This site is the website of motivational speaker Craig Harper. A constantly updated, one-stop information, inspiration, education and motivation station. Unlike many similar sites, it is a totally free resource for anyone who is serious about moving from mediocre to amazing in any area of their personal or professional life. With hundreds of articles covering a wide range of subject matter, great interviews with cool people and inspirational video posts, there's more than enough brain-food to keep you busy for hours. Okay, days!! Enjoy.
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see one of Craig's weekly segments on national
television. (9AM with Kim & David - Network Ten)
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If you're a personal trainer, gym owner or studio
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Recently, 67 year old Jan Frazer completed one of
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Fattitude
- Craig Harper
While many books focus on food,
Craig teaches that creating life-long change is more about the
dieter, than the actual diet. This book is perfect for people who have a
history of 'almost' getting in shape.
DVD
or CD - Renovate Your Body In this entertaining presentation, Craig discusses the
notion of Renovating Your Body - once and for all. Many of us have a curious
ability to be able to get in shape for events (weddings, parties, reunions
and birthdays), if only we'd get in shape for life.
Craig Harper is Australia's leading
motivational speaker
and educator (according to Google Australia). He is a highly
sought-after corporate coach and is considered to be
a leader and pioneer in the areas of personal and
professional development.
Working with hundreds of
teams, companies and a wide variety of organisations
on numerous continents over the last twenty years
has given Craig a unique insight into, and
understanding of, human performance and all its
variables. Craig has an ability to educate, inspire,
challenge and make people laugh all at the same
time!
*If you missed last Friday's video... that's because it wasn't up until yesterday! It's below this post if you want to take a peek. Enjoy your week kids.
In life, there are times when less definitely produces better results than more. Often in fact.
Less talk. Less explaining. Less complaining. Less arguing. Less coercing. Less chasing. Less 'trying-so-hard'. Less desperation. And less of you in certain situations or circumstances.
But because we're emotional, highly-irrational creatures with a penchant for ignoring the very obvious signs, we keep hammering away with behaviours and habits which are both frustrating and counter-productive - doing what doesn't produce results. In fact, often creating the opposite of what we want.
Ever watched a guy trying to impress a girl? Rest my case.
Note to blokes... stop embarrassing yourselves. You're doing our gender a disservice. Not trying to impress someone is usually much more impressive. And that whole desperation thing... no good.
Yep, we're slow learners.
It's been suggested that I could probably talk under water. I can. I've tried. If not for the likelihood of electrocution, I'd give underwater blogging a go too.
However, experience has taught me that I often produce better results and have more influence and control of situations and outcomes by saying very little, or occasionally, nothing. Hard to believe I know. When I'm not 'doing my thing' (the Craig show)... I'm actually kinda quiet. Sometimes I get sick of my own voice. I have learned to do more and say less. To listen and watch more. To become a more effective observer. This was a lesson I needed to learn.
In business meetings I often say very little because I know that If I don't talk the other person has to... especially when they've requested a meeting and they are looking at creating some kind of relationship with me. The less I talk, the more I learn about them; their personality, their agenda, their beliefs, their strengths and weaknesses - who I'm dealing with. Good to know in business. It sounds strategic. It is.
Given the chance, people will simply tell me what they think I want to hear. But when I say little, they have to say much. They hate the silence, so they talk. And I listen and watch. Sometimes I'll sit in the silence and just smile at them while they search for their next words. Revelling in their discomfort. Nasty? Nup... clever.
With my staff over the years I've learned that less often produces better results. If I constantly provide feedback, correction and direction, it quickly loses impact and becomes meaningless; has little or no effect. May even create resentment.
However, if I provide infrequent, well-timed feedback it usually creates the desired result and has more of an impact because it's not an everyday occurrence.
I've also learned that if I praise people too much, that praise quickly loses its value. If I tell someone every five minutes how great they are, my words become meaningless and I create a pattern that's unhealthy and impossible to maintain. I've learned that sometimes doing (a small gift, a kind act) rather than speaking is a much more effective way to encourage and praise a person.
We know (intellectually) that the vast majority of communication is non-verbal (93%) but practically, we don't take advantage of this knowledge. We continue to ramble on; talking repetitious crap and producing crap results. Having the same stupid, pointless, frustrating conversations and creating the same unpleasant outcomes.
In reality, some of the best communicators are very economical with their words - they do not feel compelled to 'fill the gaps' like most of us do. They understand that some well-placed pauses and gaps actually have more meaning and impact than continual verbal rambling. Over the years I have studied some of the best communicators (teachers, motivators, actors, interviewers) in the world they all 'get' the less-is-more paradigm.
My favourite interviewer in the world, Michael Parkinson, has an amazing gift for facilitating the most revealing discussions, and eliciting incredible insights by saying almost nothing. He knows when to be quiet. For a man who talks to people for a living, he often doesn't say much! He understands that great communication is not dependant on his ability to talk non-stop. He knows that less produces more.
Have you ever read a book with hundreds (and hundreds) of pages and squillions of words only to be kinda confused and disappointed at the end?
Or maybe you've stumbled across a book with way less words... but it had way more impact?
In one of my favourite books, 'Who Moved My Cheese', Dr. Spencer Johnson manages to share amazing lessons and insights into dealing with organizational change (on a personal and corporate level) in very few words. He understands that a simple short story often has more impact, meaning and relevance (creates better outcomes) than some long-winded 'lecture'.
So this week in your efforts to create your best life, why don't you step into the world of 'less is more' and see what happens.
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