SkillInside

Real confidence is built through hard work and excellent habits. Real confidence is not narcissism. Although the two often get confused, people with narcissistic tendencies need everyone to think that they're special. They have a need for admiration and a sense of entitlement that's rooted in deep-seated insecurities. Authentic confidence has nothing to do with selfishness or needing approval from others. People who are confident don't need anyone else to see their poise, because they don't care. They know which direction is north and they trust in their ability to navigate. No matter what obstacles are thrown their way,  they have faith in the process , and believe they will make it to their destination. That conviction, paradoxically, attracts others, because it makes everyone feel more confident in themselves. Unfortunately, real confidence--something we all want--takes effort to attain. You can't just buy new clothes and expect that to sustain your s

Cultivating smart habits is the key to unlock your potential. To be smart is great, but it doesn't happen overnight. If you want to become smarter, you have to create habits that will groom your intelligence and nourish your mind. Some people are born smart, but most smart people do daily rituals to maintain their smartness. Whether they do it in leadership, business, the arts, or a different field, they push and challenge themselves daily. Here are 18 habits that can help you become your smartest self: 1. Question everything.   Don't assume anything or subscribe unthinkingly to the conventional wisdom. Keep your eyes and mind wide open. The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance but the illusion of knowledge--and questioning and curiosity are the key to overcoming it. 2. Read as much as you can.   Many years ago, I started the habit of reading a book a day, and the wealth of knowledge I accumulate every week is priceless. Make reading a habit--serious rea

I will be the first person to admit that I’m a city boy. I grew up in Seattle, where my main agricultural experience as a kid was the farmers who sold freshly picked fruits and vegetables at Pike Place Market. Since then I’ve visited lots of small farms as part of my work with the foundation. But nothing prepared me for where I recently found myself: in the wilds of the Australian outback watching a cattle rancher artificially inseminate a cow. It’s a pretty graphic procedure to say the least, but I was impressed by how high tech the whole process was at Wylarah Station (a station is the Australian term for a ranch). The Australian Agricultural Company—or AACo—relies on cutting edge genomics to breed wagyu beef cows, some of the most elite cattle in the world. AACo is one of the foremost experts in the developed world on tropical cattle production. Although they use innovation to raise higher quality beef that they can sell for a good price, I was more interested in learning ab

We live in a society of sheep. People are sensitive to everything. A world where people need safe spaces because their feelings got hurt. If we don’t prefer something, we complain. People think life isn’t fair to only them. They put the blame on others instead of themselves. It’s in this world, one breed that stands tall. Lions will rise against the sheep. The Lions are the successful ones. Every time you turn to look around, they’ve accomplished something greater. While you are staying a sheep, their roar is getting louder. Those who are lions started as cubs. Perhaps they were once sheep themselves. But you can transform into a lion. Here are the 10 daily rituals of the Lions in the world: 1. Getting  up before sunrise Most people get out of bed and go straight to work. They take hours to get started. Then it’s lunch time. Their full and unproductive once again. They go home from work executing minimal. The lion gets up before the sunrise. They wake between four and f