kairoer's blog

Look for someone whose work you admire or who simply excels in a single area where you’d like to expand your skills.

Mentors are a great asset! I would never have reached the levels I am at without a number of mentors. Mentors have made such an impact in my life that I decided to offer mentoring services to companies and people together with one of my mentors, Thor Erik Gulliksen . We do this in Trainifique , as you may already know.

A mentor is someone who helps you reach your potential. He or she offers advices and acts as a beacon that enlightens your path. Sometimes a mentor is merely someone who inspires you, someone like an author or great achiever in business, someone you are only looking to for inspiration. Other times a mentor is someone who is taking active part in guiding you towards your goals.

It is not hard to find a mentor. Just take a look around you. Your boss may be a candidate; someone working in a different company or department may be too. Perhaps someone in your family. Or a friend. It all depends on what you want to achieve.

I have had mentors who turned into friends, and I have had mentors who, through their behaviors though me about ethics and lack thereof. In the end, it is all up to yourself how you use the knowledge and experience you get from your mentor.

What are your experiences with mentoring? How has a mentor helped you succeed? Do you have any “dream” mentor, someone you really want to have as your mentor?

Somehow, the automaticalicious technology decided to play me a prank this week, so the posts that where supposed to appear, did not. Since I am traveling these days, I am not able to repost them, so they will have to wait a few more days until I get back to Oslo.

In the meanwhile, I give you this link: http://www.onlinecollege.org/2009/08/11/100-twitter-tips-and-tools-to-stay-on-top-of-your-field/

Thank you so much, Amber Johnson for tipsing me on this one! Keep them coming!

Some of my readers have asked me where I find my inspiration to blog. Well, some of it comes from reading book, other blogs. Some come from traveling, sometimes from my trainings.

The most important source of inspiration for me is actually you guys! You, my readers. By adding your comments, and sending me emails with questions. Like for instance when Zancy_ sent me an email a couple of weeks back, she added 30 inspirational tips she had found in a book about graphic design, and adopted to her workspace in PR. She sent me the list, and told me she had put this list on the bathroom door of the office.
 
The book was called "Design Matters: An Essential Primer for Today's  Competitive Market", and I have to admit I never read that one myself.

I liked the list very much, so much that it turned into a 10 week series of inspiration on my blog. Admittedly, I add my own comments to her list, and I look forward to your comments too!

Other sources of inspiration I use is film. I am a huge fan of Hayao Miyazaki, the Japanese animation film artist. And of course, my son Leo is another inspiration.

I truly appreciate your help and inspiration! Please keep it coming! Thank you!

Sign up for a fencing class or master the art of baking puff pastries.
It is amazing how our brain reacts to new impulses. No matter what you are doing to make a living, chances are you have other interests too.

So you are already familiar with the joy of doing something different, something not directly related to your job.
To up the amp a bit on this task, I suggest you try something you never tried before.

If you are a guy, it is pretty safe to assume you never did aerobics and similar rhythmic workout sessions. I know I never did. I always considered these classes to be too simple, and not at all efficient for my male body. Until I actually tried it out.
Halfway through the first session, I realized that I had to reprogram my own brain – I had to accept my lack of rhythm, my lack of experience of moving like this, and the fact that this workout really was great both for cardio vascular workout, and for my brain!

Given, it did take several weeks for me to learn the movements and start to really enjoy it.

Other things I have tried:

• rebuilding a TDI engine
• building an EFI unit, and fitting it to a V8 petrol engine (yes, it worked…)
• mountain climbing
• playing instruments (piano, guitar, harmonica, clarinet, saxophone)

What kind of activity can you do to create a similar effect? How many activities have you tried so far? What did you learn about yourself in the process? What activities would you recommend us to try?

Filmmaker David Lynch swears his daily practice is crucial to all his creative work.

Image courtesy of: Thomas L. Kelly