Virtue is +1 today. (This is my story)

Fountain Of My Soul by Pastor Victor (De Edifier)

impression by pastor victor

WHAT’S YOUR VISION OF THE FUTURE by Jim Wake

If routine rules your working life, you could be stifling any chance of growing and improving your business. Worse still, if you fail to encourage creative thinking, you could well be doomed to failure.

Innovation is not what you think it is, says Jim Carroll, a selfdescribed “futurist” who makes a living advising companies on how they can reinvent themselves to compete effectively in a fast-changing world. “When it comes to the word innovation,” he explains, “a lot of people hear that word and they think it isn’t something that applies to them. I call it the ‘Steve Jobs effect.’ People hear the word and they think: ‘That’s about the design of cool products and only cool people get to do that. I manage purchasing, so how could I be responsible for innovation?’”

But what Carroll tells them – in ways designed to get them to laugh at themselves and squirm in uncomfortable self-recognition – is that innovation is both more mundane and more achievabe than dreaming up the next breakthrough consumer product, writing brilliant computer code, or developing new methods for microsurgery. “I step back and reframe the question,” he continues. “To me, innovation is three things that apply to everyone in the organization. Whether they are the head of purchasing or product development, or the CEO or the Vice-President of sales, it’s about challenging yourself with three questions. What can I do to run this business better? What can I do to grow this business? And what can I do to transform this business?”

To Carroll, it’s a lot more about awareness than it is about genius. “Running the business? Innovation offers all kinds of opportunities to take costs out of the business. With computerized technologies to streamline processes, for example. It’s just unlimited potential. Growing the business is all about how we get into new markets, new product development, how we generate revenue where revenue hasn’t existed before. Transforming the business is about restructuring ourselves. How we collaborate better, how we reshape the way we’re doing R&D, how we do things differently as an organization.

“A lot of people still think that innovation is some deep mysterious thing,” he goes on. “To me, the link is that there’s a whole bunch of obvious trends which are going to impact an organization, whether they’re demographic, social, political, business trends, whatever. Innovation is simply responding to and keeping up with those trends. Some of it is drop-dead obvious: in Western society, we have a looming boom of baby boomers who are going to become older and sicker and require more care, so that just impacts a whole variety of different industries. With technology, there’s a whole bunch of fascinating trends underway where a lot of everyday devices around us are going to gain intelligence, are going to be linked to the internet, so that’s an obvious trend. And in terms of politics, what’s playing out in Egypt – where there’s a transition of power from one generation that is unplugged, unconnected, to a different generation that is plugged in and connected. Those are the kinds of obvious trends I’m talking about.”

But of course, what is obvious to Carroll – who acknowledges that research is an important part of what he does – may not be so obvious to the person who is focused on meeting deadlines and paying the bills. Still, he is convinced that management can nurture an environment which encourages creative thinking and the willingness to take risks that is pretty much a prerequisite for innovation. “I call it tone at the top. It is something that is CEO-led. He or she has to set the tone for a culture which allows for continual change and adaptation and innovation, in order to keep up with the very fast-paced change around us. If you don’t set that tone at the top, then you really are doomed to failure. I see a lot of organizations try to make innovation something special. They form a little innovation team and go off in a little room and study innovation. But that just doesn’t work. It’s a culture throughout the organization where the leadership is saying to everyone that you’ve got to challenge yourself on those three questions, and we will judge you during the annual review process and in your remuneration and in your job description.”

One example he points to is Google, which provides “innovation time off” – a provision allowing engineers to devote up to 20 percent of their time on projects not directly related to their job descriptions or responsibilities. “It’s important,” says Carroll, “that organizations establish a whole series of projects that are very focused on innovative outcomes, in addition to having everyone responsible for day-to-day innovation.” He also suggests that routine is one of the biggest threats to innovation. “I think it’s very easy for an organization to go into autopilot. If you can do something to shake up their complacency – whether it’s the rebel coming on board or doing something to cause some chaos – that’s a good thing because people need to wake up to how quickly their world is changing around them.” In his talks – he gives dozens every year to audiences as diverse as Texas bankers, California cattle farmers, national park management professionals and the US Professional Golfers’ Association – he can almost be aggressive in trying to combat complacency.

“Here’s what I’ve learned,” he says during one of his videos from a keynote speech. “In every single organization there are people who wake up every single day. The very first thought that comes to their mind is ‘what am I going to do today to kill new ideas?’” It’s a comment which provokes nervous laughter, but that’s because everyone in the audience recognizes a kernel of truth there. “You know that they’re out there because they come into their meetings and you’re presenting new concepts and new ways of doing things, and they’ve got all these little code words that they use to shut ideas down.”

If Carroll had his way, the phrase “You can’t do that because we’ve always done it this way” would be grounds for immediate dismissal. “Never mind that the world is going to change, that the world is going to go over there really, really fast, and we’re still here and we have to get over there with the rest of the world,” he says mockingly. “There are people out there who’ve adopted the attitude of ‘you can’t do that; we’ve always done it this way – it won’t work!’ You come up with a really good idea, you put it out there, you seek some reaction and there is a naysayer at the table who immediately says: ‘It won’t work’; or ‘Dumbest idea I ever heard, it’s too risky, we’re not an organization that takes risk.’” He lets the thought hang there for an instant and then points out the obvious: “The only way to get ahead is to take risks.” As if he himself has suddenly been appointed CEO, he then starts issuing orders to the audience: “Each of you from this point on agrees that you will never use, or permit to be used in one of your meetings, that phrase ‘you can’t do this because we’ve always done it this way’. You’re going to completely ban that phrase ‘it won’t work, dumbest idea I ever heard’. You’re going to banish the type of thinking that tries to hold us back from doing new things.”

He encourages his audience to conduct a simple test the next time they are sitting in a meeting – keep score of the “innovation killing” phrases that come up: a point for every time they hear “it won’t work”, “you can’t do that”, “I don’t know how”, and several others demonstrating fear of trying. Five bonus points for “The boss won’t go for it” and ten for “Why should I care?” Your company is already in trouble – innovation-adverse, in his words – if you score more than five, “innovation dead” if you score more than ten, and you might as well either close up shop or give him a call if you score more than 15.

At the other end of the spectrum are the behaviors, practices and corporate cultures that generate new ideas – ideas flow freely throughout the organization, subversion is considered a virtue, creative champions are present throughout the company, people understand that innovation is not just about

technology, but about doing things differently and better, and that failure is an inevitable – and acceptable – part of the innovation process. “Hire people you don’t like,” he urges, and “forget everything you know”. In this changing world, he claims, we don’t need MBAs so much as we need “MBIs” – Masters of Business Imagination. “The phrase Master of Business Administration is about running the business. That’s great, but what are you going to do to grow and transform the business? We [spend] more time thinking about how our markets are changing, how we might build new relationships with our customers, thinking about how we might go in and disrupt other business models and how we might ingest technology faster to do awesome things within our industry. We should just have a lot more people with a lot more imagination on our team.”

Carroll wasn’t always a change guru – he spent 12 years as an accountant. But somewhere along the way, he realized that technology was moving much faster than the business world, and that there was a business opportunity convincing the corporate world that it needed to change to accommodate new technologies and trends, or get left behind. He points out that Apple generates 60 percent of its revenue from products that didn’t even exist four years ago, and that the only thing that is certain is

that everything will be different before you know it. Half of what students learn in their first year in college is obsolete by the time they graduate. “Having been at this for 15 years,” he says, “I think that the necessity for organizations to get on board with this type of thinking is becoming more critical, because business is changing faster, customers are changing faster and technology is changing faster. My key word is velocity. The need to do a lot of radical things is speeding up because everything out there is speeding up.”

MEDICAL NEWS TODAY

"I think music in itself is healing," American musician Billy Joel once said. "It's an explosive expression of humanity. It's something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we're from, everyone loves music." Most of us would wholeheartedly agree with this statement, and it is this universal bond with music that has led researchers across the globe to investigate its therapeutic potential.

"We have a such a deep connection to music because it is 'hardwired' in our brains and bodies," said Barbara Else.

We can all think of at least one song that, when we hear it, triggers an emotional response. It might be a song that accompanied the first dance at your wedding, for example, or a song that reminds you of a difficult break-up or the loss of a loved one.

"We have a such a deep connection to music because it is 'hardwired' in our brains and bodies," Barbara Else, senior advisor of policy and research at the American Music Therapy Association told Medical News Today. "The elements of music - rhythm, melody, etc. - are echoed in our physiology, functioning and being."

Given the deep connection we have with music, it is perhaps unsurprising that numerous studies have shown it can benefit our mental health. A 2011 study by researchers from McGill University in Canada found that listening to music increases the amount of dopamine produced in the brain - a mood-enhancing chemical, making it a feasible treatment for depression.

And earlier this year, MNT reported on a study published in The Lancet Psychiatry that suggested listening to hip-hop music - particularly that from Kendrick Lamar - may help individuals to understand mental health disorders.

But increasingly, researchers are finding that the health benefits of music may go beyond mental health, and as a result, some health experts are calling for music therapy to be more widely incorporated into health care settings.

In this Spotlight, we take a closer look at some of the potential health benefits of music and look at whether, for some conditions, music could be used to improve - or even replace - current treatment strategies.

Reducing pain and anxiety

Bob Marley once sang: "One good thing about music, when it hits you feel no pain." According to some studies, this statement may ring true.

Earlier this year, MNT reported on a study led by Brunel University in the UK that suggested music may reduce pain and anxiety for patients who have undergone surgery.

By analyzing 72 randomized controlled trials involving more than 7,000 patients who received surgery, researchers found those who were played music after their procedure reported feeling less pain and anxiety than those who did not listen to music, and they were also less likely to need pain medication.

This effect was even stronger for patients who got to choose the music they listened to. Talking to MNT, study leader Dr. Catharine Meads said:

"If music was a drug, it would be marketable. [...] Music is a noninvasive, safe, cheap intervention that should be available to everyone undergoing surgery."

This study is just one of many hailing music for its effects against pain. In March 2014, researchers from Denmark found music may be beneficial for patients with fibromyalgia - a disorder that causes muscle and joint pain and fatigue.

Listening to calm, relaxing, self-chosen music "reduced pain and increased functional mobility significantly" among 22 patients with fibromyalgia, according to the investigators.

But why does music appear to ease pain? While the exact mechanisms remain unclear, many researchers believe one reason is because listening to music triggers the release of opioids in the brain, the body's natural pain relievers.

Dr. Daniel Levitin, of McGill University in Canada, and colleagues talk about this theory in a 2013 review, citing research that found people experienced less pleasure from listening to their favorite song when given Naltrexone - a drug that blocks opioid signals - suggesting music induces the release of opioids to ease pain.

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*RECOMMENDED WAYS TO BEAT YOUR WIFE:*

*RECOMMENDED WAYS TO BEAT YOUR 

WIFE:*

  I don't use belt, I don't use abusive words, I don't use sex starvation to beat her, I don't use blow, I don't use kick. I am a king & married to a queen. Such don't happen in a palace like ours. This is the way I 'beat' my wife and I am recommending it for all men. The reason why my Queen  can't leave me is because she is enjoying the beating. 

This is the way I beat her. I beat her by:

B - BEAUTIFYING HER,

E - ENCOURAGING HER,

A - ASSISTING HER, and

T - TREATING HER AS A QUEEN.

No woman can die in your hands no matter how many times you beat her in a day as long as you do it the way I do it to my Queen. I know this is the way women will love their husbands to BEAT them. There can't be divorce or separation if we BEAT our wives like this. When you use belt, wire, blow, knife, slap, or any domestic violent means on your wife, you are worthy to be awarded a duplex at Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital or you can go there yourself and tell them to detain you there until you are okay. For all excellent husbands, follow that syllabus I gave you on how I beat my own Queen daily & go and do likewise.

The joy of your family is my priority.

*WISDOM FOR WIVES!*

 As a wife, your BEAUTY attracts your husband, but your WISDOM will continue to keep him! Your ELEGANCE catches his ATTENTION, but your INTELLIGENCE convinces him! NAGGING irritates your husband, but your "CONSTRUCTIVE SILENCE" weakens him! Remember that the "boyish" character in your husband comes out occasionally, but your ability to always handle it, is a sign that you are a MATURED WIFE! Every man has "Secret Struggles and Pains" including your husband. If you should ever find them out from him, please exhibit the greatest maturity by asking the Originator of your marriage (GOD), to help you with USEFUL IDEAS, that you will suggest to him (your husband)! In the long run, your KIND WORDS matter to your husband than your "LOOKS"! So, always invest the RIGHT WORDS! Earn your husband's respect and he will consider you as the yardstick for all his actions! Learn to mould your husband's moods, and he will naturally give you his "FUTURE" as he recalls your maturity in handling past issues! Note that WOMEN are everywhere, but REAL WIVES are scarce. Let the QUEEN in you come alive, and your husband will always hold you in a very HIGH ESTEEM!

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THE POWER OF TELLING IT TO JESUS

Ever wished for a pal that  you can invariably confide in, and who never does not impart peace and strength for you in order to face the problems of life? There’s one friend who does—and He’s the one and only our amazing Lord Jesus!

While the words of the beloved hymn go:

What a friend we have in Jesus

All our sins and griefs to bear

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer.

Would you notice how the hymn’s writer calls praying a privilege? That’s because Jesus is a buddy that  you might  have heart-to-heart talks with. And you also don’t have to speak in perfect sentences or follow some religious formula.

Whilst the psalmist David once wrote so beautifully, “Hear me when  I pray, O LORD....My heart has heard you say, ‘Come and talk to me.’ And my heart responds, “LORD, I am coming” (Ps. 27:7פ NLT).

I’ve personally experienced some great benefits  of having such heart-to-heart talks utilizing  the Lord, especially back at  my evening walks with Him. I can’t explain it but He always adds something in my opinion through our conversations. I find myself more at peace, more alert to His superabounding supply for several of life’s demands, or which  He has imparted strength if you ask me.

I really believe the exact  same is merely looking forward to you. While  you pour out your heart to Jesus, He won’t allow you to leave exactly the same  way you came. He’ll offer you His strength, infuse you together with peace (see Ps. 29:11 NLT), and a whole lot.

WHY YOU CAN EASILY TELL IT TO JESUS You are thinking, But I’ve sinned and failed a great deal. How to stand within  the Lord’s presence, significantly  less call Him my buddy?

Yes, it is correct  that sin once separated us from God. But He loved us a great deal that He sent His only Son to die from  the cross for many our sins. And Jesus rose again in  the third day, proving that we’re now completely forgiven and reconciled to God (see Rom. 4:25, 2 Cor. 5:19).

That’s why He won't ever make  you nor forsake you today. In reality, He’s letting you know, “Let me visit  your face; i'd like to hear your voice. For the voice is pleasant, along with  your face is lovely” (Song of Sol. 2:14 NLT).

TELLING IT TO HIM IS FAITH

Another concern I often hear is, But Pastor Prince, based on Mark 11:23, I’m not praying in faith if I simply tell Jesus about my problems! My pal, though  there is unquestionably a spot for Mark 11:23 prayers, don’t most of  us have days whenever  we are incredibly discouraged we just don't have any strength to talk with the mountains within  our lives? God understands in which  He calls it faith whenever  we simply started to Him once  we are, within  our discouragement and distress, seeking His comfort, strength, and grace.

Because the psalmist David wrote, “I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare before Him my trouble” (Ps. 142:2). These words were likely written when David was hiding in a cave from Saul, discouraged and fearful. But  the psalm, David tells God, “You are great to me” (Ps. 142:7 NLT).

So like David, do you want to pour out your heart ahead of  the Lord, and invite Him to restore your soul and bring deliverance to your circumstances?

HE’S SIGNIFICANTLY MORE  THAN A LISTENING EAR

Indeed, you can find very tangible great things about telling it to Jesus. He not just loves both you  and is the listening ear, but He has also the ability to offer success in most things (see 3 John 1:2). And you will make sure he understands about something  that’s eating you, whether it is, “Lord, I’m focused on these symptoms in my own body.” Or, “Lord, my marriage is wearing  down. I don’t understand  what to accomplish.” And even, “I’m just so tired and discouraged, Lord. I don’t feel just like reading the Bible or conversing with You!” Nothing catches Jesus by surprise. In reality, the greater amount of honest you might be with Him, the greater amount of you’ll sense His comforting nearness and strength, and experience His saving power when you look at  the days in the future. Therefore  I shan’t help keep  you anymore, my buddy. Go enjoy some alone time with Jesus and tell him what’s on your own heart. Then, “What a pal we now have in Jesus” won’t you should  be lyrics in a hymn, but can be your glorious, life-transforming reality.

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