How the power of words can change lives

02/09/2025 by

Today I aim to explore the power of words.

Have you ever considered just how powerful words can be? In my experience, the power of words can have a much greater impact than you might imagine.

Let me tell you a heartwarming story to emphasize today’s point.

Make Money

The reunion:

Some time ago I had lunch with a group of old friends.

Now there’s nothing unusual about that, you might say.

Even though it was the first time we’d all been together in the same place at the same time for more than 40 years, it was nothing exceptional.

Such reunions happen all the time, don’t they?

It was a genuine pleasure to see them all again and swap stories about how our lives had progressed since those far-off days.

However, it’s the story of one of my fellow diners that day that’s worth sharing with you now because I think it’s a source of inspiration and reinforces the importance of just how powerful words can be.

Saeed’s story:

Back in the day, we were all working together for the national telecommunications operator in the Middle East.

Three of us had been young, graduate engineers on an upward career trajectory, with the future seemingly ours for the taking. We had it all.

The other member of our group, let’s call him Saeed, had been the handyman and tea boy in the department at that time.

Saeed was then just a young teenager, straight out of school.

He was a bright and willing fellow, but he had no academic qualifications, and he spoke very little English at the time.

Now Arabic was his mother tongue, of course, but in the international business we were in, a good command of spoken English was essential if you were to have any chance of career success.

Saeed came from a poor village, and his perceived failure at school had left him feeling that, at just 16, he’d blown his chances and was destined for a life filled with low-paid, low-skilled jobs.

Make Money

The power of words:

Fast forward 40+ years, and Saeed’s now every bit the poor-boy-made-good story.

Not only is he now a wealthy international businessman with two very successful businesses, he also has a string of qualifications, including two doctorate degrees. Now completing one PhD is hard work, but two? Wow.

In short, his success is impressive by any measure.

Nevertheless, how did Saeed get from where he was then to where he is now?

The simple answer, of course, is with determination and a lot of hard work.

You cannot achieve anything without those ingredients.

However, he also needed a reason to believe. He needed a spark to light the fire. And that is where the story gets interesting.

The spark that lit the fire:

Over lunch, Saeed explained that it was a kind and encouraging word, back in the day, from one of our fellow diners that had made him believe that he could make a success of his life despite a poor start.

My fellow diner, let’s call him Tom, didn’t even remember the conversation.

So, what was this kind and encouraging word?

Your past does not define your future.

The past is just a series of lessons. Beyond that, it doesn’t matter.

The future is an endless stream of opportunities we can choose to take or not.

Tom had explained these basic principles to Saeed and encouraged him to pursue his dreams.

You can make your life whatever you want it to be. That was Tom’s message. The life you want can be yours if you’re willing to work hard for it.

The impact:

The power of these well-timed words of encouragement had an impact on Saeed. It propelled him to a destiny he did not think possible. And that is today’s underlying point.

Words have power; choose them wisely.

The power of words matters. A few well-timed words can inspire young people.

And never, ever forget that young people need encouragement much more than they need criticism.

Encourage young people:

So next time you’re working with someone in the early stages of life’s journey, remember your words can have the power to encourage them.

Unfortunately, they can also have the potential to discourage them if you’re not careful.

What you say and the tone with which you say it does matter.

Always offer young people positive words of encouragement rather than harsh words of criticism.

Never, ever forget how powerful your words can be. The right words, at the right time, really can inspire young people to achieve their full potential.

Leave a legacy:

If you want to leave a legacy behind you, then it would be hard to improve on encouraging a young person to become the best and most successful person he or she could be.

Remember the power of words. You have power with your words. Use it wisely.

Make Money

Please share this post with your friends:

If you found this article on the power of words useful, please share it on social media with your friends. When you share, everyone wins.

Please share it now, and I’ll be forever grateful. You’ll be helping a keen blogger reach a wider audience.

Your support is appreciated. Thank you.

Other articles you might also find interesting:

© Mann Island Media Limited 2025. All rights reserved.

Filed Under: Wisdom Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Top 10 Tips for How to Manage Your Time

07/28/2024 by

How to manage your time? A question that is frequently asked but few actually manage to master the art of effective time management, in my experience.

“If only I had time!” is an expression I hear constantly.

People will say to me, “Oh I’d love to do that if only I had the time.”

However, we all have exactly the same amount of time. We all have 168 hours each week and it all comes down to how we make the best use of it. In other words, our priorities.

Time is our most precious resource, wouldn’t you agree dear reader? Yet far too many people don’t use their time as wisely as they should.

So here are my Top 10 tips for how to manage your time.

How to manage your time:

1. Be in control: Just because someone makes a demand on your time, it doesn’t mean that you have to agree to it. You are the captain of your own ship and you should always be in control. And you’re mindset should always be, “I am in control of my life and if anyone wants a piece of my time then they’ll need to provide me with a very good reason as to why I should agree to their request.”

2. Keep your life and your desk free of clutter: Dealing with clutter just stresses you out, so be ruthless and get rid of it. You cannot work efficiently at a desk which is full of clutter. And you will waste so much time looking for things you need. So clear your desk and get rid of anything in your life that will prevent you from managing your time as efficiently as possible.

3. Be organized: A place for everything and everything in its place. If everything is in its place then you’ll know where to find it should you need it. And that reduces clutter and makes for a better environment in which to work, be it in the workplace or in your personal life.

4. Make lists: You need to plan your week and plan each day too. Write it all down so you won’t forget it. Having a weekly planner is a good idea. Knowing what needs to be achieved each week, allows you to identify ‘must do’ activities each day. At the end of each day make a list of what needs to be done the next day in order to achieve your objectives. And do not rest until your list has been completed each day.

5. Prioritize: Everything is urgent these days, so you have to identify those things that are important to you achieving your objectives. Those are then the activities on which you must focus. You should know your priorities and they are the things that will allow you to achieve your objectives and meet your deadlines.

6. Develop routines: Having a proper routine will allow you to get very efficient at what you do. For instance, rather than responding to emails as and when they arrive in your inbox, set aside two or three time windows each day when you will deal with email. That could be for exactly one hour at the beginning of each day; half an hour just before lunch and then say half an hour at the end of the day just before you leave your desk. Be very strict about these windows for dealing with email and don’t allow email to become a distraction at other times.

7. Set deadlines and stick to them: If you have a piece of work to complete, judge how long it will take, use that to set a deadline for completion and then focus on that work such that you complete it within your deadline.

8. Delegate whenever possible: You should only be doing those things which absolutely have to be done by you. If you are lucky enough to have people to whom you can delegate then make use of them as much as you possibly can.

9. Don’t procrastinate: Procrastination is the thief of time. If you have got something to do, then get on with it. Don’t mess around. The sooner you start the sooner you’ll finish.

10. Learn to say No: Master this skill and it is the biggest time saver of them all. Far too often we agree to do something for someone else simply because we don’t like saying no. It may not even be our responsibility but we do it anyway rather than say no. Always be polite but it is perfectly reasonable to say, “I’d love to help you but I’m busy right now.“

Bonus Timing Saving Tips:

Here are some useful time-saving tips that are often overlooked. Increasing your productivity will mean getting more done in less time. What’s not to like about that?

1. Use Keyboard Shortcuts: Learning and using keyboard shortcuts for your most-used software can significantly speed up your work. Whether it’s for operating systems, word processors, or specific applications, mastering these shortcuts reduces the time spent navigating menus and will increase your productivity.

2. Leverage Automation Tools: Utilize automation tools and apps like IFTTT (If This Then That) or Zapier to automate repetitive tasks. These tools can help with tasks like automatically saving email attachments to cloud storage, posting updates across social media platforms, or organizing files. Automation can save you countless hours in the long run.

3. Create Email Templates for Common Responses: If you find yourself frequently sending similar emails, create a set of templates for these common responses. This can save you a significant amount of time and ensure consistency in your communication. Most email clients have features that allow you to save and reuse templates with just a few clicks.

4. Batch Processing Similar Tasks: Instead of switching between different types of tasks throughout the day, try batching similar tasks together. For example, set specific times for answering emails, making phone calls, or doing administrative work. This reduces the mental load of constantly switching contexts and increases overall efficiency.

5. Set Up Quick Access for Frequently Used Files and Folders: Organize your digital workspace by creating shortcuts or bookmarks for frequently accessed files and folders. Whether it’s pinning important folders in your file explorer or bookmarking essential documents in your browser, having quick access can save you the hassle of searching through directories every time you need them.

Master your time management skills:

Whilst this is not a comprehensive list, it’s a good basis on which to start improving your time management skills.

If you want to be successful then effective time management is an essential skill.

Please share this post on social media:

If you found this post interesting and inspiring then please share it on social media with your friends and your personal network.

When you share, everyone wins.

Please share it now. If you can do that for me I’d be ever so grateful and you’ll be helping a keen blogger reach a wider audience.

Thank you.

You might like to try these free games too:

Copyright © Mann Island Media Limited 2024. All rights reserved.

Filed Under: Wisdom Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Self-promotion and why it matters if you want success

06/30/2024 by

Self-promotionThe idea of self-promotion is something with which many readers will feel slightly uncomfortable.

Perhaps it leaves you feeling a slight sense of unease dear reader; the idea of ‘blowing your own trumpet’ and making sure that others know all about what you have to offer?

By self-promotion, I am referring to personal visibility, particularly in the office or workplace.

Visibility matters:

Does personal visibility really matter that much, you may ask?

Well, that depends on how you think about it really.

If you’re happy to plod along and just accept whatever life decides you should have then it probably doesn’t matter much at all.

However, if success is your aim or if you want to enjoy more of what life can offer then personal visibility is essential.

Think about it. If I don’t know you exist, how can you be a solution to my problem?

How can I possibly know what you have to offer unless I have some visibility of you in action?

And then, if you hide your light under a bushel, how can you build a reputation?

Let’s face it, if I don’t know you exist, then to me you don’t exist at all.

Essential ingredient for success:

If success is your aim, then you have to be seen by people who matter and you must make an impression on them too. That’s important, like it or not.

People need a reason to remember you. So make sure you give them a reason to remember you.

Ideally, you want them to like and respect you. Even if people just love to hate you then that’s better than them being totally indifferent to you.

At least you’ll be known. You have to be visible. As the saying goes, ability without visibility is a liability. It is to you anyway.

The product YOU:

The product that is ‘You’ will only sell if people are aware it exists.

So self-promotion and personal public relations initiatives play an important role in building your reputation and creating a demand for what only you have to offer.

Humility is all very well but diffidence is at best unwise.

You’ll never get anywhere unless you have visibility with the people that matter.

Think about the most successful people; people such as Barack Obama, Nelson Mandela, Donald Trump, Richard Branson, Elvis Presley and John Lennon. Sadly some are no longer with us. Nevertheless, these examples are still valid.

They all make or made an impression on you.

You may not like them but you cannot or could not ignore them. They all have or had that special quality known as presence. You couldn’t fail to notice them. They all have or had self-belief too.

So make sure you get yourself noticed. Stand out in the crowd and give people a reason to remember you.

And remember this old Arab Proverb; Be contrary, Be known.

Please share this post on social media:

If you found this article useful then please share it on social media with your friends. When you share, everyone wins.

So go on, please share it now. If you can do that for me, I’ll be ever so grateful and you’ll be helping a keen blogger reach a wider audience.

Thank you.

Other articles you might also find interesting:

Copyright © Mann Island Media Limited 2024. All rights reserved.

Filed Under: Wisdom Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,