The Small Blog

Wed, April 27, 2011 - 10:23:39

Be Four Again

When you’re faced with a serious problem, the natural assumption is that it calls for a serious solution. But, what if we told you that the most sensible solutions are often simply ridiculous? In fact, many times, the best way to tackle a tough challenge is to channel your inner child, be playfully creative, and think like a four year old.

As adults, our brains are conditioned to automatically filter out illogical, nonsensical, and outlandish ideas. But often, those crazy and even childish thoughts can provide inspiration for true innovation.

Posted by Linda and Robin
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Tue, April 26, 2011 - 9:51:09

Sweat the SMALL Stuff Like Your Life Depends on It

When you think about the characteristics that lead to a long and healthy life, what springs to mind? We’d imagine the list might go something like this: carefree, relaxed, and free-spirited. Well, you might be surprised to learn that an 80-year scientific study has just turned this long-held notion on its ear. The study uncovered a rather shocking discovery: the people who live the longest—and happiest—lives could actually be described as conscientious, prudent, persistent, well-organized, and even somewhat obsessive. In other words, they eschew the conventional wisdom and do sweat the SMALL Stuff.

According to lead researchers Howard S. Friedman and Leslie R. Martin, whose findings are published in the new book, The Longevity Project, genetics play only a supporting role in your chances for a long life. More important are a combination of lifestyle and chance. And that’s where sweating the SMALL stuff comes in.

Posted by Linda and Robin
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Wed, April 20, 2011 - 10:20:49

Multi-tasking? Forget about it.

Have you ever been so busy completing the items on your endless to-do list that if you stopped even for a minute, you couldn’t remember what you were doing? New research suggests that the problem might not have been how much you had to do, but how you were doing it. The New York Times reports that the common practice of multi-tasking has now been linked to poor memory function. And it’s just one more reason why we’re taking multi-tasking to task.

Unfortunately for many ambitious professionals, there’s a common misconception that multi-tasking is the best way to power your way through the day and this new finding linking multi-tasking to weakened memory is just the latest development outing the practice as a productivity-killer. Instead of being ultra efficient, multi-tasking is, quite counter-intuitively, the least effective way to get things done fast. Research has found that multi-tasking actually slows your productivity, and worse, it decreases your accuracy, increases fatigue, and negatively impacts your decision-making skills.

Posted by Linda and Robin
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Fri, April 15, 2011 - 9:15:08

Forget the Fear and Encourage Failure

If we told you, “Failure is a goldmine,” you’d probably think we’d misspoken. But, the truth is, failure is actually filled with opportunity—and that’s precisely why one of India’s business titans, and president of The Tata Group, Ratan Tata, tells The Economist that his company is launching a competition to find the best “failed idea.”

The “best failed idea”: it sounds like an oxymoron, right? Apparently it’s such an odd statement that it even ticked off our computer’s Grammar Check. But, however counterintuitive it might sound, failure can be one of the best things that ever happened to you. And you shouldn’t be afraid of it.

Posted by Linda and Robin
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Tue, April 12, 2011 - 12:16:24

The Duck is in the Details

In our book, THE POWER OF SMALL: Why Little Things Make All the Difference, we explain how the old adage “the devil is in the details” holds true. As we like to say, “Little mistakes can spell disaster.” And, especially in business, overlooking just one small element can potentially derail even your best efforts. But, did you know that picking up on the power of a little detail could also mean the difference between a generating so-so idea and a coming up with a real creative breakthrough?

One small detail truly can make all the difference. Take the voice of the Aflac Duck, for example. As you may have seen in the news recently, nationwide auditions have drawn people from all walks of life to take their best “quack” at the coveted role of the beloved Aflac Duck.

Posted by Linda and Robin
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