12 months to adopt 12 habits of success

By Dr Tareq Rasheed,

 International Consultant & Trainer 

2020 is here but are you ready? Let’s welcome the new year with a renewed determination to succeed by setting ourselves up to be success-habit based people.  For the action-oriented person, the 12 habits is a model for personal development and sustainability.

Dreaming and planning 

You may well know the adage, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”. Set your GPS in motion for the coming year. The destination that you are targeting is your dream. Set your dream on three levels: short-term (2 years), intermediate-term (5 to 7 years) and long-term (where you are 10 to 15 years from now). Remember, if you can dream it, you can achieve it. 

Prioritising 20 / 80

Plans have to be accompanied by action – putting your efforts on the 20 per cent of habits and actions will help you achieve 80 per cent of the results. Results-based people determine the most important actions they need to concentrate on for the coming year that would help them achieve accelerated results.

Health is wealth 

Plans have to be accompanied by action – putting your efforts on the 20 per cent of habits and actions will help you achieve 80 per cent of the results. Results-based people determine the most important actions they need to concentrate on for the coming year that would help them achieve accelerated results.

Health is wealth 

You cannot achieve your dreams and actions if your health is suffering. Thus, make a habit of prioritising your health in these areas:

 
Physical health: Energising your body – eating healthier, getting enough good quality sleep and exercising regularly 

 
Mental health: Energising your mind – reading, becoming a fact-based person and not believing everything that’s said on the Internet, in media or from people unless you can assess its validity

 Emotional health: Energise your heart – choosing to spend time in positive environments and with positive people, increasing your emotional intelligence (self-awareness, managing negative emotions, motivating yourself) 

 
Spiritual health: Praying or meditating, living a well-balanced life that looks after your body, mind and heart

Effort and determination 

Dreams, priorities and health are the pre-success habits; to live success, efforts have to be done to transfer dreams into reality. According to Thomas Edison, “Creativity is 99 per cent effort and action and one per cent inspiration”. 

Team support

One of the key habits of success is deliberately surrounding yourself with well-intentioned people who can share with you your dream. After all, TEAM means Together Everyone Achieves More!

Sharpening and developing your skills

One of the key habits of success is deliberately surrounding yourself with well-intentioned people who can share with you your dream. After all, TEAM means Together Everyone Achieves More!

Sharpening and developing your skills

Skills are the tools you need to achieve your dream. Be specific with the skills you need to achieve and work each week on a specific skill to develop. You’ll first learn the skill but then you’ll need to practice it and apply it. 

Investing in your talents

You are born talented but you may not be fully aware of your talents or how to leverage them. I apply the four-stage model of  the Talent Management System: 

1. Talent Identification: Using tools to help identify your talent

2. Talent Framing: Directing your talent in the right direction and relating it to your dream

3. Talent Development: Training, coaching, consulting and counselling

4. Talent Investment: Setting actions to transfer into results

Being value-oriented

Dreams and actions to form a success story should be ethical and value-based. Value-based leaders define their values and fall under two categories, both of which are important: 

 Attitude values: Honesty, credibility, commitment, care

 
Action values: Creativity, quality, continuous improvement

 Applying the 3 FFs

1. Do not Fear Failure: Failure is the secret of success; it is a cornerstone to successive successful steps 

2. But Fear Fear: Fear is the element that will prevent achievement, so the only thing to fear is fear

3. Then Focus & Follow-up: An important way to focus on achieving success is to follow-up on your failures, ensuring that you learn from and make use of them

Fighting perfectionism 

One of the biggest time-wasters in life that prevents dream achievement is being a perfectionist. Only God is perfect, so let’s be accurate and precise but also reasonable and be able to accept and learn from failure. 

Monitoring and evaluation

Just as monitoring and evaluation tools are important for a business, they are needed to make sure that your habits are working for you. Here, you can identity the gaps or impediments and tweak or overhaul your plan. 

Cultivating an attitude of happiness

At every point on your journey of meeting targets, celebrate your achievements. Once you cultivate an attitude of gratitude, you’ll find yourself breathing, tasting and living happiness!

You can implement the model of the 12 habits of success by applying three sequential habits in a week until you work up to practising all 12 habits each month.  

Winter Warmers!

Timesaving recipes for the busy mama & baba

By Banan Gharaibeh, Food Blogger 

Who has the time to spend all day cooking in the kitchen? Our timesaving menu planner this month will satisfy cold weather cravings while providing your family with added nutrition.

Veggie Noodle Soup

Ingredients
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
½ cup small noodles
1 cup mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, corn mushrooms & sweet peppers)
4 cups chicken stock
Juice of half a lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

All spice to taste

Chilli flakes to taste

Directions
1. Sauté onion and garlic in oil until tender
2. Add the noodles and keep stirring well until they’re golden
3. Add the vegetables
4. Add broth, lemon juice and spices
5. Leave to simmer over low heat for 40 to 45 minutes or until all the vegetables are done
6. Garnish with chopped parsley

Potato with cream
(Great with roasted meat or chicken)

Ingredients
5 boiled potatoes, thinly sliced
2 cups fresh cream
Mixed cheese (mozzarella, white and sharp cheddar)
Salt and pepper to taste

Sprigs of fresh rosemary

Directions

1. Add some cream to a medium-sized pan
2. Arrange potatoes over the cream
3. Season with salt, pepper and rosemary
4. Add some cheese, then repeat process until you have two or three layers, ending with cream and cheese on top
5. Bake in a medium-heated oven for 30 to 35 minutes
6. Serve with roast or fish

Roasted Leg of Lamb

Ingredients

1 medium-sized leg of lamb
½ cup vinegar

2 cups warm water

Peppercorns and salt

Cinnamon stick cloves to marinate meat overnight
3 cloves garlic
Salt and pepper to taste

All spice to taste

Mustard (to coat the meat)

Drizzles of olive oil

Directions
1. Marinate lamb in the brine and leave in the fridge overnight
2. Remove and dry well
3. Make some cuts and insert cloves of garlic in them
4. Season meat with salt, pepper, all spice, mustard and olive oil
5. Use oven baking bags for best results and add chopped onions and carrots

6. Bake for one and a half or two hours until well roasted
7. Serve with vegetables or potatoes

How Thinking About Thinking Can Help Students

By Dina Halaseh, Educational Psychologist

We want students to tap into their own thinking and figure out what works for them and what does not. This might include the action of explaining the lesson to themselves or reading then explaining it to a friend. By giving them a chance to reflect on their own learning, we allow them to begin a true learning experience.

Metacognition is simply the act of thinking about thinking, and helps students reflect on how they can learn best instead of storming through their tests trying different ways that are not really working with them.

Many students think they are ready for the test after studying for it briefly, when in reality they aren’t. Thus, thinking about thinking is a way to close the gap between how ready they are versus how ready they think they are. Asking students how they would prepare for a test or study the material allows them some time to think about the best way to do so and which way would lead to a better performance, thus becoming independent learners.

Metacognition can be used to boost learning by asking students about the different ways they learn best. Many students still do not know which method helps them study and learn the material effectively; they simply follow what their parents or teachers say.

In fact, when analysing best techniques students use to study, research shows that rereading material and highlighting points are the least effective methods since they build a false sense of mastery. We simply go over the material assuming we understand it thoroughly, but when we are asked about it, our understanding proves to be false. When tested, students will perform less than they expected and feel discouraged from trying again.

Tips for building metacognitive strategies

• Adopting a growth mindset: Understanding that the brain can change and improve is one of the best metacognitive strategies. It helps students build resilience and grit towards challenging situation in a way that helps them understand that nothing is impossible
• Asking questions: Many teachers assume everyone understands the topic since no one is asking questions. A few questions or a quiz about the topic can help students realise the gap of their actual knowledge level and perceived mastery of the topic. Students can simply quiz themselves to establish autonomy
• Realising the value of learning: Students and parents often focus on grades rather than realising the inherit value in learning. In other words, students should study to learn for the long run and not just to get a good grade

Tips for studying

Before a test: Students can ask if any topic was too hard or too confusing. What is the main topic or idea from the lesson? “If I do not quite understand it, what should I ask my teacher?” Students can also think about how much time they need to finish studying for the test and preparing for it.

After a test: After finishing any test, students can go back to it and ask themselves what they missed getting right and why:“Was I well prepared?” and “Is there anything else I can do that could help me achieve a better score?” And if they scored well, let them think of the techniques used while studying and which they would use again in future tests.

You can contact Halaseh at halasehdina@gmail.com

Family Flavours & Nakahat ‘Ailiyeh Parenting Magazines Support ‘Allimny

Family Flavours and Nakahat Ailiyeh parenting magazines, supported The Cakery’s fundraiser for the ‘Allimny Programme to provide access to university education for underprivileged students.

Funds were raised through event proceeds of  The Cakery’s 7th Annual Charity Event: Build Your Own Gingerbread House-both magazines raised awareness about the programme through its print and social media arms.

Families enjoyed assembling their gingerbread houses and getting creative with colourful candy and white icing decor.

Al Marji’ Publications also contributed to this event by inviting its partner Clowns In Amman to bring even more festive fun with activities such as face painting.

Event participants took advantage of Al Marji’ Publications’ special discounts and offers on magazine subscriptions. New subscribers received gifts and automatically got entered into a draw to win the opportunity to have their children on the cover of either Family Flavours or Nakahat ‘Ailiyeh.

Family Values Core of Family Flavours, Nakahat ‘Ailiyeh Parenting Magazines Partnership with Hayat FM Radio

Hayat FM renewes its cooperation agreement with Al Marji’ Publications, publisher of Family Flavours and Nakahat ‘Ailiyeh parenting magazines, for the fifth consecutive year.

This cooperation agreement stems from both parties’ commitment to raising awareness about family values and parenting through expert contributions.

During the signing, Musa Saket, Founder and Chairperson of Hayat FM radio station, stated that this partnership “reflects Hayat FM’s keen interest in serving families. Our cooperation with Al Marji’ Publications is one of the radio station’s most effective ways to do so.”

He expressed his appreciation of both magazines for remaining true to their shared missions and values.

“We are happy to renew our partnership with Hayat FM radio station as its family values align with our mission,” said Publisher and Managing Director of Al Marji’ Publications, Hind-Lara Mango. She added, “We are proud of this growing partnership, evident this year with Nakahat ‘Ailiyeh’s segment on Beit Hawa programme, and are looking forward to bringing our partnership to the next level  in the upcoming year.”

Al Marji’ Publications recently honoured Hayat FM with an award of appreciation for its continued support as a media sponsor, hosting experts from both magazines on issues about health, nutrition, parenting, relationships and more. This year, a social media component was integrated in this partnership.

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