10 Things I Have Learned Maxims for Life and Business Kate Carruthers FITT Lunch, Sydney 28 June 2006

#1 Realise that your career is not your life Keep up your relationships with family & friends, don’t neglect hobbies Kate Carruthers, June 2006 10 Things I Have Learned

Keep up your relationships with family & friends, don’t neglect hobbies

#2 Have a realistic self perception Take the time to learn about your strengths & weaknesses E.g. there is no use trying to be an accountant if you cannot add up Kate Carruthers, June 2006 10 Things I Have Learned

Take the time to learn about your strengths & weaknesses

E.g. there is no use trying to be an accountant if you cannot add up

#3 Be kind to yourself and to others Kindness costs nothing and makes you feel better. If a situation is already bad it doesn’t get any better when we are unkind to each other. Kate Carruthers, June 2006 10 Things I Have Learned

Kindness costs nothing and makes you feel better.

If a situation is already bad it doesn’t get any better when we are unkind to each other.

#4 Have a roadmap of goals & steps to achieve them Goals without plans are unlikely to be achieved. Kate Carruthers, June 2006 10 Things I Have Learned

Goals without plans are unlikely to be achieved.

#5 Be flexible, always be ready to develop an alternate plan As John Lennon said “Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans” Kate Carruthers, June 2006 10 Things I Have Learned

As John Lennon said “Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans”

#6 Don’t take anything that happens at work personally Most negative stuff that happens at work would happen to whoever sits in your chair. Even if it is personal, refer to back to # 1. Kate Carruthers, June 2006 10 Things I Have Learned

Most negative stuff that happens at work would happen to whoever sits in your chair.

Even if it is personal, refer to back to # 1.

#7 Know your boundaries Have a clear idea about what you want, what you are willing to give, and what you are willing to take. Be willing to walk away if necessary. Kate Carruthers, June 2006 10 Things I Have Learned

Have a clear idea about what you want, what you are willing to give, and what you are willing to take.

Be willing to walk away if necessary.

#8 Decisions are made by those who turn up Participation is important! And it is powerful when accompanied by enthusiasm and passion. Kate Carruthers, June 2006 10 Things I Have Learned

Participation is important!

And it is powerful when accompanied by enthusiasm and passion.

#9 Apply yourself Each day take a positive step towards your goal. If you fail one day, get back to it the next day, this will get you there in the end. Failure is really just practice. Kate Carruthers, June 2006 10 Things I Have Learned

Each day take a positive step towards your goal.

If you fail one day, get back to it the next day, this will get you there in the end.

Failure is really just practice.

#10 Don’t give up on something you care about without good reason. Many people quote Winston Churchill in this regard, but they often fail to quote him in full. It is worth reading the full quotation … Kate Carruthers, June 2006 10 Things I Have Learned

Many people quote Winston Churchill in this regard, but they often fail to quote him in full.

It is worth reading the full quotation …

Churchill said: “… this is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never - in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense . Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.” Kate Carruthers, June 2006 10 Things I Have Learned

“… this is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never - in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense .

Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.”

‘ 10 Things I Have Learned ’ is available for download on: http://www.slideshare.net/carruthk More about FITT here: http://fitt.org.au/ ©Kate Carruthers, June 2006 10 Things I Have Learned

‘ 10 Things I Have Learned ’ is available for download on: http://www.slideshare.net/carruthk

More about FITT here: http://fitt.org.au/