Expand Your Horizons - 《Your Best Life Begins Each Morning》

詩篇 31:24    凡仰望耶和華的人，你們都要壯膽，堅固你們的心！
Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.
PSALIM 31:24

Perhaps we started with big dreams in our hearts - we're going to excel in our careers, excel as parents, excel in our walks with God. We get started, but then things get difficult, and achieving our goals doesn't happen as quickly as we had hoped. Discouragement sets in, and we start to give up.
Look yourself in the mirror and say, "I am not going to settle for mediocrity. Nothing may be going my way right now, but I'm going to trust God to help me expand my horizons and keep believing for all that He has for me. I'm going to make it." Focus on your goal, set your course, and have the attitude, I'm going to reach my full potential in God. I'm going to start living my best life now!

這一週《活潑的生命》中有一個問題：「我現在要面對信心的挑戰為何？」
真是值得思考的問題...
其實我是知道的，我可以回答這個問題，只是現在上帝沒有回答罷了。


mediocrity
n. 名詞
    1. 平凡; 平庸
    2. 平庸的人

倒空自已 — 學習倒空自己

生活中有許多不如意的事情了，不論是工作或家庭生活。這些長久以來不斷累積的情緒，對一般人會帶出 2 種結果：

往黑暗的方向去，走入自卑；

往光明的方向去 ，走入驕傲。

不論哪一種，以聖經的角度來看，都是「罪」，都無法活出基督的樣式。

今天早上，聖靈提醒：

人心是驕傲的，他們總以為自己還不錯，過於高估自己的能力，因此他們還不夠資格觀看上帝的榮耀。... 人必須倒空自已，才有空間讓上帝做工，這就是為什麼上帝要讓人遇到苦難困境，因為人的盡頭是上帝的起頭，惟有在束手無策，呼救無門時，人才能認識自己的愚蠢無能，才能經驗上帝的大能。

Step Out of Your Comfort Zone - 《Your Best Life Begins Each Morning》

裡面有一句寫的很棒：
It doesn't take any more effort to stay filled with faith than it takes to develop a negative attitude.

People who see their dreams come to pass are people who have some resolve, some backbone; people who refuse to settle for somewhere along the way....

Don't fall into a complacency trap. It doesn't take any more effort to stay filled with faith than it takes to develop a negative attitude. Dare to step out of your comfort zone today. God has so much more in store. Keep pursuing and keep believing.

complacency
n. 滿足; 自滿

Unpack Your Dreams - 《Your Best Life Begins Each Morning》

在和老闆 one-on-one coaching 之後，讀到這本書的第一篇：Unpack Your Dreams，感觸很深。

What do you want to do with your life? If you could write your best life story this morning, what would it say? Is your first reaction to see and describe yourself in terms of past experiences or present limitations, more in terms of losing or just surviving rather than fulfilling your dreams?

If you've packed away your dreams, dare to unpack them today and ask God to rekindle them today in your heart and mind.

It's time to enlarge your vision.

當我徬徨，失去方向的時候，這是一個好的提醒。
勇敢地去把塵封的夢想打開 — unpack my dreams!

5-30, 2010 - English Note

The call center needs to be staffed day in and day out as calls do not stop coming in.

In comparison with our closet competition, though, we're ahead of the game.
Actually, we are ahead.

We'll be in a position to spend big on marketing campaigns.

I'd like this to be a win-win situation, if possible.

That would be ideal, but you are going to have to concede a point.
    concede

    vt. 及物動詞

    1. (勉強)承認[+that]
        The candidate conceded that he had lost the election. 這位候選人承認他已經在競選中失敗。
    2. 讓給, 給予; 容許[O1][(+to)]
        They conceded us the right to cross their land. 他們容許我們在他們的土地上有過路權。
    3. (在結果明確前)承認...失敗 

    vi. 不及物動詞
    1. 讓步
    2. 承認失敗
        The senator had to concede. 參議員只好承認競選失敗。

我失聲了！可是，卻很感恩。

3/1 星期一。

一大早，打開 e-mail 信箱，看到老闆的工作安排，心理著實有一點不高興：把我的工作都交出去給其他同事。
而最近的一個活動是星期三，我預備好了，卻不是以主持人的身分參加。
老闆說要我擔任教練，幫助其他同事一起成長 --- 我當然知道是怎麼回事。
但就是覺得很糟。

3/2 星期二。

一大早，失聲了！
原本還在盤算著要怎麼跟老闆爭論，從薪資結構、工作內容，到生涯規劃...
然後讀《活潑的生命》讀到「出於勉強的順服」與「出於愛的順服」--- 忽然間，我好像懂了...
然後我就笑了。

原來，上帝要我安靜，不要再多說什麼了。只要求告耶穌，他就會把該賞賜給我的給我。

於是，帶著愉快的心情來上班。
值得提醒自己的一天。

IDEO 的徵人啟事：

IDEO helps companies innovate. we design products, services, environments, and digital experiences for organizations seeking new ways to provide value for their customers.

IDEO creates visible and tangible strategies for innovation and executes all aspects of design and development, from conception through production.

Position Summary:

We are seeking a mid-level creative production coordinator to join our shanghai location. 

Candidates should have 4+ years of experience, supported by strong visualization and prototyping skills, be comfortable working in multidisciplinary teams and display excellent communication skills.

Prototyping and production skills are essential, as well as a passion for design and typography. 

This role is a part of the shanghai operations team focussing on producing the communications expressions for projects across the location.

Candidates should be a great team-player who is committed to providing a world class results for all communication outputs working alongside other team members from the communications discipline and across the shanghai location.

Candidates must have the following core skills in graphic design prototyping tools across a variety of media (print and online) including proficiency in indesign, illustrator, photoshop, (aftereffects, flash or director a plus).

Very good english and mandarin.

Candidates should demonstrate an ability to work and create production-ready artwork across a range of projects, from identity design to print collateral and packaging to online experiences.
 

All candidates must send a portfolio or work samples along with their inquiries.
 

Additional areas of skills and perspectives are listed below.

1. visual design sensitivity candidates for this position know the difference and spot the difference between good and great work and they should demonstrate excellent typography skills, a keen understanding of systems, and an eye for detail.

2. prototyping skills successful applicants for this position understand that you succeed sooner by trial and experiments. understanding of prototyping methods at different levels of fidelity. applicants should feel comfortable throughout all phases of a project, from translating verbal ideas into visual concepts through design development and refinement to production-ready artwork. help with the production of project reports and other collateral including plotting, printing and binding.

3. team skills successful candidates must believe that better work is accomplished through collaboration and be able to effectively share their point of view and expertise. they should possess the ability to inspire teams through collaboration as well as direction, vision and planning. they should be highly organized with an ability to multi-task and manage multiple deadlines. working closely with the design teams to ensure projects stay on track and meet underlying goals. collaborate with other members of the support community to connect the project teams to the support resources needed.

4. experience ideally work experience or experience working for a creative consultancy or strong brand focused company developing products or communications for the Chinese market. design of screen based / on-line media is a plus.

To Apply

Please visit our website at http://www.ideo.com/culture/careers/ to submit your cover letter, resume, and portfolio.

Your cover letter should explain why you are a good fit for this role.

Your resume should include your education, experience and interests.

Your portfolio should contain 4-5 unique and innovative designs that represent your point of view in design.

恩典助道會 2009 退修會

Vocabulary and phrase - September-20~26

Flop


vi. (不及物動詞 intransitive verb)
1. 拍動;搖晃[Q]
   The fish were flopping about in the bottom of the boat.
   那些魚在船底撲騰著。
2. 撲通落下(或倒下)[Q]
   I flopped down on the couch.
   我噗地倒在長沙發椅上。
3. (作品、演出等)失敗
   She flopped as a stage actress.
   作為一名舞臺演員她失敗了。


vt. (及物動詞 transitive verb)
1. 撲通放下;使撲通落下
2. 拍(翅);翻動


n. (名詞 noun)
1. 拍擊聲;撲通掉落(的聲音)[S]
   He fell with a flop into the water.
   他撲通一聲掉進水裡。
2. (作品、演出等的)失敗[C]
   Because the acting was dull, the film was a big flop.
   由於演出死板,那部電影徹底砸鍋。
   The marketing campaign was a flop. The product didn't sell.
   市場宣傳徹底失敗,產品賣不出去。
   The play was a flop.
   這齣戲是個失敗。


ad. (副詞 adverb)
1. 撲通一聲地
2. 恰巧

Cornfield    n. (名詞 noun)[C]

1. 【美】玉蜀黍田
2. 【英】小麥田;種穀物的田地

朋友 J 問史蒂芬先生：「我的單位被老闆要求進行新產品的發想，有沒有好的流程或方法？」
史蒂芬先生實在沒時間 support，加上 J 是受過 facilitator 的訓練，
於是，史蒂芬先生建議 J 可以試一試三個步驟：

1. Branstorming for S.E.T factors 
2. Consolidate, from S.E.T. to POG
3. Scenario Check
   

後來聽 J 說，效果還不錯。