Charles Darwin

Are you willing to change to survive?

The Rise2Power Project

The “Made in America”  documentary should be used to evaluate what we all can do to help in even the smallest way to empower communities to never accept the neighborhood in which they live as their only option.

http://www.hulu.com/embed/OrYJ_9S5PgovXDt8JlGXxg

John C. Maxwell says leadership is just as much about developing your team’s talents as it is about nurturing your own leadership skills. The best-selling author of Talent Is Never Enough reminds us that growth is modeled after and expected from leaders. As a successful leader, you must do eight things.

1. Find your own personal strength zone.

A successful leader is a person who knows what they do well and does it, but they also know what their people know well and help them practice it.

2. Help others find their strength zone.

What is their special ability? You can’t make others good at something you are bad at. You can only increase a person’s giftedness by helping them answer important questions of themselves. What is their temperament? What is their passion? What choices are they making in their life? Help them with these things and there’s no limit to how much someone can improve in these areas.

3. Help them define success.

Success is hugely subjective. Knowing your purpose in life, growing to your maximum potential or sowing seeds that benefit others are all great definitions of success.

4. Help them understand how to be successful.

The secret of our success is determined by our daily agenda. Decision-making is important and the management of the decision-making is even more important. Do the right thing today to be in a good place for tomorrow.

5. Teach and practice the four pillars of success.

• Relationships

• Attitude/Tenacity

• Leadership/Influencing people

• Equipping and developing other people

6. Teach your team the 20/80 principle, or the Pareto principle.

Within this, prioritize life. What is required of me? What gives the greatest return? What give me the greatest reward? When these three line up, then life becomes wonderful.

7. Provide resources for them.

There are only three times when people change. When they’ve heard enough that they have to change; they learn enough that they want to change; or receive enough that they are able to change. Put those resources of change in their hand.

8. Require them to reproduce themselves.

They have to teach someone else what they learn. Don’t spend valuable time with people who want to consume but not share. Share the knowledge. Share the wealth.

http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1

Early in my job search career my aunt advised me on the art of asking for job applications and asking about employment opportunities. It may not seem like brain surgery but how you approach a prospective employer makes all the difference.

You must present yourself in the best light possible. I’ve seen young men and women enter a store and say “Hey, Is Yall Hiring.” My heart sinks in my chest and my ears burn because I know a stereotype has just been confirmed. It’s important for you to understand that first impressions are lasting, therefore cementing a positive or negative image in the minds of people for years to come.

1.) Never approach a potential employer with a due rag or scarf on your head.

2.) Proper English and introduction is a must

a. Hello, I’m (Enter name here). Is there a manger I can’t speak to about career opportunities?

3.) Make sure clothes are neat, ironed, not revealing or too baggy.

4.) Have all your past employment history, references and resume on hand in case they want to interview on the spot. (This also makes the process faster.)

5.) Don’t leave without a mangers name and saying “Nice to meet you, Have a nice day.”

6.) Follow up with a call at least 2 days later.

a. Ask the manger if he received your application

b. Ask for an expected review or interview date

Many teenagers carry the “I don’t care attitude” I’m guilty of having that attitude from 13-17 years old. I’m sure you’ve heard this before “If I knew then, what I know now.” I didn’t make my life any easier by walking around like somebody owed me something, I actually blocked many opportunities because who wants to help someone with a stank attitude.

Listen to the people that really care about your progression. I’m not talking about your girlfriend that’s always trying to get you to smoke a blunt after you’ve told her 100 times you don’t get high, or the boyfriend that tells you to come over when he knows you have an exam tomorrow. I’m talking about the people you don’t want to call because they are going to point you in the right direction. Sometime we just want to live life without worries or consequences but a REAL friend is going to say “Man that ain’t for you.” “You’re bigger than this fam.” I had people around me to correct me. They didn’t just say “Oh, that’s just how she is.” They recognized greatness in me but knew if I kept my attitude I wouldn’t flourish.

I know you have greatness inside you. How do I know? You weren’t born to blend in with the crowd, your DNA is unique and there isn’t another person like you. This doesn’t mean you belong on tv, radio, bossip.com, Vibe or on the cover of Essence but it does mean you should be the best possible version of yourself.

The Rise2Power Project
http://www.bgrise2power.com/

• Write down your goals (Seeing your goals on paper brings them to life
• Determine a realistic time frame to reach your goal
• Research: the more you know the better prepared you’ll be for obstacles.
• Map out the steps that need to be taken to achieve your complete goal and place them on a Calendar in plain eye view.
• Get started immediately: You only have today, tomorrow never comes.

These tips can also be applied to job applications.

Ten Tips for Writing the College Essay

Brought to you by the American School Counselor Association

You know why you’re amazing but you have to tell everyone else. The college essay is the opportunity for you to make a statement before the admissions committee. Think of the essay as a stage where your personality gets to shine.

Start Early

Starting early buys you the luxury of revising and rewriting the essay. You can write it, put it away for a few days, then take a fresh look at it later. Walking away and then coming back brings a fresh perspective to the work — without the pressure and stress that comes with a time crunch.

Choose a Specific Topic

Many colleges ask applicants to describe a special interest, an experience that changed their life, or a person who influenced them. An essay on why you participated in the extra-curricular activities you chose in school, as well as what you learned from those choices, can be an excellent topic.

List a bunch of essay topics and then add some key points for each one. Decide which topic has the most potential; it should be something that you feel strongly about so that it really comes alive when you write about it.

Outline What You Want to Cover

Use the brainstorming process. Make a list of all the ideas you want to include–don’t rule anything out. List everything you can think of. Then go back over the list and check off or circle the major points you want to cover.

Work on the Opening Paragraph

Think of lots of different ways to begin. There are many approaches that can be used. Warm up by using a meaningful quote or definition. Starting off with a rhetorical question that fits your situation is also a good way to get started. You might open your essay with a detailed description of the setting of an important experience you’ve had so that readers feel they were really there.

Pick the opener that best draws the reader in with an unusual, entertaining, or thoughtful hook in beginning.

Compose a Rough Draft

Use the outline you created to address each of your key points–as if you were having a conversation with someone. Try to be personal and, if it comes naturally, add humor. Concentrate on content, use descriptive language, and give clear examples. Imagine that you’re talking to a close friend when writing your essay. This technique should help the real you shine through. Remember, a rough draft doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be a start.

Review What You’ve Written

This time use a more critical eye. Is the essay interesting and well organized? Does it give a good picture of who you are? If it isn’t as interesting as you’d like, add more examples and details. Read your essay out loud to see if the essay flows. Make sure you’re writing about yourself–not the person you imagine the admissions counselor will find interesting.

Rewrite Your Essay

Writing the essay the first time is hard enough, but taking time to write another draft is well worth the effort. Show your essay to the school counselor, a high school English teacher, outside professional, or anyone who can give you an honest critique of it. Read your essay to your parents. Other people can often tell if there isn’t enough being revealed, whether the essay rambles, or if the humor is falling flat.

Edit Your Final Draft

While we covered a lot about content, this time really look at the mechanics of the essay. Grammar, spelling, sentence structure, style, and tone all count. Double check everything so that nothing detracts from the finished product.

Proofread, Proofread, Proofread!

When it comes to proofreading, don’t do it alone. Ask someone else to read your essay. Spell check programs on computers can only go so far in ensuring that everything is correct.

Take a Last Look for Details

Is the essay clean? Is the typing, printing, and handwriting clear? Make sure your name and social security number is on the essay so that if it’s separated from the application, it can quickly be matched up again. Pretend that you are reading the essay for the first time. Does it make the impression you want it to?

Read more on FamilyEducation: http://school.familyeducation.com/college-applications/essays/56211.html#ixzz1M3OjuPgu

This weekend and every weekend make it your business to tell the mothers in your life what they mean to you because truth is tomorrow isn’t promised for you or them.

Kingdom DIVAs (Developing The Inner Virtuous Anointing)

Young ladies ages 17-21 are invited to improve their personal, professional and spiritual persona with fashion, make-up, modeling. dating, health  and finance activities and discussions.

Saturday May 7th – June 25th
Time 4PM – 5:30PM
New Faith Baptist Church International
25 S. Central Ave. Matteson, IL 60433

Spa Networking Event in honor of Mother’s Day

Continue to be Beautifully Blessed!

Ms. Chanel “Ambitious” Ballard 

Chief Inspiration Officer

Ms. Chanel “Ambitious” Ballard