The most underappreciated key to success

The most underappreciated key to successThe most underappreciated key to successDo you know what will make you the best in your profession?Its not having the most talent.Its not necessarily being the hardest worker or the nicest partie (unfortunately).All the skills, talent and connections in the world are no match for one quality that endures, standing the test of time and outwitting any foe that dares to challenge it.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreThis quality is something that is often overlooked. Its underappreciated. Oddly, its not that highly valued, nor does it appear on many peoples mission statements or core values.Its acknowledged with mild enthusiasm.Ho hum.That quality? (How was this for a tease?)Consistency.Consistency deserves its rightful seat at the head of the table of every successful entrepreneur, company, operation, venture and story of accomplishment. And y et?It aint sexy, baby.Few people ever truly get to the point of maximum consistency in the key areas of their lives. Sure, theyll rise at 630 A.M. on the button each morning. They maybe wont cut corners- always on time for work And theyll pay their taxes and do their darnedest in all they do.Admirable, to be sure.But will they consistently tackle every task of their life with belief, commitment and purpose?Will they give-in or change course when the going gets a little too tough? How firm will they stand in the headwinds of adversity?Will they truly landsee things through to completion that they believe in with all their hearts?Thats consistency. Thats persistence. Thats resilience.As Mr. Tom Petty once said I wont back down.And as Christopher D. Connors once said,Im going to show up every single day and give everything I have my very best with maximum efficiency and consistency.Truth is, theres no other way toward living a life of fulfillment. I know this. I am an expert on this. B ecause Ive tried the countless other ways and fallen short.I have the emotional, spiritual and mental scars to prove it. You just cant see em. But theyre there, alright.What Ive learned on my journey is that consistency is absolutely, positively, unequivocally KING.Consistency in doing what you say youre going to do.Consistency in following through and seeing tasks through to completion when you havecontrol.Consistently showing up and giving your best effort each day- even when you dont want to.Consistency in attitude and leadership.Consistency when you doubt.Consistency when others doubt you.Consistency when it really doesnt seem like its worth it, but that powerful voice inside your head- ya know, the one of intuition that always seems to be right- is pleading and screaming at you to keep going. Because you need to keep going. Because if you do, you will reap the rewards and benefits of perseverance.Ill tell you what- this is so easy when the going is good. Its practically effortl ess.But truly powerful consistency is revealed when times are tough. When times are bad. This is where you have to go for it with all your might and resist the urge to give in for another day. Because then, youve broken your habit. And it gets harder and harder to get back on track.Think about times where youve stopped short previously in life because you havent consistently given things your time, energy, effort and havent stuck to your guns enough to see something through that you deeply believe inHow did that make you feel?It isnt easy to keep going when you dont see results. Its the biggest challenge we will EVER face to our personal development. Its adversity in its finest and most formidable manifestation.This is where you have to embrace the path youve chosen and surround yourself with positive influences.Cast worry to the side and approach every day with a resolute mind and consistency.The biggest results of your life will follow when you simply give it your best shot every day.Its the way. I promise.Are you willing to give it your best shot every day?As Lee Ann Womack once sang, When you get the choice to sit it out or dance I hope you dance. Thats what living is all about.Join my newsletter foremotional intelligence and productivitycontentGet a FREE Coaching Callto Explore Your Emotional Intelligence, and Learn how to Achieve Your BiggestGoalsCheck out my Amazon bestseller, The Value of You, which has helped tens of thousands of people develop the game plan for living their best lifeThis article first appeared on Medium.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

Insect-Sized Robot Takes Flight

Insect-Sized Robot Takes Flight Insect-Sized Robot Takes Flight Insect-Sized Robot Takes FlightHouseflies are a nuisance, and the first instinct is to swat them away. For researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle, flies and other flying critters were the muse in a robotic breakthrough.The researchers developed RoboFly, an insect-scale microbot with wings that can lift off the ground on its own, without a battery or being wired to a power supply on a desk. It is the first flying robot of its kind to launch without batteries.This is the first time a robot of this size and weight can lift off the ground without wires. It has got wings, circuits and everything, said Vikram Iyer, a doctoral student in electrical engineering and a principal researcher on the project. The wingswhich flutter sideways like on housefliesare tacked on to a micro-board with circuits and a power source, and the entire package weighs about 190 mg. Thats about the weight of a honeybee, and a bit heavie r than a toothpick, which weighs 130 mg.Previous attempts have been made to build flying insect-sized robots, like Harvards RoboBee microbots, but had to be wired to power sources on a desk. Fitting batteries on such a lightweight robot is a challenge, so the researchers put a mini-solar panel on the RoboFly. Rather than ambient light, the RoboFly draws energy from its solar cells via lasers, which can generate a lot more power.RoboFly, the first wireless insect-sized flying robot, is slightly heavier than a toothpick. Image Mark Stone/University of WashingtonFor You Safety and Efficiency, Brick by BrickThe solar cells are custom silicon-based vertical multijunction cells designed for the laser wavelength, not the full spectrum of light. Once the laser shines on the solar cell, a boost converter and piezoelectric actuators convert the low-voltage signals up to 240 volts, which are needed to flap the wings. In a controlled experiment, lasers were targeted directly at the robots, whic h flew for a few seconds. The central processor is an obere extremitt Cortex-M0 microcontroller, which is used in some wearables.The goal is to try and take this ideasmall flying robotsmuch closer to real practical applications, Iyer said, while also acknowledging there are issues that need to be resolved. The goal with RoboFly was to show the wire-free possibilities of such flying robots, adding severing-that cord is what this is all about.A RoboFly-like bot could be even more useful when loaded with sensors. It could be used by first responders during emergency situations, to detect gas leaks or pollutant, or even be deployed in space missions.Many cheap robots can be useful in the ways expensive robots cant, said Johannes James, a mechanical engineering doctoral student at University of Washington, and researcher at the Autonomous Insect Robotics Lab.Theres a big distinction between drones and RoboFly, the researchers said. The RoboFly shows how flying robots can be scaled down t o insect level with fewer electronics, while drones cant scale down beyond a certain point with the batteries and propellers.Drawing inspiration from insects also provides new ways to understand how to build robots, from the flapping wings, to understanding how insects detect odor, localize it, and track and find the origin source. How insects perceive the world and how they drive flight control are topics the researchers will continue to investigate and implement into future iterations of RoboFly.There are other challenges to tackle. Lasers and humans dont mix well, but there are ways to overcome that with laser safety systems. As commercial technology matures, it will also be possible to harvest energy from sources like RF signals. It may also be possible to install supercapacitors, which could be recharged after flight. New materials like GaN (gallium arsenide) could be used in thin film solar cells.But dont expect a defense mechanism against its conventional enemythe flyswattero n the RoboFly anytime soon.Read MoreThe Robotic World of Melonee WiseRobotic Lifeguard Changes Water RescuesNew Twist on an Old ToolThe goal is to try and take this ideasmall flying robotsmuch closer to real practical applications.Vikram Iyer, University of Washington

Career Fairs Aren#8217;t Just for Kids

Career Fairs Aren8217t Just for Kids Career Fairs Aren8217t Just for Kids Yesterday, I found myself saying something I often say this time of year One of my all-time favorite things is to go to a job ritterlichThe response I received to this was not unexpected. The job binnenseeker I was talking to hadnt even thought of attending a job fair since college. They seem so juvenile on some level, dont they?Go Big The Benefits of Large Job FairsI will admit tiny job fairs arent always everything theyre cracked up to be. Ive been to fairs with 10 or fewer employers who have tiny booths and very few actual jobs. behauptung events add little value to your life and could eat up an otherwise perfectly good afternoon.But a good job far can be worth its weight in gold. On more than one occasion, Ive successfully landed a job as a result of attending one of these events.Large fairs can have as many as 300 or more employer booths. Often, the companies represented are the ones youve been dreaming of, such as Facebook, Google, and FedEx. Each employer has a booth thats manned by someone from the companys recruiting team. Theyre there to answer questions, collect resumes, and in some cases, conduct interviews.You heard me right The recruiters often conduct first-round interviews at large career fairs. Can you imagine how much time you could save in your job searchif you could simply walk from recruiter to recruiter in person?Where to Find Job Fairs Near YouFinding the right fair can take time, but it is worth the effort. Start by looking on local chamber of commerce websites and the websites of young professional groups. They often help career fairs get the word out.Then, check out the websites of various national organizations, such as the National Society of Hispanic MBAs, the Society of Women Engineers, or Net Impact. These groups have huge annual conferences. As part of these conferences, they typically host large career fairs. The organizations will often sell career fair -only passes for $100 or less much cheaper than the full conference price.If youre not sure which organizations to look up, try checking out your local convention centers website. You can usually find a calendar of eventsthat will contain a listing of all upcoming fairs and conventions.Keep in mind that the same recruiters attend many different job fairs all year. The particular fair you attend is not as important as the specific employersyou meet.Attending the FairOnce youve found the fair you want to target, prepare four things your outfit, your resume, your business cards, and your elevator pitch. Study the job fair map provided and decide which employer booths you want to stop by. Look up those companies online to see which open positions they are currently promoting.On the day of the event, arrive early. Prepare to stay all day. Feel confident when talking to recruiters about your job search, and dont be afraid to ask for their business cards. After the fair, follow up through email and LinkedIn.With a little work, youll find job fairs can beinvaluable no matter how old you are.A version of this article originally appeared on The Memphis Daily News.