CREATOR ACADEMY BERHAD

Do you prefer to work alone, dread socialising during the Friday happy hour, and loathe public speaking? If you answered yes, then you're most likely an introvert! However despite what many think, that doesn't mean that you can’t become a great leader . Introversion and leadership may not seem like a likely combination at first glance, but in fact, it’s exactly people with this type of personality that more often than not, excel in this career path. From Albert Einstein to Mark Zuckerberg ,  history is littered with the legacies of famous introverts  who have become pillars of inspiration and role models that many aspire to. They've proven that you don't need to be the loudest person in the room to be heard. That's because being in charge has less to do with your personality and more to do with your approach and  passion for effectively managing people to achieve your goals. Introverts tend to think before they speak, learn through listening, and are extrem...

After years of trying—and  unfortunately failing—to meditate, I finally came to understand that meditation isn't about white, flowing clothes, a special pillow, incense, candles, or mantras. The objective of meditation isn't necessarily to achieve nirvana or even inner peace. In fact, in essence, meditation is all about learning how our brains work and using proven techniques to increase calm, focus, optimism, and emotional intelligence. The main way to do this is by learning to control your breathing. Deep breaths send soothing oxygen to your amygdala, which is like the brain’s alarm clock, and also activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for rest and recuperation. Sitting quietly with your eyes closed and focusing on something that doesn't require a lot of brain power, like counting the length of your breaths, helps your brain slip into relaxing alpha wave, which brings on a cascade of health benefits ranging from reducing inflammation to...

From the classroom to the boardroom, standing up and making a presentation in front of peers, colleagues, or the public can be something that shakes even the most confident of people. For entrepreneurs however, doing so is likely to become a necessary part of life, whether that involves pitching to possible investors, talking to an audience at an industry event, or selling a product to a retailer. Getting over your nerves is one thing, but convincing and engaging an audience is another. The process to become able to command the stage with flair however, begins often way in advance of the speaking engagement.   The most important preparation for your business presentation is often not the obvious. It's in fact the time spent in thought and research, that you spend weeks in advance of the meeting, preparing to meet your audience's needs. When you finally prepare your presentation, you should be clear on the concepts you want to present, the needs of the audience, and the va...

Like a muscle, your ability of accepting failure and to keep moving forward will get stronger with each use. With each failure, you will gain valuable knowledge that will help you more than you know. It will change the way that you view each event and will play a role in your ability to see the value of each mistake. But it will also weaken when it remains dormant. Each time you let the fear of failure dictate your actions, your willpower loses a little momentum. If your goal is too scary to pursue, then break it down into smaller ones that are less terrifying. It’s important, though, that you don’t make your goals too easy. If you do so, then you won’t benefit from this method, and your time will be wasted. Instead, each step that you take should be slightly outside of your comfort zone. This balance will help you improve your courage without causing you to burn yourself out. As a long-term process, you will gradually notice enhanced motivation, courage, and excitement. Working ...

Low self-confidence while at work, can be the start of a vicious circle: for whatever reason, you begin to doubt yourself, your boss and colleagues sense it and start to withhold opportunities, your work output begins to suffer, and the net result is your confidence sinks even lower. If only confidence was an emotion you could think your way through, your rational mind would then remind yourself of your successes and everything would be okay. Unfortunately, while this may work as a quick fix, if there are other issues dragging you down then a rational response is not always effective. It is at these moments that we can battle our way through using the cliché of: faking it ‘til you make it. Indeed, studies have shown that the mere outward appearance of confidence can help us achieve higher status and even appear more visibly attractive. While I am not encouraging dishonesty, confidence is after all an intangible quality that depends on perspective. If you make a human connection wit...

Did you have a negative thought today? Are you more like Eeyore than Tigger? Don’t worry, you’re not the only one. It seems that we can have anywhere between 50,000 and 60,000 thoughts each day and, according to some research, as many as 80% of them are negative. Many negative emotions such as anger, fear, and frustration become real problems when we use them consistently, as they soon turn into a consistent outlook on the world, and begin shaping our reality Too often we rerun negative conversations or experiences over and over in our mind until we sink deeper and deeper into that black hole of negativity. Before you get stuck in that spiral of negative thoughts that lead down the rabbit hole to unhappiness and stress, try a little distance perspective. Somehow putting those negative thoughts and feelings into a more distant framework gives them less power over us and you can begin to move through them without allowing them to influence your behaviour or your life.  On...

Have you ever wondered why you work really well with some people and seem to clash with others? Why you can predict how some colleagues will react to situations, while others leave you completely confused? The truth is, it has a lot to do with individual personality type preferences. Everyone has different attitudes, likes and dislikes as well as that make up their personality type, and consequently some personalities work better together than others. Your particular personality type might make it really easy to work with one colleague and leave you pulling teeth with another. Being aware of your own personality style makes you more likely to observe the traits of those around you. This allows you to adapt your style to theirs or provide them with information in a way that will get their attention, which can go a long way in helping you understand yourself, as well as your colleagues! When we understand people’s personality, we can give them what they need. This enables us to build...

Let's face it, most of us if we're honest, would confess to occasionally  procrastinating from time to time . Our lives are busy, with lots of competing  priorities , so it's only natural to put off doing those things that we know are going to take more than their fair share of physical, emotional, or intellectual energy. There are times however, when procrastination is about much more than just juggling priorities, times when it's downright  debilitating  and can negatively impact our careers, relationships, and quality of life in ways that we know are unhealthy. Like so many things we do, procrastination is a  habit . It's like psychological quicksand, as the more we struggle the further into its grasp we seem to fall. The worst part is that when you are right in the middle of procrastinating, it feels as though you're watching yourself being stopped by a paper wall. You know you can and should break through, but nothing seems to help. Sometimes the eff...

Stress is a normal response to the demands of work. It can be beneficial in short bursts, helping you stay alert and perform at your best. However, prolonged or excessive job stress can be damaging to your mental health. Workplace stress is therefore a major risk factor for anxiety and depression. There are however, some strategies everyone can adopt to manage and reduce their own stress levels, as well as finding a positive work-life balance. A balanced diet, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep and avoiding harmful levels of alcohol and other drugs all contribute to your ability to manage stress. With busy schedules, it’s easy to become overwhelmed with work and not find time for anything else. The trick is achieving a balance that promotes your overall health and the success of your career or business – often easier said than done. If you're feeling stressed or anxious, try and postpone making major life decisions such as moving house or changing jobs. Learn to rela...

Social media activity and SEO (search engine optimization)  success  are closely tied together . This is because the key to online discovery isn’t just the content you produce and post to your social channels; it's also the basic information contained within those accounts, as this what helps direct traffic from search engines. Google tends to rank social media profiles higher in results, so it definitely benefits you to have multiple accounts across different platforms with your company’s name on them. Let’s also not forget that these social platforms themselves are search engines, too. Facebook users conduct about 2 billion searches per day on the platform, and on Twitter, about 2.1 billion, reported in 2016. That’s a lot of queries. So yes, while it is important to update your site for better rankings on Google searches, it’s time to also focus on your social profiles. The benefit to having profiles on social networks, rank high in searches is that you...

In almost all jobs, your people skills – also known as " soft skills " – have as much of an impact on your success as your technical skills. The importance of having solid people skills transcends industries and professions; so, whether you lead people, aspire to lead people, or work within a team of professionals, you need to apply people skills to achieve your objectives. Good people skills in the communications arena include the ability to take in information, clarify comments and participate in effective verbal and written exchanges. Many people spend more time working with other people than they do with processes or products. This means that they need to communicate well with others, and this makes communication skills some of the most important skills in the workplace. In general, good people skills are defined as the ability to listen, to communicate and to relate to others on a personal or professional level. Good people skills also extend to include prob...

If you want to be fulfilled, happy, content, and experience inner peace and ultimate fulfillment, it’s critical that you learn how to find your passion and life purpose. Without a life purpose as the compass to guide you, your goals and action plans may not ultimately fulfill you. Identifying, acknowledging, and honoring this purpose is perhaps the most important action successful people take. They take the time to understand what they’re here to do – and then they pursue that with passion and enthusiasm. For some of us, our life purpose a passion is obvious and clear. We’re born with a set of talents and through persistent practice, we develop our talents into skills. For others though, it’s not as easy to identify a passion. You may even have asked yourself at one point or another, “What should I do with my life?” or "What is my life purpose?" All you have to do is decide where you want to go by clarifying your vision, then lock in your destination through goal setting...

Offices  aren't typically environments which are conducive to the forming of healthy habits . From staring at computer screens for hours on end, to sitting at your desk all day, to ordering fast food or surviving on packaged snacks, work life usually wreaks havoc on whatever  healthy living  plan you may have set for yourself, if not managed correctly. It is important therefore, that whatever the reality of your job, we take some effort and planning to stay healthy  during your 9-to-5. The simplest change you can make is to consciously decide to try and walk more throughout the workday, and avoid being glued to your desk for long periods of time. This could mean choosing a printer further from your desk, making sure to make a trip to the water fountain once per hour, scheduling walking meetings rather than sit-downs, or parking further away from the office so you have a bit of walking time before as well as after work. Other creative way to get a...

Self-confidence is an essential part of humanity. A person with self-confidence generally likes themselves, is willing to take risks to achieve their personal and professional goals, and thinks positively about the future. Someone who lacks self-confidence, however, is less likely to feel that they can achieve their goals, and tends to have a negative perspective about themselves and what they hope to gain in life.  The good news is that self-confidence is something you can improve! Building self-confidence requires you to cultivate a positive attitude about yourself and your social interactions, while also learning to deal with any negative emotions that arise and practicing greater self-care. You should learn to set goals and take risks, as well, since meeting challenges can further improve your self-confidence. People with low self-confidence see others as better or more deserving than themselves. Instead of embracing this perception, instead perceive yourself as bei...

A vision is a goal or objective that you have in your mind for yourself, your business, or anything that you want to achieve or create. A clear vision will open your mind to the endless possibilities of the future and will enable you to make a plan or strategy for pursuing your dreams and achieving goals. In addition there is an added feeling of satisfaction when you are able to set and achieve your goals. It is extremely important therefore to have a defined vision, which will help provide motivation to overcome obstacles along the way as well as helps you hold on when times are tough. A vision that is well defined helps you to focus on a specific purpose or outcome and can also be a measurement for your success. If you do not have a vision of who you want to be, how you want to succeed or what you want out of life, you will lack the drive to do better, and consequently your life becomes just an order of events. A strong and current vision connects your passions to your grea...

Nothing affects employee morale more insidiously than persistent workplace negativity. It can sap the energy from your organization and divert critical attention away from work and affect employee performance. It is critical therefore that managers and human resource professionals, keep close eye on the morale and job satisfaction levels of their employees. The best way to combat workplace negativity is to keep it from occurring in the first place. Take some time to analyze how well your company or organization is managing the mental attitudes and overall job satisfaction levels of your employees to identify issues early. Ensure that you regularly organise activities and events to help employees build better relationships with each other and a positive view of the company. These activities will form the foundation for maintain positive staff morale, while minimising negativity in the workplace. Creator Academy has impactful leadership development and business skills train...

English has fast become the most widely used language in the world of trade and commerce over the past decade or two and is currently used as the official language in over 70 countries. As a result, being able to communicate fluently English has become a requirement for any business looking to grow internationally, as well as becoming a vital factor for success in any employee’s career. No more so than in that of international students seeking better career prospects in an English speaking country. Many reputed organisations around the world rely on English as a means of communication in everything from emails and corporate collateral's to even popular and well-read business resources both in print and through digital media channels. Fluency in English, both written and spoken plays a critical role in many aspects of corporate life from securing employment to communicating with clientele and achieving cohesive business partnerships all over the world. ...

Succeeding as an entrepreneur takes hard work and persistence because, unfortunately, there is no business start-up fairy who magically bestows success on small businesses and their owners. Most successful entrepreneurs follow comparable patterns and share similar basic characteristics. Hundreds of online articles and published books claim to know the secret of success in business, but for the most part, they boil down to the same major points. At the end of the day, passion, perseverance and a positive attitude tend to set successful entrepreneurs apart. Passion is key to keeping a business strategy moving forward. Cultivating these attributes requires developing an innate skill set through regular committed practice. Half-heartedness in an entrepreneurial endeavour will chip away at your drive to succeed. Perseverance is the one thing that’s guaranteed to move anything over time, whether it’s a person, a job or an entire company. Always remember that the attitude of the founder ...

Motivation is the energy that drives you to accomplish goals, and it’s necessary for all types of success. You need motivation in huge doses and you need it daily. Parents have to stay motivated to raise their kids, students have to stay motivated to graduate from college, employees have to stay motivated to get promoted (and to stay employed). Writers have to stay motivated to complete books, and business owners must stay motivated to make profits. Often, after the initial euphoria of achieving one goal has waned, you need motivation to get you going, and begin working on the next goal. Motivation is the energy that keeps you trying one more time, when everything around you says give up. You must remain focused on the desired end result, whether it’s the pain you will avoid or the reward you will gain as a result of achieving your goal. While it’s easy to embark on the pursuit of a worthwhile goal, the ability to maintain the momentum to ensure its completion is anothe...

Appreciation, Recognition, Encouragement: ARE.  Together they make up a cost-free, fully sustainable fuel, one that builds self-confidence and self-esteem, boosts individual and team performance, and keeps an organisation or business running smoothly.  ARE is more powerful than the fuel that makes car engines roar and space shuttles soar, because it propels human energy and motivation.  And unlike costly, non-renewable fuels like oil and gas, its supply is unlimited.  You can give out ARE all day long, at home and at work, and wake up the next morning with a full tank.  In fact, the more we use, the more there is, because every time people receive some ARE they discover more of their own internal supply and start giving away more of it. The magic of ARE is that, unlike real rocket fuel, it costs you nothing.  All it requires is that you remember to do it.  With as much as we all have to do every day, this can seem quite difficult until you realiz...

Marketing is one of the most important things a business can do. Not only does marketing build brand awareness but it can also increase sales, grow market share as well as engage customers. There are so many core business functions that stem from a good marketing plan. On a base level, marketing is useful for customer education, and essentially is meant to sustain a company’s presence – not remedy a lack of engagement. In this sense, marketing is something that businesses need to create and manage every day to maintain a healthy relationship with their consumers. Marketing is also important because it allows businesses to maintain long-lasting and ever-present relationships with their audience. It is not a one-time fix, but instead should be an on-going strategy that helps businesses flourish. At the end of the day, marketing is important because it helps you sell your products or services. The bottom line of any business is to make money and marketing is an essential channel for...

The happiest and most successful people are those who have figured out how to exploit their inherent tendencies or talents effectively for to their own benefit, more importantly how to offset their weaknesses limitations. While it’s important to dream big, it can seem overwhelming when we set huge goals. We can become unsure of how to get started, resulting in nothing getting done. So while you should dream big, it’s important to plan small. Break down your big goals into smaller ones and then tackle them individually. When it’s broken down into achievable phases, it feels more manageable and you are more likely to keep moving ahead. When working towards a big goal or dream, it’s important to stay motivated every day. Motivation doesn’t always come constantly or easily however, so I find writing down your ‘why’ and practicing visualizations of how you will feel once you reach your goal are both awesome tools to help with motivation. Simply wanting something is not enough. Rea...

Living a life of creativity isn’t always easy. It requires you to be vulnerable, emotionally honest, and open to both your intuition and the world around you. You will deal with criticisms and doubt — internally and externally — as well as frustration. Sometimes you may have to be willing to go to uncomfortable places, and not to mention, it’s mountains and mountains of work. Ultimately, you are the product of your own vision. Don’t expect a clear and well-defined vision overnight—envisioning how you want your life to be and determining the course you will follow requires time, and reflection. You need to cultivate vision and perspective, as well as apply logic and planning for the practical application of your vision. Your best vision blossoms from your dreams, hopes, and aspirations. It will resonate with your values and ideals, and will generate energy and enthusiasm to help strengthen your commitment to explore the possibilities of your life. Creating a vision for your l...

Being organised is one of the most effective skills a person can acquire to achieve success. When we’re organised, we think more clearly. We’re in tune with our targets and how to reach them. We have systems in place for carrying out our work – and regular planning ensures we keep priorities at the forefront. Achieving success comes from working proactively to drive business forward. If we’re functioning in reactive mode – and working in a chaotic, cluttered environment – progress slows down. Really organized people are not born organized people. They have to cultivate healthy habits, which then help them to stay organized.  These include, writing important information or dates down, making and keeping to set schedules and deadlines, delegating tasks whenever you can and last but not least by regularly decluttering your schedule, and your environment. An organized life is not overfilled with responsibilities, meetings, and deadlines. In fact, it has less because things that c...

All of us has experienced at one time or another a situation where we struggle to maintain focus in our daily lives. Endless distractions can sometimes keep our brains from focusing on the task at hand as we struggle to get things done at work or complete projects around the house. Most people have no idea however of the giant capacity we can immediately command when we focus all of our resources on mastering a single area of our lives. To use the mind fully is one of the essential components of  personal development , as by improving our ability to focus on anything we want to accomplish, we can dramatically improve our productivity and the results. The ability to focus is like a mental muscle. The more we work it out, the stronger it becomes, just like going to gym to keep our physical selves healthy. It is important therefore to regularly practice focusing on specific tasks or goals  At the core of many of the courses at Creator Academy, are practical everyday str...