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BRAVE Blog

Eddie Vedder teaches you teamwork and public performance in 2 minutes

The first two minutes of this song show you more than I can express in a blog post, so I’ll just let you watch and listen:

  • How much do you trust the people you work with to do their thing?
  • How much of that trust comes back your way?
  • How long will it take for your message to resonate with every single person you want to reach – to the point where you can just help them pass it on?

This matters if you’re a rockstar. It matters for public speakers and lonely mothers. There are many more questions like these. Figure them out for yourself or let us know how you’re doing.

 

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BRAVE Blog

#Portuguese365 Update 2: Three super-simple ways to get more language practice

tweet_translationToday’s update will be a really quick one. There is a lot happening here this weekend, and London’s super-hot in the summer weather – so I’ll probably spend more time reading, walking and studying! Anyway – here’s what I did over the last 7 days with my Portuguese learning. Are there any simple ways to get more language study from your online presence? As it turns out, there are: here’s what you can do to make it happen!

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BRAVE Blog

Before you get creative (a lesson from surfing photography)

There is a photograph which scares the hell out of me – and inspires me at the same time. Recently, I got to read the story behind the photo – and it’s even more interesting! So what do surfing, photography and life coaching have in common?

Best place is hard to find

This is Brian Bielmann’s key point: he was in a pretty bad place. At the end of the last row of boats, and up a wave that just seemed to big. That is the only reason why he got the angle just right.

Is it easy for you to always determine which place is the right place? And how about changing your position – making the most of it – adapting it? Where are you now – where do you want to be?

“I didn’t do anything creative.”

This was what struck me. The photograph we’re talking about didn’t just happen – but the photographer insists that the process was not creative at all. A bad place became a perfect place. A dangerous situation became just the right one. And what looked like a pretty bad trip turned into a photo op of a lifetime.

So: what do you have to do before you do your creative work?

Those things you slag off – the things you hate so much, or the tasks that drag: how are they helping your best work appear?

Look for the connections, and let others find them for you as well. Chances are, you’re better primed for creativity than you think.

(The photo above is not the one I’m describing: click here to see it and to read the story.)

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BRAVE Blog

Portuguese 365 Update 1: Input, Input Everywhere

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This is my first weekly update on my one-year Portuguese learning project. I’m only setting up my workflow right now. There are more interesting things to come, but right now 2 questions on my mind are: how to make sure I can learn Portuguese anywhere? And – what are good sources of Portuguese learning material?

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BRAVE Blog

3 reasons why I hate Weird Al’s “Word Crimes” (and 3 videos to watch instead)

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Weird Al Yankovic is here to educate you in the proper use of language. Well, actually, he’s here to sell you his record, but his “Blurred Lines” parody focuses on English and its improper use. My linguistically-minded friends love it. My English teaching friends love it.
I hate it. Here’s why – and here’s what I suggest language lovers can watch instead.

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BRAVE Blog

Portuguese 365 – Launching a Year-Long Learning Project!

porto where portuguese is spoken
The World Cup 2014 finished but my reasons to be excited about Brazil and Portugal are only just building up. My recent trip to Porto confirmed what I felt long ago: here is a language worth learning today! I’m sharing my plan with you in this post – along with some ideas I already came up with.