Six-time Olympic champ Felix says being an example to her young daughter serves as her motivation, while teen swim sensation Titmus uses music to get her going.

Motivation is one of the three key techniques in the Olympic State of Mind, the Team Bridgestone Olympic Channel experience which helps you be the best version of yourself.

It is vital for any athlete with the goal of an Olympic gold medal or world title often a prime motivating factor.

But motivation changes as athletes go through their careers and readjust their goals, some because they want to demonstrate continued excellence in their discipline having reached the summit.

Six-time gold medallist Allyson Felix is one athlete with longevity to match her ability.

The American track star has won medals at no fewer than four Olympic Games starting at Athens 2004.

Sixteen years later, she is still going strong and hoping to add to her tally of six gold and three silver medals.

In November 2018, Felix gave birth to her first child by emergency Caesarean section 32 weeks into her pregnancy after suffering severe pre-eclampsia.

Her daughter Camryn had to spend the next month in newborn intensive care before going home, with Felix changed by the birth difficulties and the trials of being a new mum.

Felix told Olympic Channel, "I feel like my motivation is different now. I think about doing things so that my daughter can see them so that she can have a great example."

"And it just makes me feel really tough. You're like, 'If I've got through these sleepless nights and juggling, then I can face anything.'"

She took her tally to a record 13 World Championship titles last year in Doha with victory in the mixed and women's 4x400m relays, taking her clear of Usain Bolt.

And the 34-year-old's desire to reach a fifth Olympic Games remains as strong as ever.

"I think about Tokyo a lot. I think it's always in the back of my head." - Allyson Felix

Ariarne Titmus is at the opposite end of her career to Felix.

The Australian caused a sensation at the Gwangju 2019 FINA Aquatics World Championships, beating Katie Ledecky to win the 400m freestyle title.

She also swam the lead-off leg as Australia ended USA's 10-year unbeaten run in major competitions in the 4x200m freestyle relay.

Her Olympic debut has been delayed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but she is keen to perform on the biggest stage of all and motivated by the desire to win medals.

To get herself pumped up, Titmus listens to a playlist from her mother who she describes as "a real headbanger".

She said, "My main motivational tools are self-talk and music.

"I motivate myself in training and in racing through self-talk. Before I race, at every competition I play this same playlist.

"My mum's playlist is 90s and 80s rock and, as much as they're not my favourite songs, the beat kind of really gets me gets me into the mood I need to be into race."

"I never use music prior to training. I only use music at competitions to race, and it's more of a thing not only to get myself in the zone, but to separate myself from other people and actually make sure I don't talk to anyone else and try and really focus."

Titmus also likes music from more contemporary artists with one track standing out.

"I'm a massive Shawn Mendes fan and I love all his songs, but probably 'There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back' as clich as that sounds!"

The interactive experience is live on Olympic State of Mind and features fellow Bridgestone athlete ambassadors Jordan Burroughs, P.V. Sindhu, Ai Ueda and Thomas Rohler.

There are video clips, puzzles and games to help your journey plus a special edition of the Olympic Channel Podcast.

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Motivation tips from Allyson Felix and Ariarne Titmus - Olympic Channel

But given how the modern workplace has evolved, these three things are now simply not enough to guarantee job satisfaction among workers. Beyond financial compensation and benefits, employees actively seek professional development opportunities, mentorship, work-life balance, and a positive company culture. And as companies themselves have come to realize, these are also factors that directly influence their employees performance and loyalty..

That said, what can your own company do to bring out the best in its workforce? How can you motivate your employees to do a great job beyond simply increasing their earnings? Here are seven tips that will improve the employer-employee dynamic in your workplace in addition to inspiring them to work toward achieving their goals and those of the company..

No matter how well your company is doing, theres always a chance that someone working there is dissatisfied with their job. If youre out to fix issues like that, you cannot go into things blindly. The best approach involves finding out where exactly that job dissatisfaction lies. To that end, your company can run focused group discussions (FGDs), town hall-style meetings, or employee satisfaction surveys. Sparkbays article on employee satisfaction surveys shows that a well-designed survey can be extremely valuable in identifying and addressing employee concerns.

Your employees might bring up issues about heavy workloads, their feedback system with their supervisors, a lack of growth opportunities, or the office environment itself. Their concerns will be unique to their experiences in the company, and will likely require a custom approach. All throughout, let your employees feel acknowledged and listened to. This will enable them to trust you and to continue doing their best, knowing that you have their best interests in mind.

Every company has a company culture that makes it different from all others. You may be running yours along a particular set of beliefs or advocacies, and with the goal of reaching a particular market. Strong company cultures can attract the best talents. But they can also nurture such talents to be long-standing ambassadors of the institution.

When someone lands a job in your company, prove to them that theyve gotten more than a good position. Show them that theyre part of a company culture that celebrates their skills and that can help them do meaningful work. In addition, show them that theyre around like-minded people that they can practice teamwork, coordination, and camaraderie with. If employees see that theyve been planted in fertile soil, they will do all they can to thrive in it.

If you have a leadership role in the company and you know the ropes, you may be tempted to micromanage. But this will ultimately curb your employees productivity, and may result in your mutual frustration with each other. The latter, in particular, may feel alienated by micromanaging behavior, and this will lessen their motivation to do good work on their own.

As the leader, you can make the call about which exact behaviors count as micromanaging, depending on the nature of the work. But in general, try not to overstep and fix all the problems yourself. Give your employees some leeway to figure things out for themselvesand when they do, they might just surprise you. You might learn from them that there are different, but equally effective solutions to common problems. That will be something of value to both you and them.

Oftentimes, theres a culture of fear around the issue of performance evaluation. Many employees are terrified about receiving feedback for their performance. Maybe its because they think that all feedback will be of the negative kind. Or maybe its because they feel uncertain about the standard being used to judge their work.

To quell this anxiety behind performance evaluations, you can do two things. First, set exact expectations for what you see as a job well done versus a job that needs some improvement, plus how one can improve. Employees shouldnt be left in the dark about what theyre supposed to accomplish, or what sets of standards theyre being judged by. Second, pair constructive criticism with praise. Tell your employees what theyve gotten right and what they can continue doing, and make them feel valued for their overall contributions. When they know that for themselves, they are more likely to do an even better job.

In the past, the idea of career growth used to be a fairly simple and linear one. After a stint as a regular in one department or area of specialty, an employee might become a manager in that same area. But what if your employees want to try something new at some point in their careers? What if somewhere along the way, they get interested in other types of work in the company, like operations, marketing, or corporate social responsibility?

Giving your employees some more allowance as to where they can grow their talents may pay off in the long run. Not only will they stay longer in the company, but theyll also exercise a wider variety of skills in your service. Moreover, theyll do work that instigates the highest level of passion from them. This is the kind of drive that you will definitely want in order to bolster your company.

Great employees are the kind who wont stay happy exactly where they are for long periods of time. Theyre the ones who desire a challenge and will likely excel if theyre presented with one. If you can already see employees brimming with leadership potential, consider cultivating it as soon as possible. Empower them and give them opportunities to see themselves as the companys future leaders.

Invite these star employees to leadership training opportunities or in-house mentoring sessions. Alternately, you can prepare them for future leadership roles by letting them shadow you or gradually increasing their responsibilities. All the while, demonstrate to them that your company is the perfect place for them to hone their leadership potential.

Lastly, you can achieve a lot for your employees wellbeing simply by reconfiguring your office environment. You can layout the office space to ensure the correct balance between privacy and collaboration. Make sure the space is neat, clean, well-lit, and well-stocked for the kind of work that you do. This is so that employees can be at their physical, mental, and emotional best while theyre inside your office.

Nowadays, its easy for employees to become workaholics. Thats why employers should also be responsible for upholding work-life balance and preventing their employees from burning out. Encourage your employees to set healthy boundaries between work and their private lives. If they do so, it will result not only in better quality of work, but general quality of life.

Always remember that living, breathing people are responsible for the success of your company. Keeping them motivated to do work may be one of your biggest and most enduring challenges. But the attention to job satisfaction will be well worth it. If you nurture passion and excellent work ethic in your people, their contributions will be felt in the company long after theyve moved on.

Use these tips to keep your employees alert, engaged, motivated, and happy. Who knowssoon, they might replicate the awesome work youve done as their leader!

Link:
7 Ways to Keep Your Workforce Engaged and Motivated - Onrec

Kristen Brown talks about career as a motivational speaker and how she's shifting her work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

MINNEAPOLIS For Kristen Brown, being on stage and speaking to major corporations is her sweet spot.

"If one person walks away and theyre like, OK, Im better because of what I just heard,' thats always my goal," Kristen says.

Despite being a self-proclaimed introvert, Kristen has built a career as a motivational speaker, working with companies like Medtronic and General Mills.

Amid a business climate that's shifted due to COVID-19, Kristen is in the process of opening up a new office to carry out her work. The space, she says, will allow her to do energy work with individual and corporate teams. "I do a lot of work with corporate teams and helping them master their energy together, so they have better flow, better innovation," Kristen says.

Even as she continues to evolve professionally, Kirsten is showing up in a big way as a mom. She's currently driving her daughter Brooke, who's undergoing treatment for a benign tumor in her head, to the Mayo Clinic five days a week . Kristen says her daughter is doing well.

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Twin Cities motivational speaker shifting energy within corporations - KARE11.com

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By Matt Dolloff, 985TheSportsHub.com

Cam Newton looks like he's ready to prove some people wrong. As an Instagram video from March shows, the newly signed Patriots quarterback wants to get back at those that gave up on him.

Since the Carolina Panthers released Newton on March 24, and the video above (second clip in) is from March 25, when Newton says "They gave up on me" he was likely referring only to his former team. But now that he spent the ensuing three months continuing to work out and post plenty more motivational clips on Instagram, that resentment has likely spread to the rest of the NFL.

That is, except for Bill Belichick and the Patriots.

Newton has long been subject to criticism for the way he's handled himself in press conferences and things of that nature. He hasn't exactly handled losing well. But neither does Belichick, and Newton has never totally lacked competitiveness (despite that one ugly mistake we'll have to hear about for a while). And these guys are now highly motivated to join forces and lay waste to everyone who hoped the Patriots were finally going away.

Of course the signing doesn't guarantee anything. Newton has dealt with serious injuries in the past three years so he's become something of a reclamation project. But peruse his Instagram for a few minutes and just try to say he's completely washed. Because while the videos don't necessarily mean they will translate to on-field success, it sure looks like Newton is damn close to the athletic freak he's always been.

To borrow a line from Belichick, we'll see how it goes. But if Newton stays healthy, he's the best bet to win the starting job. And if that happens ... there's a chance the rest of the league done effed up letting him fall into Belichick's lap.

Matt Dolloff is a digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff or email him at [emailprotected].

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'They gave up on me': Instagram posts reveal motivated Cam Newton - 98.5 The Sports Hub

In this #Discourse, Arnold Schwarzenegger, explains the importance of not listening to the negative people and especially to learn how to use the time we have left in the day to develop physically and mentally, without finding an excuse not to do so. It also explains the importance of get moving and work hard we speaks in particular of his meeting with Mohamed Ali, who has worked hard to achieve these goals. #Motivationfrancais2020 #Dveloppementpersonnel #motivationfrance #success #ArnoldSchwarzenegger

PLAYLIST ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER ( after a Speech ) : Oops! Something went wrong. YouTube

THAT IS ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER :

Arnold Schwarzenegger is an actor, film director, film producer and bodybuilder, and politician of the austrian-american born July 30, 1947 in Thal, Austria. In the first place, is to know, to become one of the greatest bodybuilders of the 1970s, in particular five titles of Mr. Universe and seven mr Olympia.He subsequently became one of the great action movie stars .

To maintain the motivation of the team and good to see you !

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Here is the best ADVICE Arnold Schwarzenegger to RUSIR ! Video Of Motivation In French (2/3) Break Football - D1SoftballNews.com

Shereka Johnson-Bean 20 is looking forward to a weeks vacation once she submits the final project for her bachelors degree this summer just a year after she decided to go back to school.

Johnson-Bean moved to the U.S. from Jamaica as an international student in 2014, but then, "Life got in the way," she said and she had to put her education on hold until recently. In the interim, she became a naturalized citizen and established her career in business, most recently working as a clerk for the Department of Children and Families (DCF) in Massachusetts.

It was Johnson-Bean's mother who motivated her to return to school and complete her degree. Through SEIU Member Benefits, she discovered she could compliment her career with a self-paced, project-based degree program through Southern New Hampshire Universitys (SNHU) College for America.

While earning her BA in Management with a concentration in Public Administration, Johnson-Bean found she could directly apply what she was learning online to her career. Since being at SNHU, I have literally incorporated several leadership theories that I have been exposed to while working on various projects, she said. I have taken it a step further, where I now share these theories of leadership and public administration with my boss.

Johnson-Bean also graduated from an aspiring supervisors program at work and is developing a proposal to improve working relationships among administrative staff she plans to submit to executives in the agency. With her heart set on management, she currently works closely with the DCF area director, provides administrative support to the office and supervises some of the other administrators.

She knew a business degree would help hone her leadership and problem-solving skills two qualities that can help her get ahead. I am intending to put them into practice, with hopes that my skills and knowledge will be realized and deemed an asset to the agency's leadership team, she said. Now shes considering a masters in public administration or social work to help her get there.

Although it was challenging at times to balance work, school and raising her now two-year-old daughter, she leaned into her mother, husband and best friend for support. There were many times when I got so overwhelmed, I convinced myself that I was okay with my associate degree, Johnson-Bean said. But they always remind me of my ambitions and tell me that I would never truly be content if I settled (for) less, and they are correct.

Now that she is wrapping up her coursework, she encourages anyone considering college to go for it. Nothing can provide the comforts of life like equipping yourself with the educational qualifications that market you for the most rewarding jobs, Johnson-Bean said.

Her best tip for college success is to consider your motivations. If your life is anything like mine, you will need to first identify why you are enrolling, so when you get to those hard days, and you think its easier to just quit, you hold on to those things to keep you going," she said.

For Johnson-Bean, setting herself up for additional professional opportunities was a significant factor in her decision to return to school, but thanking her mother, who is now considering college herself, was the biggest reason. All of my achievements are to remind her that she did a great job raising and providing for me, she said.

Johnson-Bean is planning to host a virtual graduation party with her family and friends in Jamaica and the U.S. once she receives her diploma. Like many others in the Class of 2020, she wont let the pandemic stop her from celebrating her accomplishments.

Rebecca LeBoeuf 18 is a staff writer at Southern New Hampshire University. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

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Shereka Johnson-Bean | Class of 2020 - Southern New Hampshire University

Everyone has days when it is just too hard to get down to work. (Rawpixel pic)

Lets face it, everyone has those days when getting into gear seems too much like hard work. Think about it, how many times have you delayed tasks just because youre not in the mood for it?

And being a Monday, that sinking feeling of having the entire week stretched out in front of you after a relaxing weekend can be too much to handle.

The trick is to find that one thing that pushes you into working mode. Here are three ways to trick yourself into tackling the chores you are tempted to put off.

1. Start small

Getting started on the coding for a new webpage to present to the bosses in just a day can seem like a tall order.

So break it down, and start with some research on which coding works best. Or code a few smaller things before the lunch break. Or take a quick break to free your mind from work.

These are all small steps on a long journey but well worth the effort.

The usefulness of taking small steps is often underestimated but they are essential because they help get the individual into a work routine.

Start working small every other day and the workflow will become familiar and you will naturally want to start spending more time on the job at hand.

Eventually, you will be working at full steam. Small steps may seem negligible at first, but they are what eventually leads to completing the job.

2. Start sloppy

Why start sloppy? Perhaps the expectations of getting the work done are too immense to comprehend at this point. You want to exceed the sales target instead of barely reaching it.

But high expectations can put a lot of pressure on you, often more than you can sometimes handle. And as luck would have it, more pressure leads to more procrastination.

Avoid those expectations by starting deliberately badly. How? Reach out to anyone without considering anything surely not a guarantee for success.

Realising you do not always have to push yourself to be the best from the start is highly motivating and makes it easier to get to work consistently without feeling like it.

3. Just do it!

A straightforward trick is to cast off all doubt, negative thoughts and take the leap. Its a simple approach that can potentially inspire you to get straight to work instead of avoiding it.

If you find yourself believing you may fail at a task or not finish it in time, ignore that feeling and just do it! Put aside negativity and take that crucial step forward. Youll thank yourself for it later.

This article first appeared in jobstore.com

Jobstore is an online job site that specialises in providing jobseekers with the latest job opportunities by matching talented individuals with reputable companies in Malaysia. Find your dream job with over 40,000 job vacancies in Malaysia.

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3 tricks to get into gear when motivation is low - Free Malaysia Today

BOXER Nav Mansouri says the prospect of becoming Rotherhams first British champion in 100 years has given him extra motivation going into the biggest fight of his career.

The super-welterweight takes on the dangerous Kieron Conway on August 14 as part of a highly publicised programme of boxing comeback shows at top promoter Eddie Hearns Matchroom Fight Camp in Brentwood, Essex.

The winner is expected to get a shot at the British belt.

Mansouri was due to have a warm-up bout before taking on Conway until the coronavirus pandemic shut down the sport in March. Three months on, the 31-year-old has been catapulted straight into the showdown against the up-and-coming Conway, who has won 14 of his 16 pro fights.

Rotherham hasnt had a British boxing champion since Tommy Gummer won the Middleweight belt in 1920 a fact not lost on Mansouri.

That is some piece of history, he said. That gives me more fire I need to make this happen.

This is a massive opportunity for me and it couldnt come at a better time considering the way I have been training and preparing.

Mansouri, with 20-3 win-loss record, returned from his permanent base in Spain before lockdown to push his claims back in Britain after being on the wrong end of a couple of points decisions there.

The pandemic crisis came at the time when his partner was home in her native Lithuania with their child. Missing his family, Mansouri eventually took a three-day trip by ferry and road to see them.

Although that was tough, the fighter used the down time to improve on his already sharp fitness and has continued it at trainer Kevin Lilleys base in Wickford, Essex.

The set-up there is bang on. Everything is 100 per cent, he said. I have seven weeks until this fight but I have been training constantly, even since before the lockdown. It has been the best thing for me because I could focus on training and nothing else.

I couldnt be happier. I have the fire back and that motivation to win that feeling is back and that can be dangerous in this division.

Mansouri faces the surreal prospect of fighting behind closed doors at a venue dubbed Eddie Hearns back garden.

And at this stage in his career, Nav knows it is make or break time for him.

This is the one, he added. I have Kieron Conway standing in my way. Hes a good kid but it will be a mistake to look past me and he could be in for a shock.

This is my chance and I intend taking it.

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Nav Mansouri motivated to end Rotherham's 100-year wait for a British boxing champion - Rotherham Advertiser

Painted by David Thacker of Port Austin. (Courtesy/ David Thacker)

Painted by David Thacker of Port Austin. (Courtesy/ David Thacker)

Painted by David Thacker of Port Austin. (Courtesy/ David Thacker)

Painted by David Thacker of Port Austin. (Courtesy/ David Thacker)

Port Austinartist shares his story and motivations with the world

PORT AUSTIN Painting in the tranquil village of Port Austin is notable artist David Thacker inspired by everything around him.

Sometimes, it will be a dream, movie, or another artist, Thacker said. My favorite show piece is the Mother Teresa. It was inspired by Andy Warhol. I wanted to change it and make it pop. It is explicit, but simple to me.

Thacker was deeply hurt over the way he saw people treat one another during the past couple of months, when desperate and scared. As general manager at the Dollar General in town, Thacker witnessed several customers fighting over various store items.

It was a good time to remind people of humanity, Thacker said. I am an essential worker. I have seen the worst in people. I have seen people act savage for toilet paper. I have seen people snatch items from the elderly. Ive seen some terrible things. Ive cried over it. People are mean.

He has chosen to express these feelings through the colorful strokes of his paint brush.

It seemed like the right painting at the right time, he said. I worked seven days a week and the nicest thing anyone did for me was buy a Coke. It brought me to tears.

In sync with the world around him, Thacker paints the intangible onto blank canvases. Abstract brushstrokes seemingly mimic real life, often somehow harmonizing with the thoughts and feelings of its future owner. He spoke of a young boy, whom he has grown rather fond of over the years.

I met a young kid, Thacker said. He bought a joker painting,

Oddly enough, Thacker had just painted exactly what the boy was looking for.

It was meant just for him, he said, left without another explanation. Then, they came back the next year and asked for a unicorn. I just painted one the day before.

Another family came out to the market looking for a Dragon Ball Z picture.

And I just did one, Thacker said. Maybe they are putting it out into the universe just as much as I am.

For the self-taught artist, his work is dependent on mood.

There are no expectations, he said. It can just be. The freedom is wonderful. When it comes out beautiful, it is the icing on the cake.

Thacker shared his two favorite pieces: Chaos and Just Dream. Dream was inspired by French impressionistic painter Claude Monet.

It has bright colors in a blur of water, said Thacker. To me, it is marvelous. I just cant bring myself to sell it. It just happened without any expectations. It is freedom. It is like being a dream. If only I could just walk into my own painting. Each is a window into my eyes.

Thackers art did not fully blossom until he moved from the streets of Detroit up to the quiet lake town he now calls home. It was 1996 and Thacker was just 16 years old.

My mom passed away when I was 15 from an overdose, he said. I was living on the streets.

Orphaned, as he had been numerous times before, Thacker knew his options.

It was getting locked up in juvenile hall or running away, he said. I came up here with friends on camping trip. A friend asked if I wanted to do farm work in the fields. I did it and did it for years. I floated back and forth, but this became home base.

Thacker made the decision to attend the Huron Area Technical Center in Bad Axe, where he completed his GED.

God put me here, I believe, said Thacker. I had to do it for myself. I didnt want to have nothing. I wanted to graduate."

From there, the painter did what he knew best and continued painting. However, this was far from the birth place of his unique artistic expression.

I remember being in preschool and being taken away from mom, the Thacker said. I would have that time in art class and want to give it to mom. It was my way of showing her that I loved and missed her.

Thacker remembered living with his aunt going back to his mother. He would live in and out of the foster care system for the remainder of his childhood.

I was taken away again and went with another family, he said. Then, I lived with the Potts. They were terrible. They just did it for the check. The next family wanted to adopt, but my mom fought and won us back.

When Thacker went back to live with his mother, his art was finally embraced.

She covered a wall with my finger paintings, Thacker said. The entire wall was covered. She was not the best mom, but she bought me the best art supplies. Finger paints were my first paints.

In the third grade, he attended Davison Elementary and was selected to be in a special art program.

Detroit schools took five to seven of the most talented kids and put them in a special program, Thacker said. They always put my art on the walls. My mom would come in and take pictures. I would be embarrassed. Now, I can see how important that was.

Thacker's art still hangs on its walls today.

It was my contribution to the school, he said.

Oddly enough, Thacker donated some of his art to the "Suite Dreams Project" in Detroit a couple years back.

They support that same school and I didnt even know that, he said, reminiscing on his time there. I will never forget my art teacher. He was my favorite part. I will never forget the first time I used acrylics. I cant tell you the first time I kissed somebody, but I can tell you the first time I used acrylics.

Today, Thackers work sells at The Cove in Port Austin and local craft shows, including the Holly Berry Fair in Caseville, Port Austin Farmers Market, and Port Austins Art in the Park.

The market is my bread and butter, he said. It is wonderful. Hundreds of people see your work and it is lucrative. Between that and regular life, I stay pretty busy.

Thackers paintings are currently on display at the market, where all but six have already sold this year.

Thacker ensures his prices meet the diverse monetary needs of all customers.

There is a range the highest being $450 down to $20, he said. There has got to be something for everyone. That kid that works all summer you know he cant afford it. That joker painting was just three simple colors. They sell pretty quickly. I am doing well, but this is where the art took off."

There was a single table at Thacker's first Port Austin craft show. Only seven paintings and a handful bracelets laid across it. At first, he struggled.

"Now, I love it here," he said. "I am our local artist. It is food for the soul. It is fabulous to walk down the street and hear 'That is our local artist!' I want everyone to feel inspired artistically. I just want people to be happy."

Thacker's art can be found online at http://www.facebook.com/Thackers-Art-Alley-124193411023027.

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Port Austin artist shares his story and motivations with the world - Huron Daily Tribune

Warren Buffett's simple wisdom isn't exactly earth-shattering, but it's still brilliant.Soon to be 90years young, the Berkshire Hathaway CEOhas shared with the world common-senseinvestment and life rulesthat have worked for him.

It will also work for us if we allow these life lessonsto resonate deep in our souls, and then apply them to transform our lives. One of those Buffett rules is rather straightforward: Get rid of your bad behaviors.

Most of us have a sense of what's holding us backfrom reaching our full potential, andBuffett doesn't mince words when it comes to conquering your worst self.

I see people with these self-destructive behavior patterns. They really are entrapped by them.

The solution is quite simple. Headvised graduating students at the University of Florida to learn and practicegood habits early on before it's too late. Here's Buffett:

You can get rid of [a bad behavior]a lot easier at your age than at my age, because most behaviors are habitual. The chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken.

Sure, it's much easier to shake off bad habits in your 20s than in your 50s or 60s. But whatever your age, getting rid of your most self-destructive habits is crucial for success.

When we were children, our parents would tell us things like:Stop talking with your mouthfull, don't burp in public, and stop hitting your brother. Has anything changed now that we wear big-boy pants?

Hardly. We've elevated mud-slinging in the playground to accepted corporate norms and behaviorsthatare taken unfortunately for granted. Here are fivebad behaviors to consider getting rid of.

Gossip is stealthy and many working professionals are unaware of when it happens, even when they're the perpetrators of gossip.

In its worse and darkest sense, gossip is used by people to further their own reputations and interests at the expense of their colleagues. And yet, it's hard to walk awayfrom a juicy story and, for those addicted to gossip (yes, it's a thing), even harder tokeep to themselves.

So when gossip permeates the hallways of an organization to the point where the workplace becomes a hostile work environment, there are dire consequences:

If you want to foster trust and a collaborative, high-performing team or organization, hop off the autocratic high-horse and stop instilling fear into the hearts and minds of people.

This means, as a leader, allowing freedom for others to experiment, lead themselves, stretch, and make mistakes. This will unleash discretionary effort and your team will produce great results.

When leadership is less about control and more about encouraging autonomy and collective wisdom, things happen. Let me rephrase that: Financial growth happens.

Effective communication isn't just about talking;great conversationalists listen intuitivelyto others'stories, asking questions, and searching conversations for depth, meaning, and understanding.

This takes the skill of being presentand in the moment, meaningyou cease having the need to talk over others to get yourpoint across, which works to your advantage. Because when you listen -- truly listen -- you hear peoples' objections, anxieties, and fears, as well asthe solution to problems.

Lyingis a fascinatingpsychologicalenigma. When I looked over the research about why peoplelie, it typically boils down totwo reasons:

Don't take that last point personally. Your colleagues maylie because of your very best qualities as well. But truth be told, it's your worst qualities that will trigger the most lies in others.

InYudhijit Bhattacharjee's terrificNational Geographicarticle, "Why We Lie: The Science Behind Our Deceptive Ways," he said something very thought-provoking:

Lying, it turns out, is something that most of us are very adept at. We lie with ease, in ways big and small, to strangers, co-workers, friends, and loved ones. Our capacity for dishonesty is as fundamental to us as our need to trust others, which ironically makes us terrible at detecting lies.Being deceitful is woven into our very fabric, so much so that it would be truthful to say that to lie is human.

So if to lie is human, you can bet it's happening frequently in your workplace or business. To counter the problem of deception and lying, being aware of the reasons people do it brings you that much closer to protecting yourself against the effects of lying.

That brings us to something obviously lacking at work -- integrity. Let me bring back Buffett to illustrate. In one of his annual letters toBerkshire Hathaway shareholders years back, Buffett wrote: "It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently."

How do you ruin your reputation in five minutes? Don't take responsibility for your actions.Anyone'sreputation, whole career, or successcan quickly fall like a house of cardsno matter the hard effort made or accolades won over the years.

Buffett is saying that, withoutintegrityrunning through your veins, you're going to eventually fail. Heis so sure that integrity is the life force that gives a person his or her influence andsuccess,he once saidthat if you hire or promote people with intelligence and energy but who lack integrity,"you really want them to be dumb and lazy."

The question is, which of these do you need to get rid of?

The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

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The Personal Rule of Success That Warren Buffett Swears By - Inc.