Online Learning

As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others. ~Bill Gates

Technology is growing rapidly everyday, coming out with new and more complicated systems that we as the modern day citizens must keep up with, to keep our positions in society. The topic of online classes or an online education is something that most colleges have available to students to enroll in. In a previous blog I mentioned for profit schools that are completely based online and what a horrible system they run. Well the online classes that I am talking about are the classes that are online in universities and what a benefit they have provided students with. They allow students with little to no time to complete homework, tests, discussions and other various activities that you would do in a normal class setting except with the convince of doing it online. Personally I am taking two online classes through my community college and I love them. They provide me with ease and convince to either get ahead of work or to just complete it at my own time. On my favorite website Forbes.com they provided a list of "8 Things You Need to Know About Online Education," which provided a great insight to some topics that might help a student decide if online is the way to go. The things you should know is...

1. Online learning is here to stay.

2. There is no significance difference in learning outcomes.

3. Online learning is widespread.

4. There is no single form of online learning.

5. MOOC'S (Massive Open Online Courses...aka For-Profit Schools) are not an example of high quality online learning.

6. Online learning is well suited to adult learners, but not necessarily traditional- aged students.

7. "Institutional" cost savings from going online are less than often acknowledged.

8. Online learning could soon become the norm for “post-traditional” and graduate students who cannot afford the opportunity cost of traditional programs.

With taking into consideration that our society around us is constantly changing with technology we must learn to adapt.  Meaning that when we have kids, most of their education might be online, scary thought to think about! But its true, in order to keep up with everyone around us we have to adapt and learn to learn with technology. 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/tomlindsay/2014/10/08/the-top-eight-things-you-need-to-know-about-online-education/

#motivationmindset #motivation #college #online #humpday #goals #technology 

How to Beat the Mid-Semester Blues!!

Just when the caterpillar thought the world was ending, he turned into a butterfly. ~Proverb

If your anything like me, you'll know what I mean when I say, I am going through those mid-semester blues BIG time.  I am so close to transferring that this semesters seems to be dragging on.  Yes I am still dedicated and motivated in my classes to do well, but I still have that lack of true drive that I have had in the years prior.  So I've decided to look up some ways to specifically conquer my mid-semester road block...

1. Reward yourself (even in little accomplishments you achieve)

2. Practice time management

3. Don't sacrifice your health

4. Take time to relax, don't feel guilty about doing it either

5. Take a step back and breathe!

With these simple tips, I know that I personally can overcome my thoughts of that midway mark, make it the best year and continue with my mindset towards motivation.  Goals are something that I strive for and seeing all of my hard work pay off is another way I will continue to do what I am doing!

http://www.collegefashion.net/college-life/5-tips-to-beat-the-mid-semester-blues-stay-motivated/

#mindsetmotivation #motivationmonday #college #blues #midterms #achieve #goals 

Accepting Challenges...Bring it ON!!!

To be successful you must accept all challenges that come your way. You can't just accept the ones you like. ~Mike Gafka

We have all faced a challenge before that we thought we could never overcome.  Well if you take a look at where you are now, you have overcome that challenge and rose above.  We often question how we did that by looking back and questioning ourselves how.  But if we can recognize at the time when we think we have a challenging struggle we can use "Six Tips for Overcoming Any Obstacle in Life." We can...

1. Stay focused on the positives and not the negatives.

2. Dont ever give up!

3. Challenge yourself and try new things everyday.

4. Each day you should ask yourself if your happy.

5. Smile :)

6. Don't compare yourself to others and find time to celebrate your little accomplishments.

With these tips, you can fully harness a challenging time, by fully comprehending it and learn to grow from what you go through.  Remember that, yes there will challenging times, but thats what separates the best from the average... Is the persistence and motivation to accomplish our goals we have set!

http://mariashriver.com/blog/2011/10/six-tips-overcoming-any-obstacle-your-life/

#motivationmindset #motivation #challenges #college #smile #persistence  

Sowing Seeds That Benefit Others

Success is...knowing your purpose in life, growing to reach your maximum potential, and sowing seeds that benefit others. ~ John C. Maxwell

I believe that in order to have the mindset to motivation for life, you in some way have to be a leader to others.  Leadership for me is one of the best qualities that someone can have, it shows they are confident in what they are doing and can project an image of what they see to influence others.  Leadership can guide not only others in what you believe, but it will allow yourself to have such a powerful influential feeling knowing that you contributed to something or someone else's end result.  So you may be wondering what are ways that I can become a leader? Well Forbes magazine is one of my favorite websites to visit because it provides such an influential insight on certain issues that can capture your thinking.  They had an article that listed the "10 Qualities That Make a Great Leader" and they were... 

1. Honesty

2. Ability to delegate

3. Communication

4. Sense of humor

5. Confidence 

6. Commitment 

7. Positive attitude

8. Creativity

9. Intuition 

10. Ability to inspire

I think that all of these points are essential in any way to have a positive mind in life.  Inspiring others by leading them is something truly amazing and will help you to develop a mindset that will allow you to lead, ultimately playing a huge part in your own life.  

http://www.forbes.com/sites/tanyaprive/2012/12/19/top-10-qualities-that-make-a-great-leader/

#mindsetmotivation #sundayfunday #motivation #dailythought #inspire #leadership #lead  #maxwell #quote

How to Pick a College Major

Lately I've been having a bit of a struggle on what major I should obtain while in college.  I have a direction on where I want to go, but the major I have been aiming at isn't the right one that I'm supposed to have for the career I want. (Which in case anyone was wondering it's becoming a corporate employee within Chick-fil-A) I don't really know what I should be doing, so whenever I have question I always do my research and ask my closest friends for their opinions.  Most of them said that I should continue with the degree I set out for (double major of sociology and economics), but I have so much reservations because what if I apply for the position at corporate and they deny me for my degree I have.  It would be a huge disappointment if I were to go to college, striving for this position and not get it.  However I am a strong believer that everything happens for a reason.  I know that the path that I am on is one that I am supposed to follow, the only thing that I am truly afraid of is the wrong decision.  So with everyones thoughts and opinions on what I should do, I decided to stick with my plan and whatever happens is supposed to happen for a reason.  So what makes me choose my degree plan is because it makes me happy and allows me to interact with others, impacting their lives.  With this thought also comes with the "5 Ways to Pick the Right College Major"....

1.  Wait until college

2.  But don't wait to long

3. Curiosity won't kill you

4. Make sure its your passion

5. Be aware of the expectations to the rules that your major follows

I think that without a doubt choosing a major to follow while in college is the first huge decision most people will face, for some its easy, for others its hard.  Take it with a grain of salt, because what makes you happy is what you should strive for.  There is a deeper purpose to where and what your purpose in life is supposed to be.  Once you find that thing that makes you happy, you can put your mindset to that goal and go full speed ahead! One thing I realized today was, I am going to do what makes me happy and if the career that I have in mind works out, then thats perfect, if not then thats fine to.  Overall I know my life has a greater meaning to everyone around me and I am ready to fulfill those goals I have for myself with the major I have chosen.

http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/2011/09/19/5-ways-to-pick-the-right-college-major

#motivationmindset #tgif #college #career #goals #happy #motivation #dreams 

My Philosophy for a Happy Life...Sam Berns

"No Matter Your Obstacles, Live a Happy Life." -Sam Berns

If you think that you have a hard life or that you can't accomplish something, Sam Berns is living proof that you can do anything you set your mind to.  He has Progeria, which is a condition that makes his body a lot older than it really is, dying at the age of 17, because literally his body thought it was 90 years old.  He accomplished so many things in his young life from being the lead in his percussion part of his high school marching band, to becoming an Eagle Scout and even talking on the TED talk before he recently died.  He set his mind to a goal and accomplished it, without boundaries and without limits.  While watching this TED talk I was thinking, what if we lived everyday as if we were to die tomorrow? I know this term is widely used in some shape, but really what if we were to live as if we were to die tomorrow? Sam did this because he really knew he was going to die young and wanted to accomplish all of the goals on his list before he did.  He had a powerful mindset and used that to attain everything he did.  If we were to harness this mindset, just think of all the things you could possibly attain. So the philosophies that Sam lived by was three important ones that he valued everyday, and of course the last one he threw in there...

1. Be okay with what you ULTIMATELY can't do, because there is so much you CAN do. 

2. Surround yourself with people you want to be around.

3. Keep moving forward.

4. Never miss a party if you can help it.

I encourage everyone to watch this TED talk because it will truly inspire you to do anything you set your mind to!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36m1o-tM05g

#motivationmindset #motivation #TEDtalks #happy #accomplish #goals

Goals vs. Objectives

Good things come to people who wait, but better things come to those who go out and get them. ~Anonymous

"Goals are changing mindset and direction. Objectives are establishing a series of concrete steps." I think this is a common misconception of two different directions people could be headed in.  For me I have goals and objectives.  Objectives for me change over time because life happens, which means things may not always happen the way you plan out for them to be.  This is where my goals come into play because when my objectives get scattered, I go to my goals I have set and rethink my objectives for a certain situation.  I think both of these can help us achieve where we want to be in a few months, years or even decades.  With these two attainable prospects we can have the mindset to succeed and attain the things we set out for! 

	Goals	Objectives
Definition	Something which you try to achieve	A specific result that a person or system aims to achieve within a time frame and with available resources.
Time Frame	Usually long-term.	A series of smaller steps, often along the way to achieving a long-term goal.
Magnitude	Typically involves life changing outcomes, like retiring, buying a home or making a major career change.	Usually a near-term target of a larger expected outcome, such as passing a course as part of completing a degree program.
Outcome of immediate action	Actions tend to advance progress in a very general sense; there is often awareness that there are several ways to reach a goal, so specific outcomes aren’t necessary.	Very specific and measurable, a target is established and victory is declared only when the target is hit.
Purpose of action	A goal if often characterized as a change of direction that will ultimately lead to a desired outcome.	Objectives tend to be actions aimed at accomplishing a certain task.
Example	“I want to retire by age 50”	“In order to reach my goal of retiring at age 50, I need to save $20,000 by the end of this year”
Hierarchy	Goals tend to control objectives; a change in a goal could eliminate one or more objectives, or add new ones.	An objective can modify a goal, but will seldom change it in a fundamental way, even if the objective isn’t reached.

http://www.investorwords.com/article/goals-vs-objectives.html

#motivationmindset #motivation #goals #objectives #humpday #workhard #positivity