lot of people. Don’t get the wrong idea. It’s great to feel young at heart and to be physically fit, but it’s possible to do so and still age gracefully. Aging with class involves learning from your past. What’s the point of a life long-lived if you want to act like a child and look like one, too? Gray hair, laugh lines, and a cultivated point of view are things to be embraced, not shunned.

Myth 5: You Can Do It All

Society tends to tell us that multitasking and the ability to juggle lots of things at once is a good thing, but when you have too many things in the air, something is bound to get dropped. Ambition is a good thing, but you have to know when enough is enough. Yes, it’s possible to be a wife, a mother, a businesswoman, and the best baker at the church bazaar, but it’s also okay to say no when your best friend asks you to help her plan a charity gala. When you take on more than you can handle, the quality of your projects often suffers. Don’t feel pressured to be a yes-man. Even the best of us can’t do it all.

There are so many self-improvement blogs, magazines, and websites out there these days, everyone has an opinion on the way you should be living your life. It’s important not to focus on the myths flooding the media but to analyze your situations carefully and live the way that is right for you.

NEWSFLASH: I’ve added another chapter to my life by joining C.A.S.T. Recovery, a Los Angeles based national outpatient drug rehab program which specializes in designing highly individualized recovery plans with appropriate professionals to support a client’s health, accountability, and success.

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Suppose someone hands you a five-pound box of paper and tells you that it’s part of a project that’s due next week!

Or what about if you’re creating a business model for your own company – that’s a pretty voluminous project.

Here are some must-have tips for streamlining the work so that things get done right and move forward according to schedule.

Create a plan

A house builder doesn’t just show up at the site and start building. He works closely with an architect, creating blueprints–a plan on how the structure will be created and built. The same holds true for any type of project you’re working on. You need to have a big picture view of the project and then sit down and plan out how you’re going to get from start to finish.

While planning may seem like an extra step when you can just get right to it, it can actually save you a lot of time and mistakes in the long run, making it faster to get from start to finish than if you just wing it as you go along.

Form a team

Teamwork is an ideal way to streamline a project — in fact, many small business owners form teams of freelance professionals to churn out work faster, please clients with their expertise, and pull in more profit in less time.

Each team member should bring something unique to the table, so assign tasks that utilize these talents. Not only will you get the task completed quicker, but you’ll get it done effectively because you’ll have the best people working on what they do best. If you’ve ever attempted to “do it all alone,” you know how disconcerting that can be, not to mention what a time and energy drainer. When you form a team, even if you’re paying money to those people, you’re giving yourself back the gift of time and energy to focus on other important things.

Create a timeline

While a plan lists out the tasks required to get the project done, a timeline adds deadlines to the tasks. Creating a timeline lets everyone know when each task has to be completed, and also gives a sense of cooperation – because you’re depending on another person’s expedience before you can move forward with your portion of the work. Timelines also helps to eliminate procrastination. If everyone involved strives to meet the deadlines, the project begins to take on momentum and a sense of accomplishment – while fuels expedience even more!

Create procedures

Now that you know where you’re going with the project (plan) and when you need to get there, you’ve got to figure out how this will be pulled off. Will you automate certain parts of this by utilizing the appropriate computer programs? Will you outsource to other people who can offer part-time help for less than you would have paid a full-timer? What about communication – is it worth mapping out explicit instructions for people to follow, so that each person takes the shortest distance to success?

Each time you tap into another productive solution, document it and turn it into instructions that other members of the team can use to help move things along. By creating procedures, you’re creating the directions, the road map if you will, on how to get from one task to the next, finally bringing the project to completion. Also – if someone else brings a new idea to the table on how to get something done even faster or more efficiently – hear them out. Procedures should be adhered to, but also offer some flexibility. After all, you want to do what truly works, not what you think will work! This is how great companies continue to innovate new solutions every day!

Keep track of the progress

It’s not enough to just create a plan and run with it. It also streamlines the process if you keep track of how the project’s progressing. As a task is completed, check it off or highlight it before moving on to the next task. If the group reaches a milestone, pump in some fresh energy with a little celebrating and some kudos all around – this keeps spirits fresh and motivation levels high.

If a deadline is looming, make sure that everyone working on the project is reminded of what has to be completed and when — this way, there can be no excuses or oversights. If deadlines are being missed, try to figure out why so that the problem can be corrected and avoided as you move along. Don’t forget to document your solution as part of the procedure or “order of operations.”

Have a back-up plan

Even the perfect plans run into snags, so make sure you have a back-up plan in place. During the planning process, try to anticipate problems or issues that may come up during the project and prepare for how you’ll deal with these snags.

In order to streamline a project, you’ve got to take control. Plan before you jump in with both feet. Form a team and assign tasks to various people to get the job done faster and more effectively. Set deadlines and stick to them. Figure out how you’re going to carry the plan out. In case something goes wrong, make sure you have a back-up plan in place. If you do these six things, you’ll be well on your way to seeing your project finished a lot faster than if you muddle through it as you go.

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While this is not true of all work environments, there are some people in your professional crowd that you definitely want to avoid. Learn the traits of these professional piranhas, and stay out of their treacherous pond at work, so you don’t get eaten alive and watch your career go down in flames.

Idea Thief

The idea thief is the one who takes your great ideas and somehow turns them into his or her own great ideas. He recognizes a good idea when he swipes one, and runs straight to the powers that be to sell them on his grand plan before the creator gets a whiff of what just happened.

How to Deal With Him:

Whatever you do, don’t sell yourself short! Never give away your great ideas for free. Make sure you share them with the appropriate person and not someone who has the opportunity to use your own information against you. Once you identify who the credibility crook is, steer clear!

If you’re forced into a situation where you must work directly with an idea thief, be protective and proactive. Share your work with your boss before the idea thief gets his dirty little paws on it. If you’re brainstorming on email, be sure to CC your boss on all original work created by you. This way, the idea thief will get the hint, and go sponge off someone else’s smarts!

Slacker Steve

These are the workers that sit on a committee or a team, but don’t contribute anything to the project or job task. A group project is the ideal situation for this person, because the rest of the team that has to pick up the slack of Slacker Steve if they want to get the job done. And the worse part is that the slacker gets just as much credit for completing the job task as all of the people who actually worked!

How to Deal with Him:

Nobody likes to be the office tattletale, but if you get stuck bearing the burden of a tough project with only Slacker Steve to offer assistance, take the matter to someone higher up on the food chain. Explain that you feel more comfortable working independently, or perhaps you’d be better paired with someone else in the group who matches your level of industriousness. If that doesn’t work, come right and say that you don’t feel like Steve is pulling his weight. In general, slackers make things draining and frustrating for the rest of us, so stay clear of working with with these toads if you can!

The Control Freak

Next, you have those in the crowd who have to control everything. From what time the meeting is scheduled to assigning tasks to nitpicking the grammar and then changing it back again, the control freak has to have their hands on all aspects of the task at hand. Even when they assign the tasks to a group, the work is never as good as if they had done it themselves, so they end up doing your work for you, or redoing work you’ve already done.

How to Deal With Him:

You have one of two choices when stuck working with the Control Freak. One, you can take a passive role in the project and simply let him micro-manage you. However, this tends to come back and bite you, because if the Control Freak gets out of control, you’ll likely be the one blamed for whatever he messed up. Another option is to somehow finagle a situation where the control freak becomes so engrossed in whatever he’s doing that he can’t possibly have time to pick on your work.

Or, there is always option three, which is to direct his attention to a lesser individual in the group – someone with less experience, who is more likely to actually NEED his constant instructions. In general though, being in the driver’s seat is the control freak’s power feeder, so don’t add fuel to the fire.

Debbie Downer

The power of positive thinking works. If you surround yourself with positive people and have a positive attitude of your own, you’ll go a lot farther than if you hang with a crowd of Negative Nellies. Unfortunately there is always the Debbie or Nellie of the crowd… the one who, if there’s an open parking spot close to the building, will complain that now everyone can watch her as she eats lunch in her car. You all got bonuses, but according to Debbie Downer, it’s not enough… you know the type I refer to! If you get wrapped up in her negativity, she’s going to drag you down.

How to Deal With Her:

If you find yourself stuck under the same raincloud, bring an umbrella! Or, I should say a pair of earphones. Listening to music while working is a great way to drone out the Debbie Downers of the world. Also, make it known (in a polite way of course) that you do not share her pessimistic attitude.

Keep your mind focused on the good things. Use that energy to motivate the rest of the team. Or, at the very least… if Debbie Downer criticizes a certain aspect of work that’s fixable… why not take her advice and work toward improvement! Keep it up, and who knows… you might even get a pay raise for your effort.

Bootlicker Bob

Bootlicker Bob only cares about himself and his success, so he’ll do anything to get ahead. Also known as brownnosers, bootlickers focus all of their energy on making themselves look good and their colleagues look bad. They’re usually the ones trailing the boss, answering to his or her every whim.

How to Deal With Him:

Bootlicker Bob is probably the least harmful out of all the workplace weasles you may encounter. He’s annoying more than anything else – so find ways to avoid him and/or drown him out. If you see that Bootlicker Bob’s sucking up has outed you from a few opportunities to be noticed for your good work, then be the squeaky wheel and make some (positive) noise of your own. If he’s a snitch, keep your nose clean and document everything you do. It’s a good practice to get into anyway, regardless of whether there’s a brownnoser sniffing about.

Backstabber Betty

Similar to bootlickers, backstabbers will do anything it takes to get ahead. They’ll throw you and other colleagues under the bus in a heartbeat, if it means getting that promotion, earning the boss’s praise, or snagging that pay raise.

How to Deal with Her:

Avoid backstabbers like the plague and you’ll avoid becoming one of their casualties in the workplace. Also, play your cards close to the vest, just as you would with the Idea Thief. Keep communication reserved for you and your boss, and try to pair up on projects with someone else, who won’t try to take your credit or steal your thunder. Again, ask if you can go it solo for certain tasks – it will certainly allow you to prove your own competence without old Betty knifing you when you’re not looking, just so she can claw her way to the top!

At work, you have to deal with a lot of different types of people. While there are many good folks that you probably enjoy working with, others can be toxic to you and your career. Stay clear of these six types and you’re sure to soar ahead without any workplace drama.

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One-liners are often meaningful and memorable, but what about the context they were taken from? While it’s great to be remembered for snippets of brilliant conversation, it’s better to be memorable for being a great conversationalist as a whole.

If you’d like to heighten the value of your conversations, here are some tips to consider.

Think Before You Speak

People often have a tendency to blurt out whatever pops into their minds before thinking about the impact it may have on their conversational audience. While flashes of genius may occur occasionally, it’s more likely that a well-thought-out comment will have a greater impact.

Furthermore, when you allow yourself to air your thoughts without consideration to who you’re speaking to or how it may affect them, you can end up saying things you may regret later on, whether it be hurtful comments or simply viewpoints you are not prepared to defend. Instead, take the time during your conversations to carefully consider your remarks. You will find that not only do you become more a memorable speaker, but you won’t have to spend time backpedaling later on comments you didn’t mean.

Know Your Audience

What do you think would be more memorable to a stay-at-home parent – a talk about healthy cooking and recipes for families on a budget or a discussion on the facts and fiction of high-fructose corn syrup? While both topics may contain beneficial knowledge, the former is more likely to keep a parent’s attention and interest because it relates more directly to things a parent may be experiencing.

The point is, to be memorable, you must know who you’re talking to and what will stay with them after the conversation is finished. Whether you are giving an informal lecture to a group of college students or meeting for coffee with your neighbor, being memorable in conversation is all about relating to your audience and talking about things that are of importance to them.

Listen

Contrary to what you may think, memorable conversations do not have to be one-sided. If your conversations become more like soliloquies, the person or people you are speaking to are more likely to tune you out. Great discussions require an even (or close to it) share of the speaking time. That means you need to listen as much as you talk.

When you feel strongly about a subject, it may be hard to take the time to hear what another person is saying, but doing so will allow you to analyze their point of view and respond accordingly, rather than having a one-track mind. If your partner in conversation feels like you acknowledge and understand his perspective, he is also more likely to attribute value to your statements.

Be Sincere

Last but most certainly not least, you absolutely have to be sincere about your topics of conversation in order to be memorable. People are perceptive, and they will know if you are faking it. Conversely, however, they will also know if you are truly passionate and genuine in what you are saying. Everyone appreciates earnest conversation, and they will be more likely to let what you are saying sink in and affect them if they believe you mean it.

Becoming a memorable conversationalist is not difficult, but it does take thought and consideration. Always think about the impact of your statements before they come out of your mouth, and try to know what matters to your listeners so that you can converse about topics that relate to their interests.

Furthermore, be a listener yourself. Don’t allow your knowledge on a subject or fervent feelings about it to overshadow the thoughts and opinions of others. And lastly, always be sincere when you speak. Try these tips and you never know – you just may find your words of wisdom next to those of Eleanor Roosevelt or Albert Einstein on Bartleby.com!

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The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a leader as “a person who has commanding authority or influence.” Though this definition leaves room for leaders who influence their followers in a negative manner, such as Adolf Hitler, there are many leaders who have changed the world for good. In taking a page from the book of these modern-day leaders for positive change, you can improve upon your own life.

Oprah Winfrey

Oprah’s rags-to-riches rise to fame is a well-known story, especially since she has been noted as the most influential woman in the world. However, despite the fact that she can afford the best of the best, Oprah has remained true to her humble roots. Being at the head of a media empire as large as hers has subjected her to criticism and mocking, whether aimed at her weight, her romantic life, or her choice of reading material, but Oprah has found a way to succeed in spite of the naysayers. Through all of her ups and downs in the public eye, Oprah has upheld her own values and done things the way she believed was right. Take a tip from Oprah and follow your gut. It doesn’t mean you will be without hardships or criticisms, but when you do achieve something great, you’ll know it was because you stayed true to yourself.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech is one of the most quoted and most recognized speeches in all of history. At the time in American history when Martin Luther King Jr. spoke his famous words, the climate was tense and racially charged. Yet somehow, Dr. King remained a dreamer. He did not give up hope that one day his mission would be accomplished. Though his life met a tragic and early end, Dr. King should inspire you to dare to dream. When you allow yourself to have hope for the future, you never know when your dreams will come true.

Bono

It may be trendy to go by a one-word name, but Bono has done much more for the world than just following in the footsteps of Cher or Madonna. He is known as one of the world’s most prominent philanthropists and is often seen singing at benefit shows or acting as a spokesperson for charitable organizations. The lesson to learn from Bono is an obvious one – remember those less fortunate than you. Whether you have been blessed with unfathomable riches or you barely earn more than minimum wage, everyone can find something to give back to the global community. You’ll find that not only are you changing the lives of others when you give your time or money, but you’re also bettering yourself.

Al Gore

Al Gore has come a long way since losing the 2000 presidential election by a narrow margin. Whether you are a Republican, Democrat, or Libertarian, you have to acknowledge that for someone to spend the amount of time as is required to run for President of the United States and then lose in such a closely contended race as Mr. Gore, the result must be devastating. However, in the year 2008, the tides have turned. Al Gore is now a Nobel Prize winner and a well-known advocate for the fight against global warming. After his loss in the presidential race, he regrouped and found a way to follow his passion. In the same way, when you experience a disappointment in life, don’t give up. Use your setback to reevaluate your goals and find opportunities for future successes.

Bill Gates

A lot can be said about Bill Gates’ accomplishments as a businessman and a philanthropist. He is the richest American and one of the most well-known entrepreneurs ever. However, as much as Mr. Gates’ fame and fortune have brought him, he chose to step down as chief executive officer of Microsoft in 2000. You’d think it would be easy to become a workaholic when your company is as successful as his, but Bill Gates chose to pass on his obligations as a full-time Microsoft leader and pursue other opportunities. Similarly, even if you don’t have the luxury to retire early, make sure to maintain a balance between your work life and your personal life. No matter how successful you are in your career, you won’t be able to keep up “all work and no play” forever.

New leaders emerge each and every day in the world. They come from different walks of life and can teach you different lessons about how to succeed. The leaders in this article have been successful in their endeavors to change the world. By learning from the way they live their lives, you too can become a mover and a shaker.

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