hi.

& welcome to next level up - a place where I collect anything share-worthy around personal development & growth, current "hot topics" that keep my mind busy as well as a lot of simple yet joyful things in & around life. Katharina / late Twens / Germany based. I/O Psychologist in the field of People Development currently working at adidas. Talk to me about your favorite books, concerts you liked, podcasts you're listening to, your netflix watchlist, current politics, implicit and explicit social structures, diversity & inclusion, resilience & everything that makes your ♥ beat faster. Enjoy my feed & always remember: If your life just got a little bit harder, it might probably mean you just leveled up. Not enough yet? Follow me → LinkedIn → Instagram

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It’s effectively a type of project management.

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"People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it." (Simon Sinek)

If you think, great storytelling needs a lot of deliberate practice, you might probably be right. However, Simon Sinek's Golden Circle offers a shortcut to better structure and ultimately increase the impact of your pitch in an easy-to-use manner and can become your primary way of thinking whenever it comes to creating a great storyline.

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30 Minutes well spent! Brendan Burchard explaining and showcasing the Release Meditation Technique which can be a real game changer to let go and refresh your mind. I have started practicing the method after being introduced to it by a trainer during one of my development experiences at work. On busy work days with back-to-back meetings and barely time for a small break in-between, it helped me to increase focus and be more present in all activities throughout the day.

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Acknowledge Failure, Adjust Accordingly.

When was the last time you decided to learn something completely new? And what did you learn about yourself while doing so? Want to hear my story? Then:

Explore your growth mindset, they said. It will be fun, they said. I decided to jump right into the first of three parts of my development experience for new and aspiring managers at adidas. And it was a hella fun, I can tell.

For my 30-Days Growth Mindset Challenge I started practicing Tai Chi three times a week. Highly motivated as I was, Week One easily passed by with me getting up earlier in the morning trying to get completely into the zen zone right before work.

Then Week Two kicked in together with my weaker self that loves every minute of sleep she can get and the fact that my morning sessions did not bring me any focus, but rather darkened my circles under the eyes even more - at least that’s the way I felt about it.

I found myself at a crossing and had two directions to choose from: Drop-Out-Drive or It’s-All-About-Adjustment-Avenue. Obviously, I went for the latter as it sounded much more appealing to me.

And that says it all, no? What I truly discovered about myself while applying and practicing my growth mindset is the ability to step back, reflect and adapt as necessary. Repurposing my morning Tai Chi to a cool-down activity after work changed the impact of the sessions on my mind and body tremendously. 

My mental agility is what helps me in striving in a world of ever-changing circumstances - the downside to be cautious about however is to not show lack of determination, be distracted too easily and jump from one thing to another without following through. With that being said, this will be my foundation to further explore my growth mindset from. Stay tuned!

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Act Like a Leader Before You Are One

Learnt from Amy Gallo, the author of Dealing with Conflict at Work, that it is never too early to look for opportunities to demonstrate your potential - at work as well as in your private life. 

Funny enough she quotes Michael Watkins, author of The First 90 Days, several times in her HBR Article on how to become a leader  - his book was the first good read my manager shared with me when starting my job 1 1/2 years ago.

Image Source: Melville Design - “Creators unite” campaign for adidas

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ever wondered how to become a better version of yourself? me too.