What is Self Talk?

Self Talk includes all the random thoughts that run through our mind. A simple way of defining Self Talk is that it is talking silently to oneself. Self talk can be positive, it can tell us what to do, where to focus, and get one motivated. Unfortunately, self talk can also be negative and critical. Such internal talk definitely does not help performance and,in most cases, probably hurts performance.

Positive Self Talk is the stuff that makes you feel good about yourself and the things that are going on in your life. It is like having an optimistic voice in your head that always looks on the bright side.

Example - I can do it.

Negative Self Talk is the stuff that makes you feel pretty crappy about yourself and things that are going on. It can put a downer on anything, whether it is good or bad.

Example - "Everything is bad and nothing is going to get better”

When Self Talk goes away from the usual?

1. When user is focusing more on the Past or Future.
2. When user is focusing on weaknesses during competition.
3. When user is focusing on only 'Out Come'. i.e. I am best than others.
4. When user is focusing on uncontrollable factors.
5. Demanding Perfection.

How to Listen and Change your Self Talk ?

1. Observe the Self Talk on Daily Basis
2. Decide what sort of Self Talk you want to hear
3. Catch or generate Flag whenever you begin to Self Talk in a negative manner.
4. Managing your Self Talk on Daily Basis.
5. Figure out what type of positive Self Talk will encourage and motivate you throughout the day and then strive to stay in that frame of mind.
6. Discard Self Talk that is self-defeating or projects anger.

To Be Continued ???

This is the basic terminology I try to explained. If you like my article and wants to know in detail terminology than let me know. I will publish the second part of this article with more detailing such as:

• How to Overcome Procrastination Using Self Talk.
• "Stopping" Negative Self - talk
• Tips on Self Talk Management
• Example

References:

http://www.wikihow.com/Listen-to-and-Change-Your-Self-Talk

http://www.eacgators.com/selftalk.pdf

Big Data in Education Domain

Education Domain has always had the power to generate a large amount of data. Start with Academic study requirement that includes long hours of school & homework, 5+ days per week turns into years. These exercise produce a huge quantity of information.

We are now able to collect and track this data using LMS (Learning Management Systems), Social networks, and other media that reach how students interpret, consider, and arrive at conclusions about course material.

The best part is that this information – called Big Data – can do helpful within the Education Sector. Using this solution, there could be the rise of many risks like Privacy, Security aspect all of which need to be addressed before starting on it.

What is Big Data: Big data is a large volume unstructured data which cannot be handled by standard database management systems like DBMS, RDBMS or ORDBMS.

What Big Data can do: Big Data allows for the analysis and prediction of behavior in a huge variety of demographics, skills, potentials – anything user can think for purpose of measuring.

How Big Data can Impact on Education: In Education Sector, these data points can being used to help institutional / organization strategies, personalized learning environments etc.

At initial level, Education can take below steps to start on it:

• Educational Data Mining: This layer will focus on developing new algorithms and discovering data patterns for Students.
• Learning Analytic: This layer will focus on applying tools and techniques at big scales in system.

Process:

• Online Learning System for Student – Front end Interface.
• Database – Detailed data about student’s experience.
• Predictive Analysis - The data is used to make predictions about knowing student’s future performance.
• All Predictions data are visible on parent & teacher dashboards.
• Students are getting learning material based on their performance level and interests.
• Parents & Teacher user can negotiate and help us necessary.

Challenges:

• Investments are require to store logged data, to hire data mining engineer.
• Privacy need to be sustained.
• Maintaining one picture from data can be difficult.
• Identification for which data should be mined and analyzed is challenge.

How to Develop Strategy:

• Develop a culture that uses data in making instructional decisions.
• Planning for Data collection and use.
• Focused Areas where data will help and build.
• Communication medium for parents & students about how the data is collected & stored.

References:

• http://www.innovationexcellence.com/blog/2014/01/29/big-data-in-education-big-potential-or-big-mistake/
• http://www.knewton.com/blog/ceo-jose-ferreira/big-data-in-education/
• http://www.bigdata-startups.com/

Your Comfort Zone Vs Change

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A person’s success in life can usually be measured by the number of uncomfortable conversations he or she is willing to have.” - Tim Ferris

What is Comfort Zone:

As per Wikipedia, the definition of Comfort zone is:

"The comfort zone is a behavioral state within which a person operates in an anxiety-neutral condition, using a limited set of behaviors to deliver a steady level of performance, usually without a sense of risk. A person's personality can be described by his or her comfort zones. A comfort zone is a type of mental conditioning that causes a person to create and operate mental boundaries. Such boundaries create an unfounded sense of security. Like inertia, a person who has established a comfort zone in a particular axis of his or her life, will tend to stay within that zone without stepping outside of it. To step outside their comfort zone, a person must experiment with new and different behaviors, and then experience the new and different responses that occur within their environment."

Most of us feels happy in our comfort zones because it is easy & feels good. But in longer run it does not breed success.

Are You Flexible to Change:

If I can give you my Personal example, after Graduation in Information Technology, I was doing the business in Agricultural firm in local city for almost 5 years. During that 5 years I was completely out of Technology but later stage, I realized that I was not in right track. I should have to leave this comfort zone for better life and growth. At that time seems like not having any clue like:

• How to start?
• How to enter in IT Industry again.
• Some says " It is too late for me to enter in IT".
• Some says " By chance, If you entered, you cannot success".

But, one thing i am having it is called a passion. Your passion can cause you to want to do things you would normally avoid like the plague.

Due this passion, i started my post graduation again & worked hard in IT industry since 2008. It has been 6 years so far i left my comfort zone, but have enjoyed what stepping outside of my comfort zone has done for me so far.

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• Signing up for a English Speaking class: I would never signed up English speaking class if i have not started my post graduation class. That is before my passion gave me the courage to do it anyway that is. The real truth is that I know that the career path I have chosen for myself meant that i needed to communicate effectively with others.

• Expand R&D power: In my early days of career, i realized that i need improvement to expand my R&D power. so next step for me to expand on it. The day i realized i need to expand it is till expanding and continue towards it. As i do not want to settle with this. It should be continues process like our Heart beat.

• Learning Technology: Learning any technology is scary feelings. I am sure most of us are lack confident when it comes to the technology. If we are having a burning desire to learn something we must learn. I came from the Technical background as i started my career as a Software Programmer and has set the goal of to master in the Technology. Despite having this goal, it courage me every day to learn something new in technology like what stuffs are doing, what are the new things in the market, what are the solution etc.

• Mentoring: I was asked to become mentor. Everything inside of me screamed at me to say No! The truth is I am very shy person, but I know I will do better and experience will help me so much. I stepped outside of the box. My passion to help others become aware on the new technology trends, mentoring or guide him on the right path whether it is related to personal or professional.

• Starting Blog: To be honest, even though i had never attended any classes on English writing or written anything significant before join in IT organization. When it comes to blogging, I literately fight over the idea for many weeks / months and because i was scared of something i had never done. But i feel very confident in my ability to write great articles and having passion some day i may become great author. Over the years, I try to improved and look forward to growing even more in my writing abilities. I started to writing blog this month and published 4 articles before. But over this days, i received valuable comments and made some great friends and connections along the way. This should not happen if i had stayed inside my comfort zone.

At last, comfort zone always feel proud to us, but it comes at the cost of not seeing all of the opportunities that come our way. Take a courage step outside for one month at least and started the things you don't like and you may be delightful at what you see.

The Need of Business & Technology Consulting Group in Software IT Organization

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I still remembered 2008, when there was highly demands from the client to guide on their Product or Project on Functional Part by preparing Wire-frame / Scratches, Scoping etc. At that time iTunes or Google Play was new. But, now time has changed. There are millions of applications are available in the Market with ready made Simple Tool for wire-frame to guide client on Functional Part.

Now a days, most of organization is facing project fails scenarios on the Software Development. The reason is due to not having detail clarity on the Technical Points.

The detail clarity in the sense:

• Automated Business Rules are not finalized while sending Business Proposal.
• Infrastructure Architecture is not finalized.
• High level SOA Level Architecture is not identified.

The second thing, Most of the organizations are in false assumption to consider Functional Scope as a complete Scope. It is true but it is just a Project Discovery Document phase. The other technical phases should be consider while sending Business Proposal or SOW to client.

Looking at current scenario and market trends, every organization is suffering to get Large scale Enterprise level project which is having complex Big Data solutions, Cloud Strategy etc. The main worried for him is they do not have any immediate action plan to tackle this situation.

So, What client is expecting from Service provider to Guide him on?

The Answer is Business & Technology Consulting Group who can guide him on Business & Technology point of view that includes Competitor Analysis, Advise on Latest IT Trends and Best Practices, Advising and Selection of Web & Mobile Framework.

1. The need of Business & Technology Consulting Group:

Today we all are live in Digital World with increased amount of structured and Unstructured Data. In order to make project or product successful there are multiple scenarios needs to be taken care like:

• Does this project require to integrate Cloud Solutions?
• Does this project require integrating Big Data Solutions?
• NoSQL DB Implementation
• Scalability Point of view

The trends are the same that was in 2008 but organization has to change approach to battle this situation to divert into Technology Consulting.

The organization should start this group today or in near future to get advantage of this below things:

• This model is highly suitable to Technology Partner.
• This model can help organization to track complex project which is having require detailed technical consulting in Pre Sales Stage only.
• This model can convert Client’s Idea into Reality by providing Consulting Service.
• This model can Identify Technical Consulting Strategy, Road Map and Phases wise Development Execution.
• This model can design the scalable Server Side Architecture
• This model can implements Big Data with Cloud Solutions Integration.
• This model can gives Solution to client in terms of Business as well Technology Point of View.
• This model can Define Revenue Generation Strategy to client to their Product.

The prime role for this group is to facilitate favorable working atmosphere, proper Business & Technical consultation, knowledge about Market Needs, anticipated changes in technology which have direct impact on client business growth etc.

I reckon it was 2008, where I started my career as a Mobile application developer and worked on multiple platforms such as Android, Symbian, J2ME and BlackBerry than worked as a Business Analyst, Technology Consultant etc.

Over the 6 years, I was lucky enough to get practical experience on overall Software Development Life cycle that includes Analysis, Development & Consulting.