BOSTON (CBS) Tom Brady admits that when he first joined the Patriots way back in 2000, it took some time for the West Coast boy to familiarize himself to a new place where the Atlantic Ocean is to the east, rather than having the Pacific Ocean to the west. Now some 20 years later, Brady will now go through the trouble of getting himself comfortable in a city where the Gulf of Mexico is to his west. Hell probably figure it out.

That was but one of numerous topics covered by Brady in a new story written for The Players Tribune.

The Buccaneers quarterback (thats still difficult to get used to) reflected on his lengthy career with the Patriots, talked about his development as a human and as a parent, and looked forward to what lies ahead in his career. Perhaps most interesting of all, Brady detailed exactly what is driving him to continue playing in the NFL even as he enters his age 43 season.

For me, playing football isnt going to last another 10 years, Brady wrote. In the time left, the question is, How can I keep maximizing what I do, put everything I can into it, make it the best I possibly can?At this point in my career, the only person I have to prove anything to is myself.Physically, Im as capable of doing my job as Ive ever been.Now I want to see whatmore I can do. I want to see how great I can be. I want to hear other people say, Go, man. Nowthatswhat weve been missing.Thatswhat we need!Thats what weve been looking for! Deep down I know what I can do. I know what I can bring. Now I want to see it in action.

While Brady said playing in the same place for 20 years can be an advantage, he now expects to benefit from the element of change.

Playing for one team for 20 years has been an amazing ride and experience. But doing the same thing year after year brings its own challenges. A familiar rhythm can be comforting and great. But it can also make you lose sight of other rhythms, newer ones that remind you of everything that hasnt been done yet, Brady explained. One isnt necessarily better than another theyre different, is all. Playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is a change, a challenge, an opportunity to lead and collaborate, and also to be seen and heard.

Brady added: Right now, though, I have things toproveto myself. The only way is through. If I dont go for it, Ill never know what I could have accomplished. Wanting to do something is different from actually doing it. If I stood at the bottom of a mountain, and told myself I could scale the highest peak, but then didnt do anything about it, whats the point of that?

Climbing that mountain has always been Bradys goal, and hes done it more than anyone else as evidenced by his six Super Bowl rings and three other Super Bowl appearances. Winning another championship with an organization like Tampa Bay, which hasnt won a playoff game since 2002, would represent the ultimate climb.

As for his time with the Patriots, Brady expressed extreme gratitude toward the organization, his teammates, and the fans.

Recently a friend told me that her sister was pregnant with her first child, a boy and that she planned on naming him Brady. She was telling me this, she said, so that Id realize the impact my playing for New England had had on so many peoples lives, Brady said. Hearing that, I felt so humbled by the idea that when some people think of me, its with a warmth in their heart or their spirit. Theres no better legacy I can think of than that.

More here:
Tom Brady Details Motivation For Joining Buccaneers: Only Person I Have To Prove Anything To Is Myself - CBS Boston

This year's AFL premiership can't be won during the competition shutdown - but it might be lost.

That's one of the countless hurdles facing all 18 playing groups right now.

And right at the heart of it is one simple, yet crucial, piece of the flag puzzle: Motivation.

How well will players operate in isolation when, at this stage, there is no real light at the end of the tunnel?

"You can't do what's been normal," Essendon coach John Worsfold said.

"The motivation is to do better than what anyone else can in the same situation.

"If you challenge players with that, they'll find a way.

"I've challenged the players to challenge themselves to be better in isolation, in terms of being prepped and ready for footy when it starts again, than anyone else."

When the season resumes is anybody's guess as the AFL prepares to unveil its plan forward in late April.

How much detail and certainty the plan will provide is a mystery amid ever-changing advice and restrictions from relevant government and health authorities.

Worsfold is wary that frustration and anxiousness will be among a wide variety of emotions players feel during the shutdown period, as well as a possible lack of motivation, and Essendon have tailored their program accordingly.

"We're working hard to try and be aware of how they're feeling and those sorts of emotions that they're going to go through," Worsfold said.

"We've given the players a bit of a spell from football education over the first couple of weeks (of shutdown) but we've got stuff that's now going to get filtered out to players.

"There's some learning opportunities around the game plan that we've been building and what we've learnt from round one.

"The players that I've spoken to are really keen to see that now and they want to start to look at some footy and what they can learn and what we can keep building on."

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin believes any motivation issues experienced during the shutdown period will vanish once clubs are eventually given the green light to resume more normal operation.

"It's hard to get a guide on that until we get our boys back in and around the footy club but I think when everyone's living the way they're living it makes you value the things that you love," Goodwin said.

"What I do know about a lot of footballers is they love playing the game, they love training and they love being around each other.

"So when we get back into that situation I'm sure the motivation will be really high.

"I'm sure they'll jump back into it and I'm sure they're missing it right now."

Go here to read the rest:
Motivation a key factor in AFL shutdown - ESPN Australia

Nicklaus admitted that he heard the noise, and the article was even pinned up on his refrigerator as bulletin board material by his friend John Montgomery.

I had to look at it every time I opened up the refrigerator, Nicklaus said. That was okay. I think the article was very justified. I was getting old and I was playing not very well.

But as we all know, that was not the case that fateful week in Augusta. Nicklaus found his old form, culminating in a Sunday 65 that earned him his sixth green jacket and final PGA Tour victory.

As Nicklaus told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution years later, To tell you the truth, I kind of agreed with Tom, Im afraid, but it helped get me going.

McCollister poked the bear, and it resulted in one of the greatest triumphs in golf history.

To receive GOLFs all-new newsletters, subscribe for free here.

See the original post:
Jack Nicklaus recounts the jab that motivated him to win the 1986 Masters - Golf.com

Motivational speaker Eric Thomas has become a go-to source of inspiration for NBA players.

Eric WoodyardESPN

JOSH OKOGIE ALMOST missed the text. It was 10 days after the NBA season was suspended, and the Minnesota Timberwolves wing was sleeping in. But he woke up to a message that the team had organized a conference call with world-renowned motivational speaker Eric Thomas -- also known as "ET The Hip-Hop Preacher."

"I wasn't even going to join it, but when I saw it was ET, I had to hear him. I joined the call, and he was talking about how the ball is still bouncing," Okogie said. "He was talking about how the season is suspended and the physical ball isn't still bouncing, but just because the ball stops bouncing on the court, it doesn't mean the ball stops bouncing in life.

"And all the coaches were like, 'Wow.' Even I was like, 'Wow.'"

Okogie had been pushing Timberwolves assistant general manager Joe Branch all season to get Thomas to speak to the team. He'd met Thomas last summer while working out at the Chris Paul Basketball Academy. Thomas, who has a close relationship with Paul, made an immediate impact on Okogie. His speaking schedule hadn't lined up with the Timberwolves' plans during the season, but the team was able to bring him in during the most uncertain time the NBA has ever faced.

Thomas spoke to Timberwolves players, coaches and staff for 28 minutes, sharing an uplifting message as he urged players to take a positive outlook.

"Let's write a list of what we have. Let's not focus on what we don't have," Thomas told ESPN he said to the team. "What we don't have, we're going to get that back, but what we have is what we need to focus on because if we don't focus on what we have then we'll be back to what we don't have.

"This game is already a game of inches and not just inches in terms of the game itself," he continued. "It's inches in terms of mental [health], so it's important to cling to what they have instead of what they don't have."

2 Related

Mental health has become a priority issue for the NBA in recent years, particularly after DeMar DeRozan and Kevin Love came forward to discuss their mental health experiences. And while the league offers multiple official support systems for its players -- systems that NBA officials acknowledge might be needed more than ever with the league on hiatus -- Thomas has become the unofficial go-to source of support for players around the league. He's someone they know they can lean on when they're going through difficult times, whether through a personal connection or just through the inspirational messages he posts on social media.

"ET is just a ball of light," Cleveland Cavaliers center Andre Drummond told ESPN earlier this season. "His energy, his inspiration, the way he views life and the way he can inspire so many people just by his words is huge. Sometimes I listen to his stuff whenever I'm feeling off or I need a certain message. He has messages for all different types of things."

Thomas has shared his messages directly with NBA veterans such as Drummond, Paul and Kyrie Irving. He has connected with rookies, including Zion Williamson, as part of the NBA's annual rookie symposium. Players point to his rise from his humble beginnings and his raw, powerful delivery of his messages as sources of inspiration.

Now, with the NBA on hold and no return date in sight, Thomas finds those messages resonating like never before.

MORE: Latest NBA news and coronavirus updates

CHRIS PAUL WAS heading into his first postseason with the Houston Rockets. He'd teamed with MVP James Harden to lead the Rockets to the most successful regular season in team history and the top seed in the Western Conference.

And, while he hadn't heard from Thomas for months, he wasn't surprised to see his trusted adviser's name pop up on his phone. They initially connected when Thomas spoke to Paul while he was with the Clippers, then stayed in touch as the veteran point guard changed cities, with Paul even inviting him to speak at his North Carolina summer basketball camps.

"It's a lot of people that want to see your demise. A lot of people want you to hurt. A lot of people want to take your spot," Thomas told Paul through a voicemail. "So, you've got to understand that and let that fuel you to take your game to a whole different level."

Paul got the Rockets within a win of the NBA Finals before a hamstring injury knocked him out of the series against the Golden State Warriors, who went on to win the title. A year later, Thomas and Paul connected again, with the Houston Rockets point guard presenting the speaker with a customized pair of his Jordan CP3.XII signature sneakers featuring motivational quotes from Thomas such as, "Avoid being your own enemy" and "Most of you don't want success as much as you want to sleep."

Said Paul: "ET is always somebody I know that's going to kick it to me straight. He just makes you be more than you think you can. When I think of ET, I just think of pushing myself. Whenever you think that you have gone as far as you can, you can go a little further."

The NBA announced that due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the 2019-20 season would be suspended effective March 12.

Latest news Silver: No decision until at least May NBA eyes potential rapid-test options NBA: No in-person draft workouts Full list of cancellations, suspensions

Thomas rose to the top of his profession despite being a homeless high school dropout. He was born in Chicago to a teenage mother but was raised primarily in Detroit. His biological father wasn't in his life until Thomas was 30.

Thomas spent 12 years working toward getting his bachelor's degree from Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama, in 2001, and went on to earn his master's and doctorate from Michigan State University.

He got his big break in 2008 after a speech at Michigan State, where he was working as an academic adviser. He challenged the students in the audience to "wanna succeed as bad as they wanna breathe." The speech was posted to YouTube, where it racked up more than 2 million views.

Thomas now averages 120-200 speeches per year and has worked with numerous professional sports teams including the LA Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets, Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks and Charlotte Hornets.

"I look at his Instagram every day," Hornets forward Miles Bridges said. "I watch his videos all the time before games because he's really inspiring and he motivates me, so I try to look at him all the time. I can come to the game unfocused and watch one of his videos and just lock in right away. That's how powerful he is with his speaking, so I don't think people give him enough credit for that."

Thomas posts inspirational messages every day on Instagram, where he has 1.5 million followers -- dozens of whom play in the NBA. He has more than 435,000 followers on Twitter. Among the notable sports figures who follow his social media accounts are NBA All-Stars Irving, Drummond, Isaiah Thomas, Damian Lillard, Draymond Green, Khris Middleton and Devin Booker.

Thomas is also using his social media platform to reach people more directly because of the current global state. After he noticed the spread of COVID-19, he posted his cellphone number in his social media bio, encouraging those in need of motivation to reach out. Timberwolves coach Ryan Saunders did so, and the two have since been in touch daily.

The league added Thomas to its lineup of speakers at the mandatory four-day, NBA Rookie Transition Program 2016. For many newcomers to the league, it's the first time they see him speak in person.

"His speeches are phenomenal," Williamson said. "The way he breaks down wanting to be great, he breaks it down in such a way that you've got to truly look yourself in the mirror and say, 'Do I want to be great or am I just saying I want to be great?' He fuels you to go above and beyond."

SNOW HADN'T YET fallen in Denver, but the days were sometimes gloomy for new Denver Nuggets addition Isaiah Thomas in September 2018.

The two-time All-Star was in an unfamiliar situation, on a one-year deal while rehabbing from hip surgery, when he discovered a new source of inspiration while scrolling through his Instagram feed.

Thomas found one of Eric Thomas' inspirational posts and sent him a direct message. It got an immediate response. Now the free-agent point guard considers the motivational speaker one of his best friends.

"I wish it was mandatory for every professional team to have to sit down and listen to him talk," said Isaiah Thomas, who is not related to the speaker. "I know if you heard him talk and the passion that he talks with, it's going to resonate with all walks of life. It doesn't matter, and that's the type of people I want to be around at all times."

Lately, the two have connected again frequently, with Isaiah Thomas facing the uncertain future of being a recently released free agent in a league currently on hiatus and in a player transaction moratorium. Eric Thomas has also reached out to Allen Crabbe, who was waived by the Timberwolves in late February. Both players assured the motivational speaker that they're in a strong mental space as they try to make their way back.

Look back at Jackie MacMullan's five-part series on mental health issues in the NBA from 2018:

The state of mental health in the NBA Mental health in the NBA's black community To medicate or not? A difficult decision Behind the anxiety and anger of an NBA ref The future of mental health in the NBA

Thomas isn't the only option for players in similar situations. The NBA requires teams to provide players access to licensed, clinical mental health professionals at all times. Dr. William Parham, the National Basketball Players Association's director of mental and health wellness, and NBPA player wellness counselor Keyon Dooling have also launched virtual office hours, where players past and present can talk about how best to manage their mental well-being.

"There's a whole bunch that our guys grapple with, and I'm so thankful that we put this infrastructure in place because a lot of guys haven't processed their journeys," said Dooling, who played 13 seasons in the NBA. "They've been too busy achieving, and in quiet moments like this, I think it's a great opportunity."

A communication from the league office was sent to all teams during the week of the NBA suspension about the impact the COVID-19 pandemic might have on mental and emotional well-being. The memo included customized documents with tips, resources and information from mental health and wellness partners, providers and consultants, to help players, team staff and their families maintain mental wellness.

That's why the Timberwolves took on the initiative to collaborate with Thomas.

"We pride ourselves in being player-centric, and as we face this incredibly difficult time, we are looking for ways to thoroughly support our players," Timberwolves president Gersson Rosas told ESPN. "Eric Thomas has a powerful voice with a strong message, and we believe his perspective will encourage our players to stay connected and to motivate them to get through the current challenges we are all facing."

Having their routines taken from them while the league is on hiatus has presented a new and even more difficult challenge. Social distancing has created an environment where players -- used to being surrounded by teammates and fans -- no longer have that daily personal contact.

"A lot of people are isolated," Okogie said. "So definitely, that message pertains in terms of mental health. What can you do to take away from that feeling of being alone?"

One of Thomas' consistent messages is that even in times of isolation, players never have to feel as if they're alone.

"I feel like once we connect, I'm like a shepherd," Thomas said, "and it's my responsibility to not only give you lip service or give you a motivational presentation, it's my responsibility to kind of walk with you as much as you will allow me to walk with you."

ESPN's Malika Andrews contributed to this report.

See more here:
How Eric Thomas, the hip-hop preacher, has become the go-to motivational speaker for NBA players - ESPN

(WBNG) -- A local health and wellness professor, World champion athlete, motivational speaker, author, and world record holder, Bill Clark, shares advice on how to deal with the current pandemic and the worry associated.

Clark has been featured on ESPN, was the number one watched Guinness World Records social media star of 2019, and was put on the inside cover of the 2019 Guinness Book of World Records. The power lifter has been put into just about every strength hall of fame and speaks to schools and audiences as he demonstrates his strength and gives his "world champion advice."

"I'm struggling with everyone else," Clark says. "Don't confuse concern with worry. Concern allows us to be aware of problems so that we can be optimal in developing strategies moving forward. Worry is concern that's unregulated, it takes over."

For more information, visit Bill Clark's website here.

See original here:
World champion athlete and motivational speaker on how to deal with worrying during pandemic - WBNG-TV

Opened in May 2016, Rafa Nadal Academy has been passing the vision of one of the greatest players of all time onto the new generation of future tennis stars, offering them the best possible facilities at his Rafa Nadal Academy in Manacor.

The Academy provides the top-tier conditions for the upcoming youngster, giving them a chance to improve the various elements of their tennis alongside highly-skilled and trained coaches from Spain and other parts of the world.

Also, some established players like Casper Ruud and Jaume Munar train in Mallorca regularly, often with Nadal himself, if he is at home. The recent setbacks with the coronavirus pandemic have forced the Academy to keep both the players and staff as isolated as possible from outside factors, closing facilities and taking good care of all the people who are currently on the Academy site.

Besides tennis, Nadal's students at the Academy have the opportunity to take care of their education as well, with Rafa Nadal International School allowing them to combine tennis and studies. Each student is prepared to face the university entrance system - including access to American institutions through scholarships, which is extremely important if they want to embrace college tennis and work more on their education.

Nadal had a message for his students who are taking classes from home, highlighting the importance of their parents and appreciating the teachers for their efforts to make the courses possible in these extreme conditions.

"During this time of confinement in which school life has changed completely, Rafa Nadal wanted to send a message of encouragement to all the students of the Rafa Nadal International School who are doing online classes from their homes during these days.

Rafa himself also wanted to highlight the important work of the parents in this process and thank the teachers for their efforts and tremendous involvement in making classes possible. Although the original concept of the school was designed with the aim that the tennis players at the Academy could combine their tennis training with academics, Rafa wanted to open the doors to all the young people of Mallorca from the very beginning, whether they were tennis players or not, so that everyone could benefit from the facilities and the academic program."

Read more here:
Rafael Nadal sends motivation message to students of his International School - Tennis World USA

We have entered uncharted territory. For most of us, staying completely confined to our homes without the ability to have physical contact with friends, let alone our own family members can be very distressful. Add to that the extra task of trying to maintain a normal life during this period where nothing is normal and everything we do has to be monitored to a certain degree. Life as we know it, at least for the foreseeable future, is completely derailed and if we dont make a conscious effort to maintain some sort of control over it, it can be very easy to fall into unhealthy habits. How can you help yourself stay motivated while self-isolating? Here are a few helpful tips to keep you focused on staying healthy and positive while social distancing:

1. Set a routine

Now that we are self-isolating and are all working from home and/or staying in 24-7, its important that we create an environment that feels productive in order to avoid feeling negative and down. The best way to do this is by setting a routine. This is especially important for those with children who are used to having the daily school schedule and who really arent able to create a routine for themselves. However as adults, creating a routine is equally helpful for us to avoid becoming depressed from the lack of structure in our own daily schedules. Nothing can be more daunting than waking up every day and having to figure out what to do with your time. Under normal circumstances after a long work week having nothing planned on a Saturday or Sunday morning can feel liberating. But on a daily basis, this can become a source of anxiety. I suggest creating a schedule around the staple daily activities: wake up time, meals, bedtime, etc. Maintaining the same schedule daily will not only limit the possibility of downtime, which can lead to emotional lows, it may also help the day go by quicker so you wont have too much time to focus on the fact that youre stuck at home.

Helpful tip: Make a list of your must dos everyday: wake up, meals, bedtime, etc. Set times for those activities and then pepper in your other responsibilities around them. Ideally, you want to set times that youll stick to daily.

2. Make an appointment for your self-care

Self-care can be very healing during this time of self-isolation, because the more you do for yourself the better you may feel! And self-care can look any way you need. It could be making time for your favorite show, time for a call with your good friend, or my personal favorite, time to work out! Working out during this period has helped me tremendously. It is a known fact that exercise releases the feel good hormones in your brain called endorphins. Endorphins arechemicals produced by thebodyto relieve stress and one way to tap into them is through exercise. The best part is when it comes to releasing endorphins, it doesnt have to be anything too intenseeven moderate exercise can help the release of these natural body relaxants. Moreover, the most important key in this suggestion is to actually make time for your self-care, whatever it may be. Nestled in your daily schedule, make sure you make an appointment with yourself for your self-care so that the day doesnt pass you by without it!

Helpful tip: Think about what will make you feel good these days. It may be watching a funny movie, listening to some music or doing a workout. Then make an appointment with yourself with a time and reminder on your phone. For optimal benefits, try to schedule a feel good activity daily!

3. Make virtual appointments with feel good friends

A lot of people are stressing out about the current situation as we are surrounded by bad news all day every day. Although its important to stay informed, it is equally important to try and occupy your mind with thoughts that dont involve the crisis. This is a good time to reach out to your feel good friends. We all know that someone in our livescould be any loved one, friend or family memberthat is just super positive. These are the people you should try to spend some virtual time with right now. Make note of pessimistic people in your life who truly find it difficult to distract themselves from the worry of what is happening around them and inadvertently bring you down with their personal anxiety. We all know the, life is terrible and there is nothing else to say, people who no matter how much you try to make light of the situation, they just cant seem to. This is the time to try to lessen your exposure to any negativity. Im not suggesting you cut-off your Negative Nancy friends completely, but do try to reach out to the ones who are able to talk about something more positive these days. Yes, things arent great and right now there doesnt seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel quite yet. However, life is continuing and we have to try to stay in good spirits as best we can so that we dont compromise our immune systems at such a critical time when we need them to be strong! While self-isolating, make an appointment to talk to your feel good friends. If you are that person, try to lift the spirits of those in your life who have a hard time doing it for themselves. However, make sure you also take care of your own emotional health in the process!

Helpful tip: If you cant think of anyone who could be a positive influence these days, this is a good time to see what people are posting. Look for people posting funny memes or positive anecdotes on social media and engage that way!

This is a crazy and scary timeto say the least. For that reason, it is so important to make a conscious effort to stay healthy and positive. Try to incorporate good thoughts, good food and good energy into your life daily and before you know it, life will be back to normal!

See the original post:
How to stay motivated while self-isolating and social distancing - Thrive Global

NewsEducation The revelation will reinforce fears that the fallout from the coronavirus crisis has badly hit engagement in learning

Wednesday, 8th April 2020, 11:25 am

Updated Wednesday, 8th April 2020, 2:51 pm

Teenagers who think they have already passed their GCSEs and A-levels have been trying to get supermarket and gig economy jobs before the school year ends.

The revelation will reinforce fears that the fallout from the coronavirus crisis has badly hit students motivation and engagement in learning.

In England, the exam watchdog Ofqual has said teachers will assess classwork, homework, results in assignments and mock exams, coursework and students "general progress to make predictions.

Crucially, Ofqual made clear that schools will not have to set any additional mock exams or homework to decide grades.

However, one boss of a major school chain said pupils who are no longer taking exams had disengaged from their education.

Martyn Oliver, chief executive of Outwood Grange Academies Trust - which runs 32 schools in the North of England - told Schools Week that participation in online learning among students in Year 11 and 13 was very poor.

The Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has said teachers will give students predicted GCSE and A level grades, which will be checked by the exam boards (Photo: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire)

Average engagement in Outwood Granges online lessons during lockdown has been 70 per cent in the chains primary schools and 77 per cent for its secondary schools, but Mr Oliver said the latter figure had been dragged down by Years 11 and 13.

He said: As far as theyre concerned, theyve passed. Some of them are even trying to get into the gig economy, get work in supermarkets. We dont want them doing that.

Mr Oliver said the schools had refused permission to these students. We understand the pressure on them, but unless anyone defines it differently, they havent left school and they should be engaged with education.

The law states that children aged 15 or 16 can work up to 12 hours in any school week, and up to 35 hours a week in the holidays. There are no such school term based restrictions for 17 and 18 year olds.

There are fears the impact of the cancellation of exams on student motivation could widen attainment gaps between children from privileged and deprived backgrounds.

In a report, the Sutton Trust social mobility charity said that young people from disadvantaged backgrounds should get catch-up classes once schools reopen.

Even if all possible steps were taken to minimise the impact of school closures on the attainment gap, having students away from school for a long period is likely to have a substantial impact on attainment, especially for those from the most disadvantaged backgrounds, the report says.

Looking in the longer term, it will be important to put in place interventions to help students to catch up when schools restart. This could for example include increasing the pupil premium [funding] to help schools provide additional support for disadvantaged students when they return to school, or catch up sessions for this group of students before other students return.

Here is the original post:
GCSEs and A-levels: Concern for student motivation as teens who think they've passed seek jobs in supermarkets and 'gig economy' - inews

Its no secret that the creative landscape has changed dramatically since the COVID-19 outbreak. The Working From Home setup is a strange adjustment for everyone - as noted by creative agency Paradise London who wanted to help support the industry.

Paradise London has reached out to creatives across all industries to help curate a series of online talks focused on keeping the community inspired and motivated through these difficult and uncertain times. Designers, writers, musicians, marketeers, entrepreneurs, photographers (to name but a few) - are all featured in self filmed, motivational tutorials to motivate, inspire and connect the creative network.

#PLDNTalks is a direct response to the coronavirus epidemic - sending a message of positivity and support on a global scale. The videos are designed to keep the audience thinking, creating, sharing and innovating their ideas as they face new challenges in all aspects of life. Encouraging their network to Give a little help, the branding and marketing agency are editing and releasing all supplied content free of charge and hosting online on their instagram channel @paradiselondon.

Each day a new topic from a new creative is released; growth as an entrepreneur, music videos on a budget, maintaining sanity in quarantine and branding and business advice are some of the topics already explored, with commercial director of broadcast Talia Levine, music and media strategy consultant Soraya Sobh, and music artist Dani Sylvia some of the first to lend their voice.

Launched on Friday the 27 March, the bite-size educational content features leaders in the industry sharing intimate advice from the comfort of their own home. If you would like to participate in a PLDN Talk, or for more media information please contact: Luke Jekyll - Marketing Manager luke@paradise.london

// Featured in this article

Paradise London

Paradise London is an independent fully-integrated creative agency dedicated to enhancing, connecting and refining brands worldwide.

Excerpt from:
A series of motivational talks to inspire the creative industry - The Drum

Our editors take care to highlight sales and deals on items that we think youll enjoy and at prices we think youll like. Shop TODAY has affiliate relationships so we may get a small share of the revenue if you buy something through our links.

With more time on our hands due to social distancing, now could be the perfect opportunity to experiment in the kitchen. Whether it's trying a new recipe or baking your favorite treats, one of the most important ingredients is quality kitchen tools.

Right now, kitchenware brand Oxo is offering 20% off the entire site, making it the perfect opportunity to replace those old tools with something new.

We searched through the "most loved" section and put together a list of the most affordable and bestselling kitchen essentials to help update your collection and get you in the cooking mood.

$39.99

$49.99

Oxo Good Grips

This scale was created to allow you to measure bowls and large items without the hassle of shadows covering the weight. With a pull-out design, you just pull the display to easily read the weight.

$23.99

$29.99

Oxo Good Grips

This BPA-free salad spinner takes only one push to start spinning and one push to stop. It also acts as a colander and was designed to be taken apart for easy cleaning.

$47.99

$59.99

Oxo Good Grips

Made with an anti-slip design in mind, this set includes three different sizes of bowls. The interior is made of stainless steel in an effort to retain the temperature of ingredients, while the plastic exterior aims to provide insulation for your hands.

Get a daily roundup of items that will make your life easier, healthier and more stylish.

$15.99

$19.99

Oxo Good Grips

Designed to help you cook the perfect hard-boiled eggs, this egg timer has seven "doneness" settings and an egg size selector. You can also use the piercer to make peeling eggs a breeze.

$15.99

$19.99

Oxo Good Grips

Created with a non-porous surface to help lock out food odors, this set features two double-sided cutting boards. The grooved side is made for cutting meat, while the solid side is perfect for chopping produce.

$39.99

$49.99

Oxo Good Grips

For cold brew lovers, this aims to take the mess out of making the delicious iced treat. To start, let your coffee grounds and water steep overnight and then enjoy the coffee concentrate at the flip of a switch. This maker also comes with a glass carafe to help with measurements and can even be stored in the fridge.

$11.99

$14.99

Oxo Good Grips

Take the hassle out of cooking dishes like cheesecake and steamed rice with this heat-resistant sling. Made to fit under almost any dish lid, this silicone is made to make taking food out of your pressure cooker seamless with its easy-to-use design. Just place the food on top and use the handles to pull it out of the cooker once it's done!

$15.99

$19.99

Oxo Good Grips

Rather than have to bend down or move your measuring cups to eye-level, this set was styled so that you can measure from above while you pour your ingredients. The set includes three dishwasher-safe cups, which all contain markings for cups, ounces, and milliliters.

$15.99

$19.99

Oxo Good Grips

Get the perfect pancake with this dispenser that takes the guesswork out of scooping batter. You'll have a perfectly-rounded portion at the touch of a button.

$15.99

$19.99

Oxo Good Grips

Stop wasting your money on wax and parchment paper and pick up a baking mat instead. Made of fiberglass and silicone, this mat aims to be durable for frequent use.

For more stories like this check out:

To discover more deals, shopping tips and budget-friendly product recommendations, download the new TODAY app and subscribe to our Stuff We Love newsletter!

Shop TODAY takes care to recommend our favorite items chosen by trusted experts and editors, as well as inform our readers of great deals, customer favorites, and newsworthy products from around the web. For more on our process, click here.

Rylee Johnston

Rylee Johnston is a Commerce Intern for TODAY.com.

More here:
10 kitchen gadgets that will motivate you to cook - TODAY