Three Reasons Why It's So Important To Be Creative

Our own creativity is something we are not even conscious of. We use it on a daily basis during everyday tasks. Our creativity can begin to suffer though if we are not stimulating it regularly. The more time you put into being creative the more naturally you will find creativity comes. Creativity is essential in vital areas of our lives, such as our careers, our relationships and our happiness. Creativity is so important those of us lacking in it choose to take part in creative thinking training to help boost creativity. Here are three reasons being creative is important.

Move Forward With Your Career

Many of us find others are chosen for promotions over us despite the fact that we put all our efforts in and work as hard as we can. Employers choose to promote those with creative input and creative ideas above those who work hard but contribute little in the way of new ideas. Employers love innovative individuals, if someone is constantly putting forward new and sometimes ground breaking creative ideas in can appear to the employer that they are working harder and are more dedicated to the company. Working on your creativity can help you secure that promotion that you’ve deserved for a long time, just one brilliant idea, or lots of creative comments will get you noticed.

Thrive In Relationships

It is true that as people we are more drawn to creative people. Somehow they just appear more unique and interesting than those who are not creative. Creative people tend to be more sensitive and thoughtful making them more considerate of others. Work on your creativity to ensure that in your relationships you are tuned into others feelings and considerate of those around you.

If you find you sometimes have problems communicating improving your creativity can help. The more you express yourself creatively the better you will be at communicating your thoughts and feelings.

Create Opportunity

A life without opportunity would be no life at all, but opportunities often only come around when you encourage them yourselves. Creative thinking works wonders when it comes to new opportunities. As much as we would like to think changes just present themselves to us it doesn’t work that way. Being creative about the way you seek new opportunities and secure them means you will soon find your opportunities increasing.

Creativity unfortunately doesn't come naturally to everyone, but it is essential and you can feel you suffer due to your lack of creativity. Carry out creative thinking training to encourage creativity to improve your life and opportunities.

Communicating Creatively with Customers

Businesses that know how to effectively communicate with their customers typically outperform their competitors. Consumers have become more savvy and require more engagement than ever before. It's important to consider that every customer is different, but there are some genuine factors that improve the quality of any service provided. That starts with how you communicate with your customers, but it's important to understand the new and exciting ways you can do that.

The Amazing "Social Media"

Lately, the entire concept of social networking and social media has become a focal point in online customer interaction. Customers online become accustomed to seeing a strong social media presence from all of the businesses whose services he or she uses. Social media tools include Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Linkedin, and the blog world. It's important for a company to have a strong following in each of these areas of networking in order to reach a wide audience and to appear to the rest of the world that other people are using and enjoying the service your business provides. There are a wide variety of social media strategies, and many are time consuming. It's important to gauge the level of social media your business needs before pursuing it further.

Communicate All the Time

Companies that are constantly communicating with their customers are giving them the information he or she needs, when he or she needs it. Many successful and prominent businesses send text messages online to all of their contacts. Over time, these businesses acquire a vast amount of user information and contact methods. More recently, online registration forms have been including an area to input phone numbers. This is another way of being able to communicate with customers. According to CBC/Radio-Canada, almost 92% of online consumers use a cell phone. This means that a simple text message can reach almost every single customer in a business and convey to them important information.

Email is Still King

Although not considered modern and exciting, email is still one of the best ways to communicate with customers. Emails can influence customers' feelings toward a company and its services. They are also used to provide information, distribute surveys, and create special email-only promotions. Emails go directly into a customer's inbox, which makes the conversation almost personal. Successful businesses have advanced email forms and newsletters that captivate an audience. Structuring emails so that they emit a positive response will keep users satisfied and assured that they picked the right company.

Reap the Rewards

A successful business can reach out to a wide audience of customers and convince them to spend money. In a marketplace that grows more complex and connected on a daily basis, customers are craving information that is attractive and doesn't waste their time. If a company can use communication tools to perfect this, it will receive a direct increase in customers and revenue.

Business in Islam

The following are some of these basic conditions business in Islam:

1. Things sold and money offered as their price to be lawfully acquired. The things sold and the money to be offered as their price should both be lawfully acquired and clearly specified. This condition demands that the goods sold should have been lawfully obtained. One has no business to sell goods which one has stolen or which one has acquired in a fraudulent manner. nor should one purchase anything with the money which one has accepted as illegal gratification or has aceuired in some other deceitful way. This condition holds the buyer and the seller responsible for lawful possession of the goods on the partof one and of the money on the part of other.
2. Goods not to be sold before obtaining their possession. The Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) has warned the Muslims against indulging in forward transactions which means selling goods before obtaining their possession. "Whoever buys cereals shall not tell them until he has obtained their possession," says the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him). According to Ibn 'Abbas, what applies to cereals also applies to other categories of goods. On another occasion the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) has said: "Bargain not about that which is not with you."
3. Goods to be bought in the open market. Goods and commodities for sale should go into the open market, and the seller or his agents must be aware of the state of the market before proposals are made for the purchase by the buyers. The seller should not be taken unawares lest the buyers should take undue advantage of his ignorance of the conditions and prices prevailing in the market.
4. No trade and traffic in things, the use of which is prohibited by Islam. A Muslim can trade in those goods and commodities only the use of which has been declared to be Halal (lawful). There can be no trade and traffic in things the use of which is proliibited by Islam. For example, there can be no trade in wine, swine, dead bodies of animals and idols. A devout Muslim merchant would not even traffic in thin and transparent stuff for ladies because the use of such stuff by ladies is unlawful. One cannot sell the carcass of an animal. He can, however, flay its skin which can be used for making shoes and which can therefore, be sold, but not the flesh of the dead animal. What is true of the usable skin of animals is also true of the tusks of an elephant.

Prohibited forms of Business

1. Monopoly business. As monopoly means concentration of supply in one hand, it leads to exploitation of the consumers and the workers, it has, therefore, been declared unlawful by the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him). Gigantic trusts. cartels and monopolies should not exist in the Islamic society. The monopoly-dominated economic order betrays lack of harmony between private and social good and is, thus, a negation of the principle of maximum social advantage which the Islamic society sets out to achieve.
2. Speculative business basd on selfish interest. Speculation means buying something cheap in bulk at a time and selling it dear at another and, thus, controlling the whole market to achieve personal gains. A close observation will reveal that speculators are primarily interested in private gains regardless of the larger interest of the society. These speculators try to create artificial scarcity of goods and commodities and thereby create an inflationary pressure on the economy. As the poor masses have to pay for this. Islam has condemned such speculative business.
3. Interest transactions. All transactions involving interest are forbidden in Islam. Some people find it hard to submit to the injunction prohibiting interest, because they think interest and profit earned in trade are similar. Capital invested in trade brings an excess called profit; invested in banking it brings interest. Why should one excess be considered lawful and the other unlawful? They fail to take note of the basic difference between the two. Trade involves risk of loss. Also in its case, it is not only the capital invested that brings profit which is equally the result of initiative, enterprise and efficiency of the entrepreneur. Hence its rate cannot be predetermined and fixed. Moreover, trade is productive. A person reaps a benefit after undergoing labour and hardship. It creates conditions of full employment and economic growth. It will also be noted that trade acts as one of the dominant factors in the process of building up civilisation through co-operation and mutual exchange of ideas. The spread of Islam and Islamic civilisation In the Far East has been mostly due to the efforts of Muslim traders. Interest has no redeeming feature at all. The fixed rate of profit which a person gets from a financial investment without any risk of loss and without augmenting it with human labour creates in man the undesirable weakness of miserliness and Shylockian selfishness and lack of sympathy. In the economic sphere it initiates and aggravates crisis.
   Rightly, therefore, has Islam strictly prohibited all transactions based on it or involving it in some form or other.
   Advancing money on interest, keeping deposits in a bank for the sake of earning interest, or getting concessions in rates of goods or commodities against advance payments of price, mortgaging and utilising an income-yielding property against a certain sum,to be returned in full when the property is redeemed and investing money in a trade against a predetermined and fixed rate of profit-are all unlawfnl business transactions because they involve Riba (interest) in some form or the other.
4. Transactions similar (in nature) to gambling. The Arabic equivalent to gambling is Maisir which literarily means "getting something too easily", "getting a profit without working for it". The literal meaning of the term explains the principle on account of which gambling is prohibited in Islam. Any monetary gain which cornes too easily, so much so that one does not have to work for it, is unlawful.
   The most familiar form of gambling amang the Arabs in the days of the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) was gambling by casting of lots by means of arrows drawn from a bag. Some were blank and those who drew them got nothing. Others indicated prizes-big or small ones. Whether one got anything or nothing depended on pure luck. unless there was fraud on the part of someone concerned. The principle on which objection to gambling is based is that you gain what you have not earned, or lose on a mere chance. Dice, lottery, prize bonds and betting on horse races are to be held within the definition of gambling.
5. Munabadha and Mulamasa. Islam recognises barter trade subject to the injunctions of the Qur'an and the Sunnah. In fact, Islam has closed all doors of dishonesty and deceit in business dealings. It has prohibited all forms of transactions which admit of fraud in the least degree. It has impressed on the traders that defective and worthless goods should not be given in exchange for good ones, and if there is a defect in the goods sold it must be pointed out and made manifest to the purchaser. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: "The buyer and the seller have the option of cancelling the contract as long as they have not separated; then. if they both speak the truth and make manifest, their transaction shall be blessed, and it they conceal and tell lies, the blessing of their transaction shall be obliterated".

More information : http://www.iium.edu.my/deed/hadith/muslim/010_smt.html

New MIT technology allows 3D image interaction

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have found a way to allow people in one place to interact with three-dimensional versions of people or objects in a different location.

MIT's Tangible Media Group calls the technology inFORM. A person in one location moves or puts an object in front of a depth-sensing camera. That camera sends signals to a motorized pin screen somewhere else and that's where the 3D image pops up. If someone on camera is moving his hands, for example, that movement would show up on the pin screen in another location.

They hope the technology can eventually be used by urban planners and architects. It could also be used by doctors and others who need to look at CT scans.

Source:
http://news.yahoo.com/mit-technology-allows-3d-image-interaction-075358506.html

50 Failure Quotes from 50 Successful People

Failure is a good lesson. Below are 50 failure quotes from 50 successful people. They were not regret but look positively towards to the future.

1. “A failure establishes only this: that our determination to succeed was not strong enough.” – Bovee

2. “I have not failed. I have just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” – Thomas Edison

3. “Don’t fear failure so much that you refuse to try new things.” – Louis Boone

4. “Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor.” – Truman Capate

5. “Failure can either be a stepping stone to success or a stumbling to defeat.” – Ron Holland

6. “Greatness is not achieved by never falling but by rising each time we fall.” – Confucius

7. “He who looks into the future with the eyes of fear will see nothing but failure.” – Dr O. Ezekiel

8. “If you are not failing, you are not growing.” – H. Stanley Judd

9. “If you succeed, it’s your fault. If you fail to succeed, it’s also your fault.” – K. C. Prince

10. “Sheer persistence is the difference between success and failure.” – Donald Trump

11. “It’s common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

12. “Life is all about learning and one of the most memorable ways of learning something is by messing up.” – Dr. Wayne. W. Dyer

13. “More men fail though lack of purpose than lack of talent.” – Bill Sunday

14. “The business empires built by successful entrepreneurs were erected on the foundation of past failures.” – Ajaero Tony Martins

15. “To avoid failure is to limit accomplishment.” – Will Rogers

16. “The greatest failure in life is to stop trying.” – Napoleon Hill

17. “There is no formula for success but there’s a formula for failure and that is trying to please everyone.”

18. “How many people are completely successful in every department of life? Not one. The most successful people are the ones who learn from their mistakes and turn their failures into opportunities.” – Zig Ziglar

19. “I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I cannot accept not trying.” – Michael Jordan

20. “Show me a failure and I will show you a man, who does today, what he should have done yesterday” – Ajaero Tony Martins

21. “Like success, failure is many things to many people. With positive mental attitude, failure is a learning experience, a rung on the ladder, and a plateau at which to get your thoughts in order to prepare to try again.” – W. Clement Stone

22. “Part of being a winner is knowing when enough is enough. Sometimes you have to give up the fight and walk away. Move on to something else that’s more productive.” – Donald Trump

23. “Reward worthy failure – Experimentation.” – Bill Gates

24. “Failure is just a resting place. It is an opportunity to begin again more intelligently.” – Henry Ford

25. “Restlessness is discontent and discontent is the first necessity of progress. Show me a thoroughly satisfied man and I will show you a failure.” – Thomas Edison

26. “I believe in trusting men, not only once but twice – in giving a failure another chance.” – James Cash Penny

27. “I have had all the disadvantages required for success.” – Larry Ellison

28. “When you reach an obstacle, turn it into an opportunity. You have the choice. You can overcome and be a winner, or you can allow it to overcome you and be a loser. The choice is yours and yours alone. Refuse to throw in the towel. Go that extra mile that failures refuse to travel. It is far better to be exhausted from success than to be rested from failure.” – Mary Kay Ash

29. “Sometimes by losing a battle, you will find a new way to win the war.” – Donald Trump

30. “Get mocked at for as much as you can, fail as much as you can but don’t quit. Let every mockery, every failure, be a source of inspiration for you to reach for greatness and that greatness will silence your critics.” – Ajaero Tony Martins

50 Failure Quotes from 50 Successful People

31. “Be the one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time. The only people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire. This is your moment, own it.” – Oprah Winfrey

32. “I’ve learned that mistakes can often be as good a teacher as success.” – Jack Welch

33. “All my life, people have said that I wasn’t going to make it. – Ted Turner

34. “Be courageous. I have seen many depressions in business. Always, America has emerged from these stronger and more prosperous. Be brave as your fathers before you. Have faith! Go forward.” – Thomas Edison

35. “Losers quit when they fail. Winners fail until they succeed.” – Robert Kiyosaki

36. “Success is a poor teacher. We learn the most about ourselves when we fail, so don’t be afraid of failing. Failing is part of the process of success. You cannot have success without failure.” – Rich Dad

37. “Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another stepping stone to greatness.” – Oprah Winfrey

38. “What separates the winners from the losers is how a person reacts to each new twist of fate.” – Donald Trump

39. “For every failure, there’s an alternative course of action. You just have to find it. When you come to a road block, take a detour.” – Mary Kay Ash

40. “All my successes have been built on my failures.” – Benjamin Disraeli

41. “Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not to have tried is the true failure.” – George Edward Woodberry

42. “If we try and fail, we have temporary disappointments. But if we do not try at all, we have permanent regrets.” – Bern Williams

43. “Success has many fathers but failure is an orphan.” – John F. Kennedy

44. “Failures are like skinned knees, painful but superficial.” – Henry Ross Perot

45. “Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill

46.“Winners lose more than losers. They win and lose more than losers because they stay in the game.” – Terry Paulson

47. “If you have made mistakes, even serious ones; there is always another chance for you. What we call failure is not the falling down but the staying down.” – Mary Pickford

48. “I have taken more than 9000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. Twenty six times I have been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I have failed over and over again in my life; and that is why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan

49. “There is no failure, only feed back.” – Robert Allen

50. “I don’t believe in failure. It’s not failure if you enjoyed the process.” – Oprah Winfrey

More information : http://www.mytopbusinessideas.com/failure-quotes-successful-people/

Sam Walton's 10 Rules For Success

Rule #1 
Commit to your business. Believe in it more than anything else. If you love your work, you’ll be out there every day trying to do the best you can, and pretty soon everybody around will catch the passion from you - like a fever.

Rule #2 
Share your profits with all your associates, and treat them as partners. In turn, they will treat you as a partner, and together you will all perform beyond your wildest expectations.

Rule #3 
Motivate your partners. Money and ownership aren’t enough. Set high goals, encourage competition and then keep score. Make bets with outrageous payoffs.

Rule #4 
Communicate everything you possibly can to your partners. The more they know, the more they’ll understand. The more they understand, the more they’ll care. Once they care, there’s no stopping them. Information is power, and the gain you get from empowering your associates more than offsets the risk of informing your competitors.

Rule #5 
Appreciate everything your associates do for the business. Nothing else can quite substitute for a few well-chosen, well-timed, sincere words of praise. They’re absolutely free and worth a fortune.

Rule #6 
Celebrate your success and find humour in your failures. Don’t take yourself so seriously. Loosen up and everyone around you will loosen up. Have fun and always show enthusiasm. When all else fails put on a costume and sing a silly song.

Rule #7 
Listen to everyone in your company, and figure out ways to get them talking. The folks on the front line - the ones who actually talk to customers - are the only ones who really know what’s going on out there. You’d better find out what they know.

Rule #8 
Exceed your customer’s expectations. If you do they’ll come back over and over. Give them what they want - and a little more. Let them know you appreciate them. Make good on all your mistakes, and don't make excuses - apologize. Stand behind everything you do. ‘Satisfaction guaranteed’ will make all the difference.

Rule #9 
Control your expenses better than your competition. This is where you can always find the competitive advantage. You can make a lot of mistakes and still recover if you run an efficient operation. Or you can be brilliant and still go out of business if you’re too inefficient.

Rule #10 
Swim upstream. Go the other way. Ignore the conventional wisdom. If everybody is doing it one way, there’s a good chance you can find your niche by going exactly in the opposite direction.

Prinsip Jalan Terus !!

Apakah itu prinsip "Jalan terus!"? 

Prinsip jalan terus digali daripada sirah Rosulullah (bacalah selawat). 

Rekod-rekod sejarah menunjukkan, apabila Nabi kita mengalami peristiwa buruk, beliau tidak menyiasat punca-punca yang menyebabkan peristiwa buruk itu terjadi.

Dalam bahasa modern hari ini, beliau tidak melakukan post-mortem ataupun istilah Melayunya 'bedah-siasat'.

Tidak ada rekod menunjukkan apabila Nabi kita mengalami kesukaran dan kerugian di mana beliau menyiasat apa yang salah, siapa yang bersalah. Beliau juga tidak mengambil sebarang tindakan ke atas pihak-pihak yang telah menyumbang kepada terjadinya peristiwa buruk itu.

Kekalahan teruk yang dialami oleh tentera Islam dalam peristiwa Perang Uhud adalah contoh klasik yang membuktikan kuasa ajaib dalam prinsip "Jalan terus!" 

Selepas kekalahan Perang Uhud, Nabi kita tidak mengadakan sesi bedah-siasat bagi menganalisis punca-punca kekalahan. (Kita mendapat tahu isu tentera pemanah yang turun dari pos mereka di atas bukit adalah dari apa yang dilaporkan oleh sahabat-sahabat Nabi kita, bukan dari Nabi sendiri.)

Belum dijumpai rekod hadith di mana Nabi ada berkata sesuatu berkenaan punca-punca kekalahan Perang Uhud.

Apakah yang dilakukan oleh Nabi kita selepas pasukan beliau kalah teruk dalam Perang Uhud? 

Beliau menyediakan tenteranya untuk menghadapi perang-perang yang akan datang!

Terbukti, selepas Perang Uhud, tentera Islam tidak pernah kalah perang lagi. 

Ikut Nabi. Jangan siasat. Jalan terus!


(Salinan dari Ainon Business School)